# New Cabin Construction



## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

I found an old thread on here a while back and this is what got me thinking. 

It started about a year ago in the design and concept phase. 

The building phase is now underway and I have started my own cabin just a few weeks ago. I will post pics on here and keep it updated from week to week until the process is complete. I hope that what I am doing can help others figure out their own cabins without mistakes and a lot less research. If you have any questions feel free to ask. I will be more than happy to share my learned experiences with all.

This is a 12x24 cabin with a loft. Made from landscape timbers. 

after clearing the ground I started with the foundation piers and flooring. I set the piers on 16x16x4 foundation pads and double stacked the cinder blocks, so I ended up with a 16x16 square pier. after getting everything level and plumb we started on the floor joists and flooring. 

weekend #2 

we started by laying out the first row of the walls, measuring, plumbing and re-measuring. I decided to use the BUTT & PASS method on the corner joints. it seemed faster and I was going to have to ***** the building anyways so what was a little more in the corners? ( we will see once we get to chinking it, LOL). once we had it where we wanted we used 6" lag screws and screwed the timbers into every floor joist (joists were on 16"centers). once first row was complete it was pretty easy. its like stacking leggo blocks! I used a 4' level on every board to make the inside of the walls all flush and to keep them plumb. (4 timbers = 1' of elevation). I used 6" ring shank pole barn nails for my nails. I use 3 per timber, these are some hefty nails and have, so far, pulled any bows or warps out of the timbers as we laid them. also, im using a pneumatic "PALM DRIVER" I picked it up at Harbor Freight for like 25 bucks and it will drive these nails flush in about 1-2 seconds. i still use a 5lb mini sledge hammer to "seat" each board and nail, just to close any gaps. after a lot of hard work and horrible heat we ended up getting the walls up to about armpit high that weekend. 

Weekend #3

we brought the ladders in this time and started stacking the walls higher and higher. by the end of the weekend we have the walls up to 7' 6". I was going to go 8' but im not even 6' tall and its a cabin, not a house, so im going to save the extra 6" here and shorten my total height of the cabin by a foot or more. 

I will post more later as I think of it. its hard to explain all the fine details since they are all in my head!


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

#2 set of pics

Forgot to add door pics


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

how far have they gotten? what do yu do for chinking ? insulation underside for plywood?


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

The last pic is as far as we got yesterday. It took me 4 bundles of 77 timers per bundle to get all walls up to 7' 6". 

Chinking, from reading others posts and talking to some contractor friends I'm gonna go with this type of caulk, I'll post a pic of it below. 

Not going to insulate under the floor, don't want it to end up being a breeding ground for pests, since I'm out in the mountains. Mice and other rodents are rampant out there. I plan on caulking all the seams and laying some laminate wood flooring down, can't remember what it's called, but it had a thin pad/insulation that you put under it. That will get it sealed and air tight. That coupled with an area rug should suffice for keeping the floor from freezing your feet in the mornings.


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

Door to cabin

Built it out of rough cut 2x6's, pegged and glued the door, then added the trim pieces to the out side. It's 36" wide and 2 1/4" thick. Heavy door but will look awesome, I think!


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

what did the timbers cost? Looks good did you say what area you are building in? Wondering about the the r rating of the timbers?


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

wow, that is quite the build. I think I've seen landscape ties (what we call them up here) type lumber being used like that...but, up against a framed wall (they have a larger flat spot). Wondering how rigid everything is...
Logs homes work because they use full length (corner to corner), large flat contact between logs, corners notched and they dowel them with corrosion resistant dowels. They'll even tie in an inside wall to an outside wall for really long runs. 
And the first course is bolted to floor. 

JM2C...it just doesn't look rigid.


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

Oh I can assure you it is very rigid! It was a little wobbly in the door openings before we tied the top of the walls together. But even the back wall that was a 24 foot run was still solid enough I could lean a ladder on it and stand on the ladder without the wall flexing more than inch or so. I was worried about it a little bit, but all doubts went away after the walls were tied together over door openings.

Inside wall is tied to both outer walls, and there are lag bolts holding the walls base into every floor joist. Coupled with 3- 6" pole barn nails for every board it's a solid wall.


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

Forecast- typically you can get them for $4-5 per board. I bought 6 bundles on Memorial Day for 1.98 a piece. I spent 900.00 on timbers. What you see so far I'm into it 1,400.00. And Still got enough timbers to finish the walls up to 11 or 12 ft whichever I decide to stop at, build the ridge pole/ridge beam, roof rafters and have about 20-25 left over.

