Learn the skills necessary to construct your own handcrafted log cabin or home at the Great Lakes School of Log Building in northern Minnesota. Save money, get hands-on experience and gain personal satisfaction by attending one of our monthly workshops. The Great Lakes School has been promoting and teaching the craft of Scandinavian full-scribed log construction for 33 years. Our ten-day courses are designed to accommodate all skill levels, from novice on up, and we invite men and women of all ages to participate.

The school is a member of the International Log Builders' Association (ILBA) and teaching is in accordance with the Association's Log Building Standards.

Updates:

The International Log Builders' Association met for the annual conference and annual general meeting in Whitefish, Montana this April. Great lodging, food, and workshops galore left participants feeling well-satisfied. Local builder and vice-president of ILBA board, Pat Clark, hosted some super field trips in the vicinity. Below, left to right, are David Rogers presenting on log restoration, a group viewing the new Brand X sawmill, and some folks watching the highly-competitive log builder games.

The May 2008 course was unusually well-attended (& good): Shown, l to r, are John & Ben Mackay, MN; Mark Aufiery, FL; Michael Hasz, VA; Bruce & Scott Blacketter, MN; Bill Balsiger, WI; Jean laforest & Francine Audet, Quebec.

Jeff Garland of Indiana cuts a window on the April 2008 course. One of the most successful and enjoyable courses ever held (at least from the instructor's perspective), the group also included Colin Bourgouin of Manitoba, Marlon Davey of Tennessee and Pat Simeon from Ohio.

Former students Jim and Nancy Sauer of St. Louis, MO, holding their model in front of their almost completed home, done during 2007-07 of yellow pine with help from their son and a friend. See more pictures below.

During May 2007 Stonework Course, Jennifer James, Illinois, sifts mortar sand while Tony Chmiel, Wisconsin, mixes.

Jim and Nancy Sauer from Missouri brought to the June, 2006 class their model of the house they would build. After some modification, the house now well underway, the revised mockup of the house is shown below with their son, Mike, and Bruce Gibbar, who were participants on the June 2007 course.