Ladner Frame

[FrankLad]

Hey guys!

It has been a while since my last post here, so I wanted to share a bit of a progress report on our timber frame home.

NOTE:  Sorry if the way I wrote this doesn't "flow" right.  I'm just kinda trying to remember as I type, and letting my mind spill.


Fistly, our frame has been up since December.

The following people cut, fit, and raised it, in four weeks:

Chris Koehn (Timberguides)
Randy Churchill (Joint Effort Timber Framing)
Adrienne Walker (Dark Horse Timber Framing)
Mike Yaker (Wood Joiners) *
Keith Rockett (Wood Joiners) *
   
   * Mike and Keith came down during the last two weeks.

Here's a short bit of back-history...

I found out about Chris Koehn through Raphael, here in the forums (Thanks again, sir!).  We gave Mr. Chris a call and things started rolling from there.  We sent him a sketch of our floor plan, with additional notes/ideas on the overall look we wanted, and he and his wife, Ruth, came up with a more formal layout.  From there they took it to Joe Miller (jfmdesign.net) for engineering, and the final construction documents were done by Tony Wahl (View-It Design).  We got the timber schedule and started shopping around for cypress timbers...

We had some operating cash from a previous house sale so we were able to go ahead and order the timbers along with the Eastern White Pine for the ceiling t&g, and 2" pine t&g for the 2nd floor.  This was from a local sawyer, who gave us a very reasonable price.

Mr. Chris planned on bringing Randy Churchill down to help him, since they had worked on several projects together in the past.  They figured up how many person-hours this project would take, and I was able to figure up the total cost, based on their hourly rate.  He brought up the names of a few more experienced framers - Adrienne Walker, Mike Yaker, and Keith Rockett.  We decided to get a larger crew and get it done faster, since it would basically cost the same with more people, taking less time, as it would with two guys, taking longer.  ...just a bit more up-front cost on travel stipends for each person, though.

So we had a crew lined up.

While this was going on, my wife and I were talking with the local bank on our construction loan.  We ran into the issue of them requiring a few comps (houses in the area of similar construction to the one we're building) before proceeding.  ("Your credit is excellent, you already own the land, etc, etc...BUT there are no houses like this in the area to compare to.")  At this point we started looking at other outlets (Like M&T Mortgage, who specialize in this type of construction).  Ultimately I went in and spoke with the head-honcho at the local bank.  As it usually turns out, you can do lots more face-to-face than you can over the phone.  He saw that we had our stuff together and really liked the type of house we were planning to build, and decided to give us the loan.  In fact, he was pretty enthusiastic about it.

We gave them the estimate, with breakdowns on each part of the construction.  We figured up the top/safe amount as if we were going to contract everything out, but we told them up front that we plan to put a lot of sweat-equity into it once the timber frame part is done.  Not sure what they'll say when they see just how much.  ("Wait... you estimated it would cost x-amount... how'd you wind up using only half of that?")  Ok, maybe we won't come out that much under, but I tell you what - we've saved a hefty amount this way.  Putting the metal on ourselves recently saved several thousand, and we installed the roof SIPs, stick framing, etc.  Sure it takes a bit longer, and we're paying interest on the loan, but that doesn't NEARLY overweigh the total money savings, and the good feeling you get from just doing the work yourself.

During the time the timber framers were down, I was able to go out during my lunch breaks and after work to see how things were going, or lend a hand where I could.  I helped some on weekends as well.  Dad even got to cook up some gumbo for them, which they all seemed to enjoy.

I tried to pick up a few tidbits of wisdom from them, and they were happy to share it.  Another member of the forums here who lives relatively nearby was able to drop by for couple of visits.

One thing I'm kinda proud of is a live-edge pine timber that I got to work on.  I jokingly tell people it's the most crooked piece in the whole frame.  My grandma was the only one who questioned why exactly it was left that way.    Anyhow, I cut it from our property, peeled the bark, did reductions, and the framers put it in position on raising day.  It runs parallel with the stairs, in a high-visibility area.

Here's a picture of the frame, from December:


Here's the live-edge piece:


Me, my brother, and our pastor Installing SIPs:


Me and my brother installing metal:

NOTE:  At the time this pic was taken, all exterior walls were done except the triangular openning you see there on the north wall - That was laying assembled on the ground, ready to be lifted into place.  We were just trying to beat the rain and get the metal on. 




