Lessons learned

[twize]

Hi,
Just wanted to introduce myself and start a new topic.  I've been checking this board and a perusing a couple others pretty regularly to learn how some DIY'ers are overcoming obstacles while building their own place.  We're not building a small cabin like most here but a 2900 sq ft home with some country aspects incorporated into the final layout.  So far this is the only site I found that I can really relate to because with other sites, most owner-builders are more like owner-contractors, not really getting their hands dirty like the folks here.  I plan on doing everything myself so "dealing with contractors" discussions is not a priority for me.  There's a lot of smart DIY'ers here and I usually learn something new every few days(I really like the painted black conduit for railing balusters idea).  With that said, looking back on the construction of my 12x20 workshop/storage on my property in North Pole AK where I will be building our permanent home, I know there are things I could have done better.

1. Stiffen up the walls enough to hold them straight throughout the build.
2. When laying out stud spacing for short walls, compensate for the 3 1/2" already there from the long wall end, to maintain sheet goods spacing.
3. Don't lean on the ridge beam you are nailing a ridge beam to.  It tends to make thing a bit off kilter.
4. Don't try to make cutouts for lookouts in place, ends up pretty crappy.
5. Leave enough gap in corners to insulate.
6.  Building proper work platfroms could have prevented mistakes 1-3.

I've never built a whole house before but I've had my hands in just about every trade required to build one.  I've read quite a few books, some of the most educational being "Working Alone" and a few by Larry Haun,(he's one smart framer).

Anywho, hopefully I didn't screw up the post too bad because one of my other DIY skills is homebrew, and I've taken the liberty of having a few samples this evening.

I always say one of the best ways to learn is from other peoples mistakes, so let's hear'em.

Tim

[rwanders]

   One annoyance I inflicted on myself was not leaving enough crawlspace height so I could easily install insulation underfloor insulation----made it but it would have been a lot easier with 10 or 12 more inches of clearance.

  Good choices I made was to stain my cedar siding (all sides and edges) before installation----beats doing it in place for sure! Also finished all my 1x6 pine T&G before placing it on my 12/12 pitch cathedral ceiling----avoiding trying to polyurethane over my head.

  I built in Willow/Talkeetna area-----highly recommend closed cell spray foam at least in the roof. I put 11" in my 2x12 rafters (cathedral ceiling). It's expensive but worth it in the long run. 

[n74tg]

RWanders (or anybody else that knows the answer to this):

In your sprayfoam application how big an area did you insulate (square feet) and how much foam did it take to give you the roughly 11" thickness you ended up with.  

I am pretty much commited to using spray foam (high density), but am confused on advertised area coverage claims.  Specifically, does the 600 board foot quantity "cans" yield 600 square feet of finished (expanded) coverage that is 1" thick, or does it "cover" 600 square feet of area and then expands into 3 or 5 or 7 inches of thickness depending on foam density, application temperature, quality of component mixing, etc.   

thanks

[Jens]

my most recent lesson: don't push a car by yourself unless the ground is flat or downhill. 

Here is a good one.  If you have work (not unemployed in other words), and are at the lumber yard/home center and wondering if you should buy a tool or not, don't wonder for too long.  I will waste hours wondering if it is really worth it, can I really afford it.  If I'd just buy the stupid thing, I could start using and making money with it!

[rwanders]

RWanders (or anybody else that knows the answer to this):

In your sprayfoam application how big an area did you insulate (square feet) and how much foam did it take to give you the roughly 11" thickness you ended up with.  

I am pretty much commited to using spray foam (high density), but am confused on advertised area coverage claims.  Specifically, does the 600 board foot quantity "cans" yield 600 square feet of finished (expanded) coverage that is 1" thick, or does it "cover" 600 square feet of area and then expands into 3 or 5 or 7 inches of thickness depending on foam density, application temperature, quality of component mixing, etc.   

thanks

I contracted out the ceiling to a pro-----$3500 for 816 sq ft of cathedral ceiling--2x12 rafters; 12/12 pitch plus 12' walls which made the peak almost 25' off the floor on over half the cabin and 15' off the loft floor. Don't know how much liquid foam they used----they essentially filled the entire 11 1/4" rafter depth. It was really not a job for a DIY person. I would take a large grain of salt with any advertised coverage rates.