He Quit College and Built a Log Cabin Alone in the Wilderness With No Experience – How Matt Jacobs Did It

How Matt Jacobs Did It

Have you ever thought about leaving the city rush, university, or your job behind to build your dream home with your own two hands? Matt Jacobs did exactly that. In just one year, without any prior training, he embarked on the adventure of a lifetime in the mountains of Croatia.

Matt's story isn't just about construction; it's about determination. After deciding to drop out of college, he spent all his savings—earned from student jobs—on raw logs and hand tools. His goal was simple but bold: to build a log cabin alone in the middle of nowhere.

The Beginning: 67 Logs and Sheer Muscle Power

The project began with Matt needing to move and process 67 freshly cut fir logs. Since the wood was still green and full of moisture, the logs were incredibly heavy. Instead of using heavy machinery, he used a simple draw knife to peel the bark by hand.

"At this moment I still don't know if I will be able to build the cabin. The logs are very heavy and I have no experience... I'll have to risk it," he said at the start of the video.

The Technique: "Full-Scribe" and Moss Insulation

Matt didn't choose the easy path. He used one of the most demanding methods of log building, known as the "full-scribe" method. This involves carving each log to fit the natural shape of the one beneath it with millimeter precision. The result is a seamless fit with no gaps, meaning no synthetic chinking is required.

Instead of modern insulation materials, he sourced everything from nature: he simply stuffed moss between the logs. Not only was this free, but moss is also an excellent natural insulator that has been used for centuries.

Tools from the Past

One of the most atmospheric parts of the video is seeing the tools he works with. You won't see shiny, modern power tools here, but rather:

• Gränsfors and Narex axes,

• A manual draw knife,

• And an auger from 1916 that he restored. As he put it: "It's crazy when I think about it. Someone used it 100 years ago and now it's in my YouTube video."

Alone in the Wild

Over the course of the year, Matt battled not just physical exhaustion but the elements as well. He worked through pouring rain and mud to keep to his schedule. To have a place to sleep during the build, he even constructed a miniature, one-room hut in the shadow of the main house to serve as a resting spot.

The biggest challenge was lifting the logs. Without help, he had to devise pulley systems and use leverage tricks to hoist the massive timbers into place as the walls grew higher.

The Result

Exactly one year after starting, the walls were standing. At the end of the video, we see the columns for the roof structure falling into place, revealing the final shape of the cabin, complete with the porch and window openings.

Matt Jacobs' video is perfect proof that even without experience, with endless perseverance and a willingness to learn, you can achieve almost anything. Even if you have to learn how to hold an axe first.