14x32 Modern-ish Cabin in the woods - Central Texas

[thomasd]

Ok after lurking here for a while  I thought Id share my cabin plans and get some feedback along the way... Hopefully Ill keep up with these postings.
I'm a guy who needs more room than my current RV affords - especially when my kids come to visit and stay for weeks at time during the summers and every other weekend during the year.   Luckily I have a supportive family- I live on my brothers farm- I have a RV to live in that was hardly used by my parents and said brother is cool with me building in a stand of drought killed trees....   

While I should start at the foundation and move up - Ill share the layout picture first and get the foundation drawings up next - they are all pencil and paper as of now...

Some facts:

2x4 walls
Shed/Skillion/Monoslope - Roof 2x6's
8' rear wall
10' front wall - south facing
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TD

[Don_P]

For the span the rafters should be a minimum of 2x8's, but also think about how you are going to insulate and possibly vent the roof. There is not enough pitch for many common (cheaper) roofing materials. To get up to a 4/12 which is a common low slope pitch the front wall would need to be close to 5' taller than the back wall.  The back wall could be 7' without a problem. Myself, I wouldn't want to walk around the shower to get to the sink. The shed has add on possibilities, I'd probably set it up for a 14 x32' porch addition in the future under a roof that slopes back down to form a gable.

[rick91351]

My wife and I rented a cabin in Oregon with almost the same floor plan.  We found it to be very  .  It would not been hard to live in full time at all.  We were there for about four days in the winter time and found it efficient and roomy enough for the two of us.  It of course had a fireplace - that was on the end wall of the front room.  Strangely the dining area or table was at a window about where you are showing the 'love seat'.  That was huge nice because it looked out on the lake as you enjoyed your meal.  Nice part about that served then a multipurpose table dining or gaming or a 'desk'.  It was about the size of a 'card' table.     

[hpinson]

Looks like a good start for a floor plan.  I like the shared kitchen/ bath wall.

A few things that come to mind that you might want to consider - storage space or closets (easy to forget about but really important day-to-day), water heater, room heating source(s), egress from bedroom in case of fire.

[rick91351]

This is off their web site.  The one we had rented was the lower one or to the right it looks out on the lake.  But if you would want to call about measurements and more specifics about that floor plan Personal Message me and I can get you the phone number.  We have toyed with the idea of building one here like it as a weekend rental or guest cabin we liked it so well.....

[thomasd]

Don thanks for the input - Im looking at span charts right now and trying to make sense of them - I think Ive got it .... Google is my friend lately and this forum.

I could do a 7 ' back wall and 10' or 11' front wall - still not the 5' you recommend but better than the 2' I was thinking about...

For the span the rafters should be a minimum of 2x8's, but also think about how you are going to insulate and possibly vent the roof. There is not enough pitch for many common (cheaper) roofing materials. To get up to a 4/12 which is a common low slope pitch the front wall would need to be close to 5' taller than the back wall.  The back wall could be 7' without a problem. Myself, I wouldn't want to walk around the shower to get to the sink. The shed has add on possibilities, I'd probably set it up for a 14 x32' porch addition in the future under a roof that slopes back down to form a gable.

[thomasd]

Looks like a good start for a floor plan.  I like the shared kitchen/ bath wall.

A few things that come to mind that you might want to consider - storage space or closets (easy to forget about but really important day-to-day), water heater, room heating source(s), egress from bedroom in case of fire.

I've been living in a 25 RV with one slide out for over a year and have pared down my "stuff"  so Im going to make do with an armoire in the bedroom...    I have a huge barn 20 feet away made of three shipping containers - so Im good on storage of tools etc... 

Water heating  - Im either using a propane on demand that is mounted outside - or a small 30 gallon propane water heater mounted outside in a small shed.

Heat will be electric in the bedroom and living rooms - Im in central texas and our "winter" is not that cold - well usually ( this past winter was forever and colder than normal) 

Hmmmm egress - hadn't thought of that.  Especially since Im going to use super narrow windows..   Ill think about it ..

TD

[thomasd]

The cabin site !! I think I have some work to do




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[thomasd]

Question for you gurus...

HOW to vent a shed/skillion roof?

Im planning a 3.5 in 12 shed/skillion roof  - metal/ raised ribbed standard roofing, over heavily overlapped tap paper, on top of osb with a reflective layer, on top of 2x8s....  I assume that r21 insulation will leave me enough air space above the insulation and below the OSB to vent moisture out - but how ?  Low side perforated sofits - but the high end ??