Currently...

The house is to the point now where we're about ready to put up OSB sheathing and moisture wrap, windows and doors, etc, etc.  I know the inside / detail stuff won't necessarily be easy or fast once we get to it, but we are happy to be nearing that point.

[Griffon]

Sound like you've got God on your side.  ;)

[Thomas-in-Kentucky]

Congratulations Frank, and thanks for the update!

I like your grandma already.  My mother-in-law calls my "tower" a "silo."  Perhaps the only problem with that crooked timber is you'll find yourself wanting more of them after the house is built.  Looks awesome!

-Thomas

[Jeff]

Frank, thats awesome. What are the dimensions of your frame?

[FrankLad]

Griffin:  Yes indeed!  We're certainly very thankful for the way things are panning out.

Thomas:  Ha ha!  Yes, I do like that look.  In fact, I saw some pictures of a frame (here or somewhere) that basically used tree trunks for the posts.     Was really nice.

We plan to have all (or mostly all) log furniture throughout.  Beds, of course, but also living room stuff, dining room, etc.  So lots of "crooked" stuff around, even if not actually part of the frame.  I like that look!

Jeff B: Main floor is around 47x35, not including the north and south bump-outs (one is bay window area in dining room, the other is a bathroom).  That's around 1600 SQFT on the first floor, and then there's a second floor area comprised of a bedroom and office.  It forms an "L" shape that is half of what the first floor is, so the total SQFT is around 2400.

[FrankLad]

In the first picture, you can see we have a waterproofing membrane (in this case, Delta-MS) running around our foundation wall.  The backfill will come up to the orange stripe.

We are thinking of doing a dry-laid stone wall from there (the ground), up close to the rim joist, for looks.  (The blocks are now covered with black moisture-proofing tar, for added moisture protection.)

Anybody else here done something similar to this?  I'm looking for advice/tips/feedback.

Thanks!

[Thomas-in-Kentucky]

Frank,

if you don't have a brick ledge to rest the stone on, you could possibly anchor angle iron to your existing walls - as long as the stone is not very tall/heavy.  I think laying/resting the stone on bare soil would result in settling of the stone w.r.t. the rest of the house.  Or maybe you could pour a little brick ledge by digging up next to your foundation, inserting some wall ties and pouring a mini-foundation for the stone.  Best thing really would be if the stone could transfer weight to the footer somehow.  All of this is only necessary though if your stone is heavy (like brick or heavier).  If it is veneer, I think you can pretty much "glue" that to your foundation walls with the right type of mortar and lath.

-Thomas

[Dave Shepard]

That is a very strong looking frame! I've read that the colonists built stronger and heavier than they needed to to compensate for living in a new land that was full of surprises and hardship. I think it is just nice to be able to see the strength of a timber frame. Nicely done!


Dave

[Thomas-in-Kentucky]

hmmm.  just re-read your post.  dry-laid stone, on bare ground, with nothing bearing down on top of it...  I think that would work, as long as you go down below frost level with your stone and are prepared to add another thin course of stone (in a few years) to adjust for any settling, should it occur.  Do you have any poisonous snakes in your area?  If so, dry laid stone on the exterior might not be for everyone.  Sorry, call me old fashioned. 

FWIW, I agree with Dave - I don't think those rafters aren't going to sag any time soon!

-Thomas

[FrankLad]

Thanks for the comments, Dave!

I like things over-built myself.  Not just the big timbers (which is the main part) but also everwhere else.  For instance, our studwalls were built with 3" screws.  Certainly slower than zipping through with a nail gun but it gives me a bit more peace-of-mind.  The exterior walls are connected to the outside posts with several big 9" screws (similar to the Log Hog ones).

Thomas:  Thanks for the info!  Our frost line is only around a foot, so that wouldn't be a biggie.

What does concern me is the mention of poisonous snakes.  We do have them (Our most common snakes of the poisonous variety are the cottonmouths, copperheads, and rattlers.)  ... but is there something about this type of scenario that would attract them?

Those rafters are quite big (6"x10"x22'  rough-cut).

I helped the framers move some of the timbers onto sawhorses before the forklift arrived.  We had fun.  ... and it didn't help that they were soaking wet.    That was some of the shorter pieces.  Not sure what the rafters actually weighed but it woulda took at least two people to move one. 

