Mine, all mine....

[Thumpin455]

Congrats, looks like you will be in car guy heaven with all the space and privacy. If you are going to heat only with wood, may I suggest a plumbing system that will gravity drain 100% by opening just 1 or 2 easy to get at valves? That way ifyou end up in the hospital or something, your pipes won't burst, just have friend nearby who knows how to drain it.

Already planned on that, its standard up here. If I dont want to be here for the winter, I drain the house and take off. Part of why i didnt travel much is the house I have been in doesnt do that well, it freezes all the time even with the heat on and the fire going. Have had wood heat in my life since I was about 8, and the only time I didnt was when I was in the military.

[milner351]

Todd - are you planning on spray foam insulation?

The kits are around $300 for two cylinders about the size of a typical propane bottle for a gas grille. I need to insulate some knee walls - I think spraying is going to be the fastest way to go, since the access holes are too small for a 4x8 sheet to fit through, probably not the cheapest, but it seems like the best insulation option for a number of reasons.

[DanStokes]

That might be a good option for me. One of the guys on the Forum sent me the gun so I just need a tank to get started. I have lots of holes that need sealed so I'd start there.

A couple of concerns -

1) I have blanket insulation between the purlins/girts and the outer sheathing. Is it OK to spray over that?

2) Is the stuff fire rated? I don't want to set fire to the place with welding sparks or something.

Dan

[STINEY]

3) Is that stuff closed cell or open cell John?

4) How much coverage and at what depth will those tanks do?

[milner351]

The stuff in my barn was put in by pros - on the bottom of the metal roof only - Icynene foam - open cell, non flammable, very light.

I don't believe this is the same stuff - but this is what I was considering for knee walls in the new house

http://www.homedepot.com/s/insulation+foam?NCNI-5

"Froth-Pak Foam Sealant is a two-component, quick-cure polyurethane foam that fills cavities, penetrations, cracks and expansion joints. Froth-Pak Foam Sealant can also be used as a sealant and void fill in many roofing applications. Froth-Pak is chemically cured foam, which significantly reduces curing time. Froth-Pak dispenses, expands and becomes tack free in seconds. It Skins over in 30-40 seconds and completely cures in minutes, depending on temperature."

There are other choices that are fire rated, cost more - but same set up, two tanks.

[MattDuCharme]

Contact some of the lumber mill's in the area. If you choose to selectively harvest some of the lumber on the land, many of them will barter with you for finished dimensional lumber. I live in a 24x26 2 story with my Wife and 2 kids, we are planning an add on of an additional 20x20 with the downstairs floor of the add on being a garage/shop space. I am bartering out some of the lumber on my land, for dimensional lumber, and getting some $$ from a portion of the remainder he harvests. Other things you can look at, many of the mills in the UP or NLP specialize in log cabin kits - perhaps you could barter lumber harvest with them for a finished cabin kit to your liking. Just some ideas

[Thumpin455]

Spray foam is ok as long as it doesnt have isocyante in it, it would be rather stupid to put that stuff in a space where I intend to live. Come home, get sick. It depends on what is in it, and how easy it is to use. Usually I do the 4x8 sheets of foam, and I can put that on the outside or inside, then use the expanding foam to seal it up. The sheets with aluminum backing worked great in the shop here, and I didnt bother to seal the joints. Still a ways from building, so I can change and modify things as I go. The nice thing is I am flexible on almost everything, so whatever works out better is how I will do it. I have an idea of the layout right now, but its nothing set in stone. Its only when I am done building that I cant change things around some. I am seriously considering doing a stone facade, with the rock I have here I can use the stone and concrete to make it look like a stone house. Cant build support with it, but I can make it look that way. No need for siding, is a good insulator, and looks nice while being something that came from the land where I live.

Contact some of the lumber mill's in the area. If you choose to selectively harvest some of the lumber on the land, many of them will barter with you for finished dimensional lumber. I live in a 24x26 2 story with my Wife and 2 kids, we are planning an add on of an additional 20x20 with the downstairs floor of the add on being a garage/shop space. I am bartering out some of the lumber on my land, for dimensional lumber, and getting some $$ from a portion of the remainder he harvests. Other things you can look at, many of the mills in the UP or NLP specialize in log cabin kits - perhaps you could barter lumber harvest with them for a finished cabin kit to your liking. Just some ideas

Its an idea, but I like having the maples there and plan to tap them for syrup and collect it. I make ethanol fuel, so having lots of maples around providing sap would be an easy source of sugar. I dont want all the pine gone because I want it to keep prying eyes from seeing what is back there. They tend to tear stuff up when the log it, and I might want some of it for firewood or fence material since my Husky is an escape artist. No shortage of logging companies here, and a log cabin would be cool, been thinking about it quite a lot. Still like the idea of a stick house with a stone facade. 24x26 sounds like a good dimension, but I dont plan to have any more kids, just my dogs and me... maybe, but very unlikely, a woman I will let live there with me. Huge maybe after what I have been through.

[tardis454]

That's great! Congrats Todd! If you're good with houses like you are with cars your plan should go very quickly.

[Scott Liggett]

Have any pics of the interior of the old cabin? Buildings of that age usually have some nice built ins that are savable.

[Thumpin455]

Have any pics of the interior of the old cabin? Buildings of that age usually have some nice built ins that are savable.

There is some cool stuff in there, the building simply isnt built well. Nice paneling, cabinets and appliances that will work great in the shop, and the old oil burning furnace with all its central heat stuff will get reused. If it is usable, its going to get put back in service somewhere. I plan to use any good lumber that is in there as well. Its how I do things, reuse, recycle, repurpose instead of buying new. It makes sense to me because I drive old cars rather than buying a new one, I simply extend the automotive ideology to the rest of my life.

[Scott Liggett]

There is some cool stuff in there, the building simply isnt built well. Nice paneling, cabinets and appliances that will work great in the shop, and the old oil burning furnace with all its central heat stuff will get reused. If it is usable, its going to get put back in service somewhere. I plan to use any good lumber that is in there as well. Its how I do things, reuse, recycle, repurpose instead of buying new. It makes sense to me because I drive old cars rather than buying a new one, I simply extend the automotive ideology to the rest of my life.

Anybody that knows you ten minutes figures that out. I didn't think you would bulldoze it.

[Thumpin455]

Anybody that knows you ten minutes figures that out. I didn't think you would bulldoze it.

Its good you bring it up though, because someone else might be reading this while not having thought of doing that.