Thanks....

[thomasd]

Crickets ??   HAHAH  ok after much google searching ( theres actually not a whole lot out there)  Its basically like venting a shed roof thats attached to a wall - like an extension or porch.  Found some materials (venting) to use on the top edge under the flashing...  Also for future reference - read a whole lot about venting and insulating cathedral roof/ceiling - since that applies closely to my project...

Now to research pier depths and diameters .....  The learning never ends... 

TD

[thomasd]

Well after much thought and starting back to work after a great summer (Im a high school teacher)  Ive changed my plans and decided on a 16 x 32 cabin with two bed rooms - my son needs a room of his own when he visits and maybe lives with me full time.  Ive augered/dug 15 holes and have begun - slowly - the basic piers to support my beams.  One thing Ive learned so far - threaded rod will spin within a concrete  pour if not secured properly - Now ive got to epoxy each one - thank goodness ive only done 4 out of  15 piers before I figured this out..   Pictures to come soon   I welded a chunk of rebar to the remaining threaded rod to stop this issue...  Im only able to work weekends and the maybe an hour or two after work every week.   So its been slow going so far... 

[UK4X4]

Bend the rod 90 degrees,  if you've already bought it, or go buy some anchor bolts...


If you post your ideas before you actually build something,  you may get it right first time !

There's a wealth of information and helpful people here on multiple time zones !

[thomasd]

Pics of the basic piers and revised design.   Holes are 5 inch wide by 5 feet deep .. Each block under the cinder block is 20" square.....

[thomasd]

Ok question for your guys - nails or screws - for the 32' beams     Three 2x8's with 1/2" plywood between .   Glue ??  no Glue ?.  So if anyone can tell me different Im thinking a heavy wood glue and using 3 1/2 screws to bind all the beams together...   YES all joints are over a pier and supported at around every 8'.    What do ya think ?

[Don_P]

Never use a screw for a structural connection unless you see that it is a structural screw. Connections are intended to be ductile, deforming and making noise prior to failure. Screws are brittle and can lead to sudden failure, not a good thing. Glue in the field strengthwise counts as nothing but it does make built up beams stiffer.

Plywood counts a zero. You need to know the loads being supported to figure girder size and span

For what do I think, in Texas, a 12" deep perimeter footing would have been easier and better.

[Adam Roby]

Congrats on hitting 3000 posts Don_P!

How comes plywood counts as 0?  I would think it would add strength to the beam, and at the very least remove some of the bounce... or maybe I am just reading your reply wrong.  Forgive the ignorance, but I too would have built up a beam with plywood for extra strength.

[thomasd]

I've read that a plywood layer adds 15% more ..... Something - stiffness/load capacity ??  I don't remember ....


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[thomasd]

A perimeter foundation would have been nice.  But almost everything I'm doing is a one man operation and I'm not about to dig in this rocky soil to install that kind of foundation !  Plus im pretty sure the three beams and piers I'm installing are much cheaper and easier on a one man job .... Plus i can work on it slowly over time ..


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[Don_P]

If the seams of the plywood occur over posts or near the inflection points and if the plywood is very well attached to the full length beam members... then the section modulus of the veneers running in the direction of the axis of the beam can be counted. That is a small amount and only if the joints and connections are done right. It's best not to count on it for design.

[thomasd]

Ok question ?  Originally I was going to run three beams along my three rows of piers for a total of 32 feet.  With the floor joists running perpendicular across those beams....   As I was sitting drinking a beer i thought that I could also run my beams the other direction across my piers and have five rows of 16 feet beams....  The total foot print is 16X32..  Any advantages/disadvantages in doing it this way.
Each pier is about 7 1/2 ' away from the other pier.    Using 3- 2x8 PT lumber to make up the beams...   What do ya think

TD

[Don_P]

Look up, you will need to support the roof and loft floor. The codebook section on girders will help with sizing.

[thomasd]

Don P   
Yes Ive done that already  - and no loft - just asking if theres any disadvantage running beams across instead of length wise - still supported at 8 foot intervals either way. 

[Don_P]

No, as long as you take care of support.

[Don_P]

triple 2x8's will work for the... what would be a good fancy word... transverse girders. You do need girders running the 32' direction to carry the roof load. In good Southern Yellow Pine a double 2x8 works along the long sides if the transverse girders are carrying the floor load.

[thomasd]

Don  - would that be double joists at each long side - or double 2x8's attached to my beams??