[FrankLad]

When I first started researching in preparation to build our house, I would see pictures of frames and would want to know the timber sizing used, which often wasn't mentioned.  So I wanted to share our timber schedule.

[Sorry if the list doesn't quite line up like it should.]



Bent/Wall   Item         Pcs.   W   H   L   
                     [ft]   [ft]   [ft]
ROOF   canted purlin         1   6"   8"   8'   
ROOF   rafters         25   6"   10"   22'   
ROOF   rafters         1   6"   10"   6'   
ROOF   valley rafters      2   6"   8"   7'
   
BENT1   bent girt      2   8"   10"   13'   
BENT1   bent girt      1   8"   10"   10'   
BENT1   king post      1   8"   8"   4'   
BENT1   knee brace      4   4"   6"   6'   
BENT1   post         2   8"   10"   19'   
BENT1   post         2   10"   8"   11'   
BENT1   upper tie      1   8"   10"   10'
   
BENT2   bent girt      2   8"   1'   17'   
BENT2   king post      1   8"   10"   22'   
BENT2   knee brace      3   4"   6"   6'   
BENT2   post         2   10"   8"   11'   

BENT3   bent girt      2   8"   10"   17'   
BENT3   king post      1   8"   10"   22'   
BENT3   knee brace      3   4"   6"   6'   
BENT3   post         2   10"   8"   11'
   
BENT4   bent girt      2   8"   10"   13'   
BENT4   bent girt      1   8"   10"   10'   
BENT4   king post      1   8"   8"   4'   
BENT4   knee brace      2   6"   6"   6'   
BENT4   post         2   8"   10"   19'   
BENT4   post         2   10"   8"   11'   
BENT4   upper tie      1   8"   10"   10'
   
FLOOR   joist         6   6"   8"   15'   
FLOOR   joist         8   6"   8"   17'   
FLOOR   knee brace      2   4"   6"   5'
   
WALLA   bent girt      1   7"   9"   12'   
WALLA   king post      1   7"   9"   6'   
WALLA   knee brace      2   4"   6"   5'   
WALLA   post         2   7"   9"   12'   
WALLA   rafters      2   7"   9"   8'   
WALLA   truss strut      2   5"   9"   5'   

WALLB   bottom plate   1   8"   8"   16'   
WALLB   bottom plate   1   8"   8"   15'   
WALLB   bottom plate   1   8"   8"   17'   
WALLB   knee brace      3   4"   6"   6'   
WALLB   wall strut      2   4"   7"   9'   
WALLB   wall strut      2   6"   6"   5'

   
WALLD   joist         1   6"   8"   15'   
WALLD   joist         1   6"   8"   17'   
WALLD   joist         1   6"   8"   16'   
WALLD   knee brace      7   4"   6"   5'   
WALLD   ridge plate      2   8"   8"   15'   
WALLD   ridge plate      1   8"   8"   17'
   
WALLF   bottom plate   1   8"   8"   17'   
WALLF   bottom plate   1   8"   8"   15'   
WALLF   bottom plate   1   8"   8"   16'   
WALLF   knee brace      3   4"   6"   6'   
WALLF   wall strut      2   4"   7"   9'   
WALLF   wall strut      2   6"   6"   5'   

            Pcs.   Lin.L      Surf.      Vol.   
itemNo.         [pcs]   [ft]      [ft²]      [BF]   
DF            128   1658'      4345.1   8092.2   
total            128   1658'      4345.1   8092.2   

[jpgreen]

Awesome project Frank..  8)

So are you using all Timberlinx?  If so, bout' how much is the cost per joint on average, and what do you think of them?

[FrankLad]

jpgreen: So are you using all Timberlinx?

We initially went into this planning to use all Timberlinx, as we wanted to build it ourselves.  However, since we wound up hiring the framing out  it wound up being done using traditional joinery.

If so, bout' how much is the cost per joint on average, and what do you think of them?

As far as what I personally think about Timberlinx - I like them a bunch in a D.I.Y. scenario because they are pretty straightforward to use and I don't think my dad and I could've built the "test shed" as easily without them.  They allowed us to make simple housed connections (which some would argue weren't necessary) and drill a few holes using a nifty jig tool.  So in our case - that is, the case of some guys with NO training in traditional joinery - they were simple and relatively fast.

BUT...

