Operation Cabin Rescue - Phase 1 (Long & Pics)
 

There is an old cabin (the original homestead cabin that is somewhere between 90 and 100 years old) down in our lower pasture along the creek. It has been worked on and lived in off and on over the years (more off than on) until the early 70's, it once had electric (badly done, and no longer there) The cabin was in sorry shape when we bought our place in 1990, but was still sound. We used it for storage. As the years went by, all of our time, energy and finances went into building our home, dh's shop, barns, corrals, fencing, gardens and two businesses. The poor old cabin stood lonely and neglected.

I have been watching the cabin slowly deteriorate over the years, but there was never time or money to really do much with it, I guess it just wasn't a priority. We noticed earlier this spring that the roof was in terrible condition and probably wouldn't stand another winter. This was it, the real decision: Do something with the cabin or lose it for good. We went over our budget and came to the conclusion that the old cabin was more important to us than a couple thousand in the bank making very little interest.

Phase 1 completed last weekend- a new roof. The rafters were sound, but there was a lot of holes and leaks in the roof and rot in the ceiling inside. First, we removed the old shingles. I have never liked shingle roofs, now I can say with absolute certainly that I HATE SHINGLES! There were 4 layers and at least 3 layers of tar paper. What a mess, and what a job to remove it. I haven't been that dirty in years. We have a two yard dump trailer completely full of junk off the roof. We found 3 different stove pipe holes in various locations.

We put on new sheeting and one layer of roofing paper. Then, a beautiful new metal roof. We debated on replacing the rafters, but they are sound, so decided to leave them. The roof dips a bit here and there, but we like it, as it still looks like an old cabin.

I will update as we go along. Phase 2 will be new windows and doors and new chinking. The old original mud chinking is still there. Mortar was added in later years, just thick enough to shrink away from the logs and fall out, taking most of the mud with it. It will all be cleaned out and replaced with Logjam chinking. Then a good log home finish put on the logs. Phase 3 will be some work on the foundation on one side where an old tarpaper shack addition was (we removed that several years ago). Phase 4, removing the ceiling inside and have open rafters. The attic area is a nasty mess with old rotting insulation, years of squirrel nests, etc.
Phase 5, new floor. We are probably going to tear the old floor out and pour concrete, then maybe wood over that. We've had trouble with skunks and foxes burrowing underneath and would like to prevent that on a permanent basis.

It will be just me doing this with dh helping on the big jobs (like the roof!), so it will take a while. But, it's exciting and what a feeling to see our old cabin regain some charm and beauty.

My poor, neglected cabin with trees grown up around the foundation.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...s/IMG_6544.jpg

That roof is shot.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...s/IMG_6541.jpg

New roof from the east side. I think we will eventually add a covered porch full length on this side. That will be a future project.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...s/IMG_6590.jpg

The west side, with trees removed and a sound roof that will shed lots of snow. We've had two real good rains in the last couple of days - no more leaks in my cabin! :banana02:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...s/IMG_6592.jpg

One shot of inside (still have junk stored in it). The ceiling is coming down, it's really disgusting up there in the attic area. Not sure yet about the pine tongue and groove on the walls. It's nice, but I like logs. There is a wall dividing the cabin into two rooms, so may leave that and to still have the nice pine t&g.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...s/IMG_6550.jpg

its beautiful...is that an old oilcloth floor?? It looks great

Oh yeah, before anyone has to ask. The cabin is about 32 x 15.

The floor is old linoleum over 1" thick boards. It will have to go. It's weak and rotting in spots and takes a nose dive in the back room, where it really slopes toward the wall.

What a job! I really like the new roof. You'll never regret refurbishing your cabin, and I can't wait to see more Phase photos and the finish.

The roof looks great. That looks like a fun job.

When get ready to seal the logs use a good deck cleaner before you seal it. Spray it on with a pump sprayer and let it do the work. That way there is no need to pressure wash.

Can't wait to see the next phase done.

Wow, very nice. I like the logs too but keep that beautiful tongue and groove paneling for future projects. How will you insulate the roof if you open it up? When I built our cabin I put insulated panels under the metal roofing so the rafter logs showed. The underside is 2" tongue and groove pine. I have some random width tongue and groove beaded paneling on several walls from an old auction yard, some 12" down to 4". It was built in the 40's. Beautiful red color like yours. What a labor of love. Looks like a Colorado cabin....James

Thanks for the tip, paintboy. Sounds like just what we'll do.

jwal10, we're going to use the t&g on the ceiling, between the rafters, with insulated panels between it and roof, like yours.

Sweet Cabin. Gotta say I was surprised by the interior picture. I would have never guessed that it looked like that inside. Good luck :)

Thought for the future ...wood stove, or refaceing the fireplace with rock, might be nice.
I really am glad you saved it. Very nice job!!

And a moose head to hang over it!!
I love the look of the logs and chinking on the outside

That is the exact linoleum that was in our house:thumb:

A neat project and best wishes as you move forward with it.