I've quoted everything and added it all up. I'll be into it at the most 2,500.00

R-value, from what I've researched it will have between an R-13 - R-20 rating based on solid wood wall and thickness. The timbers range from 4" - 4 1/2" thick. I saw a chart somewhere that gave the ratings and value based on thickness.

Mountains of Arkansas( if you want to call them mountains) lol they are just big hills to me, but they call them mountains.


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## ozarkansas (Dec 31, 2015)

Keep the pictures coming! Fellow NW Arkansan here. Anxious to see the finished product. I'm looking to do something similar in the next few years. Curious if you have to follow any building code? For a hunting getaway on raw land my hope is it could be more like a big shed with no strict guidelines.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Looks nice. 

I'd reconsider not insulating the floor. There's lots of solid type insulation that rodents and bugs don't like. We spray foamed under the floor of our A-frame. Mice and other rodents don't like that stuff so no worry about them living in it. We also kept it open instead of closing it in as not to build a home for varmits.

WWW


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## mikedecker (Jul 24, 2016)

Where are you building? What state?


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

rteague77 said:


> R-value, from what I've researched it will have between an R-13 - R-20 rating based on solid wood wall and thickness. The timbers range from 4" - 4 1/2" thick. I saw a chart somewhere that gave the ratings and value based on thickness.



Keep reading.......everything I've ever read says wood is about R 1.5 per inch. Best case, you're looking at R6.....and given how much of the wall is thinner at the curved points, probably closer to R5 or less.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Looks pretty neat, hope it works out. 

Something I would be concerned with using treated timbers like that would be shrinkage and twisting and bending as they dry out. All of the treated material I've ever dealt with shrinks a bunch. You may have to come back later and do additional chinking of the gaps between timbers?

Don't know if thee is any truth to it, but have also heard that there are potential health hazards associated with treated lumber? I built raised garden beds using this type of material and quite a few different people questioned me about it, but it hasn't killed me yet?


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

ozarkansas said:


> Keep the pictures coming! Fellow NW Arkansan here. Anxious to see the finished product. I'm looking to do something similar in the next few years. Curious if you have to follow any building code? For a hunting getaway on raw land my hope is it could be more like a big shed with no strict guidelines.


We own our land and are out in the county, kinda didn't worry about any code, since it's not in a municipality. We've built other buildings on the property that the county officials have seen and never said a word. Figured I'd just ask for forgiveness instead of permission! Lol


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

wy_white_wolf said:


> Looks nice.
> 
> I'd reconsider not insulating the floor. There's lots of solid type insulation that rodents and bugs don't like. We spray foamed under the floor of our A-frame. Mice and other rodents don't like that stuff so no worry about them living in it. We also kept it open instead of closing it in as not to build a home for varmits.
> 
> WWW


What type of insulation did you use? I'm curious now and would seriously consider it. Any help would be great so I can start researching it now.


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

mikedecker said:


> Where are you building? What state?


Arkansas


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

Fishindude said:


> Looks pretty neat, hope it works out.
> 
> Something I would be concerned with using treated timbers like that would be shrinkage and twisting and bending as they dry out. All of the treated material I've ever dealt with shrinks a bunch. You may have to come back later and do additional chinking of the gaps between timbers?
> 
> Don't know if thee is any truth to it, but have also heard that there are potential health hazards associated with treated lumber? I built raised garden beds using this type of material and quite a few different people questioned me about it, but it hasn't killed me yet?


Yea, I will probably have to re-***** in a couple years, but I expected that. Once the moisture content drops low enough I shouldn't have to do it again. So we will see how many times I have to re-*****. Hopfully only twice!!

There were potential hazards with treated wood prior to 2004. At the end of 2003 the EPA made a regulation banning arsenic and CCA use in treating wood. Now they are using a different type of copper treatment. Some close friends of mine actually own a lumber company that treats lumber and sales it wholesale. I talked with them before I started this about the same concerns. 

I was assured that my concerns were understandable but I had nothing to worry about. I'm gonna seal it good on the inside just to give an extra layer of protection to keep anything out that could leech from the boards while drying out, so there would be less chance of absorbing through skin or inhalation of fumes.


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

TnAndy said:


> Keep reading.......everything I've ever read says wood is about R 1.5 per inch. Best case, you're looking at R6.....and given how much of the wall is thinner at the curved points, probably closer to R5 or less.


Thanks for the correction, I guess I mis-read the chart I had. After looking at it closer you are correct, it will have about 1.5 per inch. Guess I'm gonna have to insulate the floor real good now and hope my A/C and heater will keep it comfortable. We will see come this hunting season, if it's bad, not sure what I'll do to fix it. But I'm sure I can come up with a solution if it doesn't stay cool or warm.


