14x36 in Northwest Arkansas

[jdhen]

Red- I notice that a lot of people place at least one layer of ply horizontally at the bottom of the frame before raising.  Is that enough to hold square?  Also, almost all of the books I have show how to let in a 1x4 brace.  Is this a better option? Or is it completely unnecessary since I plan to sheet the walls once erected?

The headed opening is for access to the crawlspace.  It will be in the closet under the stairs.

[Redoverfarm]

jdhen that usually takes care of the "racking" but will do little for the plumb.

I know it is a little premature but what are your plans for the foundation and piers for a finished look?

[csiebert]

I have the same issue getting help and have to find unique ways of building things.  I found this a couple weeks ago and found it very helpful.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1561582867/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

[jdhen]

Red -We will likely face the foundation and piers with rock but at present that's way down on my list
I'm sure I'll get there sometime!

csiebert- I couldn't agree more on the working alone book.  Chock full of great hints for the solo builder.

[jdhen]

I spent the past few days framing and got the first long wall up today.  Framing went smoothly.  I racked all the studs and cut the let-in just like PEG's thread shows.  I was going to use the router but didn't have the right bit so I just cleaned it up with a chisel and I'm satisfied how the 2x6 sits in the groove.
Ended up framing the 36 foot wall in 3 sections so it only took 3 of us to lift each one. 
It's amazing how much taller a wall looks when it's raised- especially when they're 12 ft tall!

[ScottA]

Looks good. You've got your hands full now that it's going up. Atleast you've got nice weather for it.

[jdhen]

Thanks, Scott.  Haven't the cooler temps lately been nice?  So much more pleasant to work when you're not drenched in sweat!  Now if it could just not rain until I get dried in.....

[glenn kangiser]

Looks great. 

Good that you did the pole barn first.  Ken Kern recommended building the shop first as it was necessary to have a place to work from for the house project.

[jdhen]

Thanks, Glenn.  The barn really proved its worth today as it began to rain early and didn't stop until later in the afternoon.  I stayed dry while cutting all the lumber, carving out the let-in and assembling headers for the second long wall.  Would have been a lost day if not for the barn!

[jdhen]

I've spent the last week fighting rain almost every day    Still, we've managed to get the four walls of the main gable framed, plumbed and capped.



I've had the help of my mother, who at 61, is slinging a hammer with the best of them.  She took a womens framing class at Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Vermont recently and that has proven quite valuable as I navigate through the framing process.
Sheathing has started and hopefully the tarp will keep the deck dry!  As someone who will rely on rain for part of my water supply I hate to wish rain away but I wouldn't mind a little sun every now and then.
The advantek hasn't proven to be as in-destructible as I'd expected.  There is quite a bit of flaking and I'm noticing some rise at the edges between the panels.  I don't know how much is too much and when I'd need to sand because I've never done this before.  Anyone have any thoughts?
I'll start next on the shed roof portion off the north side of the gable.  That should be easy compared to the 12 ft walls!
I found a great price on southern yellow pine 4x beams.  They're about 60 % of what the DF cost.  I read a lot about how SYP is strong but how there are certain varieties that don't have as much structural strength.  Is there anyway to tell the difference or is it as long as they're #2 or better they should work fine? I guess I normally wouldn't give it a second thought but I was surprised that they cost so much less.  I suppose it's because it's a much more local product and doesn't have to be shipped from as far away.

First residents

[ScottA]

It's an unwritten law of the universe. If you start to frame a house it will will trigger the longest rainy spell in the past 50 years.

[jdhen]

Yeah, I think that's true, Scott.  So given that, I figured if I put up a tarp to protect the deck it might suddenly stop. .......
It's not working

[ScottA]

The tarp won't have any effect but once you get the roof on a drought will start.

[Redoverfarm]

jdhen The problem with the advantex should not cause you any problems.  Just a good example of Mother Natures superiority over man.  When you go to lay the hardwood flooring just use a layer of # 15 or 30# felt as an underlayment.  Chances are that if you decide to tile particular rooms you will use a rigid underlayment for that in the form of Hardee board or durarock and the thinset used will remove any irregularities that might exist.  Not really taking any sides but I was pleased with the results of mine through a harsh winter in comparison with other products which I could have used which would have been disasterous for that exposure and time. 

As for the residents.  I am also oerwelmed with "grand daddy long legs".  Harmless but annoying.

Looking good.

