My cabin shell (shed) - into living space

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Small Cabin Forum / Member's Projects and Photos / My cabin shell (shed) - into living space

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Author	Message
Rifraf Member	# Posted: 30 Jan 2012 12:54 Reply Hey Micheal, wiring I learned all I could from a book called "Black & Decker the Complete Guide to Wiring 4th edition" very very good resource. I got my copy of this book from Home Depot. I've picked up framing tips here and there but for me it seems pretty easy to figure it out on my own.. I do think there are similar reference books for framing at home improvement stores. My best personal tip would be to chalk line your floors, measure and square 10 times before adding all your floor achors.. This time around I put down my floor and ceiling runners, then toe nailed in all my studs.. I personally find that much easier than lifting a wall into place.

stubby72 Member	# Posted: 1 Feb 2012 13:47 Reply I've been looking for something on this for quite some time and finally found it. My cabin will be dropped off Friday. I purchased the Lofted Casita Style in 12x24 size. I'm using this as a small get away for myself in my back yard. If it turns out the way I want then I may move to a larger style when the kids are out on their own. I have plans to put in a half bath and a small kitchenette. I got a stove and sink from an old RV that will go in it and I'm also getting a medium sized dorm refridge to put in it also. I will post pics when I get it. When I bought mine I got it with the metal roof instead of shingles. I just like the looks more. Keep the pics coming. Loven what I see.

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 1 Feb 2012 15:06 Reply Stubby, I like the metal roof look better too, but didnt want the loud rain sounds, cant wait to see some of your project pics!

JCinAZ Member	# Posted: 9 Mar 2012 00:49 - Edited by: JCinAZ Reply hello, how's your project going? finally got my cabin/barn on my land today..see my pics... Small Cabin Forum / Member's Projects and Photos / Looking to build ....so..lost

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 9 Mar 2012 12:48 - Edited by: Rifraf Reply Grats on your cabin shell. Ive taken a short break. My progress will pick back up very soon, im framed wired and have a company going to blow wet cellulose into the vertical walls for me in a few weeks. My next few steps are to frame and install my through the wall ac/heater sleeve, drill in 2 inch soffit holes, and 2 inch ridge vent holes and apply a ridge vent across my roof, and soffit 2inch covers over my soffit holes. I will then insulate the ceiling with 2 inches of rigid foam, leaving 1.5 inches of air space from soffits to ridge vent. This is far cheaper than close cell spray foaming the ceiling. Next will be wall and floor finish work.. my plumbing will be installed later in the summer. I am not running any plumbing into the walls it will all be ran under my high side wet wall and popped up where needed into the cabin ( into utility closet for heater, into kitchen cabinets, into bathroom cabinet & clawfoot tub. I will frame around the vertical piped going to the clawfoot tub faucet. So thats where I am, ive pushed my completed date 6 months back from my original plan to relieve the stress of it all. My wife and I will be getting a cheap little apartment a few miles from the cabin that will make things so much easier, right now its a 4 hour drive one way to the cabin and costs about 80 dollars in gas each trip that could be spent on materials. Edit : we have sold our home and close the deal end of may, thats why we are getting an apartment close to the cabin.. the apartment will not be an extra drain on our funding but a huge step down in financial requirements. I guess without that info it would seem that i was wasting even more money to be close to the cabin, and that's not the case.

JCinAZ Member	# Posted: 9 Mar 2012 20:35 Reply I feel you on the drive. we are 180 miles from our land..and the price of gas we were thinking the exact thing.... getting something closer

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 8 Apr 2012 08:49 - Edited by: Rifraf Reply Hey guys, Small update photos Ill post a video link later i think ill get some more work done tonight or tomorrow as well. Didnt get as far as I hoped ( i never do ) But I did get the main power ran from the pole to the cabin, but havent made it hot yet. This was very difficult because I decided to use conduit that was donated, and I knew it wasnt the best size for my 1/0 copper wires (1 1/4 ) but I use it anyway and cornering the wire was very hard. I did it though without damaging any wire sleeve or insulation barriers. I also cut and intstalled the ridgevent, I have to get my hole saw and cut the eves but will hopefully do that in the next few days. Next I framed and set in place my through the wall ac/heater sleeve, and started my insulation (half done) Porchlight in place main power comming in now, havent yet connected to lugs or to the 125 breaker at the pole, will do this soon Insulation going up 3 shots Ridge vent cut.. sunshine comming in Ridge after the venting was installed and again from the outside, ridge vent with shingles.

