Al and Robins 20x30 1 1/2 near Lake Eufaula, OK

[ajbremer]

Hi Don,

The log siding is made from a 2x8 and it's probably just under 1-1/2" at its highest radius. The cedar boards that
I've been using are around 7/8" or so. I need to think about how water falls and make sure it goes over things instead
of going under, right? I could bevel or chamfer the edges of which ever one needs it.

[MountainDon]

Well, I asked because the most common way window trim and siding is done is to have the trim thicker than the thickest part of the siding.  Not the best picture to illustrate the point, but the trim is slightly thicker than the thickest part of the log/siding. The same thing is done with lap siding most often.



The trim is installed first like you've started and the siding added later. Leave a slight gap for expansion and caulk before the paint/stain/whatever. To a large degree it's a visual thing; just looks nicer. But having the trim thicker than the siding also hides the end grain of the siding and if caulked can protect it better. If staining or leaving natural I'm not sure what type of caulk would be suitable... I'm an exterior "paint everything" sort of guy. 

Another way is to bring the siding material right to the windows/doors and then use thin trim over the siding around the window/door. I like the looks of the thick trim with the siding added later. 

With 1 1/2" thick lock profile siding I'd probably use 1 1/2" thick trim or slightly thicker rough sawn. Maybe space the 1x out from the surface with another layer of something underneath the 1x.

While we're on the subject of trim, have you thought about where on the exterior you will want electrical outlets, light fixtures, hose bibs and the like? The best way to mount things like that is to use blocks as illustrated in the picture below...



The blocks are cut from trim. They make it easier to mount lights etc to the flat surface instead of the curved surface. The blocks are installed before the siding. It really does make the job look better and finish up better. Of course that is my opinion. 
Just more stuff to think about, and maybe end up with a better looking end result.

[ajbremer]

Friday - September 28th, 2012

Thanks for sharing that Don, that's excellent information. Putting a block in like that looks like it would
be pretty intricate.

Put another window and trim in on the front side (south side) and also did some more shingles. One more
trip up on the roof on the south side and it'll be done!

[MountainDon]

It's not as hard as it looks...

Just takes some good measuring. 


Good to see the roof coming along.


I think I'd try to make the trim bottom and top, etc all fit in alignment. As it sits with that upper window in the top image that will require some fitting of the logs to get a nice fit. Also it's a bit more usual to carry the verticals down and fit the bottom trim in between the verticals. makes for a better rain path.

[ajbremer]

October 1st, 2012 MidOklahoma

I put the larger window in on the front and trimmed it with cedar board. I'm also going to put that cedar trim around the door too.

Today I plan to finish the shingles on the north side and begin to disassemble my platform and put it up on the south side so
that I can shingle there.

It's really starting to look like a house now. The felt tore off in the wind up there but I'll replace it when I'm up there
putting the shingles on.

[duncanshannon]

Al - you are the man!  Nice work and fantastic progress given your scenario (learning a ton, single person build, debt free).  And way to keep up with it for over a year now!  Sounds like a ton of fun.   

How are you preparing the window openings? Any window flashing tape etc?

Duncan

[ajbremer]

Thanks duncanshannon, I'm trying to have as much fun as possible (sometimes that's hard to do).

I finally finished all the shingling on the north side and I also dissassembled all of the platform that
I made. Now I have to build it all again on the other side so that I can have a platform to stand
on and make things simple.

[waterbug]

Congratulations Al - it looks great. I bet it feels good to get that side done.

[ajbremer]

Thanks waterbug,

Yes, it sure does feel good to get that side done but now I've got to tackle the other side. Making
that decking/platform just to be able to safely shingle is a chore but it really makes it simple.

[ajbremer]

10/04/2012 MidOklahoma

Got a couple more windows in and will be putting more in today. Still have to make the platform so
that I can get up there on the roof and do the shingling but I found it more important to enclose
the house for the winter. Still have to tackle the plumbing and electric also.

Satellite was too big and clunky on the house, cost way too much, and was way to slow so I converted
it to a bird feeder. I hope the birds 'get the signal' (heavy pun intended)

[ajbremer]

10/05/2012 MidOklahoma

Hung my very first door today, jam and all. I also put in those windows. The big picture
window is on order at HomeDepot and it cost me $250 - it'll be a single hung, double pane,
gas filled, 51-3/4" x 64-1/2" custom window.

[CjAl]

i have been gone. are you done yet?

[MountainDon]

How are you preparing the window openings? Any window flashing tape etc?

Yes, inquiring minds like to know the details...

[ajbremer]

10/06/2012 MidOklahoma

I did skimp on the windows and didn't use the flashing tape and yes I know I'll be sorry for that but I'll have to deal with
it for now. I guess caulking doesn't take the place of good flashing?

I also have seen where if you have your house wrap on for a long time it is wise to put another layer of it on just before
you put your siding on. I'm thinking of putting a layer of #15 felt on it just before I attach the log siding.

I'm going to have a porch roof on each side over those windows as soon as possible but for now I have to enclose the place
and finish up so I can get in there and live. (Ya, I still gotta do the plumbing and electric too.)