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## oneraddad (Jul 20, 2010)

Check this stuff out, I saw it on Barnwood Builders.
https://www.permachink.com/log-sealants/perma-*****


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

rteague77 said:


> What type of insulation did you use? I'm curious now and would seriously consider it. Any help would be great so I can start researching it now.


We had a company come out and do it. I looked at the handy foam kits to do it myself but ended up being cheaper to have them spray everything than I could do it myself. Kits to spray myself were in the $2 a board foot range while they sprayed and did the fiberglass for less than half that.

Here's the underside with 3" of foam rated at R7 per inch:










This is them doing the inside with 3" of foam then adding 3.5" of fiberglass:










We're in central Montana and it takes very little to heat. It also real quiet inside. The downside is we can't even here a car pull up to our place.

WWW


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Can the Wolf hear the cars?


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

wy_white_wolf said:


> We had a company come out and do it. I looked at the handy foam kits to do it myself but ended up being cheaper to have them spray everything than I could do it myself. Kits to spray myself were in the $2 a board foot range while they sprayed and did the fiberglass for less than half that.
> 
> Here's the underside with 3" of foam rated at R7 per inch:
> 
> ...





7thswan said:


> Can the Wolf hear the cars?


sweet! thanks, gonna check into it now. I like the idea of it being sprayed in and not loose fiberglass.


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## Tomjracer (Jan 30, 2015)

If you are going to run beams for the loft take a look at heavy steel joist hangers like what is pictured below. Our log home has a main beam that runs down the center of the of the long side and then cross beams that run from the side walls to the center beam (this is used for the loft platform)


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

Cabin process coming along! Got the front porch completed and the loft floor done. plus added another foot and a half to the wall height!


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

More pics


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

For some reason I can only post 1 pic at a time. So here's another one!


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

One more


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

Another


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

Last one


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

well, the rain got the better of me this weekend. but I did manage to get the walls up to the height I want them. I set the scaffolding up and managed to start on the back wall. hopefully next weekend will produce more results?? 


next weekend will be setting the ridge pole, rafters, roof decking and metal for cabin and front porch. I pray its in the dry by next weekend!!

plus, I managed to get ALL the rest of my building materials up to the cabin. so no more trailer loads up the mountain!


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

Well we got the ridge pole built and set, rafters hung & roof decking laid!


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

1 pic at a time again?? Anyone know why I can't upload multiple pics?


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

Another one


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

rteague77 said:


> 1 pic at a time again?? Anyone know why I can't upload multiple pics?


When you hit the paper clip icon, a window pops up....it then asks you to browse location from your computer. Before hitting 'upload' I have selected all my pics. I then hit upload, and it uploads all my pics to Homesteading.com server. To insert pics in my post, I click on down arrow beside paper clip, and insert each pic...


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

thats looking good.


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

melli said:


> When you hit the paper clip icon, a window pops up....it then asks you to browse location from your computer. Before hitting 'upload' I have selected all my pics. I then hit upload, and it uploads all my pics to Homesteading.com server. To insert pics in my post, I click on down arrow beside paper clip, and insert each pic...


ive tried that and it only uploads the last pic I added to be uploaded. maybe its cause im on the iPad sometimes or phone when trying to do it instead of computer?


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

here are some more pics since im on the computer now and can upload them all at once.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

I had my doubts about your choice to build everything using that type of material, but it looks like you are a pretty good craftsman and doing a nice job.

It will be interesting to see how time, drying and shrinkage affects your material choice.

Keep posting pictures, neat project !


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## ihuntgsps (Mar 10, 2008)

I will comment out of the interest in saving you time and money later on down the road.

I do not believe the timbers are suitable for rafter material. They will bow and dependent on possible snow load could fail completely.

The rafters would be a good place to spring for some dimensional lumber.

Running your plywood in a horizontal fashion would net a much better result than running it vertically as far as strength goes. They tend to "cup" or "bow" and are far weaker when ran vertical.
(edit: I see now your plywood is ran horizontally....on my phone it looked vertical.)

Otherwise this is a very interesting build and I am impressed with how well you have done.


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

Fishindude said:


> I had my doubts about your choice to build everything using that type of material, but it looks like you are a pretty good craftsman and doing a nice job.
> 
> It will be interesting to see how time, drying and shrinkage affects your material choice.
> 
> Keep posting pictures, neat project !


Thanks! its been a learning experience. 

its been a bear of a project too. Im curious about the shrinkage as well. But I noticed that because I bought them over memorial day and stored them in our barn in the dry, for a while before I hauled them up the mountain a bundle at a time. Most of them were real dry already. cant remember really any of them being "wet". but we will see!!


