12 x 16 island cabin in Nova Scotia

[davestreck]

Hello all,

I just got back from the first of two 2010 trips up to our place in Nova Scotia, and I thought I'd post pics of our project.

My wife and I have been in the process of building a cabin on an uninhabited island off of the east coast of Nova Scotia for about 4 years now. Since we only manage to get up there for a week or so each summer, progress has been slow. Over the past few summers we've managed to build an 8x12 storage shed, put in a basic cabin foundation, and build a 12x16 deck with attached porch.

This year I decided to go up for 2 weeks in June/July to make as much progress as I could actually framing and sheathing the cabin itself. My brother came with me for the first week, then flew back home. My wife joined me for the second week.

The island is about 60 acres in size, located about 1 mile offshore. Its just to the east of a large peninsula that shelters it from the prevailing SW winds, and the water is nearly always calm (if cold). A local lobsterman lets us use his wharf on the mainland to park our car and load our boat. From the wharf to the island is about a 5 minute boat ride in good conditions. The nearest town is about a 15 minute drive from the wharf, and has all that we need: hardware store/lumberyard, grocery store, RCMP post, hospital, etc. Amazingly, cell phone reception on the island is excellent.

There is obviously no electrical service on the island, so we use a generator to power our tools and charge batteries. Eventually we'd like to install a basic solar/wind power system. I'm also considering using salvaged RV propane appliances for cooking and refrigeration, hooked up to a bank of grill tanks.

First load of 2x4s:


To get out to the island and ferry all the materials, we have 2 boats: a 12' aluminum skiff with a 9.9Hp motor, and a 13' Boston Whaler with a 25. We also keep a canoe for poking around. Here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIvct6OJomE of one of our lumber runs to the island.

The cabin design is a basic one-room 12x16 with an 8 foot deep loft on one end, plus an attached 8x16 foot covered porch. I had originally intended to build a post-and-beam frame at my shop in Mass and trailer it up, but realized that the weight of the timbers was just too much, considering how far they have to be carried to the site, so I stick framed it instead. I also pre-built all the windows, the door, and all the casings ahead of time. The windows were old wood double-hungs that I salvaged out of a dumpster and rebuilt with new jambs and sills. The door came out of my mother-in-laws old farmhouse in NH.

Here's a shot of the deck and attached porch:



The deck is built of 2x8 PT and decked with 1x6 T&G spruce. I threw a coat of oil based paint on ito help protect it. Its starting to peel after 2 years, but has certainly helped. The porch is 5/4x6 PT decking boards over 2x8 PT joists. The whole thing rests on 2 doubled-up 2x10 PT girders, which in turn sit on 4x4s attached to precast concrete piers set on bedrock and backfilled with beach gravel. Bedrock is only a foot or so below grade on most of the island.

The long walls were framed in 2 separate sections to make them easier for two guys to raise:



Since I didnt want to use plywood or OSB sheathing on the cabin (to difficult to carry, and too ugly on the inside) I set in 1x4 pine knee braces into the frame to provide racking resistance:



Rear wall up and braced:



South wall up:



The view out the front, looking east over our cove and some of the nearby islands (all uninhabited):



Roof pitch is 12/12, framed with 2x6s, with an overhang at the back wall and a smooth transition at the front to the 3/12 porch roof:



All the rafters up, and the traditional spruce sapling nailed to the peak to appease the Gods:



The view from the loft, looking south over the open Atlantic:



My brother had to go home after the first week, so he flew out and my wife flew in. Once we got back to the island, the work started up again, with me as builder and she as laborer. She probably did 75% of the carrying from the beach to the site: 250 yards in, 60 feet vertical rise, over a twisting, muddy trail through the woods. She was a trooper.

I wanted to frame the porch with 4x4 cedar, but found out too late that the local yard only had PT 4x4s, so I had to use those. I used a simple drawbored lap joint and oak pegs (whittled from scraps in the kindling pile) to join the top plate, then mortised the 3 posts. Then I let in 1x4 knee braces for strength:





Porch roof framed with 2x6s:



After 2 solid days of heavy downpours, we were behind schedule, so we concentrated on getting all the remaining materials up to the site and tarped, and sheathing the 2 short walls with 1x6 T&G spruce laid on at a 45 degree angle for additional racking resistance. I also set the windows in the 2 gable end walls, mostly because I was interested to see how they came out:



A few more views of the half-sheathed cabin:







Now my plan is to head back up later this summer to finish the sheathing and install the steel roofing. Next summer will be trim and siding (cedar shake), installing the wood stove, and starting to fit out the interior.