In the case of our house, where we have professionals cutting the joints, I honestly feel that it would have cost us more per joint to use Timberlinx.  The framers billed us at $45 / hr, and they got a lot done in that hour.  But just the Timberlinx themselves run around $35 a pop.

In this size frame, they still would have had to cut some type of joint in combination with the Timberlinx, so I'm not sure if the speed factor would really play into it.  I know there's the strength factor with Timberlinx, but I still feel that M&T is more than sufficient, so I really only focus on the speed/simplicity factor.

One of the framers did comment on Timberlinx being more complicated, which surprised me.  I guess that's how it is once you get used to doing traditional joinery for so long.

[Raider Bill]

jpgreen: So are you using all Timberlinx?

We initially went into this planning to use all Timberlinx, as we wanted to build it ourselves.  However, since we wound up hiring the framing out  it wound up being done using traditional joinery.

If so, bout' how much is the cost per joint on average, and what do you think of them?

The framers billed us at $45 / hr, and they got a lot done in that hour.  But just the Timberlinx themselves run around $35 a pop.

Was that $45 per man or for the crew? If so how many were in the crew?

[FrankLad]

That's the cost per person.  There were three framers down for four weeks.  Two additional framers came down to help during the last two weeks.

[jpgreen]

That's interesting and thanks for the comments Frank.

I'm pretty skilled at cuttin' and building most anything I learn, but when I look at those awesome joints, I see a lot of skill that needs time to learn.  Problem with me as I get that carpel tunnel in my wrists and I take advantage of power tools as much as possible.  Even working a hammer now days does a job on me.

I think timberframers are a rare breed back here in California, and adding it all up I was thinking maybe the Timberlinx was a way to go.  $35 per joint is pretty darn steep though.

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge on the subject, but is most of the framing joints done by power tools by these guys?

[FrankLad]

jpgreen: Forgive me for my lack of knowledge on the subject, but is most of the framing joints done by power tools by these guys?

What I'd typically see is they'd run across the timbers with an electric planer, then use a big circular saw to lop off the extra 1' or so from the end.

Then of course they'd do the layout (framing square, bourneman layout tool, japanese-looking ink line tool for snaping reference lines, etc)

They also used smaller circlular saws, set to depth, for roughing out pockets.  A mortiser was used as well in some cases.

Mainly I'd see them using a mallet and chisel.

Once they finished a tenon, they'd run a small plane over the edges to make a chamfer for easier fitting later.

Just some of my observations.

[FrankLad]

Our house is pretty much blacked in at this point.  Housewrap is up, windows are in, etc.  Just have to finish up on a couple more exterior doors.

We've been looking into flooring (not quite to that point, but just curious) and are really liking the idea of the floating floor products.  This type typically isn't solid, like I'd prefer, but it looks pretty good, is pre-finished and goes down quickly and easily, with no nails or glue.

The Lock-N-Fold stuff that Bruce makes looks nice.  I thought it was pricey at around $3.78 / SQFT (Lowes), but it seems that isn't too bad now that I've seen what comparable flooring (ie. Schon Quick-Clic at Lumber Liquidators) goes for.

Any suggestions on flooring that's easy to install?

[petehalsted]

I used Pergo Laminate in when I did MIL kitchen remodel. url=http://www.thenextage.com/woodworking/kitchen/index.htm You can see some shots of it here

What made it easier than some of the others and the reason I chose it was it had the foam backer on individual boards, versus having to lay it separately. This lets you avoid having issues with the getting wrinkles etc. in the backer as your laying the floor.

The floor held up well, it took a year of abuse from having up to 5 grandkids being baby set at one time on it, before she sold the house. It still looked as good as the day I put it in when she sold.

The matching base board pieces etc. that they try to sell you are scrappola, over priced and unnecessary, use traditional base held slightly above with small shoe mold to hide the gap and you will be fine.

(active links to off site picture hosts are not allowed).....(moderator)....

[FrankLad]

Thanks, petehalsted!

After looking at how your floor turned out, I think we will certainly look into the Pergo flooring.

Thanks also for the tip about the molding.  Seems like I heard before to avoid the matching baseboard and trim pieces for the same reasons.

[FrankLad]

We've done a lot of sanding on our frame and are now ready to start oiling it.  Early on, we purchased several gallons of LandArk for this purpose, but I am now thinking that darkening the cypress would look much better.

