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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Housewrapping everything for winter mid-construction?
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cabinnewbie
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2022 11:16 - Edited by: cabinnewbie
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I'm midway through building out my cabin, got the walls up. I'm hoping I can finish at least sheathing everything and put a metal roof on.

But as the weather is turning in VT though, I'm starting to think worse case scenarios if I don't finish soon and how I could rain/snow proof it for the winter.

It's on concrete piers 2' off the ground, 12x16. Lean-to shed roof style so single pitch roof.

One friend suggested worse case I could just put 2x4 or 2x6 as temporary rafters and then Tyvek the walls/roof and go back to it in the spring.

I guess the big piece is the roof and snow load so i could do a lesser like 8" OC.

Currently with the 12' rafter span, I had it down as needing 2x10s rafters on 16" OC for the snow load in this area.

Mostly worried that I didn't just waste thousands of dollars and the winter will destroy all my walls and work.

Does that seem doable?

cabinnewbie
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2022 12:00
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Suppose another option is use a tarp for the roof instead

Pretty confident I can at least sheathe most of the walls.

Mostly concerned about the roof

jsahara24
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2022 14:41
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Can you hire someone?

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2022 14:54
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Put the real roof on. Tyvex the walls with furring strips covering all edges and about every 8ft in the middle. The wind wont Rip it off this way.

ICC
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2022 15:06
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You want/need the real roof to tie the wall structure together and provide sufficient strength in case of heavy snow.

Do as brettny suggested with furring strips to help retain the tyvek. Std tyvek has a UV exposure limit of 4 months, so you may need to install new. The commerial version has 9 months UV exposure.

What is the snow load?

BRADISH
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2022 17:07
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I would 1) work quickly while you can to finish what you are able to, and 2) keep in mind a little snow isn't going to kill the thing.

While obviously not ideal, having a bit of snow on the project isn't the end of the world. A broom, shovel, or leaf blower can take care of 12x16 in a jiffy. Given your dimensions it should be pretty manageable.

I also would personally not go with a temporary roof. Adds time and cost when you could spend both of those things doing it right the first time.

I covered my cabin build up in mid September last year because I was at a good stopping point and didn't want to try to beat the weather. Turns out I could have EASILY worked until mid or end of November without fighting snow. Weather is weird, you're close to being in a great spot, I'd just push your luck a bit and it will probably work out great.

cabinnewbie
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2022 21:39 - Edited by: cabinnewbie
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Yeah i was feeling pretty overwhelmed this morning but i feel like i have a better handle now and got some support coming this weekend and next.

Spent today's rainy day indoors for once. figuring out the rafter cuts and the odd rafter spacing layout so that my roof sheathing edges will always fall on a rafter.

I got three good weather days this weekend and think i can at least get my wall sheathing and roof rafters/sheathing up.

RMJR
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2022 22:20 - Edited by: RMJR
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cabinnewbie

lburners
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2022 23:14
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I rolled my roof in ice and water shield in the fall and let it run a Winter season. Kept things dry until early Summer and now I have another layer of protection under the tin.
One way or another as other have mentioned you should get the roof sheathed and covered.
Fyi your roof rafters should line up with the studs in the wall. Probably not a huge deal in a small build but it helps transfer the load directly.

MJH
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2022 23:23 - Edited by: MJH
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Not sure where you are in VT or how cold it gets but don't fret working through winter. I went into last winter (which was brutally cold and long) with no roof but tarps over a temporary ridge we put up with 2x4s. Spent a LOT of the winter pulling tarps down and putting them back up but had a roof on the place before it was all over.

MJH
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2022 23:24
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Meant to attach a few pics...
tarp_1.jpg
tarp_1.jpg
tarp_2.jpg
tarp_2.jpg


Absolutely
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2022 07:05
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Quoting: lburners
I rolled my roof in ice and water shield in the fall and let it run a Winter season. Kept things dry until early Summer and now I have another layer of protection under the tin.


This is excellent advice. I rolled ice and water shield on my sheathing right away and it provided protection while I waited for delivery of the steel roofing.

Princelake
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2022 07:14
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I framed my 16x24 cabin in 2 days. Came back install the metal roof in one day. 1 day for windows and doors and house wrap with the help of 2 competent helpers. I’d find 4-5 free days and a helper or 2 and hammer it out.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2022 09:08
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Quoting: Princelake
I framed my 16x24 cabin in 2 days. Came back install the metal roof in one day. 1 day for windows and doors and house wrap with the help of 2 competent helpers. I’d find 4-5 free days and a helper or 2 and hammer it out

This is how I see it also. I have built alot of things and there are tricks that have been passed down to me. For framing I suggest putting the sheething and even tyvex on the wall before you even stand it up. Less ladder work means safer/faster work.

Our plan in the spring is..
1 weekend drill and place sono tubes. That week they get inspected.
1 weekend pour concrete.
1 weekend build and place everything below the sub floor.
3 day weekend build all the walls.
3 day weekend build and put up the 20' wide gambrel roof trusses. And get the roofing on.

So roughly 12 days with plenty of breaks, 1 inspection and concrete dry time. This is for a 20x32 with gambrel roof.

snobdds
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2022 12:56
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Quoting: Brettny
Our plan in the spring is..
1 weekend drill and place sono tubes. That week they get inspected.
1 weekend pour concrete.


I hope you can do it. That part of my build took me an entire summer. It's not simple to align and set grade for sono tubes. I also beefed up my footings/tubes a bit. Each footing took at least 20 bags on concrete.
foundaton.jpg
foundaton.jpg
foundation_2.jpg
foundation_2.jpg


snobdds
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2022 12:58
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To the OP...get the roof on. Even if it's just to the ice and water shield phase. But get it on.

NorthRick
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2022 13:47 - Edited by: NorthRick
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Quoting: BRADISH
I would 1) work quickly while you can to finish what you are able to, and 2) keep in mind a little snow isn't going to kill the thing.

While obviously not ideal, having a bit of snow on the project isn't the end of the world. A broom, shovel, or leaf blower can take care of 12x16 in a jiffy. Given your dimensions it should be pretty manageable.
I also would personally not go with a temporary roof. Adds time and cost when you could spend both of those things doing it right the first time.


Us Alaskans must think differently then others. I agree, no need to panic and don't waste time with a temporary roof.

We got the walls up on the cabin I'm building in late fall during a snowstorm. Came back to it in late winter and shoveled 4' of snow out the windows so we could start on the roof.
snow
snow


Brettny
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2022 14:07
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Quoting: snobdds
hope you can do it. That part of my build took me an entire summer. It's not simple to align and set grade for sono tubes. I also beefed up my footings/tubes a bit. Each footing took at least 20 bags on

I own a mini ex with an auger attachment along with a laser level and reciever. 2 summers ago we put up a 20x16 pole building in 3 days. The poles where telephone pole but used no concrete.

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2022 14:57
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Dang, you'all are making me feel like a slacker; took me all summer to get a replacement window put in.
I did have to tear apart a whole 5x9ish foot section of wall to do it though......

cabinnewbie
Member
# Posted: 26 Sep 2022 23:14
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Well this is my first build so everything is going pretty slow. Also having trouble renting scaffolding so it's been a challenge to get up high.

But good news is I got my rafters all up this past weekend and think I can get the zip roof sheathing on soon. Ordered my metal roof but won't be coming for at least a week so that will be super tight.

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