[rocking23nf]

looking good, better get that spruce treated or stained with something, the sun and rain will eat that alive.

[dug]

Beautiful country and a snug little cabin. Anyone who isn't just a little bit jealous of that spot must not be living right! 

Great job on the construction! I like that you incorporated a little post and beam style into the standard stick build. That's what I tried to do, but without the nice joinery that you did. I would really like to learn about that someday. It's on my list...

Keep us posted as you go, can't wait to see how it turns out!

[Mike 870]

Wow great project, I am looking forward to following your progress. I used to have a 13 foot boston whaler with a 40 HP evinrude.  Great little boat, wish I still had it.

[davestreck]

looking good, better get that spruce treated or stained with something, the sun and rain will eat that alive.

Since I'm planning on being back up there in a few weeks, I'm not too worried. One year exposed to the elements won't be too bad. The shed we built 4 years ago is covered with the same stuff and, while it has grayed considerably, it still seems to be holding up well:



Next year I'm planning on putting up cedar shakes over tar paper to finish off the outside of the cabin.

I like that you incorporated a little post and beam style into the standard stick build.

I was pretty disappointed when I realized that timber framing the cabin was unrealistic, especially considering that I'd already bought all the timbers. I love post-and-beam (I built my shed and my shop that way), but carrying those big pieces so far into the woods was just impractical.

I used to have a 13 foot boston whaler with a 40 HP evinrude.  Great little boat, wish I still had it.

That Whaler is a great boat. I've loaded the hell out of it and it still floats right on its waterline. 25 Hp is underpowered, though. But I do love that 4-stroke.

When I hit the lottery I'm gonna buy one of these:

[Jeff922]

Great looking cabin you have there.  Craftsmanship of the highest quality, good work!  Thanks for posting the pics.

[NM_Shooter]

Oh man, I am green with envy.  What a great location.  Got any pictures from the water?

[davestreck]

Oh man, I am green with envy.  What a great location.  Got any pictures from the water?

I was so busy during the 2 weeks that I was there that I didn't get out in the boat to check out what it looks like from the water until the end of the last day. Since it was sunset, the light wasn't the greatest, but here's the best shot of the bunch:



You can just make out the frame in the center of the pic. Still a bit of clearing to do to open up the view.

I also posted a video "tour" of the island on YouTube, which gives a good idea of how the site is laid out (although YouTude's video quality leaves something to be desired):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCArg3P-M5g

[davestreck]

Another video, this time of the trip around the island to check out the cabin from the water:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuSIyCJ_2ps

[Solar Burrito]

What a beautiful spot and a great cabin. The island reminds me of the San Juan Islands just north of me. Those are way more populated though.

Do you own the land or is it remote enough that it's yours by default?

I like your style with the multiple boats. I subscribe to the same philosophy and have a 12' aluminum like you but felt the need to overpower it with a 15hp and I love it. I also have a canoe and a 18' Tiderunner for Puget Sound. I wish I had a whaler like yours too. It's weird it has a 25hp since usually Whalers are notoriously overpowered but with the convenience of a fourstroke probably makes up for the speed when loaded. Good think you don't have to go too far, but from the video you can haul-ass with little weight in her.

[John Raabe]

Dave:

Very nice work on your cabin and (as everyone has been gushing) a truly lovely site.

Pretty fine progress too, I might add. I see that you ordered the Enchilada Plans kit on 5/1/10!

First cabin workmanship by a craftsman who knows how to use a chisel and real wood.

[davestreck]

What a beautiful spot and a great cabin. The island reminds me of the San Juan Islands just north of me. Those are way more populated though.

Do you own the land or is it remote enough that it's yours by default?

I like your style with the multiple boats. I subscribe to the same philosophy and have a 12' aluminum like you but felt the need to overpower it with a 15hp and I love it. I also have a canoe and a 18' Tiderunner for Puget Sound. I wish I had a whaler like yours too. It's weird it has a 25hp since usually Whalers are notoriously overpowered but with the convenience of a fourstroke probably makes up for the speed when loaded. Good think you don't have to go too far, but from the video you can haul-ass with little weight in her.