I took a scrap piece and put some Minwax Golden Oak on it... looks fantastic!  Then I got to looking at the water-based / acrylic stains they offer (because the water-based stuff is supposed to be much healthier to breathe when applying it... another reason I was attracted to LandArk.)

So the question for you guys is...

Has anyone ever used "regular" stain on their frame?  I'm aware that they (at least the oil-based ones) use dryers, which don't get to penetrate the timber that well (another plus for LandArk here)... but is that a big deal?

We're going to pick up a small can of the water-based Minwax, in the color we want, and test it on another scrap piece to see if it looks as good as the oil-based stuff.

Just read mention of  Livos oils, and am about to research that, but would really prefer to pick up some stuff locally, as I have some time off from work and want to start in the next couple of days.

Thanks for any advice!

[jpgreen]

I don't know but so far everything I've used from Minwax has been great..  8)

[FrankLad]

Thanks for the feedback, jpgreen!  Have you used the products on a timber frame?  If so, which type?

I've done some Googling around and have found discussions elsewhere mentioning how certain products could actually seal the surface of green timbers and in some cases (hopefully _rare_ cases) cause the wood to rot from the inside.

In our scenario, there will be at least one unfinished face in each timber of our frame, except 4 beams or so.

Also... we didn't get the LandArk EndCoat/Wax stuff delivered in time for the framers to coat the joinery, so perhaps moisture can pass there as well.

...plus, this is Cypress so maybe it isn't as big an issue as with other species.

Would using Minwax's Oil-Based products ultimately be better than the water/acryllic, or would that stuff create a vapor-impermiable surface layer as well?

I'll check back in the morning before we go to the store. 

THANKS AGAIN!

[jpgreen]

nope. nada on a timberframe.

[FrankLad]

Spoke with one of the timber framers from our house project, as well as a Minwax representative.  Both agreed that most anything offered by Minwax would seal the wood and wouldn't be good to use on our timbers.

The Minwax guy turned us onto Penofin (PENetrating Oil FINish).  We spoke with a dealer from our state, did some reading online, and ordered some.  (The specific product is Gold Label Interior Finish.)  Went with "Appalachian Oak".

Here's a link for anyone interested:
http://www.penofin.com/products_gl.shtml

[Raphael]

Thanks for the tip... Looks like my monitor isn't quite properly calibrated, the cherry looks extremely scarlet (more work for me), but I like the  "Appalachian Oak" a lot...  You may have just found my floor finish for me.

[FrankLad]

Raphael:

Come to find out, the Appalachian Oak is pretty on the screen but actually quite orange-ish (at least on Cypress and SYP scraps that I tried it on).  Received a small quantity of it earlier in the week.  Was a bit disappointed to find out but that's what I get for not requesting the FREE sample pack.    Good thing is I only ordered enough to get us started on the frame, so we didn't blow a lot of money on it.

I'd recommend that sample pack for sure.  You can request it directly from Penofin.  I'll let you know which color we wind up going with.

[Don P]

Can it be tinted at a local paint shop?

[Thehardway]

FrankLad,

I see you used SIP's for your roof and went over them with Steel.  What SIP's did you use and do they warranty a "warm-roof" system?  Are they Urethane or EPS? What thickness did you go with? Did you attach the steel directly to the SIP's or do I see what appears to be some 1X nailer strips. Getting ready to do mine and thes are some questions that keep popping up.  Your frame looks great. 

In my experience a lot of the sweat equity of a home is in dealing with the bank.  :D Building it after you get the money is the easy part.  The whole "comp" thing is for the birds.  Another gimmick to minimize there risk and drive up tax bases.

Keep up the good work and the photo's!

[FrankLad]

Thehardway:  Yessir, we put 2x4 strapping down, so that gives us 1.5" of air space between the metal and the panels.

We got the roof panels from General Panel Corp.  They have a plant in north Mississippi, so the shipping wasn't too bad.  They also have a plant in TN, but that one specializes in blank panels;  The one in MS has the machine to cut window and door locations from plans.

Early on I discussed our having a metal roof with Bruce Johnson at General Panel (very knowledgeable guy!) and he indicated that there was no concern with us having metal over the panels.

These are EPS panels and they are something under 7" thick.


