Island School of Building Arts
About Us
The Island School of Building Arts (ISBA) has been teaching the art and craft of Log and Timber building to students from around the world since 1997. Located in the beautiful Gulf Islands on the West Coast of Canada, ISBA is the perfect place to learn to work with big wood. In both Spring and Fall, ISBA offers four-week courses in Log Building, Timber Frame Post and Beam, and Timber Frame Hammer Bents, as well as SketchUp for Timber Framers weekend workshops. Students learn the theory and practical skills required to work in industry or build their own structures, with 80% of class time spent in the shop and the yard, making sawdust and creating full-sized log cabins and timber frame buildings.
Gabriola Island is known as the ‘Isle of the Arts’ and working with big timbers is definitely an art with a long history. Learning and living in the location where the big wood grows is inspirational and students will find many like-minded people at ISBA. The Gulf Islands of British Columbia offer an exceptional outdoor experience for students who are also interested in kayaking, fishing, hiking, ocean swimming and cycling.
Certifications & Memberships
International Log Builders Association
BC Log and Timber Framing Industry Association
Timber Framers Guild
Career Opportunities
Please contact ISBA if you are an industry member looking for quality, trained ISBA graduates.