Front deck
The small deck that serves as the building’s front landing is built from 5⁄4 cedar deck boards laid on pressure-treated supports. To build it, I attached a ledger to the building with lag bolts, then sealed the joint with a strip of copper flashing. Because my deck rests on exposed sections of bedrock, I was able to cut short lengths of pressure-treated 4x4 to support the beams. Then I added the 5⁄4 deck boards on top, leaving 1/2" gaps between each board for drain-age. The deck boards are scribed around the irregular rocks near the cabin for a unique look.
Finishing touches
You can get away without finishing cedar if you don't mind the weathered grey look after a year or two, but to keep the cedar looking as new as possible, you'll need to coat the building with some kind of finish. I applied two coats of Sikkens Cetol 1 to all exterior cedar surfaces, then caulked all exposed joints with polyurethane caulk.
To complete the sleeping cabin, I added an industrial exterior-grade light fixture beside the front door and two outlets inside the cabin. The outlet nearest the bed location is split so that one receptacle can be on while the other is off. That way guests can operate a bedside lamp (which is on the top outlet), from the cabin entrance without cutting off the clock radio's power. All the interior electrical runs are housed in rigid galvanized conduit. I could have used armoured cable for the exposed wiring, but the conduit looks better.
Finally, I painted the plywood floor with two coats of good-quality porch and floor enamel, and added a plywood floor to the loft storage area. A simple shop-built cedar ladder provides access to the loft.
Building a sleeping cabin may take a few weekends of work, but friends who want to visit your cottage can earn some time in the cabin by lending a hand in the construction process.
Read more in Home Reno & Design and Outdoor
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