14 x 24 Olympic Peninsula

[Redoverfarm]

Don to make it work better on the butt joints I take the utility knife and bevel the edge of both just slightly so there are no paper edges meeting against each other.  Then it is just like the rest. Taper, Taper & Taper.

[considerations]

"How high are you interior walls where drywall will go?"

Hmmm well Top o' Floor to bottom of ceiling joists is 7'6", but then its open beam, so another 9" and a bit to the bottom of the loft floor.  Not sounding like standard widths.......   

I know, how about really wide trim around the ceiling... you know, just sort of cover the gap?  Then again, there's T&G...

[MountainDon]

You could use scraps of drywall to fill in and then cover it all with a 1x of appropriate width.

[considerations]

Stairs...



Crude drawing, but readable, I think.

Hope this helps

[jdhen]

Thank you, Considerations.  That is very helpful!
Jesse

[considerations]

Yikes, I lurk almost every day, but haven't put anything on this thread for awhile.  I've been a little busy.  The upstairs is wired, but when it came time to do the downstairs, there were so many building materials and scraps stacked up against the walls, that it was obviously impossible to do with any effectiveness.  So....I had salvaged the roofs of two of those tarp covered carports I had when I first came out here.  They "blew up" in the wind storm of 2006, and I didn't try to put them back up, but had saved the undamaged parts, mostly the roofs.  I had enough to make one roof from the two.  So this time, i dug holes and set PT 4 x 4's in cement, then had the guy I've been working with drill holes in the top rail.  I set the round metal ribs of the roof in the holes, and mega-strapped the roof down.  For now, that roof is tarped, because its been monsooning here, but I want to rib it with wood and put sheet metal on it before winter.  The upshot of this little project is that now I have two rows of pallets running down the length of a 10 x 20 covered space with all the scraps in bins and garbage cans and the building materials neatly stacked on the pallets, and the 1st floor wiring moving along nicely. 

In the middle of all of this I rescued (abducted) the sole surviving 3 week old or so kitten from a feral cat who had hidden this little noisy bit of fur in one of the sheds.  So for about a week i was up every three hours at night with a "baby" and warm milk.  Fortunately that part of the process is over, and at least one of us is sleeping through the night.  My old male cat is not pleased, so the kitten lives in a large bird cage (think aviary) until he quits looking at her in that predatory sort of way.  I didn't plan this little adventure, but compost happens.

Anyway, I'm kinda stuck on the bathroom heating thing.  I probably should have some sort of "little" heat in there, the only access to the heating sources being through the door, and the bathroom is on the windward side of the house, so I'm thinking in the winter it could get a little sharp in there....but...the space is limited, as is the electrical resource.   One of those little in wall electric heaters can suck a lot of juice, and the smallest propane vented heaters I've seen so far don't look like they would do well in an alcove...I've looked at marine propane heat also, and the smallest I've seen sticks out into the room about 6-3/8"..... maybe I'll just brave the goosebumps, but since I'm wiring now, a solution would be nice to incorporate into the plan, rather that doing something after the fact.  Any ideas?

[John Raabe]

If you have the electrical capacity (which you probably do) I would put in a simple (1500 to 2000 watt) wall heater with its own thermostat. Leave them turned off except when you want the extra boost. They aren't expensive to run or buy and heat up quick.

http://homerepair.about.com/od/heatingcoolingrepair/ss/elec_htr_types_2.htm

[MountainDon]

I'm facing somewhat the same situation with the cabin. Off grid power doesn't take kindly to resistance heating for long periods. I'm hoping the 36" wide doorway. left open, will allow natural convection warming. Over the winter when we stayed up there a couple days at a time the little bathroom space did warm pretty good. 

[Redoverfarm]

Consideration I am not real sure of your floor plan but is there an existing wall of the bathroom that joins to the livingroom where your stove will be.  You may be able to put a grated 4"-6" wall fan.  Sorth of like a computer fan which doesn't require much juice.  Just be transfering heat from the other room.  It seems to me that this might be a good alternative.  No obstructions in the room and the low wattage would not drain your power. Haven't looked on line but there has to be something out there to use like this.

Something along thes lines.


http://www.airshack.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=getItem&item=BRO-512M

http://www.wamhomecenter.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=2140&idcategory=0

Or you could just mount a ceiling exhaust fan in the wall with a decorative grate on the exhaust side.   

[considerations]

"You may be able to put a grated 4"-6" wall fan....Or you could just mount a ceiling exhaust fan in the wall with a decorative grate on the exhaust side."

Hmmm, now there's a thought!  I made a circuit for a little electric heater like John illustrated.  I had looked at them before posting, but, after all the work to lower electrical consumption, I wired for it reluctantly.  It's really close to over the door....I'm going to look at the situation again. 

Thanks, all of you, for the ideas. 

[smcdaniel345]

I know I'm a little late in this post - but I have a tendency to linger (and linger some more) before saying anything.  I really like your stairs and the way you tucked the stove up in them.  That's how I want mine to end up.

[Dog]

Wow! That's so cool how you rescued that kitten. New friend for life! Hopefully your other cat will stop being jealous eventually and they'll become good companions!   

[considerations]

Well the old man(cat) is still disgusted, but at least the predatory gleam is gone from his eye.

That Mazybird of a mother cat left a littermate at the neighbor's as well. She just pops them out and drops them off wherever.  Beats raising them I suppose.

"I really like your stairs and the way you tucked the stove up in them."

Thanks, this is going to be a year round residence, so it seemed the best way to preserve floor space.