[speedfunk]

...looking nice.  I like your line "Not building furniture" .  There's a tendency to get too anal , on some things it matters on others not so much.  Always a compromise of some form

[mountainmomma]

It's not so much the spiders that bother us, it's the yellow jackets that have liked to call our new home "their home"!!
- keep on truckin

[jdhen]

John- I'm glad to hear your opinion on the advantech.  It's likely that the irregularities that I'm seeing are minor- I just don't have any experience to compare it to.  There is one section where a fairly large chuck of wood has separated.  It was a chip that's approximately 1.5"x 5" and maybe a 1/4-3/8" deep.  This is an area where the wood flooring will be used.  Is it necessary to use some sort of filler or will the hardwood be fine just spanning over the area?

Speed- I'm just repeating a gentle admonition by a friendly poster who I think wondered why I was being so picky with tolerances.  I was "sweating the small stuff" as they say so he reminded me that buildings don't require the same perfection that fine furniture demands.   I try to live by that but I have to admit that I've taken out my hand planer more than several times to make joists or studs meet "perfectly" together. 

As for the spiders, I couldn't be happier that these two have taken up residence.  I've read that Daddy Long legs have been known to eat Brown Recluse.  I was bitten by a Recluse last year and I don't wish to repeat the experience!  Always check your socks before placing them on your feet! 

[jhen]

Putting your Dear Old Mom to work is a very creative solution to your crew problem. I've got a lot of repairs to do on my place. My Mom is 86 and can't hit a nail very hard, but maybe she's strong enough to pick up my nail gun.

Maybe your Mom can help me out when you send her back to New England.

Keep up the good work.

POP

[poppy]

you mentioned that your mom got some experience at Yestermorrow.  That's an interesting organization; I have one of their books and even thought about attending one of their hands-on classes.

[jdhen]

Hey Pop- don't worry.  I'm sure there will still be something to do when you make your next visit

Poppy- My mother has taken several classes at Yestermorrow.   She has nothing but high praise for what they do.  She took a strawbale construction class and the other one I mentioned.  She strongly recommends their organization.

[jdhen]

I've been dodging the rain and have been able to get most of the 14x36 sheathed.  It is very clear to me why framers like to do this while the wall is on the deck.  I considered buying a pair of wall jacks and then selling them after wards but felt that this would put too much strain on the budget.  I don't think I fully realized how difficult it would be to hoist a full 4x8 panel up to the 12 ft high wall- wow!  At least it's done and I haven't injured myself or my mother, who helped.



As you can see the tarp is not foolproof.  The wind ripped part of it off sometime last night and let some water accumulate.  It's still better than leaving it open to the elements and leaves me with a dry place to work inside when it is raining.


I have a few questions:  When can I remove the bracing for the walls?  I know the end walls provide adequate bracing for the long walls where they are close to it but how about in the middle? I lined them and then added the cap plate with the braces holding it in line.  Should I keep the middle braces on the long walls until I get the loft beams in place?
Also, can I use scraps of ply to fill in the space between the vertical and horizontal sheathing (provided they fall on center to the studs) or do I need to use 12 inch by 8 ft rips?

[MountainDon]

Yes, tarps make lousy roofs.

I would retain the bracing in the middle area of the walls until the ceiling joists or beams are in place to take the wind forces. Maybe even until the roof is done. As you install the ceiling joists or beams be certain to get the walls plumb and properly spaced at the upper plate. If that's off it will plague you later in many places/ways.


Re: that area between the lower and upper wall sheathing. If you were being inspected by a strict code inspector he would most likely want blocking as well. That's so all four edges of every piece of sheathing can be nailed every 6 inches. That does make a better wall.

[Bobmarlon]

looks like your in the same place as us tarped up in the rain and partially sheathed.  We have 10 foot walls and have a two foot strip left to sheathe around the top of the building.  We are happy we did just getting the sheets up to the second row was challenge enough.

[jdhen]

Don- I knew I was going to need some sort of blocking as a fire stop but just up a bit higher.  I will do as you say and use the blocking to give the panels a nailer- that makes a lot of sense.  Thanks for the advice.

Bob-  We are in about the same place!  I checked out your project page.  Looks great!  I'd like to see some pics of your tarp.

[jdhen]

Sheathing is done on the main 14x36.  It's the greatest feeling to suddenly have windows where before there were none! 




Next up is the north porch.