Traditional Estonian Log Building with Hand and Power Tools

Toimumise aeg: 13.05–18.05.2027

Hands-on workshop about traditional log building using both hand and power tools. Over the six-day log-building workshop, you’ll learn traditional Estonian log-building by cutting and raising a traditional sauna, a small log building that is an iconic form in Estonian vernacular architecture. We are practising log scribing with hand tools, as it was done originally in the old days, but we also teach techniques with power tools nowadays. The workshop is 100% practical – a working robe and the ability to handle woodworking tools are expected.

During the course, you join the process of building a 3 x 5 m sauna with dovetail joints. Cutting up the sauna usually takes 5-6 weeks. During the course, the wall rises a few rows, but all the stages of log house building will be covered.

The workshop is followed by the International Log Building Conference 2027, bringing log house builders and enthusiasts from around the world to South Estonia (Räpina). We warmly recommend expanding your stay to take part in pre-conference tours, meet professionals at the conference venue or see the competition for log house builders.

The Dates
The workshop is held full days from Thursday to Tuesday, May 13-18, 2026. The days start at 9 AM and last until 5 PM.

The Group
The course is designed for non-Estonian speakers and will be held in English and French. Space is limited to 12 participants; please register early. During the past years, there have been participants from all over the world, from Canada to Australia, and also many English speakers from Estonia!

The Tutors
Margus Palolill is a carpenter and teacher of Estonian traditional log-building. He has 20 years of experience in building and restoring log structures, building shingle roofs and doing carpentry like custom-made doors and windows in his home workshop in Setumaa.

Germain Joyet is a building carpenter and cabinet maker. Originally from France, Germain has lived in Estonia since 2015, after participating in Vanaajamaja’s first international log building course in 2014. With his engineering education, he is skilled in making building drawings, designing furniture, and making windows and doors. But above all, he is passionate about traditional woodworking, such as timber framing and log building.

Training site
The course will be held in the Vanaajamaja Center for Traditional Building. It is located in the small village of Mooste, in southern Estonia. The Workshop is a renovated old grain dryer next by the grand complex of well-preserved Mooste Manor. The Training Center consists of a broad workshop with an enormous two-story heritage protected kiln oven, a seminar room with an exposition of traditional building materials, a small kitchenette for coffee breaks and a Finnish sauna. All tools needed during the course and safety equipment for participants are made available on the training site. However, if you have your favourite hand tools you are used to, bring them along without hesitation.

Participation Fee
Participation fee includes tuition, lunch evey day and a final sauna evening. Participation fee includes VAT.

Early bird 670 EUR (until Dec 31, 2026)
Standard 720 EUR (January-February 2027)
Last minute 770 EUR (March-May 2027)

Accommodation
The accommodations are not included in the participation fee and are at the participants own sholders. We suggest staying in the village hotels, situated 5 min walk from our workshop. We have price agreements as follows (please mention participation in Vanaajamaja course to get the friendly price):

Small private Mooste Linakoja guesthouse from 30 euro/night
Linakoja guesthouse, formerly a woodshop, has 5 simple, yet cozy rooms, most with shared bathrooms and restrooms, a small apartment “Cabinet” with private bathroom, and a spacious family room with a private entrance and bathroom, perfect for a stay with a family.
Historical Mooste Distillery Hotel from 50 euro/night
The Destillery Hotel offers accommodation in a former distillery building in dignified, renovated luxury rooms that elegantly combine a historical milieu and modern amenities, and in the Park House, the former manor dairy building, with beautifully furnished comfortable rooms.

The small village and friendly accommodation possibilities creates an opportunity to take along your family or partner and enjoy the week in historical surroundings close to the nature.

Organizer
The course will be hosted by Vanaajamaja, an Estonian non-profit organization dedicated to establishing training programs, disseminating information, and generally serving as a center of Estonian traditional building and log house renovation. Vanaajaamaja has been hosting workshops and organizing training courses for Estonian carpenters since 1998.

More information/questions: info@vanaajamaja.ee; +372 56658117