Cabin in Vermont

[RidgeRunner]

Hi,

After reading many comments on these forums and purchasing some of the plans as a reference, I have started building my first cabin.  She is a 16' x 24' deep in the forest in Vermont.  The site is about 1.5 mile up (steep up!) an unmaintained logging road and accessed by 4 wheeler and our little Ford Ranger pickup (just barely fits on some of the road).  The challenge of getting materials to the site is guiding a lot of the design and work.  First time builder and I have three weeks starting today to get it weather tight.  Easy right  . 

We are working on the foundation (digging 4ft holes through root and rock was tough) and getting ready to build the beams and floor. 
I have a couple of questions:

1.  I planned on building with Post and Beam but friends are trying to talk me out of it for the sake of time.  Comments?

2.  Foundation is standard 4' sono tubes to get below the frost.  Two of the holes hit rock about 2.5ft.  We tried a tractor mounted auger, sledge and crow bar, 3 sets of sore back muscles and still had no luck.  Not possitive that it is bedrock.  Is this the end of the world?  Suggestions?

3.  About the roof (12 in 12)  - question about the 24' ridge board (not beam).  Is it common to have one continuous 24' board for this or multiple boards spliced?  I think that the ridge board is mainly a nailer so splicing should be ok.    Getting a 24 footer up to the site will be tough.  Not to mention finding one.

4.  The peak of the roof will be 18ft.  What is typical for getting up there to work the rafters and ridge board?  I  assume scaffolding is a good way to go but travel to the site will make that difficult.  Maybe a couple of big o' ladders?  Are there any tricks such a building temp scaffolding on top of the wall top plates?

I look forward to posting some pics next time I come out of the woods.

[rwanders]

Your bedrock holes should be fine----frost will not make the rock heave.

Have never spliced ridge boards but they are not structural members so it will probably work.

I would use some temporary platforms but brace your walls stoutly and be meticulous about plumb and square.

Use good safety harnesses when you sheath or finish the roof-----you cannot stand on a 12/12 pitch

[rwanders]

My 24x34 in Alaska----12/12 pitch roof with 5' eaves to keep snow off walls. Porches are 10x24

[MindenGal]

Your cabin is beautiful!! This is exactly what I want, but without the cat walk.

You are all very talented & I'm glad I found this wonderful site.......

[325ABN]

Where in Vt. are you? I am building in Acworth, NH and work in Springfield, Vt.

[RidgeRunner]

Well, the foundation (sono tubes) are poured.  That is a lot of work!

Thanks for the feedback.  The cabin is in Berlin VT.  Just outside of Montpelier but quite a ways from the nearest road.  I got a little upset today because I thought I could hear traffic.  Luckily, it turned out to be the neighbor coming in on his ATV to lend a hand.

rwanders- is your extended front roof (I'm sure there is a word for it) basically hanging off the Ridge Beam?  Very nice!

[rwanders]

The same structural triangle that supports the cabin roof is continued in the porch framing-----there are 4x10 timbers set into the cabin walls and they rest on timbers at both the cabin wall and front of the porches---these are connected to vertical timbers which carry the load path on down to the foundation sonotubes.

[cabinfever]

I framed a 16 x 24 in Athens, VT last year. I did my ridge pole in 3 sections - first the 10' section over the rear loft, then the 10' section over the front loft, and then finally the 8' section between the two. It shouldn't be a problem - the ridge pole exists largely to give the rafters something to rest against while you're putting them in place; it's the sheathing that prevents everything from moving around.

Brian
www.newenglandcabin.blogspot.com

[MountainDon]

Just to be clear... a ridge board (called a pole above)  can be made of two or more scarf jointed 2x sections. The ridge board is more or less jusr something to nail the rafter peak ends to. The joints are normally placed where a rafter pair meet.  Remember to use ties across the upper ends of the rafters, or a metal strap over the top to resist wind lift.

A ridge beam is a totally different thing and not mentioned here.