How to "Winterize" my jobsite?

[rayn]

Well we finally broke ground!  Many months of tossing around "how big?" and "where?"  on my remote lot dragged things out.  

In other words,  its doubtful that a weatherized shell by the time snow hits (sometimes OCTOBER), and we are talking snow that is deep and stays till April.  So what can I do that would ride out the winter?  

I am hoping for some advice on what stages below an enclosed shell can be safegaurded to ride out the winter,  and what steps should I take so my materials don't get ruined?  I'm using the Little House plans for the 12x18.

Thanks

[JRR]

If you're not going to get fully dried in, you may want to just do framing and wait for spring.  

I would not install, or store, plywood or OSB horizontally .. that will be exposed through a wet season.  Any stored sheet material should be stored on edge, resting on a dry support up off the ground, protected with a tarp ... but with air space provided.  I personally don't like OSB for framing ... its very wet sensitive.

Installing wall plywood or T1-11 sheathing is OK.  Installing roof sheathing is OK if you go ahead and glue in place heavy felt or roll roofing.  Glueing is better than roof nails for roll roofing materials.

If your project is going to take a while for completion, you may want to consider prepainting all the wood materials before assembly.  If you set up a paint rolling procedure (over a laid-out tarp) as the materials come on site, this is not so bad.  Yeah, a bit of additional cost ... but it helps the framing take the exposure without the weathering and warpage (important if your wood tends to warp; i.e., southern pine).  A good use for "uh-uh" mis-colored paints available in most big box stores.

[Larry]

Are you going to be working on your home during the winter or are you looking planning on shutting things down until the snow clears?

If you haven't put down the floor deck yet, check out some of the premium sheet products.  I ended up with a material that had a guarantee related to withstanding water.  It held up very well over a winter.  I also used a number of tarps to protect the inside during construction.  A couple of tall 2x4s with a 2x4 cross member and you can put up a simple shed type tarp roof.

We built on a pier foundation and that gave us some nice storage area under the floor as well.  It was also a nice place to hang out when an occasional rain storm came thru.

[Leo]

Im ready for the sub floor now,3/4 t+g .As framing and drying in could be a couple of more months should I   put serveral coats of porch paint on the t+g as covering it with plastic gets dicey once the walls go up?

[Rayn]

My thoughts stopped where Leo is now,  namely a platform covered by tarp for the winter.  It would be nice to do some framing,  but then the sill is there from keeping water from running off.  

I'm guessing the jump for leaving the project over the winter goes from platform to fully framed with plywood on the roof with felt.  

Is there an inbetween that is reasonable?  

[Micky]

I used a product called Titanium UDL instead of roofing felt.  I would suggest this versus tar paper if you get to that point.  It is more like a tarp material and stood up excellent to the weather.  It is also very tear resistant.

http://www.bobvila.com/BVTV/HomeAgain/Video-1419-01-3.html

[glenn kangiser]

Even in California where we are a bit drier than some in the winter, the flooring really takes a hit.  Apartments I worked on last winter had OSB sub floor and it was at the point of being damaged even with them sweeping off the water after each rain- this was a working job site where they could care for it a bit- not one put away for the winter.  Edges on decks swelled as much as 1/4" giving us problems wrapping pre-made steel channel frames around the second and third floor balconies.

[Amanda_931]

Put up the roof first?

Doesn't work with most conventional construction, even where it's possible it's sometimes durned inconvenient.

But it sure is nice.

[Ray_N]

I stopped by the local lumber yard for my 2x6's and asked about T&G chooses and what would be best if I had to lay up the job for the winter.

They recommended a product called Advantech, Huber Industries makes it I believe.  It is an OSB, but suppose to be superior to plywood (its a little more expensive though, just a few dollars a sheet), has a 50 year LIMITED warranty against delamination.

Any one hear or use Advantech?  I only need seven sheets so the cost isn't much of a factor.  I'd still cover it with a tarp, but it would be nice to worry about one less thing.

[Larry]

Advantech is what I used.  It saw a fair amount of water with the spring rains etc. and it's held up very well.  The earlier comment about sill plates holding water is very valid.  I actually ended up drilling some drain holes to get thru the spring.

[PEG688]

Here is  a out of the box idea , if you do lay the sub floor .   Put cheap balls of some sort under your plastic / tarps . So it sheds the water / snow . Set it up so some air can flow bigger balls in the middle, smaller at the edge, and some on/ over the edge / side for air to flow thru , or leave the sub floor / decking ply off till next year.  

  IMHO that is riskies at best but might protect your investment .

   Good luck, HTBH  ;)PEG

[Ray_N]

Peg,

I agree,  to just put the joist up and wait to spring would be a good idea.  

But.......

I think my kids (and the kid inside of me - I wonder if I'm not just compensating for the forts that I build as a kid that had to be taken down by some adult for various reasons) would get a lot of satisfaction on walking around on the deck.

Ray

[JRR]

Have you considered putting down regular deck lumber on the joists?  The decking would make a fairly safe walking/working surface even if gapped by a 1/2" or so.   The decking would pass the rainwater, or melting snow, right through to "below".

The decking could be installed as a permanent part of your floor system ... or, could be installed temporarily (with fewer screws and little/no cutting) .... to be later removed and salvaged.

[greg273]

Advantech is pretty much all I've used for the last 4 or so years in the framing business.  It does take the weather very well, and is very easy to install.   (unlike the 3/4 pine CDX plywood... the wavy stuff that never wants to slide together right)  

[John Raabe]

I wasn't familiar with AvanTech. It sounds like a good product but perhaps it isn't available everywhere. Here is a link to the mills that make it and the product specs, installation instructions, etc.

http://tinyurl.com/bdsyh