What

I made this wiki to organize / chronicle building a small off-grid cabin on the Cumberland Plateau.

Before this project, I had never sawed a piece of lumber, or hammered a nail other than to hang a picture, so there was a lot to keep track of.

If you’re embarking upon a similar project, please feel free to poke around, and see if there’s something here that would be useful to you, too.

Why

Mostly: spending more time in nature. My goal is one step up from glamping, and not necessarily a full-time dwelling, but you could easily dial the intricacy up or down depending upon your needs.

How

If you’re as inexperienced as I was, I highly recommend finding a copy of Building Thoreau’s Cabin, which I drew upon for many of the technical skills needed for this cabin. (Don’t worry — the author is a joy to read, and not as sanctimonious as Thoreau.)

Whether you’re also interested in building a small cabin, or perhaps a bare-bones shelter, or you just enjoy watching these types of projects unfold, I hope that this cabin project gives you an excuse to spend more time in the forest.

If you have questions, ideas, or pictures of your own project — please share! I’m at [person]@[email.com]