Green Valley Cabin

After a rough start to the month, Trail Crew bounced back to begin working on its next big project: finishing the construction of a cabin at Green Valley State Park. The primary carpentry work was completed while we were working on clearing out and refurbishing the house nearby, and it was our job to put the finishing touches on both the interior and exterior.

The first step was the interior. Fiberglass insulation and a vapor barrier help to ensure that the cabin is weatherized and energy efficient. After applying these, we finished the walls with tongue and groove siding, cut to fit each wall individually. Doing so was a complicated affair with a steep learning curve, but we quickly learned to mind all of the many details associated with trimming a board to have a tight and level fit that was aligned with the boards on the adjoining walls. We also learned to "blind nail" each piece, a technique that hides the nails in the joints of the siding so that the final product is unblemished wood.




After Ceith cuts a piece of siding, Adam blind nails it to the wall. The before and after can be seen on the final photo.

After mounting a mantle above the heating unit, applying the siding to the walls and vaulted ceiling and providing trim to the windows, we moved to the exterior. Siding was again individually cut from stock, this time from log siding that gave the cabin a rustic aesthetic. We also applied drip edges, shingles and vents to prevent moisture from rotting the wood, thereby ensuring that the cabin will stand the test of time.




Adam Delilah and Ceith raise a piece of external siding. After that was finished, everyone moved on to roofing for a day.

Though the bulk of the work is now finished, we still have details to finish on this project. All of those loose ends will hopefully be tied up next week, allowing us to move on to what will hopefully be our first project of spring (is it spring yet? please?). More on the Green Valley cabin, as well as pictures of the final product to come soon!