Log cabin simplicity: recrafting pioneer tiny homes in corn Iowa | Construction and DIY projects | Forums

I love old cabins

Paul Cutting bought his first log cabin for $600 and with no background in construction, he began to meticulously take it apart, documenting where each piece was placed so some day he could put it back together in an authentic fashion.

He put thousands of hours into the home's demolition while simultaneously driving the countryside in search of more of these log homes..

These were homes that were built between 1850 and 1870 by the first white settlers to the region, mostly Norwegian Americans who took advantage of the abundant local forests to build their homes entirely of logs. Most of the logs are hidden behind siding so their status is a bit of a secret,

In the past 6 years, Cutting has taken down 10 log homes (the 1st cost $600, another $300 and the rest were free) and he's rebuilt 4 of them. He lives in one and at just 16 feet by 17 feet, it's small and quirky, but it cost him just $20,000 to build (not including 2 years of his labor) and he loves the quality of his salvaged home.

Cutting has rebuilt one home and a barn for clients, but he doesn't think he wants- or can- make a business out of this work. Instead, he hopes to carve out a living on his family farm. He's trying to go from hobby farming to expanding his father's herd of grassfed cows into something more productive. He also wants to explore cabinet and furniture-making and finally, he's turning one of the cabins on his family farm into an overnight rental (for info, see Trout River Log Cabin troutriverlogcabin.com)