ErinsMom Member	# Posted: 8 Apr 2012 09:37 Reply You're doing great. At least, you have started. If you live any distance away, it just takes time. It's coming along and you want to do it right and be safe.

trollbridge Member	# Posted: 9 Apr 2012 10:23 Reply We usually don't get as much done as we hoped to either but each completed task does get you one step closer to the finish line right?!? Besides you have your porch light up and that really makes it feel like home!!! We will keep plugging away on our place while you plug away on yours and eventually we will both be able to sit back,enjoy our places and cheer on those members who were wishing they were further along! Keep enjoying the process and don't forget to stop and feel the sense of accomplishment along the way.

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 9 Apr 2012 23:35 - Edited by: Rifraf Reply Thanks, I was able to chug along for one more day before comming home, and got my eve vents in place as well as more insulation in. The eve vents were a challenge, I wound up having to use 1 1/4 holes every 3 - 4 inches, I stapled mesh over them, and then applied a 2.5 inch wide vent cover over the entire eve. I was lucky that lowes had this vent covering material in 2.5 inch width dark brown. Finally something I didnt have to custom fit (modify) Holes with mesh covering Eve vent plastic cover from the inside

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 10 Apr 2012 01:37 - Edited by: Rifraf Reply and heres the latest video. VIDEO LINK Anyone know how one should weather proof a through the wall ac sleeve ? I bought mine as a display unit and it had no real instructions. My cabin windows just have treated lumber frames around them on the outside, could the same be done for this.. simply frame it out with some treated wood and silicon around the frame ? perhaps some sealing tape between the wood frame and the sleeve as well ? EDIT : as you can tell I decided to not get the cellulose and just bat insulate, but im pretty happy with it now that ive done it, I spent alot of time making sure it was done properly. Using great stuff to seal the cavity edges and foam behind outlets, and in cracks&crevices and cutting each bat just so for a good fit. Finally taping each edge of bating , Budget just wasnt there for cellulose.

MtnDon Member	# Posted: 11 Apr 2012 10:32 - Edited by: MtnDon Reply Venting looks good. I've never installed one of those sleeves, but it appears the A/C unit slides into it. Therefore the sleeve at the outside wall needs to be sealed. I would think flashing it like a window would work. That is done with flexible self stick material like Grace Vycor Plus. Other Grace Info

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 19 Apr 2012 12:26 Reply I got my Through the wall AC + Heater from UPS this week. I put a video up that ill link below. I was wondering if anyone else has any experience with these. I thought AC units got so much condensation they dripped into the case pan, this case pan has no weep holes so im wondering how condensation is supposed to escape ?? any thoughts .. the sleeve I installed in my cabin to accept this unit does have weep holes.. I didnt expect the main unit to have an enclosure like it does. Any info ? YouTube Link

TimJ	# Posted: 19 Apr 2012 13:53 Reply Rifraf Nice job. Your project is coming along nicely. I checked into the spray foam too. Yeah, awfull expensive. That is why I went with styrofoam and sealed the edges with great stuff. Go to youtube and seach "poor mans spray foam". Good luck, Tim

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 22 Apr 2012 23:58 - Edited by: Rifraf Reply Thanks Tim, I've just gotten back from another trip out there, this time I finally connected my main lines from the pole to the box, placed my grounding rod, and all that. Flashed my though the wall hole, Mounted my though the wall AC, made an outside bracket for the unit as well. I also finished all my lower level insulation, wired my ac up, and a few other plugs. Started my ceiling air vent paths aaaand insulated over the porch area. The pole connection took me longer than I thought because I didnt have proper cutters for such a tough cable. I took lots of videos ill link here when they are done uploading to youtube, but here are a few shots. I plan on stain sealing the bracket when I stain the cabin so they will match. Ferring and foam for air path

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 23 Apr 2012 07:47 - Edited by: Rifraf Reply I went sort of video happy on this trip, ill link them in order. The final video is a summary if you dont wan to watch all of the detail videos. Video 1 - Ac mounted and working with custom bracket. Video 2 - look at breaker box setup Video 3 - Grounding rod Video - 4 Cut my loft above porch Video 5 - Insulated above porch Video 6 - Eve to ridge vent setup Video 7 - ridge air channel framing Video 8 - Trip Summary (

countryred Member	# Posted: 26 Apr 2012 20:56 Reply Looks great! The cabin is really coming along well.

