A recent client sought my help in designing a modest cabin, off grid, on a site near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. I’ve responded to similar requests before and found the challenge to be finding a builder willing to head into the wilderness, black flies, mosquitos, and all just to construct a small cabin. But this time I thought I had just the right person, Eric Mase of the Wee Cabin Company. He had built a couple of projects I had featured in my most recent book, “Back to the Cabin” and I was impressed with the rigor of his craftsmanship.
Photo by Dayna Mase
Eric has a unique method for building small timber frame cabins which begins by pre-cutting the timbers at his site, under roof. He then builds foundation peers and floor deck at the owner’s site to have a smooth, level surface on which to erect the frame. Next to the frame and on the ground he builds the roof structure, finished roofing materials, fascia, trim with gable ends complete with windows. An afternoon’s use of a crane then lifts the roof up on the timbered main level.
Photo by Dayna Mase
Photo by Dayna Mase
The project he and I are working on has a basic cabin block, 14’ x 27’, comprised of three 9’ bays. To that he’ll add an 8’ x 12’ screen porch off the gable end and a 6’ x 9’ mud room mid-way on the eave side. The main structure is a story and a half tall so each end will have open sleeping lofts connected by a bridge.
Photo by Dayna Mase
Eric likes to name his project after christening his first cabin, “The Thoreau” but I co-opted him on this one with the moniker, “The Wee – Ely”.
Photo by Dayna Mase
Dale Mulfinger is SALA's renowned Cabinologist and is featured in this month's Minnesota Monthly magazine. If you'd like to take a look at more of Dale's clever design solutions, visit his profile page! Or if you'd like to peruse more articles of Dale's on the SALA Blog, READ ON!