How to Build Your Dream Cabin in the Woods: The Ultimate Guide to Building and Maintaining a Backcountry Getaway [Hardcover]

J. Wayne Fears (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2002

For people who want to build a log cabin or are just dreaming about it.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you've ever had that dream...here's your book."--American Small Farm

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Everyone dreams of having a cabin in the woods-a wood-hewn structure with all (or, at least, many of) the amenities of home tucked away on a mountaintop with an awe-inspiring view, or nestled on the shore of a trout-filled stream or bass-laden lake. Most people also believe that such a dream house is just that-the stuff of dreams, not affordable, not buildable without hiring a construction crew.Author J. Wayne Fears is here to tell you that such a dream cabin can be yours-at a price that won't break the bank. And he knows, because he has done it himself. In this, a guidebook to make dreams become reality, Fears covers-in words, photos, diagrams, and blueprints-all the important points, from buying the land, to planning your structure, to actually doing it-either on your own, or with some help. With special chapters on keeping your cabin clean and pest-free, as well as with valuable information on maintenance and repair, this book is one that every cabin owner - or potential owner - will keep as a reference for years to come. (6 1/4 x 9 1/4, 240 pages, b&w photos, diagrams, blueprints)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 230 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585744972
• ISBN-13: 978-1585744978
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,173,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

137 of 139 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wide-Ranging and Well-Done, September 19, 2002

By A Customer

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This review is from: How to Build Your Dream Cabin in the Woods: The Ultimate Guide to Building and Maintaining a Backcountry Getaway (Hardcover)

Unlike many of the newer books on building cabins, Fears states that anything over 1000 square feet in NOT a cabin. Readers looking for a general introduction to cabin building and living will find a wealth of information here. Fears is serious about what it takes to build and live in a small cabin. Most of the plans he reviews are for cabins from about 400 to 800 feet square. So, this is a real cabin book! Yuppies wanting to build custom homes in the woods will be put off when Fears describes (in depth) the building and proper use of an outhouse.
Fears discusses land choices, cabin building styles and materials, lighting, heating, options for water supplies, and kitchens. He seriously suggests not having electricity at all.
Toward the end of the book you will also find suggestions for building a rifle range, concerns over making your cabin secure, how to safely use a chain saw, and other helpful information.
At times Fears comes across like the "good-old-boy" he is. At other times he shows a deep knowledge of Aldo Leopold. It seems to me a rare and wonderful combination.
This book does NOT tell you how to actually construct a cabin. But for those of us beginning the process of seriously considering what kind of cabin we want, where to put it, and the basics of design, we find a well-written and genuinely useful book. Highly Recommended.

60 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Broad and deep info about how to make the dream come true, April 14, 2004

By 

Patricia Tryon (Longmont, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Build Your Dream Cabin in the Woods: The Ultimate Guide to Building and Maintaining a Backcountry Getaway (Hardcover)

There are plenty of books with pretty pictures (or idealistic word pictures: think Thoreau) about cabins; here's a wide range of information covered in reasonable depth for anyone looking seriously at the practicalities of building or simply buying a cabin. From water supply to outhouse to simple plans for building benches around a fire ring, the author provides not only the wisdom of his own experience, but also detailed drawings to help readers realize their backcountry dreams.

It is unlikely that I will undertake much in the way of actual construction. But I am studying this book for its virtually encyclopaedic reference to types of cabins (Adirondack, Appalachian-style, log cabin kits, and more) as well as for good pointers on cabin siting. There's a treasure trove of material about heat and light and their applications in, say, the cabin kitchen. Even if we end up purchasing something already built, I will be far better informed (and thus expect to make a better decision) because of the scope and detail of this book.

Fears touches on what one might call the "social factors" of a getaway, as well. He describes what ensued when an essentially extroverted couple built something that provided the solitude they thought they craved and tackles straight on the liability issues that your hospitality may raise. And he goes beyond the nuts and bolts of construction to explain the importance of providing truly comfortable sleeping facilities.

I'll be looking at pretty pictures, too, but this little book with its black and white drawings and photos has become my cabin bible. Already I feel far more confident in my search for a getaway that I will be able to use, enjoy, and maintain. Never have I even considered a wish to grant more than five stars to any book. Because of its utility, fine organization, complete index, and readability on a subject matter I expected to confuse and befuddle me, I would happily grant it a mountain-skyful of stars.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not quite a "how to.", February 18, 2007

By 

Michael Ofsowitz (New York state) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Build Your Dream Cabin in the Woods: The Ultimate Guide to Building and Maintaining a Backcountry Getaway (Paperback)

The book doesn't live up to its title's promise of "how to build your dream cabin...," though it's a pleasant book and offers a few useful ideas. If you haven't yet bought the land or built the cabin, the book is a good start, providing information about what you should think about (location, cabin style and size, floor plan, etc.) and how to get on with a few basic needs (like an outhouse, light, heat, and cooking). But you won't find any building plans here other than for a small woodshed, a bunk bed, a simple outdoor bench, and a birdhouse.

If you already have a cabin, the material in this book is less helpful. Frears tends to let you know about some types of decisions you can make (such as outhouse options or cooking options), but he's pretty short on the detail that might actually inform those decisions. For example, he says he prefers Coleman lanterns for indoor light, and propane camp stoves for indoor cooking, but he never addresses the concern of using propane appliances indoors (which ones are the safest?). In discussing kitchen options, he describes his city-water sink set-up and once mentions a grease pit, but says nothing further about grease pits. (Where, dear environmentally friendly reader, will all your dishwater go?) And given all his experience in deep woods, there's not a word about the mix of food and wildlife, except to mention mice (midnight raccoons and bear seem to be my problem when I cook outside).

I thought his absolute best piece of advice was to not skimp on bedding. Fortunately, my wife and I have a good mattress at our cabin for ourselves, but we've neglected the kid and guest beds. It's not a project that can be romanticized, but one to work on at once.

I also thought he neglects to reflect on logistics. He'll praise things like metal roofing and log siding, but not a word about how to get these to your remote spot. I imagine he drives a rather large pickup when he visits his cabins, but you won't need one to enjoy your dream cabin.

The book isn't "the ultimate guide to building and maintaining a backcountry getaway," but it's food for thought for anyone still planning to buy land and a cabin.