# A-Frame home ???



## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

I have always liked the idea of an A-Frame home. I am single, live in Florida, with an occassional visitor, so I just don't need a large place. Maybe a smaller A - Frame with a loft on one end, for a bedroom. May not even need that. One concern is the wasted heat, etc., from a high ceiling, though. Has anyone, here, built one, lived in one, or have any helpful information.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

I have an A-frame cabin. My advice would be don't build one unless you have a need for an A-frame (heavy snow that needs shedded off the roof). They are not any cheaper to build and have lots of wasted space. One has to have little art work wall hangings or find very creative ways to hang it.

I'll post a picture later.

WWW


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

It does seem like a lot of wasted space but one advantage an A frame might have in your location is that it should be cooler. When I was in school in AL we had an old house for equipment storage. It was noticiably cooler and I think it was because of the high ceilings.


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## nadja (May 22, 2011)

When visiting my friend in his A-Frame, the upstairs "bedroom" only allows standing straight up in the very center. For everything else, it is knee time. Also the "so called stairs" are a joke. In the summer, he and his wife have to sleep downstairs on the pull out couch or risk burning like a roast. 

Also, really hard to maintain the outside other then with ladders.


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

I lived in a nice small A frame for a couple of years in the mountains outside of Tucson. I really liked it. Had a small bedroom downstairs along with a kitchen, bath, small living/dining room. also had a half loft and the front was all windows which I loved. There is not much wall space for hanging things other than plants LOL. It did get warm upstairs but I just opened the window along with a bottom window and out went the heat. I am wondering if it is possible to build one and have it mostly earth covered here in the low desert? Seems like any water would more easily leave the roof that way.


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

I would suggest if the A frame was the desire that one modify it to an arched unit so the ground level would have more usable space, more like a old arched barn roof, 
here is a place that has plans for arched rafters, Construction &mdash; NDSU

picture of a shed they made out of arched rafters about 1/2 down on the page, A fame style, Bradford Woodworking - Arched Rafters

I posted this for an example in another thread but looks like a fairly low cost approach with a lot of possibilities, Two Car Wood Garage Kit 20 x 24 Lewisburg - Prep for Vinyl


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

Thanks for the advise . I was concerned about wasted space . As stated , I live in Fl., & the loft area may be unbearable at times. Probably a window a/c would be the way to make it tolerable. 
I guess I am off to try to figure out other home design ideas that are not $$$ to build, or live in, & can pass codes. I am like many men, I guess. A small house would suit me fine, but I will need a larger garage !


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

Aren't hip roofs code there? Can't imagine that flat end in a big blow.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

After Wilma came through, we got to see what happens. A church in the area was built as an A frame. Even though the winds in the area were only moderate, somehow they managed to denude one side of shingles almost completely in the center of that side of the roof, while leaving most of the shingles around the edges. I still haven't figured out exactly what happened to make it do that.

In south Florida, CBS is definitely the way to go. Countrywalk was about the only stick built construction in Andrew's path and it was flattened, while nearby CBS may have had roofs removed but were still standing.

Some people claim that ferrocrete domes are the way to go. I'm not so sure. I know that the Cubans go for a concrete roof that is like a parking lot, and they have a history of dealing with hurricanes.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Build a garage with living quarters on top.


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

I live in N. Central Fl. Concrete block construction is popular throughout Florida. I have considered Dome construction, but it has it's own problems here, too.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)




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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

Beautiful !


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

I was up at a little mountain lake yesterday and one of the houses was a type of A frame. They took two A frames and mashed them together sideways so the ridge line was a + shape and the floor plan was a big wide plus shape. You'd have twice as much roof area and I don't know if there is anything to gain inside but you would get more room.

I've stayed in a Forest Service A frame way up in the mountains and it was crowded and I bumped my head constantly. It burned down in a forest fire last year so I guess it isn't for rent any more.


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

Even with a small a/c unit, the loft is going to be almost unusuable in summer.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

The octogan windows on both ends of my cabin open up. Allows for a nice breeze to clear out any heat buildup. When no breeze I think a fan pulling the air out on one end would do the trick.

Inside isn't fully finished yet so can't say for sure.

WWW


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## NorthCountryWd (Oct 17, 2008)

Jolly said:


> Even with a small a/c unit, the loft is going to be almost unusuable in summer.


That depends on the A-frame. The problem with most is the peak is too low and the heat has no where to go. I rented one that was bigger than most and the second floor ceiling was much higher and had gable windows up high. Very comfy in both the hottest days of summer and winter when the woodstoves were running.


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