I am making plans to build and ice shack for this winter and am thinking about the dimensions being 8x12ft.What all am i going to need for the shack besides wood, beds,and a fire place?Also how has everyone else built theres?

mine is 7X8...2x2 studs w/24" centers...2x3 floor joists w/24" centers with exterior grade tongue and groove 3/4" wafer board flooring...peaked roof shingled...7' padded bench for nap time...2 holes cut and hinged and tip ups mounted right on the walls...2x6x10' studs for runners w/poly sliders.

My shack is 8'x16'.

2x4 construction.

16" centers for the floor and 24" centers for the walls and ceiling.

8' high walls.

It sits on 2 beams that are 2 ply 2x6x16'. The ends are angled and bolted to the joist with hooks on all four ends to hook chains on and drag around.

The exterior is 3/8" OSB board and primed and painted.

All four walls, floor and ceiling insulated with R20.

Inside walls finished with 1/8" pressboard.

Roof is galvinized sheeting we had and tared the seems.

A sliding basement window is installed on the ceiling for a skylight and a vent for when it gets too hot inside and when cooking or drilling holes.

I have a 4' x 4' 1/2" thick plexiglass window from a hockey rink that brings lots of light in and can't be smashed.

4 holes in the floor with trap doors for fishing.

2 lights in the ceiling and 2 wall plugs. Wired to an outside plug that we can plug into a generator for power and light. Plus another 2 lights in the ceiling wired to 1/2" bolts sticking out the side of the shack to hook up jumper cables and run DC power. All wiring is hard wired inside the walls.

A home made wood stove with 6" chimmeny provides heat and something to cook on. Stove lag bolted to the floor and sheet metal on the floor and up the back spaced 1" away from the walls and floor to allow air space.

2x4 construction bunk beds at each end of the shack that flip in the middle for a shelf or unfold to sleep on room for 2. So 4 people on the bunk beds and then a futon under one room for 2 and a love seat under the other bunk room for one. Room to sleep 7 comfortably.

Shelfs and trays anywhere possible with lips on them to prevent stuff from rolling off to the bottom of the lake. Hooks everywhere for jackets, gloves, etc....

First aid kit, fire extingiser, nudey poster.

I'm sure there's more I'm forgeting. Just ask any questions you have.

We stay at mine every weekend using it like a winter cabin.

I sits on top of 3 railroad ties.

We pay a flat bed tow truck driver $70 to take it to the river for us and then drag it out with the 4x4.

The only pic I have is of the inside when it was first built and not quit finished. Look close to see little details.

The floor is 5/8" plywood.

Most of the lumber we found used and spent months scrounging up whatever we could. Our best haul was the wood stove which a guy made for me.

We also have a satellite dish mounted on the outside to watch hockey games and take it down when we leave.

We also have a satellite dish mounted on the outside to watch hockey games and take it down when we leave.


You guys sure know how to fish :D

Something I saw a few years back really caught my eye. These guys had taken new sled crates and attached them together. They are lightweight and basically disposable at the end of the year. Most dealers burn them in a big pile. These guys had 4 crates together and 2 high for the main section. Then they had a serperate offshoot if I remember correctly. They can be had for free from any dealer for the asking. They will prolly be happy to get rid of them.

I also used a 28" insulated door and put a 10" square plexiglass window in it so I can see who knocking on it. The door opens outward and I built my own frame/jamstop with 2x4's so it would be really tough to kick down.

Got mine pretty much cleaned up and ready to go.

Just waiting for things to freeze up.