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 26 Apr 2012 23:33 Reply Thanks, CountryRed, if you want to shoot me another email ill get back to you.. My wife cleaned the old mail from our email box and I wasnt able to reply.

countryred Member	# Posted: 27 Apr 2012 20:51 Reply will do! The videos really do a great job showing all your hard work.

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 30 Apr 2012 13:36 - Edited by: Rifraf Reply Ok, got your email. Will reply today. Back from another trip, and once again did not reach my trip goals. This time it was not all my fault. The water well guys told me I had to move some tree debris thats been there for years.. so I spent about 3 hours moving brush so they could get their trucks in on Tuesday. I also had to make a meterial run and take the kids the the bathroom a few times, and when you take the kids to town for the bathroom well then you also have to get drinks and this or that.. so there were several "interuptions" to my workflow. Insulation new drive connecting old drive and main road my mailbox Video links Video 1 Video 2 Video 3

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 30 Apr 2012 14:07 Reply ok guys I realized my topic was very image heavy and may start loading slow so ive resized all my images, if you still see large images hit reload they should all be much smaller now for faster loading times.. sorry about that.

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 8 May 2012 03:18 - Edited by: Rifraf Reply Well this trip I finished every inch of insulation, wired every plug , switch, and fixture, put in my flooring and we got the well, and well pump+tank all in place. The bedroom and closet can lights are also working , the area is dark because I was leaving for the night and was shutting things off when I realized I had not taken any videos or images Still have to stain and clear coat the floors, ill try do do that over the next few trips there. Here are some shots of the floors.. Thanks for the heads on on the flooring material Tim.

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 8 May 2012 09:41 - Edited by: Rifraf Reply Forgot to post the video, it doesnt show much more than the shots above aside from some insulation and my ceiling fan, but here it is. I do have a few very squeky spots on my floor even though I nailed every 8 - 16 inches, I think its due to my poor quality plywood sub floor Youtube Link

countryred Member	# Posted: 13 May 2012 20:18 Reply Looks great. How thick is the plywood sub floor?

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 14 May 2012 00:01 - Edited by: Rifraf Reply The subfloor plywood is 5/8 , the flooring i chose is 3/4 Some pics of my last trip, finished the floor. Lower level ceilings and started drywall. I also bought my doors, they are knotty pine with an arch pattern at the top. I had to cut the doors and jams to size though, my doors have to be 70 inches tall, and the only ones I could find to buy were 80 inches. I Video Link Youtube

shotgun Member	# Posted: 19 May 2012 22:09 Reply Nice Job Rifraf. U have a beautiful place .. Nice pics!

countryred Member	# Posted: 19 May 2012 23:43 Reply The cabin is looking great!

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 20 May 2012 17:47 - Edited by: Rifraf Reply Thanks guys, im back again from another trip. I finishes all my drywall ! thankfully thats over because I really dont like drywall work. I have a thing about dust on my hands.. its a weird dislike.. im sure its a brain disorder they have a pill for but I like pills even less than dust I luckily have a contractor neighbor who has agreed to do all my mudding and sanding while im away from the cabin this week, hes going to leave the plastic on the floors for me when hes done so when I show up Friday I just have to start painting. I also stained the floor dark oak, the stain didnt dry in time for me to apply my poly so ill have to tackle that right after I paint on Friday/Saturday. Some shots and video (ill link video soon as its done uploading)

neb Member	# Posted: 20 May 2012 18:05 Reply Very nice my friend!!

Rifraf Member	# Posted: 20 May 2012 18:53 Reply Thanks, heres the video for the last trip YOUTUBE LINK

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