Riving, Shingling & Siding a Timber Frame Cabin

This 6-day immersive course will teach students how to split (rive) wood using traditional hand tools to create the materials needed for roofing, siding, and interior lath work of a timber frame cabin.

The key focus of this course is riving—the art of splitting wood along the grain to create durable, weatherproof building materials. Beginning with cedar logs in the round, students will learn to select clear sections appropriate to use as shingle material. They will then learn how to buck their material to length using a two-man crosscut saw. A froe and club will be used to rive out shakes, which will then be refined with a hatchet and drawknife to create historically accurate wooden roofing materials.

Students will also produce and install accordion lath, a traditional split-wood lattice used to support lime plaster on interior walls. Throughout the course, students will gain a deep understanding of wood grain, learning to read and manipulate it for optimal splitting, all while practicing the patience and precision required to work with natural materials.

On Day 6, students will install the materials they have created, completing the roofing, siding, and lath work for a timber frame cabin using only hand tools and traditional methods.

All tools and wood are supplied, though students are welcome to bring their own hand tools.

This class is part of a series inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s cabin in the book Walden. Check out the other Thoreau’s Cabin-inspired classes.