Re: 20x26 1-1/2 story (Dorwin Cottage)

[ShawnaJ]

OOOO, I can just imagine some of Cecelia's higgly-piggly cupboards/shelves under those stairs.......

[MB25ACRES]

Are your second floor joists on pice or nailed bolted together.  and are the on 4ft  oc just wandering options see some that have many joists for second and some with fewer. can you shed some light. thanks Mike

[dorwin]

Mike - the 2nd floor joists are 4" x 14" one piece (20 ft long) laminated beams found at any lumber yard.  The beams in this building were place at approx 52 inch centers inorder to be evenly spaced over the length of the building.  Hope this answers your question.

[dorwin]

Finally far enough along to move in some furniture
but still waiting on kitchen cabinets

[dorwin]

We finally got the bathroom plumbing in.  What a relief.  Instead of cupboards, we located a 20 gallon hot water heater under the stairs.  The one major mistake of this whole project was the use of T1-11 as the exterior siding.  From day one it has warped and twisted in spite of lots of paint.  And it continues to twist to the point that every few weeks I walk around and apply more screws to pull out some of the puckers and caulk the areas that I can't pull back in.  Stay away from T1-11.  It's getting to the point that I'm going to be forced do something soon, which may include removing the siding and starting all over again with something else.  If anybody else has had similiar problems or has a suggestion I would be pleased to here them.

[jraabe]

Thanks for the photos Dorwin. It is looking quite handsome.

The problem with T1-11 was reported by Cody building the single story 20' wide. They were using 3/8' material. Don't know if yours was thicker or not.

[Sassy]

Sorry to hear about the problem with the T1-11 siding.    Somehow I missed your posting on 10/9 when you posted the livingroom pics - looks really nice, and the new ones of the bathroom & stairs you posted - looks wonderful - great work!  

[dorwin]

The T1-11 that I used was APA Products rated exterior 303-6-S/W 11/32" 3 ply 16OC Group Exterior 354 siding.  When it first started to curl and twist, I went back and nailed 2 x 4's between the studs sort or like fire blocks except 100's of them staggered all over the place.  The frame was also wrapped with a Perma-Wrap barrier before nailing the T1-11 on.  Although I could have used thicker material, it was represented as sufficient for this building by my lumber supplier.  I have since talked to others that have used similiar material and some thicker than my 3/8", and they have had the same experience.  Wish I had known before hand, but for those thinking of using T1-11, I would caution that you reconsider.  Besides this, all else has gone well.

[littlegirlgo]

Dorwin
Thanks for the advice, I was considering either T-111 or board and batton. I guess the wood will win.

Has anyone used the log siding?

[Amanda_931]

Glenn and I have both used variations on log siding for smallish projects.  Somebody up in Canada had a whole cabin done in it--he'd done a great job of getting the lines even even when he changed slabs at a window.

I saw some in a "take it, it's free" pile today.  If it's too durned cold to work on the wall Alma and I may go up and do that tomorrow.  I had used "first cuts".  I think these were "second cuts" or kind of skinny Adirondack siding, the kind that Glenn is using in his garage.

Second cuts probably work better.  Fewer bark beetles dripping sawdust on the floor or ground.

[Cody]

I used the same exterior 3/8th on my Project 20x30 last month and it is horrible. I am going to have to redo mine in the spring. Thank God winters are dry here in Kansas. I think the only thing which MIGHT have helped would have been to put furring strips behind to allow better drying, but then then I was afraid of it looking wavy. So sorry -Cody

[dorwin]

For anyone with limited kitchen space, I found a 20 inch wide electric range from Avanti that will fit into cabinets when completed.  Avanti also makes it in gas.