Salvaged Cabin by Deek of Relax Shacks
Derek “Deek” Diedricksen has carved out a niche for himself as one of America’s most knowledgeable builders of tiny houses. He has written books on the subject, built lots of fantastic projects, and even hosts workshops to help others build their own tiny homes. The Rock Bottom cabin is a fun little getaway that he built for around $300.
The Rock Bottom isn’t meant to be a permanent home; rather, it’s a small 8′ X 8′ space in which to hang out, read, and possibly spend a night or two in the woods. Its name comes both from the fact that it was almost free to build and from the enormous boulder that it sits next to – a boulder that’s as big as the cabin itself.
According to Diedricksen, the cabin wasn’t even planned – it just came along as kind of an afterthought during one of his small home building workshops. Being a long-time collector of salvaged and donated building materials, he had just about everything he needed on hand already.
The large deck at the entrance was a part of a fence that was being thrown away. The wood siding was donated from a widow whose late husband had a large stash of it. The front door and some of the interior windows were all headed for the landfill before Diedricksen saved them and gave them new life in this cool project.
One side of the cabin is clad in Tuftex polycarbonate roofing, a translucent material that lets you see out from inside the minimalist cabin. The interior materials and furnishings are mostly salvaged, though there are a few cute IKEA accents inside. The cozy interior of the little structure might just be enough to help you forget your troubles for a little while – until you need electricity or a bathroom, that is.
