Little House Made from the Big Woods

Last week, Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson had a cool story about a guy who's building a house made out of cord wood up on the White Earth reservation.

In this type of house, typical 16"-long firewood is stacked so the wall is as deep as the wood is long. The gaps between the pieces are filled with mortar.

No other insulation is needed, and it makes for an attractive, energy-efficient home. The labor required can be done as sweat equity from the homeowner, too, since it doesn't require a lot of skill. A 1,000-square foot home can be completed by a builder for $90,000; with owner labor, as low as $45,000.

Check out the full story and a short slideshow on the MPR site.