We bought the land 5 years ago. Its amazing how cheap islands were selling for, and back then the US dollar was a heckuva lot stronger than it is now. Our trips up there keep getting more and more expensive. All I can say is: Budweiser at $45 a case hurts!

We did luck out with the property. We looked at 5 or 6 islands before settling on this one. It has all we were looking for: totally private and remote, but close to land; great views; good elevation; and a protected cove for landing. Only thing it lacks is a sandy beach. All the beaches are gravel, but the water is too damn cold for swimming anyway.

The Whaler is underpowered, but the whole package was such a good deal that I couldn't pass it up. And she still gets up and goes pretty good, as long as I don't try to carry 100 2x4x8s at once, like I did the first time over.

[davestreck]

Dave:

Very nice work on your cabin and (as everyone has been gushing) a truly lovely site.

Pretty fine progress too, I might add. I see that you ordered the Enchilada Plans kit on 5/1/10!

First cabin workmanship by a craftsman who knows how to use a chisel and real wood.

Thanks for the kind words, John. The plans helped out amazingly. I had fully intended to build a post-and-beam frame (even going so far as buying the timbers from the local sawmill) before I realized that it was impractical to carry them that far into the woods. By that point my trip was planned, plane tickets bought, etc, so I was committed. I'm a wooden boatbuilder and timber framer by trade, and have (believe it or not) never built a stick-framed building before. All I can say is, I have a new-found respect for framers! I'm spoiled never having had to deal with dimensional lumber before. Yikes, that stuff is wonky! Still, the cabin is coming out pretty well. Hopefully all my screwups will be hidden behind sheathing before a real framer ever sees it!

[davestreck]

I just got back from another week-long trip to the property. My father and I managed to get the remaining walls sheathed, the steel roofing on, and the last windows and the door in. It should be pretty well buttoned up for the winter:



We ran into a few snags (as usual). The cool old antique doorknob I bought at the local salvage place for $2 is too big to clear the jamb, so a pair of mini vise-grips are standing in as a temporary replacement. Also, the top casing I built for the rear window is too tall and interferes with the soffit, so I'll have to come up with something else. All in all, however, it was a good trip.

[bayview]

   That chair on the deck really makes is seem like home . . .

   You've done a great job!

/.

[glenn kangiser]

Wow - your own country... that's what I want.  Nice job and cool place. 

I lightened up the photo above a bit to get a better look.

[davestreck]

Glenn,

Thats awesome, thanks! The sun was directly behind the cabin when I took that shot, and I've been squinting every time I look at it.

[Alasdair]

What a beautiful spot and a great job on the cabin! Where abouts in N.S. are you?
Al

[glenn kangiser]

No problem, Dave. 

Is there fresh water on the island or would you have to rainwater harvest?

[rocking23nf]

looks good, wish i was there to help ya, im going back home to newfoundland in 2weeks for holidays, close enough. I miss the ocean.

[davestreck]

Alasdair,

We're just southwest of Sheet Harbour, about 1 mile offshore, near Taylor Head

Glenn,

No fresh water that we've found so far. Rainwater collection seems like the way to go, but freezing is going to be a problem. With bedrock just a few inches or so below grade, I'm not going to be able to bury a cistern, and I worry that any rainwater remaining in the system when we leave in late summer will freeze up and burst the tank. Alternately, if I drain it before we leave, it will be empty when we arrive the following year and we'll still have to haul water in. Its a problem I haven't come up with a solution to yet.

[Solar Burrito]

our rain water barrels freeze and they haven't had a problem yet in 3 years. Not that Washington state is as cold as Nova Scotia.  Maybe consider potable 55 gallon rain barrels, they are cheap and if one does burst you'd only be out $30. Probably have to make sure you drain any pipes you have though.

[MountainDon]

The problem we had with a frozen  rain barrel is that the metal valve at the bottom cracked, then leaked everything out after the thaw. Another barrel that was just sitting there half full, no valves, came through okay.  Our barrels are recycled food grade pickled pepper barrels.

[Onkeludo2]

And how many pecks of peppers did Peter have to pick to procure those pickled pepper barrels? 

I crack myself up!

[davestreck]

I've been told that the secret to keeping a water tank from rupturing when frozen is to use one that has outward-sloping sides, so that the top is wider than the bottom. Can anyone confirm this? Seems to make sense...