Odd Building Ideas

[glenn kangiser]

I thought this would be a good topic to post odd but useful ideas under related to building even if for a backwoods shelter, utility shed etc.  A place for useful methods used in the near past to ancient past that you don't commonly see today.  Who knows when we may be trying to figure out a useable method for some sort of shelter possibly for animals - junk -- or shade?  These types of structures can be very iinteresting.

I started looking at John's timeline posting and searching- got sidetracked - then came up with this picture of an old California oil derrick and related buildings.  Note the clapboard roofing.  Picture posted under fair use.



This is listed as a 1941 Maricopa Branch Library - Dutch Hip roof with 2 Dormers?

[glenn kangiser]

External diagonal bracing.



http://www.oac.cdlib.org/

Thousands of California photos archived here - most under fair use.

Note the classic Coarsegold stampmill showing clerestory windows, shingle roofing and board and bat siding.  Note is a sloping shed roof covering multiple downhill levels.



This appears to be board and bat roofing over a tent that has been raised and fastened to a wood stemwall.  Note the purlins laid flat to fasten the boards to.

[glenn kangiser]

Here is one that looks to be coursed adobe or same as cob.  Noted are Indians in the Tejon area.  

See how the door jambs appear to be fastened to 3 wood blocks that are built into the wall.  The left side of the picture appears to be a wattle and daub addition to the house.  Roofing appears to be boards lapped as shingles over flat purlins.

It looks like this house has had an addition on each end -- board ridge cap in the center then shingle boards extended one side on the rest - both ends.  Right side appears to be an animal shelter made of local materials.

I am guessing that the ladder on the hitching rail in  the foreground is to assist the ladies in getting on their horse.  What an imagination. :-/



Note -These are fairly high res pictures and you can get the zoom function on Firefox to blow them up for a better view.

[Amanda_931]

Hmm.   The adobe people seem to call wood blocks the same size as the adobe bricks "gringo blocks."  Might not be true in this area!

[glenn kangiser]

It's possible those are adobe blocks but looked pretty smooth- not much sigh of a mu mortar joint -- maybe they were good crafts people.  The Tejon area had a US military presence there in the early days - I am assuming this is built by the indigenous people though - not sure.  Mexican miners had been up here before this time also.

[PEG688]

Interesting also to note how few trees are in the photos . Either they cut down and used the local wood or hauled it in .

There's some old photos at a local surveyers office here that shows the local area  about 1910 IIRC , almost no trees are shown where now lots are growing . So some progress has been made on that front.

 Love that diagonal "bracing" you pointed out. Some times I miss the obvious

[glenn kangiser]

Old pictures around here are treeless and even brushless - miners fires - mine timbers and wood buildings that were forever burning down took their toll.

[jonsey/downunder]

Here's a good one, not odd just a bit different.
http://earthsci.org/education/fieldsk/container/container.html

[glenn kangiser]

There was a farmer near our other house who put a gable roof over two containers with a space between them - made a nice lockable shop with room to work on equipment while out of the weather.

[Amanda_931]

Nice looking container building.

If you work in or even near a port, I understand they are pretty easy to acquire.

[ailsaek]

I am really intrigued by container building, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to insulate them.  Not an issue some places, but it definitely is here in New England.

[jraabe]

Jonsey's link is interesting and in a very mild climate would be great.

For cold or hot climates the story is different. Metal buildings in general are difficult to insulate properly and therefore are better used as shops or storage buildings. Standard metal building insulation leaves cold spots and often this results in condensation, rusting, staining and dripping.

To do a proper job of insulation you want to build a cavity out of pieces of wood so you can fill it with inexpensive full thickness insulation and still have something to nail an interior finish to. Framing lumber works well for this.

You probably get the point... When you are done you have built a regular house inside the container and are using it as fancy siding.

[Rover]

There is spray applied insulation which is used on outside face of some commercial buildings.  Usually used over masonry.  The spray application rids of condensation problems and should deaden some noise.  Could have it sprayed in town and then drag the whole container to the woods.  You would have to check the off gases; might be harmful indoors.
I once heard of spray applied roofing for reroofing jobs, which is insulation and waterproofing.  This could be applied to the exterior.  Sorry I don't have the sources.

[jraabe]

Good suggestion Rover:

Icyene insulation would be a good choice (relatively expensive and must be done by licensed installer). You still have to cover the insulation though.  

[jwv]

I think this is in Wales, and apparently is strawbale, cob, underground. Interesting.



Judy

[Jimmy C.]

 Very "Cool" design, The shape of that wall would work as a great breeze catcher and funnel fresh air into the structure.

[desdawg]

This may be the strangest little building I have ever put together. Waste not, want not I guess. At one time I participated in a sealed bid school auction and purchased a quantity of scrap metals for $20 or so. The roof for this building was part of the plunder. In a former life it was kind of a flying saucer looking piece of playground equipment supported by 4 2" pipe posts. The floor and ceiling are 5' diameter wire spool ends covered with AC plywood. Wall studs are 2 X 3's nailed aroud the perimeter of the spool ends. Siding is 1/8" masonite wrapped around the circle. Found within is a composting toilet. The masonite siding suffered a couple of dings on the ride to the mountains where this strange looking edifice resides.

[John Raabe]

Nice clever little building Desdawg!

That should at least get the coveted [highlight]"Glenn-K Award"[/highlight] for the most creative use of scrounged materials.  

[glenn kangiser]

I am impressed.

I've had many fantasies of what I would do, given a batch of big enough cable reels.

[desdawg]

Not  much goes to waste around here. Some people recycle aluminum cans, I am into bigger stuff.  

[JRR]

That's quite a "can"!

[desdawg]

That's quite a "can"!

That it is. Literally. And this is quite a site. I come here and confess to all my wierd ideas and projects. Instead of being ostracized like I was afraid might happen I get a highly coveted award. How cool is that? Thanks John! I think I am going to like it here.

[glenn kangiser]

Hey John -- the dude on the glenn K award is a handsome friend of the family -- I'm much uglier.

Here's an official awards picture with me standing on top of the roof by the cupola.  I have been told I look like a movie star in this photo-- 007 maybe?

[jwv]

desdawg-that is a great use of "stuff". I love taking things that others throw away and making something useful.

Glenn, the pic needs to be bigger-that could be anyone-or was that part of the plan? :-/

Judy

[glenn kangiser]

Planned that way Judy -- no one can look upon my full brilliance and live. :-/