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Should you find youself in a situation from which there is little hope of being rescued or indeed from which you don't care to be "rescued" you're going to have to look at making a more comfortable long term abode. Just as with the expedient shelters discussed in a previous file you'll have to take into account the conditions that you're likely to face and the materials you have to hand

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Basic Building Techniques

Stick Walls & Screens It is possible to build simple walls by piling sticks between uprights driven into the ground and (if possible) tied at the top. Caulk them well to close gaps and keep out the elements.

 

For extra sturdy walls use two stacks of sticks and pack the space between them with earth as you build.

Coverings Make wattle and woven coverings for roofs or walls from springy saplings, small branches, plant stems, grasses or long leaves. First make a frame from less pliable material, tie off the struts and then weave in your materials. If you have little cordage drive the uprights into the ground and weave in enough of your material to make a basic framework, remove from the ground and finish.

 

Another method is to double up cross pieces, lashed either side
of your frame and insert tree bark in a fashion similar to a tiled roof.

 

 

Caves

Caves provide ready made shelter, even small caves can be made habitable and the larger ones make ideal permanent homes. Caves in rock set above valleys are normally dry inside, even if you get a little seepage through the roof. Caves can be cold and sometimes the local fauna may have beaten you to it so approach with care, if there are signs of other "inhabitants" light a fire near the enterance, but be sure to allow them an escape route, a good insulating layer of dry plant matter should help deal with the other problem. Beware of rock fall !!! getting permanently trapped in your new home is not conducive to personal survival.


If the cave faces into wind put up two screens outside, one on each side, overlapping to provide an entrance.




Fires should be kept towards the rear of a cave, the smoke will rise and follow the roof to an exit, smoke from a fire lit near the entrance on the other hand will blow inside.

Sod House

Turf houses are useful in areas where timber is scarce or you do not have the necessary tools to work in wood. Cut sections of turf 18x6in and build them like bricks, overlapping "Old English" fashion. slope the walls towards the rear to give pitch to your roof, which will have to be supported by wooden spars or some other equally strong material. Make a cover as described above and attatch to the spars, cover this with leaves and the a layer of turf. Build low, big enough to sit up or maybe scuttle around in but not high enough to stand up straight. You can leave the leeward side open, or for a stronger build fit a doorway to the lee wall, for this however you will need timber for the frame. You can build in an internal hearth and chimney, but remember that turf is flammable, coat the hearth area thickly with clay before use, or light a fire outside the door with a fire reflector behind.


Overlap the "bricks" to form a bond.

 

 

 

Log Cabins

The size of your log cabin will depend on two factors, the size of your timber and the number of people it is to house. A square or rectangle shape will be easiest to build and roof, 8ft square is a sensible size for a small cabin.



Lay down the first layer of logs in the shape of your hut. Joint the corners and fit on top of each other, do not trim the ends as they provide the strength of the join.





As logs tend to taper, place them alternately top to bottom to counter this.








Once the ground frame has been laid, leave space for a door on the leeward side of the building, you may be able to use off cuts from your logs to shore up either side of the doorframe, square it off and wedge the frame in place.










Build up the front wall higher than the back to give the roof pitch. The last log front and back should project well beyond the side walls to give extra supprt to the roof. Across the hut from side to side notch in one cross beam to keep the short logs in place, then lay more logs along the top, front to back extending beyond the walls. Notch the roof logs to fit the cross pieces and lash them down.






Choose a level site to build your cabin, flatten a larger area if necessary, the walls must be level. Cutting down logs should ideally be accomplished with an axe or 2 handed saw altough in a pinch the flexible saw from a survival kit will suffice. Unless you're sure you're up to the job don't attempt windows, you should get enough ventilation from the doorway, don't worry about making a door immediately, hang a blanket or other cloth over the door, it'll keep out the wind. Caulk between the logs with a mixture of mud and the woodchips from your logging, use a sharpened stick to force it into the gaps. Cover the roof with saplings before laying a layer of mud and turf. You can add a fireplace if you leave a space in the roof for smoke to escape, but never leave it unattended, put it out rather than risk a fire, if you do make a fireplace it may be worth using stone if you have a ready supply, make a fireplace and chimney from flat sided rocks caulked with clay.

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