Difficulty of modified post and beam framing?

Started by bigbux, March 12, 2015, 04:37:43 PM

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bigbux

Hi guys, I've been tentatively planning the construction of a vacation cabin. I want to build something fairly simple in shape with a slab foundation, but use straw bale infill. I'm going to take a workshop on the bale aspect, but it doesn't cover framing. I have no experience with framing of any kind, and the method used with bales is sort of a hybrid stick/post way.
As I understand the process, you have a pt 4x4 toe up and temp nail a 2x4 top plate to mark the layout. You then separate them and nail in the 4x4 posts flat on the floor, raising the wall like conventional framing before bolting down the toe up and adding a 4x8 or similar top beam.
I guess my question is how difficult this type of construction would be for someone with no home building experience. I'd be buying stock plans from an in state architect who could modify them to meet my local code.

Erin

This is what I did for our post and beam home:

(Hope it shows up)

It's basically three, "laminated" 2x4s with the center one toeing up until the floor joist, and down into the joist below.  Obviously I hung t&g on the frame, but I think it would probably work quite well strawbale infill, too.
The wise woman builds her own house... Proverbs 14:1


kalstar


Don_P

Post and beam is not difficult, just a little different. Bracing is the tough part if the infill is not structural. Strawbale IMO is about the same as the EIFS stucco over osb that had problems a few years ago. Do not count on an exterior cladding to repel all water, there needs to be provision for water that gets through the stucco coat, removing it before it gets to anything moisture sensitive behind it.

Ernest T. Bass

Have you thought about going load-bearing? I built a SB cottage with a friend, and we decided that for a smaller structure, load-bearing was quite a bit more economical.

Earthen plasters play much nicer with bale walls than cement.. As Don said, water intrusion would be problematic down the road if you don't have a membrane behind the plaster. With a thick earthen plaster, you don't have that problem since the wall can 'breath'. Also, you can plaster directly onto clay-primed bales without the need for lath.

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Don_P

While I agree with that to an extent, most earth based renders beat portland for breathability, remember that one drop of liquid water takes many cubic feet of vapor laden air to remove. On a sunny wall vapor drive is in. In a moist area the chances of breathing adequately to dry liquid water intrusion is not in your favor. Make provision to get rid of leaking water before it can get to moisture sensitive materials. If it doesn't dry faster than intrusion, the moisture content within the wall will climb above the rotting level, ~25%, and trouble will begin.

Ernest T. Bass

Yes, you're still going to want to pay careful attention to window and door flashing/sill detail to prevent sheets of water from finding their way in, but speaking from 8 yrs. experience with an earth home in the UP, I'd be quite confident in a SB home with directly-applied earthen plaster in almost any climate, and most of the SB "experts" seem to agree that clay is the finish material of choice when building with bales.

Our family's homestead adventure blog; sharing the goodness and fun!

Erin

Quote from: Don_P on April 04, 2015, 08:16:19 AM
Post and beam is not difficult, just a little different. Bracing is the tough part if the infill is not structural.

I agree. 
Because we used tongue and groove, which provides very little so far as wracking resistance, our engineer suggested making a couple of interior walls with OSB/ply to create that bracing.

Just another option to consider...
The wise woman builds her own house... Proverbs 14:1