How to Build an 8-foot by 8-foot Log Cabin

• 1). Excavate an 8-foot by 8-foot square of earth by digging about 2 inches into the ground. Lay down a bed of gravel or small rocks to create a basic foundation. Then lay small, 8-inch diameter logs across the gravel bed.
  
  
• 2). Lay the first two logs across the edges of the foundation, on parallel sides so they are facing each other. Be sure these logs are straight and larger than most of the logs you will use for the walls. Now find two more straight, 12-inch diameter or thicker logs to lay on top of these.
  
  
• 3). Lay the logs across the two on the ground. Then scribe a notch using a scribe tool. This tool transfers the shape of the log below to the one on top. Be sure the top log is in the exact position it be in to form the wall when you scribe. Then notch the log using the scribe mark with a chainsaw.
  
  
• 4). Refit the log into place, then make any adjustments to the notch as needed. Be careful in how you set your logs, getting the notches perfect will take practice, and a lot of time, but a tighter fit is going to give you fewer drafts.
  
  
• 5). Repeat steps 3 and 4 with adjoining logs to create the walls of the cabin. Each row will have a set of notched logs of about the same length. When the walls are high enough it is time to build the roof.
  
  

Building the Roof

• 1). Create your roofing joists using a 10-foot board which you can buy, or cut from logs on the site using a band saw, and two 7-foot adjoining boards. Fasten the joists together using metal braces and nails. You should build four of these joists.
  
  
• 2). Mount the first joist to the top of the wall using long anchor screws. You can also score the tops of the logs the joists are being mounted to, for a flush fit, and use blocks of wood, or bracing to secure the roof to the walls.
  
  
• 3). Mount the next three joists along the top of the walls, spaced evenly apart at 2 feet. Connect each one with strips of slatting cut from logs. Slatting is just a strip of wood, like a 2-inch by 4-inch board. Use nails to secure the slatting to the joists.
  
  
• 4). Cut and secure plywood or roofing material to the joists. Then cover the roofing material with rubber or tar paper if desired.
  
  
• 5). Shingle the roof with tar or wood shingles, or outfit it any way you like. For insulation, some people even use moss as a roofing material. You can cut moss from moss beds around your site.