Got another door in.  2 down, 2 to go.  Stuffed all the little electrical boxes with switches and plugs....Don't care much for those GFI/GCFI's...whatever.  They're almost as deep as the boxes.  The breaker box is in and yellow spagetti wires all over the place..I wrote little notes all over them so I'd know what they are supposed to connect to.  I don't think the water or propane will be nearly so complicated. 

Broke my camera, so no pics for now.   

I don't like not having a camera.

[considerations]

Not a lot going on these days.  It's fiscal budget season, and I'm buried in numbers. ergh.
I have 3 of the 4 doors in, and my "breeze way" theory worked, I'm tickled with that outcome.

The stair hand rails are almost done, those will be worth a pic when finished.  They are from contorted branches I found in the woods.  Too bad I can't find a drywall tree, I loved the  cost of material.

Most of the outside electrical parts, except the wires, have been purchased, no trenches yet.

I'm working on finishing up the woodbox that the stove sits on so I can get it placed and measure for stove pipe. ($$$ kaching!!)

The main work, while this good weather holds is devoted to insulating the floor, probably the rottenest job I've engaged in so far.  Should have hired a contortionist.

The kitten is now "Joey" 'cause she spends a lot of time acting like a baby kangaroo in pockets, wool winter hats, or just under my bathrobe.  Mr. Blinkin (the old cat) has decided to stand down from his heightened DEFCON status, and may yet learn to play again. In the mean time, he's teaching her some manners.  My eyes bugged out the first time he pinned her, but he was delivering a message, not a beating.  Whew. 

[Redoverfarm]

Every project has some slow or down time.  The longer you work on it the longer the down times seem to last.  But then you get energized again and go at it.  

On the wood box had you considered making it a drawer type. Meaning to use heavy drawer slides and put it behind a set of doors.  That way you could load it up and shove it under the platform and when you needed wood just pull it out.  Just a thought.

Most of the time animals will adjust to each other.  My daughter's cat had kittens and we left them in a large carrier next to the dog cage.  One night when the dog was loose my DW yelled the dog has got one of the kittens down.  I ran but that wasn't the case.  He had taken three into his house for his own to raise.

[considerations]

"On the wood box had you considered making it a drawer type."

Yes, I had planned to do so for the cast iron, but hadn't thought about it for the wood. Good thought.

[Redoverfarm]

Considerations it looks like you had some spam with your coffee this morning also.

[considerations]

Add some eggs and pilot bread...not so bad.

Where does this stuff come from anyway?

[glenn kangiser]

I banned and removed him  - that one was from Australia.

They are getting above our highest filter - seems they must do it in person.  I'm not sure.  So far only a few per week.

[considerations]

Came up for air.... here's a few things going on around the place:


Don't kid yourself, this is about the most organized I've ever been.


Current project...insulating under the floor.  Roxul and bird netting.  Great job if you are a contortionist.


Just another angle


There are other things really hopping around here...have to stop and enjoy a little.


And little Joey is growing up

[secordpd]

Hi Considerations, I've been reading your posts for a while and it was you that made me decide I could build my own home, not just sheds and decks.

What did you use for the 'rafters' on your material storage shed?  It looks like pcv pipes?(like they use in greenhouses alot).

Also where did you get the Roxul insulation, I just saw that on TV, it was a show about all the new stuff at the International Building Show.  I did a search, found the co. but it sounded like you could only get in Canada.  That stuff is suppose to be awesome, fire proof to something like a million degrees  , repels water and mold.

Luv your home - it's so cool, and congrats on a tremendous job!

[Redoverfarm]

considerations That's not unorganized.  You can still walk between the piles.  When you have to jump and climb over to get to the back then that's unorganized.  Good job.  Just wondering about the insulation. Is there a moisture barrier?

[ScottA]

Looks pretty tidy to me. Do you have a problem with cat hair now that it's getting warm or does the cat stay outside in the summer. We made our last cat stay outside but something ate him. Our new cat sleeps on the bed.

[considerations]

"What did you use for the 'rafters' on your material storage shed?  It looks like pcv pipes?(like they use in greenhouses alot)."

I used what was left of 2 10' x 20' carports that I bought at Costco for about $200 each about 10 years ago.  They have enameled metal tubing for a frame, including "legs", and tarps for cover.  They both got pretty much wadded up in balls a few years ago when we had a major windstorm.  Being the heir apparent to the King of salvage (Glenn), I could not throw away the undamaged parts. I had enough for a roof.  Before the weather goes bad this year, I'll sheath it in metal.

"Also where did you get the Roxul insulation, I just saw that on TV, it was a show about all the new stuff at the International Building Show.  I did a search, found the co. but it sounded like you could only get in Canada.  That stuff is suppose to be awesome, fire proof to something like a million degrees, repels water and mold."

Well, not a million, but since it is rock/steel wool it takes a lot to melt it. I asked the local building materials supplier to order it.  It didn't cost any more than the fiberglass stuff. I was suprised.  I like it because of the fire retardant properties.  Its easy to handle and won't "settle", its just too dense. I'm doing the rest of the house with it too.  There is no "vapor barrier" on it, however.

"Luv your home - it's so cool, and congrats on a tremendous job!"  

Flattery will get you almost anywhere.

"Do you have a problem with cat hair now that it's getting warm or does the cat stay outside in the summer. We made our last cat stay outside but something ate him. Our new cat sleeps on the bed."

Do I have to deal with cat hair?  Yes.  They're family, just furry.  In the winter I envy them. They don't get to walk on my sewing machine or the counters and tables, but then neither do I.    

[considerations]

"Is there a moisture barrier?"

No, but there will be.