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

ihuntgsps said:


> I will comment out of the interest in saving you time and money later on down the road.
> 
> I do not believe the timbers are suitable for rafter material. They will bow and dependent on possible snow load could fail completely.
> 
> ...


They look vertical to me....
As for structural integrity, I've already blabbed about that...lol
Too many seams lining up imho...but that is water under the bridge now. 

I've been on a few other boards, especially ones about construction, and it is always an issue in giving advice or criticism, as everybody is a pro carpenter, and giving advice or criticism is seen as taboo (an affront to one's capabilities). And if given, is retorted with comments like I don't plan to be around when it crumbles, it'll last until I expire, good enough for it's purpose...etc. 

I certainly don't claim any expertise other than I have built a lot, avid building science reader and a neighbor is a building inspector and we chit-chat about building science issues that crop up on places he inspects.
However, being a homesteader, I also feel one should build what they like...without the mounds of red tape. My inspector retorts, but what about the next guy who buys my place? I reply, well, whoever buys my place ought to do their due diligence. We buy cars from folks who shouldn't own a wrench, yet they tinker with their cars and sell them. Buyer beware and all that. 

We had a huge problem with leaky condos in Vancouver, designed by architects, signed off by engineers, and built by pro contractors. And to top it off, inspected by city inspectors. Yet, after 5-10yrs, they all started to leak...and not so much roof leaks, but water behind stucco siding, which festered until wall sheathing turned black. Folks were getting sick. They also screamed at the government to save them. They wanted relief (money to fix the disasters). I'm thinking here we go...
Sure enough, the provincial government introduced legislation to supposedly fix the problem by adding layers of red tape. I have to get a license to build my own home ($$$). I cannot sell my home for X number of years after build etc. 
I agree, some builders shouldn't own a hammer, but the problem wasn't so much with them, but the idiots who designed adobe style condos in a rainforest. These places had no eaves or gutters. You have eaves, very little water gets on siding. Even high rises were not immune to stupidity. Floor to ceiling glass started to fall off because they used bolts that rust. 
The cost to fix these bone head mistakes approach half the cost of the building. 
Anyways, I digress.../rant

Rteague - if I may suggest, putting in corner bracing for walls and collar ties for ceiling. Help stiffen it up. Or even a dummy 2x4 wall on inside for insulation (wiring/plumbing), tied to exterior wall. 
The one thing that pops to mind is the horizontal load capacity (like a windstorm or tree hitting it sideways).


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

ihuntgsps said:


> I will comment out of the interest in saving you time and money later on down the road.
> 
> I do not believe the timbers are suitable for rafter material. They will bow and dependent on possible snow load could fail completely.
> 
> ...


thank you for the compliment on the building its been a learning project. I'm not dismissing what you have to say but, the roof pitch is a 6/12 pitch, and the snow load we get here is minimal. also, the roof is going to have the flat panel metal roofing put on over the decking. with the slick surface of the metal and the steepness of the roof, snow accumulation should be extremely minimal. 

you were correct on the decking being done vertical. that was the way we had to laid it down. we didn't have any of the clamps that go between the sheets of decking ( to prevent warping) when we started laying it and I wasn't driving an hour one way to a hardware store to get any. by laying them vertical I didn't need the clamps since all the edges were nailed to rafters and not much chance of warping. plus with the rafters being 3+ inches wide it was easy to get a good place to screw to. the rafters are screwed to the ridge pole with 6" lag screws and nailed into top of wall with 6" pole barn nails. 

I looked into the snow load for our area and that is what helped me determine the roof pitch. if the roof was less than a 6/12 I'd be rethinking the choice of the timbers. another thing that helped me figure it out was a buddy of mine has one of those "derkskin" portable buildings. his is the same dimensions on the floor as mine. I went over and checked it out. those things are made of nothing but 2x4's, floor joists, walls, rafters everything is 2x4 minus the skids they use to move them around with. he has had his building for a few years now and never had an issue with the roof of his. so, I figured if a 2x4 rafter will support what snow we do get here then my 5x3 timbers should be more than enough.


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## ihuntgsps (Mar 10, 2008)

If the roof isn't on yet I would take the time and effort to pull the plywood off and reattach it horizontally. 
This is very important and well worth researching a little as I don't expect anyone to believe some random stranger on the net.
I have seen many do it yourself roofs that bowed and warped by running the plywood horizontally.
I do applaud your thinking outside the box with your choice of cabin materials and I truly hope it works out to be a good choice for you.