I love it, it has character. Good luck with the renovations.

Very cool!
 

Looks great!

You're a mind reader! I do some masonry and have plans to use rock from the creek bed for the fireplace. I also have a very small wood cookstove in the process of restoration, and we are thinking about putting it in the other end.

No moose, but I do have a shoulder mount elk in a bugling position and a big mule deer shoulder mount (from my taxidermy school days).

A project you WON'T regret!!!!!

I was thinking of a ramshackle ready to fall down "old" cabin. It's in wonderful condition and well worth saving. Once fixed up, it would make a nice "guest" cabin - or possibly even one you could rent out to people coming and staying in your area.

That looks really nice! Glad you can save it. Looking forward to the pictures as you go along.

I just love a metal roof, the sound that rain make on it is great. I also was really surprised at the interior, its in pretty great shape considering the age. I would keep the rustic tongue and groove interior or at least hold on to it. It is very pretty and obviously of good quality since its lasted.

Keep us posted with your progress please, I love to build vicariously through my HT friends.

Great progress! The cabin will be a labor of love, but I don't think you will regret one second when it is completed.

wonderful project. I am working on a small cabin on my property right now as well but mine has none of the charm and character your has. I would love to have your cabin on my property.
I plan on using my cabin to learn and practice living "off the grid". Setting it up with a wood cook stove, I have a natural spring just uphill of the cabin.
You should leave the T&G on the walls, it looks great.
Good luck, have fun.

I know we won't regret it, we are excited about it. But, it is hard to pull out money in this economy for something we don't need. But the cabin needs it, and we decided it would be more valuable to us in the long run than the money. We aren't sinking a lot of cash into it, mostly labor.

I plan to eventually have it finished like a circa late 1880's cabin. I have an old cookstove, Hoosier cabinet, some other old furniture I've had in storage for years (my dh will be so glad to get that stuff out of his shop!). I also have several old oil lamps. My Dad just gave me two with wall hanging brackets and reflectors behind them. Braided rag rugs on the floor, and so on. Fun to dream about it. I like to write, sketch, and paint and it would make a great studio for that. It could also be used as a guest house for guests who don't mind having to come up to the house for bathroom facilities.

Good luck with your cabin. Nice to have a spring close. Mine took 90+ years of use and neglect to get its character.

I do like the t&g. However, I know from some bad spots that there is a lot of mouse and squirrel mess between the logs and the t&g. I know that will bother me no end. I'd like to have it really clean and be rid of those problems. There are spots where the t&g is rotting and those areas will have to be removed. Just not sure exactly what we'll do inside yet.

Vintage linoleum flooring (not vinyl) is a hot collectible right now.

If you only knew how much mouse, squirrel and mountain pack rat urine and feces is on that floor. Ugh....:eek:

Worked great for me but you have to do it upside down:hrm:. Everyone has an idea how they would do it. You have a plan, sounds like it will be awesome.

We built our cabin after I found out I WAS going to live and wanted to live differently. My daughter was 9 and my son was 5. I was suprised how much they were able to do. I could only work an hour a day, but with supervision the kids got a lot done. My wife couldn't help a lot but the moral support was great. I couldn't do logs, both physically and wanting to build it from what was on the property and lumber I had collected. The rafters, ridge pole, porch posts and header are tree tops in their natural state (hand peeled by the kids) but the rest was milled into 1"x12" vertical siding with 1"x3" batten boards. I had to have someone do the heavy work, concrete floor, set the rafters, deck them and install the recycled tin roof. We did the interior, some wallboard, bead board wainscote and barn board chair rail. I even used some leftover tin roofing for wainscote. Rustic but not old. It is perfect because the property was everything we wanted. Worked out well because it looks old but doesn't need the maintainence of an old building. Good luck on your project and enjoy the journey. I wanted the kids to have a place that was like the old days, kind of Tom Sawyer like to spend their early years. Now my Sweety and I get our time here. Couldn't have worked out better for us....James

What a neat story, James. Your kids will always have great memories of helping build the house and it will mean more to them later on. When my dh was in his early 20's, he and his dad built a cabin. It is a family cabin, and now dh and his 3 siblings own it. Dh was the only one that really worked on the cabin and it means a lot more to him than it does to his siblings.

Yes, we'll be working over our heads, but it's a short ceiling and dh is tall. And, it's a small cabin. It actually has trusses rather than log rafters, so shouldn't be too difficult to do. Guess we'll find out when we get that far.

I'd love to see pics of your place, it sounds really nice.

How awesome!! When can I move in? :D

that is absolutely toooo cute congrats on saving it for later use!

LOL...vinegar will clean that.

Nice looking cabin..i could live there!! your so lucky to have it...

if after cleaning it and you still have the mouse feces smell,get some Odo Ban and spray around..that is good stuff to eliminate ordors...

have fun with the project...

totally envious! Thanks for preserving a little bit of history for the future generations.