Buttoning up for the winter

John_M · October 04, 2006, 09:38:10 PM

Okay...I was overly optimistic about the goals I wanted to accomplish this summer/fall and I did get the cabin up and framed and roofed!

I have all of the soffit panels up but I'm not sure if I will have time to get all of the cedar shingles installed. So what can I do to button the sheathing up before winter? Tyvek? Tar paper? Any suggestions? I will start again in the spring! This is what it looks like so far:

http://ourlittlecabin.blogspot.com/

glenn kangiser · October 04, 2006, 09:47:41 PM

I'm a tarpaper kind of guy. It will wrinkle and drain when water gets behind it. Tyvek or other wraps stay put-- capillary action will keep the water in there for a long time. Another member mentioned that the Tyvek kept water behind it and leaked when he used it for protection.

You can get cute little nails with plastic caps about 1" dia. to help hold the tarpaper on. The plastic caps do deteriorate in UV in 6 to 12 months.

Search Tyvek on the search button above -- set the time on the search to all posts. This should bring up quite a bit of information.

October 04, 2006, 09:49:38 PM

I'd use Typar tougher than Tyvek or felt. Plan on throwing it away and redoing it come spring . Or just leave it uncovered as long as the roof is done the side walls won't get all that wet and no paper will allow it to dry out more between storms . That being said if you live in Alaska , or the northern states / Canada with hard wind driven storms the Typar might be worth it .

PEG688 · October 04, 2006, 09:51:54 PM

Felt MTL won't make it thru the winter unless you use some lathe for batterns either run them vert. or at a angle so they drain off the water.

glenn kangiser · October 04, 2006, 09:58:20 PM

PEG's idea is better-- even straw walls are good through the winter if they have a good roof. That's why hay storage shelters many times have no walls -the sides don't get much damage if they can dry.

October 05, 2006, 06:57:06 AM

So OSB, left unprotected should make it through the winter? What if snow piles up against it? Nearer to the ground?

CREATIVE1 · October 05, 2006, 07:08:45 AM

Since roofing felt comes in 15 and 30 pound weights, it seems to me that putting 30# felt on the roof might work, or as has been suggested somewhere else on this forum, use roll roofing. If you have any tarps, could you use them to protect the walls? Not perfect, but really quick to install.

John Raabe · October 05, 2006, 08:34:06 AM

You should definitely cover OSB with something.

For what it's worth... The original 10x14 Little House that my sons and I built in 1999 has the same 15# felt on the walls that we put on almost 7 years ago. It is in a sheltered area and experiences little wind. The stuff has dried out and pulled away from the staples at some points but it is still protecting the OSB and there are no leaks.

No leaks in the roll roofing on the flat deck above either.

http://www.jshow.com/y2k/

PEG688 · October 05, 2006, 08:44:22 AM

QuoteSo OSB, left unprotected should make it through the winter? What if snow piles up against it? Nearer to the ground?

Like I said in my last post IF YOU LIVE IN A NORTHERN CLIMATE you might use TYPAR . Snow in SNOW form is not a problem when it melts is when it becomes a problem . I do not know where you live , or if your cabin is where you live it could be in the Bahamas for all I know.

Creative 1 John's first post tells us THE ROOF IS ON

Maybe he's lieing

So again if your in a northern climate wind driven rain / snow / sleet , I'd use Typar the gray stuff , I'd go right over the window , even if they where set , I'd wrap the side walls like a big Christmas gift , I'd even add some vertical "Lath batterns " every 6' or so IF wind conditions are such that they would rip the Typar off IE expect any 35 MPH storms / gust/ sustained 20 + MPH winds for two day , or longer periods.

Sorry to shout but some times I have to :-[Even at work , when people don't listen

Have a nice day :)G/L PEG

October 05, 2006, 09:56:47 AM

You have such a way of making everyone love you, PEG

...but I know you have their best interests in mind otherwise you wouldn't spend so much time here helping people out.

On my roof in one year the 30 lb felt shrunk enough to pull tears around the nails but-- this is California, 3000 feet elevation, sanded roll roofing would not have that problem - and - since your roof is already on I realize you don't have that problem but I posted it here for useful information to someone in the future searching this type of thing. A couple pieces blew off -they were not held with battens and were stapled rather than nailed with plastic headed nails. Nearly all the plastic headed (1" washer) nails had cracks from the year of exposure. They were not meant to be left out that long.

I agree with PEG and John, that something should protect the OSB if snow piles up on it. Once it gets wet it swells like crazy and doesn't go back. I saw a floor in 3 story apartments get nasty enough to nearly cause problems over a few months - It did get standing water on it quite often.

glenn kangiser · October 05, 2006, 10:36:43 AM

I noticed you said you may not have time to get all the cedar shingles installed, John M.

If you had time for some it might be best to work on the lower part all around the cabin --where the snow may sit then wrap the upper part with something temporary such as the Typar. Maybe 30# felt and shingles around the lower 3 to 6 feet or whatever you could do.

Just an idea.

John_M · October 05, 2006, 12:14:51 PM

Thanks everyone....I do have the roof on and all the windows too! Soffits are done as well! I like the idea Glenn of putting the cedar shingles on the lower 3 or 4 feet! The large overhangs that I have seem to protect things on the upper portion of the cabin!

This is what it looks like so far. I'm not sure if it will come out too big. I'm not sure how to resize it!

Sassy · October 05, 2006, 12:28:44 PM

Looks great! I agree, the shingles would look really nice...

glenn kangiser · October 05, 2006, 12:33:51 PM

Looks Great, John M.

I copied it to photobucket and resized it for you. You can right click - get properties to find out where it is from then paste that into photobucket and resize as desired.

PEG688 · October 05, 2006, 02:39:55 PM

QuoteYou have such a way of making everyone love you, PEG ...but I know you have their best interests in mind otherwise you wouldn't spend so much time here helping people out.

Ya I do have way with people eh

Just tryin ta help out and get my point across

Some might think that "point ",was/ is , "the top of me ed"

Think Irish accent on that last line

Lookin good John M :)Your doing a fine job 8-) Keep it up , cedar side wall shingle are one of my favorte things to do , well unless it raining and the gutters arn't up let

G/L PEG