I'm trying to figure out about how much it'll cost me to insulate the place. I was looking at some insulation over there
at Lowe's yesterday and a roll of R-33 was around $79. It was 2' wide and 10 something feet long and there were 11 pieces
and it said it covered 88 square feet... I think.

My 2 foot wide bays up there in the roof are 16' long. Are there rolls of insulation that long or do I go with sections?

[Redoverfarm]

Al it is never too late.  I think I would reconsider the Grace or equivalent window flashing tape.  You have a lot invested and I would hate to see a portion of my build fail.  I would just take off the trim on the outside and tape the windows.  Not a big process just gently remove and re-attach.  Yes you will have a few penetrations from the previous attachment but these can be sealed with chaulking but IMO well worth the effort. Remember it is not only for water penetration but will also keep drafts from penetrating as well.  Just install it so that the moisture will continue down and off and away from the window opening. Meaning bottom first, side over that and finally top.

Also I am not sure about double layering the house wrap.  You will be creating a space for moisture to stay.  House wrap designed to allow moisture out but then you will be trapping it behind a second layer especially #15 felt which does not breath like house wrap does.

Yes you can get rolled insulation instead of batts.  Just get the sealent tape where the batts are joined.  Which is the easiest to use? 

[ajbremer]

10/08/2012 MidOklahoma

Thank you for the tip Redoverfarm.

Right now I'm concentrating on getting my roof shingled and done before it gets too cold to put shingles up. This morning it's just about freezing temperature out there. It's supposed to get back up into the 80's this week and around 50+ at night but we don't have long before the cold comes and stays.

Well, over the weekend I put up my platform on the south side so that I can shingle the roof in safety. It took me a couple of days but it makes the job much easier. I used scrap lumber and a lot of the same lumber is from the platform of the other side and I wasn't too concerned about how it looked but was concerned with its strength to hold weight up there.

Here's the pic of the new platform on the south side completed. The only thing I have left to do is to attach what I call ladder stop boards so that I can slide my roof ladders back and forth and use them to walk up and down the roof.

[metolent]

Get some quotes to have insulation installed.  I price shopped around everywhere for materials planning to do it myself ... and then got quotes from at least 3 insulation companies.  With the exception of 1 guy, all of the installed quotes were significantly lower (materials + labor + tax) than I could buy just the materials for.  It simply doesn't pay to buy insulation and install yourself....  Insulation contractors evidently get *unbelievably great* prices buying in bulk.   

Btw, the shingles look great!

matt

[ajbremer]

10/08/2012 MidOklahoma

Thank you Metolent, that's great information that I'll have to investigate.

Started to shingle the south side today:

[ajbremer]

10-09-2012 MidOklahoma

A few more shingles up there...

[astidham]

Roof is looking good Al.
since I have the same as cabin..
my insulation was installed by a large tulsa company and was $830.00

[ajbremer]

Great hearing from you again astidham!

I think I'll be doing my insulation using the 'as I go' and 'as I can afford' method. Things
are getting tighter now financially - buying cars didn't help the house building much. Some
day, we'll have to check each others build out.

[ajbremer]

10/11/2012 MidOklahoma

I've used this wood stove in other places where I've lived but I'm trying to figure out the right
combination of piping for the country plan place. I would like my pipe to go out the wall above
the window and then up. So I'll be using 2 90's to do that job. I have triple wall pipe left from
the place where I used to live but I'm thinking that I won't need it now, besides, it's very heavy!

That sleeve that goes in the wall for the pipe to pass through and out, can the pipe that passes
through that be just regular pipe and not triple walled?

How far away from my eve should I have the pipe as it goes up? Here's a pic of my stove situation:

[MountainDon]

Sometimes going out the wall results in a chimney that does not draw as well as a chimney that goes straight up.

You absolutely need to use triple wall or mineral wool insulated pipe where the pipe passes through the wall, ceiling or roof. Insulated / triple wall also must be used all the way up to the chimney cap. From the stove to the insulated pipe you use single or double wall black steel pipe. I used a length of telescoping single wall pipe on mine up to the section of insulated pipe that penetrates the ceiling.

How far from the eve. Insulated pipe has a clearance from combustible rating of a inch IIRC. So an inch. More if you want to CYA in case you decide to add rain gutters some day.

If the pipe exits through the wall I think you should install a 90 degree cleanout on the exterior. That is made to support the weight of the vertical rise and make it easier to clean the crud out.

And there is something about a pipe passing a window that bothers me, if I understand what you said correctly. That is the hottest section of pipe in the entire run. It just bothers me... hot hot pipe and cold glass, vinyl frame, doesn't seem like a good mix to me.

[ajbremer]

Thanks for the reply Don.

I plan to go through the wall above the window and not through the window itself.

I kind of hate making a hole in the roof. It seems so much easier to repair a hole in the wall
then a hole in the roof. (especially on the 12:12 pitch)

[Alan Gage]

I'd go through the roof. It's not hard. Probably easier, cheaper, and better draft.

Alan