>> In my experience a lot of the sweat equity of a home is in dealing with the bank

:D

[Thomas-in-Kentucky]

Hey Frank,

How about some pictures of the progress... or is your digital camera broken too? 

-Thomas

[FrankLad]

Interior shot:




Cypress siding progress:




I've been so busy with the house that I haven't taken the time to get a haircut.    A friend of mine said I'm starting to look like "Jeremiah Johnson" with the beard and all.




Here's my oldest son (2 yrs) helping me with an interior wall. 

[FrankLad]

I've been really quiet here in the forums, but still busy with the house.  Working on finishing flooring, cabinets and countertops.

Here's a picture of our flooring:



These are 10" wide cypress planks, butted together and fastened down with 2-1/2" screws every 32 inches (through Structure Gold OSB and into 2x12 joists).  Screw holes are dowelled and cut flush.

We were looking into various finishes and have decided to go with the LandArk floor finish (like regular LandArk finish but with some type of resin, I believe to act as a hardener to offer more floor protection)

Planning to use Waterlox for the red oak countertops.

Permanent power is getting hooked up this week.  Has been delayed due to going with underground lines, and apparently they sub out the digging, so that's kindof been a holdup.

[Thehardway]

Looking great!  That floor looks beautiful.  Must have taken some time to screw and peg all those holes and sand flush. what kind of wood did you use for dowels?

[FrankLad]

Thanks, Thehardway!

The dowels are the regular hardwood dowels you can get at the building supply store.  We went with hardwood so that we get some contrast when stained.

Here's our little process:

    - Following the snapped guide lines on the subfloor, I pre-drill with a 23/64" bit.  This is done by "feel", and usually somewhere around 1/4" or less deep, I imagine.  Just enough to give the dowel something to plug into.

    - The 2-1/2" screws are put in

    - The 3/8" dowel is twisted into the hole and cut flush with a thin, flexible handsaw (ours is a Vaughan Bearsaw).  This leaves little to be sanded.

I had planned on going with a 3/8" drill bit but noticed the 23/64" right by it (I honestly didn't realize they had so many increments) and thought it would make for more of a snug fit for the 3/8" dowel plugs.

We came close to purchasing some Tremont nails (really nice) and face-nailing, but then decided on screw-and-plug because it does wind up being cheaper and we like the look as much as the antique nails.

It is tedious but it has been fun.  My wife enjoys following along behind me and doing the dowel part.

[Thehardway]

Sounds like a nice "family project" you have going on.  Very nice.  How are you liking the General Panel Corp. panels?  Anything you liked or disliked?  Would you use them again?  What were the tolerances like matching them up and how did you treat the joints? Splines?   Sorry so many questions.

They are the low bidder for my project and considering going with them. 

[FrankLad]

Thehardway:  I honestly have absolutely nothing negative to report on the panels.

I will tell you this first... during the hotest days, we would walk in our house (w/ no air conditioning) and it would feel just fine.  I was surprisingly shocked by how much of a difference these things make in having a cool house - which is important down our way.

I think that would apply to most any panel company, not just General Panel, so here are some specifics:

- The panels themselves were cut precisely.  After snapping our 2ft overhang reference lines on the underside of the starting panel , the rest of them fell in place nicely.

- All the people we spoke with at General Panel (Jonathan at the shop, Cathy in planning, and Bruce - the technical guy) were very friendly.  I liked that there was always someone available if we had questions.  A big plus.

- The joints were simply 2x6 splines.  They fit into the panel opennings like a glove (unless you try like I did one time to make use of a slightly swolen 2x6 that had been sitting out in the rain several days.  Ha ha!)

- They weren't stingy with the panel screws or adhesive/sealant.  They sent us more than enough.

If we were to do anything else in the future that involved SIPs, they would be our choice with no hesitation.

NOTE:  We used the shop based in MS.  There is also one in TN, that I can't speak for.

[Thehardway]

Thanks,

I am dealing with the TN plant but it puts my mind a little more at ease to hear of a happy end user experience.

[FrankLad]

Anyone have any suggestions for a type of "chinking" or filler that can be used in the gaps of our floor?

I know for large gaps people still use stained rope strands, but we're looking for something smoother, and that would perhaps not be so brittle as to crack easily.  These gaps themselves are relatively small, but we also have knotholes here and there that we'd like to fill.