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

melli said:


> They look vertical to me....
> As for structural integrity, I've already blabbed about that...lol
> Too many seams lining up imho...but that is water under the bridge now.
> 
> ...


Melli- there will be collar ties on the rafters. just didn't get them done last weekend and was doing everything I could to get the decking on before more rain set in. 

Not sure what you mean by corner bracing the walls? each corner is overlapped by the row above an below. I used the butt and pass method in the corners. not sure what else can be done to make them any stronger? 

on your first post you mentioned the instability of the long run on the walls. since then the interior wall was put up to support the loft above and tied to both the longer outside wall. the longest run I have now that is not braced by a corner joint or interior wall is 14 ft. but that run will be cut down to an 8 ft run by next summer when I add the bathroom in on the back of the cabin. so that will give me a corner to tie both ends of the wall to and strengthen the longest run of wall in the cabin. 

if you have an example of something in the corner to strengthen it besides the 2x4 dummy wall please let me know. don't want a traditional wall, that's why I went with the rounded edges of the timbers. by putting a dummy wall in it kinda defeats the reason why I built it the way I did. <- not intended to be rude, sorry if it comes across that way. I have to apologize a lot, too many years in the Army and I'm a Drill Sergeant(= no filter) LOL


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

rteague77 said:


> Melli- there will be collar ties on the rafters. just didn't get them done last weekend and was doing everything I could to get the decking on before more rain set in.
> 
> Not sure what you mean by corner bracing the walls? each corner is overlapped by the row above an below. I used the butt and pass method in the corners. not sure what else can be done to make them any stronger?
> 
> ...


Not at all! I thought you might rip a strip off me Drill Sergeant...lol
Wow, interesting, where you the guy who screamed at new recruits when on drills? 

At the top of walls where you have vaulted ceilings, perhaps some angled 3x5's to tie the walls together (Like knee braces except horizontal)...would look decorative yet add some torsional rigidity. Maybe some knee braces from wall to ridge beam would help too..Ram in a couple of lags...
Yeah, getting that bathroom in will only help. 
Best
Melli


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

melli said:


> Not at all! I thought you might rip a strip off me Drill Sergeant...lol
> Wow, interesting, where you the guy who screamed at new recruits when on drills?
> 
> At the top of walls where you have vaulted ceilings, perhaps some angled 3x5's to tie the walls together (Like knee braces except horizontal)...would look decorative yet add some torsional rigidity. Maybe some knee braces from wall to ridge beam would help too..Ram in a couple of lags...
> ...


That's a good idea! I may do them from eye level up to the top of the wall and space them out so they can be used as shelving. Wife needs a place to decorate anyways! LOL

Drill Sergeant on Active Duty at Fort Benning, GA from 2004-2006,
Now in the Guard Full time as a DS and yea I get to yell at the new recruits on drill weekends. But that's only 2 days a month, rest of the month is planning out training for the weekends.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

rteague77 said:


> That's a good idea! I may do them from eye level up to the top of the wall and space them out so they can be used as shelving. Wife needs a place to decorate anyways! LOL
> 
> Drill Sergeant on Active Duty at Fort Benning, GA from 2004-2006,
> Now in the Guard Full time as a DS and yea I get to yell at the new recruits on drill weekends. But that's only 2 days a month, rest of the month is planning out training for the weekends.


That must be a great stress reliever...lol
I suppose they've toned down the yelling compared to the movies, which is about as close to Army as I got. Every army movie it seems, has a Drill Sergeant scene. 
Well, I did get to go on a cruise on Navy Frigate...that was a blast. They did donuts, high speed maneuvers and a practice heli rescue mission, and they served lunch. I wouldn't be able to handle the tight sleeping accommodations though...


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

Got the electrical ran to cabin, metal on roof and from porch awning complete with metal.

Guess I'll have to upload all the pics tomorrow when I can get on the computer still won't let me upload more than one pic at a time!! :facepalm:


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

One more


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Man you are quick! Definitely not a procrastinator....lol


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

melli said:


> Man you are quick! Definitely not a procrastinator....lol


Was afraid if I didn't get it in the dry as fast as possible it would ruin the plywood floors. Still gonna have to probably add another layer of floor. Thinking about using some type of t&g raw wood and burning the grain in and clear coat it. But not sure yet, wife wants carpet in it minus the area around the front door, but we will see..... Doubt I get a choice! Lol


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## rteague77 (Jul 12, 2016)

finally at the computer so here are the rest of the pics from this weekend.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

FYI - That framing under the metal roofing on porch is not running the right direction. Should have put full decking under that like you did the cabin, or run wood purlins perpendicular to the roof slope to fasten metal to.


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