12x16 Phase1

[MountainDon]

Our RV uses a 10 ga cord or it's 30 amp shore power service. I bought 50 feet of cord at HD and put my own plugs on it. I remember it was not cheap, but it never heats up even with the A/C or a couple heaters.

[glenn kangiser]

A lot of the small heaters are 1500 watts also but a cord that is too long or too small, or has a plug or receptacle making a bad connection will overheat.  A bigger cord could solve the problem and still let you safely have heat.  See Squirls formula for amps and increase the size for excessive length.

In general 10 gauge will carry 30 amps.  12 gauge will carry 20.  Long lengths decrease ampacity so step up to a larger cord.

A cord that is hot along it's length is too small.  A cord with localized heating/melting at a plug  or spot in the wire, has a broken wire or bad terminal or connection to the terminal.

[Abbynrml]

Well finally some good news. After 3 months, today I got a job. Start full time Thursday. I'm guessing, and it really depends how the new job goes, but in a month or so I am hoping to resume work on my shed. Kinda weird how it worked out, but the weather should be alot better for working on the shed then too.   

[MountainDon]

    congrats!!

[Redoverfarm]

Same here.

[Abbynrml]

Found a good deal on craigslist today. Bought a roll of aluminum black screen material 4'x100' for $30. Also sold the last load of firewood I had.
I plan on using the screen to enclose the porch on the shed. All I need now to finish the outside is 4 sheets of CDX plywood, 2 screen doors,  and about 30 1x4's for the trim. Total cost on my shed so far is about $1800. So I will stay under the 2 grand to get it completely dried in. I can do the inside later.
Not sure what or when that will be. lol

[Abbynrml]

Went today and got half of the trim cut, nailed up, primed, and painted.
The north and east sides of the shed are done except the final paint and touchup.

[MountainDon]

Looking fine.


It's interesting to watch how people do things. When I paint I always do the edges and corners first, then roller the main sections. It appears you do the opposite. Both ways look the same in the end so I suppose there is no one correct method.   

[grandmasplayhouse]

I just had to comment on the fine looking cabin. Must be nice to be able to get to yours anytime of the year. Here is how we get to ours here in Minnesota.

[Abbynrml]

Thanks for the kind words Grandmasplayhouse. Actually mine is only a shed, not a cabin. You have a great looking place there too.
Don, I painted the plywood in october, just now got to the trim. So, painting as I go.
Went up this weekend, got the trim done on the west side, and framed the sheds double doors.

One year ago pic:


Todays pic from almost the same angle:


Looking at the front or north side:


Looking at the west side, with the door and trim in primer:

[Abbynrml]

Went today and got the final 4 sheets of siding up and primed.

[Redoverfarm]

Abbynrml I just wanted to inquire about a couple things.  1.  What was the deciding factor in placing the vent turbine on the front roof rather than the back side out of view. Is there any reason that you decided against a ridge type vent.  2nd is that a window on the right end or something else.  It is considerably smaller than the ones on the front. Not that anyting is wrong mind you but that appears to be awful low to be able to see out in a standing position.

[Abbynrml]

Redoverfarm:
1. The vent is on the back side. the porch is facing south. The double doors are on the west side. No door on the front side. I used gable vents and a turbine vent. Ridge vents always seem to leak for me.
2. Yes it is a very small window. On the east side and another on the west side. Wish it was bigger, but it is what it is.
I bought all the windows off craigslist and got them cheap.
It is low, and standing it is too low to see out thru, but sitting it is about the right height. I will probally be sitting more than standing when inside. One day perhaps I can install a larger better suited window, but for now this will work.

[Abbynrml]

I am happy to say phase 1 is almost complete.
Phase 2 was going to be the porch, but as you can see, it is already started.
I plan on screening it in. Going to run screen top to bottom all around.
Then I want to add a wood barrier around the bottom, going up about 2 feet. I was thinking of just using 2x4's attached to a 2x4 top and bottom.
A question that I have is how should I allow water to drain?
Can I cut grooves in the bottom 2x4 to allow it to drain?
Any thoughts or ideas for the porch finishing?

[Abbynrml]

Today was beautiful. Trees budding out even saw a few wildflowers.
Got the trim completed on 3 sides now, only need to trim the porch windows.

[Cindge]

Greetings All,

(Long time lurker, first time poster, soon to be builder of a Victoria).  Gotta comment on the tiny window...Sometimes the right portal to the outside in just the right place makes all the difference in the world.  A few months back, I was in a place where we lived in metal containers with no windows.  We drilled a big hole in one to pass some cables through, and left a tiny square about 2" by 2" open.  So much light (and life, it seemed) came through that tiny hole.  Of course, someone eventually filled it up with a dirty sock or something ('cause it was 120 outside).  I'da given my left arm for a window like that.  The tiny window may be just perfect from the inside, seated, gazing outside and contemplating that to-do list over breakfast.