[beenthere]

I'd personnaly only fill the knot holes (with a two-part pour-on epoxy that gets hard but not brittle). The cracks are more difficult to conquer over time, as the wood will not only shrink, but will swell. If the crack filler won't compress, then the wood swells and gets compressed (i.e. failure). When it shrinks again, there is another crack to fill.

Cracks just come with the wide-board flooring, IMO.

Hope this makes sense. 

[Thehardway]

A latex based caulking compound would fill the small gaps and remain flexible and comes in a variety of colors etc.  Another thing I have seen done to fill cracks is to take some of the sawdust from the wood flooring you are using and mix it with some white wood glueto a putty like consistency. Fill the cracks and wipe off all excess.  It will give you the same basic color as the floor.  I guess you could say it's homebrew MDF?  Obviously try on a sample first.  Just a couple ideas.

[FrankLad]

I tried the fine sawdust and glue, but this was with the Titebond stuff - so I nixed the idea because I didn't like how it looked on a sample piece.  However, I didn't think of using the white wood glue.  That may be worth persuing.  Thanks for the suggestion!

On many of the pieces, I installed FLUSH against each other.  Hrm...   ???  I remember posting about using a credit card or dime as spacer but someone said it wouldn't be necessary, unless it flooded.  I feel like it should be fine, though.

[FrankLad]

Our house is now DONE (as far as the bank is concerned).

BIG RELIEF.  It's fun trying to decide what to do with all the time we have now.

The final price per SQFT figure went up a tad, putting it closer to $72, but for a timber frame home, I'm thrilled we got it done for that price.

Also happy to say that, while the bank did send a conservative appraiser, he gave us a high enough value that we don't have to pay PMI and all that stuff.

Pictures forthcoming (as usual ;) ).

[Don P]

 8) 8)
I know that feels good. You know the drill, no pics, didn't happen  ;D
That's an awesome price per sq/ft, good job.

[DWM II]

Congratulations Frank. 8) I hope to be posting the same comments in about five or so years.

Question on your sip's, did you just use them on the roof? If so, how did you cover your exterior walls?
Your house looks great by the way.

[ljmathias]

Frank: that's just fantastic!  I can't believe you managed to get her done at that price and in the time you took- I know it seemed to drag on and on but in the grand scheme of things (like geological time maybe) it wasn't all that long and you'll have a house that will passed on from generation to generation.  Still would like to have coffee one day and discuss all the ins and outs of how you got yours built- hoping to do two for the boys and their families in the next couple of years.

Lj

[bigshow]

Frank,


C'mon, dont be shy about the pics.....

[FrankLad]

Congratulations Frank. 8) I hope to be posting the same comments in about five or so years.

Question on your sip's, did you just use them on the roof? If so, how did you cover your exterior walls?
Your house looks great by the way.

Thanks!

We only used SIPs on the roof.  The walls were 2x6 @ 16, OSB sheathing, moisture wrap, then cypress siding.


ljmathias:  Thanks!  I'd be more than happy to discuss the process with you.  I can guarantee a few of my statements will start out with "If we had it to do over again, THIS is what we would do here..." 

bigshow:  I'm working on the pics now.  Shrink, recompress, shrink, recompress.  I'll get them each below 44k shortly. 

[FrankLad]

Ok, I finally got around to snapping some pics this weekend. 

I've omitted some of the interior shots.  We've been doing some antique shopping lately and we just this weekend found some old big pulleys and stuff that we want to decorate the stairs with.  Also I have some more barnwood shelving to build with plenty of other antiques (planes, chisels, etc, etc) to set out.  So we wanted to spiff the inside up a bit before showing too much.  Ha ha!


Exterior view from N.E.


Exterior view from S.E.


Exterior view from S.W.


View from main entry


View from kitchen


Bedroom 1


Bedroom 2


Loft

[jpgreen]

Absolutely beautiful Frank...  8)

I hope I can do that before I push up daisys. I own land, but I need one goining parcel before I can build where I want to build.  The view is tremendous. If I ever get that, then I'll start on the "JP" frame..  :D

[beenthere]

The pics show some great work.

The pics are allowed to be at least 450 pixels....and changing the pixels is the FIRST step after the cropping is done.   Usually after I resize first to 450 pixels (longest side) then there is no more need to do anything but save to low compression....

Trying to compress the file first will lead to small pics with large files.   That appears to be what you have done...

Hope that makes sense and helps.