ADK Tiny

[Sabatical]

Not realizing there was a sub forum tor tiny houses, I started over in the newbie area, but this seems more appropriate. So here goes. We have batted the idea of "going tiny" around for a couple years. Finally, after finishing some other projects, the time was right. After taking what seemed like way to long to get the groundwork layed, we started framing. The project labor pool includes my wife, adult son, and myself. I am happy to say that after a couple weeks of work, 1- we still like each other 2- we are making decent progress.
I thought it would be cool to document the project, but please be warned, I'm neither tech savvy, nor a great writer. My goal is to be able to look back after completion and see the story unfold and to share with all those who haven't been able to start their project yet.

[aggie79]

Please do document your construction and experiences. My wife and I have considered a tiny home for ourselves after retirement.

[springdew]

I'm very interested in your build. May I be the first to mention that this crew loves tons of pictures! Me included.

[Sabatical]

We started the build with a new 8x22 equipment trailer from PJ Trailers. I did tons of reading about what trailer would be best whether it was custom built, purpose built, standard equipment trailer, or repurposed rv chassis. It really came down to cost and time. A new equipment trailer was not much more $ than a used one and far less $ than something custom. Repurposing something was out of the question for us just based on our timeline.
So the trailer we got came with a treated deck which we removed and used for the floor system. The deck boards were 2x6 and I figured they would be adequate to support the overhang of 6" on either side. We built the floor in three sections and after they were test fit in place, we flipped them over and flashed the underside with 24" metal.
After fastening the sections together in place we anchored the whole floor to the trailer frame. I chose L brackets and used a combination of metal screws and wood anchor screws.
We filled the floor bays with polyiso foam from a roofing contractor (job site leftovers) at no cost. We had enough to fill the bays completely so R value should be more than adequate for northern NY winters.

[Sabatical]

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[felixx]

Keep it coming mate this is going to be interesting

[bobhenry]

With the 5 1/2 inches of floor joist plus the frame depth you might want to consider an in floor storage locker ( or two) in a location you can access from above.

(Think of a cellar door)

Tiny homes do not have a lot of space for storage and these little hiding spots must be taken advantage when possible..

[Sabatical]

That's a great idea Bob. Thank you.

[Sabatical]

After floor insulation was finished we covered it with 1/2" Advantec sheathing. I chose Advantec for it's weather resistance and the likelyhood that it would get rained on during construction. Several years ago I built our current "big" home and had used osb subfloor. We got a LOT of rain that year and I ended up having to sand the swollen seams before adding finish flooring. I vowed to do it differently the next time.
I chose 1/2" because headroom is so limited with DOT height requirements and every fraction of an inch adds up. Well, it kind of worked out and kind of didn't. 1/2" is not enough over 24" floor joist spacing. Even with bays full of foam, it flexes. Also we had a very wet June and the seams swelled. I will cover the interior space with 1/4" plywood after sanding the seams and this will fix the two issues plus give me a fresh surface to put finish flooring over. If I do it again I would still pay extra for the Advantec but go thicker.
This is already a long post but I've shared framing pics below, so I'll just mention that I used 2x4s for framing walls at 2' on center. I also skipped "jack studs" for the openings to lighten final weight and increase the amount of insulation. With the short wall height, I also used the double top plate as the header. I think with such a small structure, the use of plywood sheathing, and the added streignth of foam in the walls, that it will be just fine.
That's enough for now. More to follow.

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[bobhenry]

I know you are trying to save weight but....................

I would put at least a 1x4 cripple at the lower window header. Road impact , freeze and thaw, and other unseen gravitational forces may lead to window racking that may make operation difficult.

One other thought If you look in my caboose thread you will see I placed a 2x6's centered at 4' off of the floor. I installed the exterior sheathing vertically but intend to install the interior drywall horizontally The 2x6 will act as a perimeter nailer for the interior wall sheathing and the blocking will also stiffen the stud legs limiting some movement.

[Sabatical]

Good points Bob. I will add some cripple material to the window openings. Your idea of 1x4 is a good one!
The roof got sheathed today so I have some catching up to do here. I should note that in an effort to maintain max headroom in the bedroom loft I hadn't planned to put in collar ties. As a result my shed dormer top plates spread and now I am pulling them back in with cargo straps. Boy this is so much different than building a "normal" house. But hey, if it was easy everybody would be doing it!

[Sabatical]

I know you are trying to save weight but....................

I would put at least a 1x4 cripple at the lower window header. Road impact , freeze and thaw, and other unseen gravitational forces may lead to window racking that may make operation difficult.

One other thought If you look in my caboose thread you will see I placed a 2x6's centered at 4' off of the floor. I installed the exterior sheathing vertically but intend to install the interior drywall horizontally The 2x6 will act as a perimeter nailer for the interior wall sheathing and the blocking will also stiffen the stud legs limiting some movement.

I love your take on a tiny house! It's so original. I'm going to make a point to check out you build thread next time we have a rainy day.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on mine.

[Sabatical]

We decided to use T1-11 to sheath/side the walls. We had many other ideas but increased width and cost were an overiding factor. Last year we built a sewing studio for my wife and mother in-law and used T1-11. We liked the way it turned out so it seemed a logical choice. It is great for shear stregnth and doesn't look bad when finished IMO. One of my boys was kind enough to do the first found of staining for us and he did a fabulous job.
One complication we ran into was how to seal the wheel wells. I ended up getting 10" flashing, bending it in half, and securing it behind the siding. I made cuts in the vertical run of flashing every couple inches to allow it to follow the contour of the fender. The bottom edge of the siding, where it meets the flashing will get sealed with caulking. My plan is to fill the cavity above the fender and below the wall with spray foam and cover the area on the inside with wood.

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[Sabatical]

Here you can see the wheel arch better.

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[Sabatical]

This is how I managed to set the ridge solo. The half that you can see completed was done in a similar way.

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