[MushCreek]

According to some, you shouldn't have a big picture window looking out at a great view, but rather a small window that just gives you a glimpse as you walk by. With the view in plain sight all of the time, you no longer 'see' it anymore, as you become used to it being there all the time.

[Redoverfarm]

I was thinking the opposite.  If you had a great view it would slow you down just wanting to stop and gaze rather than doing something a little more productive.  Sort of like leaving food on the countertop you would always be tempted to stop and take a bite. 

[Abbynrml]

Good points everyone. Actually if I replace the 2 small windows, I think I'll put them in the gables on the east end. So they will let in the morning sunshine and light up the loft area. The loft is on the east side.
I'm still thinking about the porch right now.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the water drain slots under the bottom 2x4 around the porch?
Something like this:

[Abbynrml]

What a wet day!
It stormed this morning, from about 8 until afternoon.
Cold front came thru and temps dropped big time.
I cut and nailed up the last of the trim work, just need to finish the painting and the exterior will be complete on the shed.
Still need to do the porch, but I'm kind of stuck on what to do.
In the rain today the porch area was soaked. Rain came in on 3 sides.
I'm almost afraid to finish the porch. Afraid that it will always get to wet.
Any ideas how to keep it drier?
Even thinking of ripping up the floor and redo it all.
What can I do?

[Redoverfarm]

Welcome to the world of delimia's.  Everyone visits there every once in a while.  I take it that you used Ply for the porch decking. I hope that you included a pitch of at least 1/4" to 1' .  Wind driven rains will eventually make it's way through the screen enclosure.  About the best approach is to keep the ply protected so that water will not penetrate it and it will delaminate itself.  Off hand I would say the best approach is to paint it with a good quality oil based porch and floor enamel.  

As for the drainage even a larger slot will eventually fill up with dirt, debris, cob webs, bees nest and the list goes on.  I think I would probably build the railing wall and leave it slightly off the floor say 1/2" and then get something similar to cobra vent material and slip it into the void.  It should allow water to exit the floor but keep the insects at bay.  The major problem is that anything you do will have to allow the decking floor water to exit without any obstructions. By cutting kerfs in the 2X you would have to do it so close together to be effective.  You could use screen over the void then camoflauge the void and screen with a 1X board that you have blocked out (1/2-3/4") on the lower side and would still allow the water to drain but would not be seen.  Yes the board will appear to be a little off plumb but not that noticable. In the same train of though you could block the complete 1X out and then nail a 1" board as a cover to conceal that blocked out 1X from the top side hiding the blocked out area except for the denensions of the 1X .  Hard to describe what I have in my mind  ( Lord Help Us) and get it into written form .  

[Abbynrml]

Thanks for the good ideas. I did use plywood for the subfloor, then tar paper. And there is a slight slope of 1 1/2 inches in 6 feet.
Next I will apply a coat of roofing sealer, then the final layer of plywood and paint it all with porch paint.
Went today and got almost all of the shed painted, only a little more trim to do.
Spring is here. It sure was pretty today.
A few pics of my place:

[jdhen]

Thanks for the bluebonnet shots!  I lived in Austin for 8 years and I sure do miss that spring sight!

[John Raabe]

In the Pacific NW where we get lots of rain, we always build decks and outside porches from self draining materials using either cedar or PT material - 2x4, 2x6 or (if joists are 12" o/c) 1x4 decking spaced with a 1/8" to 3/16" gap over PT joists. These can be set level and 1" below the door threshold. This keeps wind blown water from wicking up into the doorway.

Your porch floor looks awfully close to the ground with less than great ventilation to dry it out. If that were built from standard lumber in my climate it would last 3 or 4 years tops and may by that time have insect damage that will also be infesting the cabin.

You might consider a slab for the porch floor if getting higher is not possible. Even sand set pavers would work - that would allow drainage and you could have a PT (1x4?) flashed to break the moisture connection to the cabin.

[Abbynrml]

John, you probally are right. I was going to do a soil cement floor at first. 
If I did a floor 3.5 inches thick and 6 ft by 16 ft, it would be about 1 sq yd of concrete. Thats about 47 bags of the readymix.
If using a 10% soil/cement mixture it would only be 5 bags of portland cement, I think. Mix it into the soil and wet it down to set up. I recall Glen suggested using a jute mat under it for support.
Perhaps I need to take the small loss, and go this way. I could reuse the plywood for something else probally later.
Any thoughts anyone?