2nd Build Weekend

The second weekend of building with Stefan was really good.   We had hoped that my ridge been would be here so that we could start working on the rafters, but the sawmill was unable to deliver my 22′ 4×6 ridge beam.   Plans were changed – instead of rafters, we set out to finish the 4th wall of the house and the 4 walls ready for siding.  I ordered 4’x8′ sheets of 1″  extruded polystyrene insulation to put around the house to help increase the Rvalue of my walls.  Code in Québec calls for R25 in walls – in order to get that kind of Rvalue in my walls and keep as much interior space as possible, the exterior walls have to be insulated as well.

Before we insulated, we finished the 4th wall of the house which was different from the first three for several reasons.  I have chosen to almost create a bay window in that end wall of the house.  Doing so creates some interesting challenges in a tiny home.  The plans for the house call for parallam posts and beams in that wall along with a threaded rod  under the window and strapping around the edges.  I could not find the exact posts and beams required and ended up with slightly smaller posts (1/4″ smaller on one side) and beams that were almost 2″ wider.  Parallam is an engineered wood, quite beautiful to look at.  It is also heavy.   The wall went together pretty quickly and then we built the loft framing.

I am in the background ratcheting one of 6 8″ lag bolts into the parallam beam to attach it to the subfloor. That beam is not going anywhere.

Stefan is measuring, I am daintily ratcheting a lag bolt.

The threaded rod that goes through the wall.

Isn’t the parallam pretty?

One end wall mostly sheathed.

The view from what will be the kitchen.

The view from the bay window into the rest of the house.

By the end of Saturday, we had the 4 walls built and sheathed.  Sunday we only did a half day, we put up the insulation, wrapped the house with house wrap and then put up strapping until the nail gun ran out of nails.   Not bad for a day and a half.

I am generally not a morning person and yet here I am smiling early on a Sunday morning!

The large loft is in place. I chose to go with cedar 4″x4″ for the collar ties for both lofts. The plans called for my flooring to go directly on the collar ties, but Stefan suggested that we go with 5/8″ plywood first and the put the flooring over top. I am very pleased with that decision as that plywood has taken a beating. For those who are interested, I am cutting the window out of the insulation.

My house all pretty in pink!