Insulating the floor...

...was a bit of a disaster.

If there exists an option that is simple and elegant (and there usually does), then it's probably the right decision.  I took a different route when I decided to insulate the floor of my home.  The work has been messy, slow, expensive, and frustrating.  I spent a few days cutting layers of rigid foam into puzzle pieces and placing them in between floor joists.  Picture kernels of foam flying everywhere.  I now have 6" of foam insulation in the floor...overkill!  On the bright side, Nate pointed out that after using all that foam, my trailer is now amphibious and capable of handling arctic temperatures.  Stay tuned for my float trip to the coast via the Columbia River.

I have ideas on how the whole process could have been more clever and smooth and will update this posting when I get a chance.  I've been busy framing walls lately!

If I could do the floor again, I would insulate from underneath the trailer once the structure was waterproofed.  That would allow me to frame in the rain with less concern about my materials getting wet and trapping moisture beneath the floor.  As far as I'm concerned, this house will live its life in the Pacific Northwest, so I probably could get by just fine with less foam in the floor.  It's a small space and it will heat up and cool down relatively quickly.  If the floor gets cold in the middle of the winter, a rug placed in strategic areas would probably be just fine.  Another advantage of insulating after the structure is built is that I could more effectively seal the metal underbelly against the trailer frame with caulking and spray foam.  I would also have easy access to drill holes through the floor for plumbing and utilities.  Oh well.  Keep it simple and modifiable if you're an amateur.

Change of Plan

I've been making some exciting changes to the design of La Cabanita Chiquita lately.  I've been walking around my house with a tape measure like a crazy, taking measurements of windows, stools, tables, counter tops, doors; and my bodily dimensions while sitting, standing, taking an imaginary shower, etc.  I also had a very helpful session last evening with my roommate Amelia who gave me some valuable design insight.  I've decided to go with a symmetrical gable roof (who knew?!).  I've re-arranged my windows.  I've even made some changes to the floor plan.    

Friends:  I'm taking feedback before I start cutting boards.  Bring it!  Ask me questions if something looks bizarre.  

Green transparent parts are the loft (7'3" long x 4'6" wide) and a ceiling above the shower.  Sleeping happens perpendicular to the length of the trailer.  There is a shorter 6'2" tall ceiling below the loft.   Notice the overhanging counter and space between the couch and kitchen cabinets; I'm borrowing a favorite feature from my friends' airstream and placing a mini bar with a bar stool in that space.  Thanks to Jacob for taking a short, urgent call and providing the dimensions for the mini-bar (I was experiencing a moment of divine design inspiration and couldn't wait a moment longer). 

 The door will swing in to the left, leaving the pocket to the right as a mudroom (2'x2.5' interior dimensions).  The bath across from it has the same dimensions.

The skylight sits above the loft.

Small window on right is bath, to the left is kitchen window and left of that (long skinny window) is positioned for someone sitting at the mini-bar to enjoy the natural light and view to the outside.

What say you?

Redesigning the Loft & Roof Line

I've been busy trying to firm up my design and draw up a framing plan on Google Sketchup.  I'm trying to frame as minimally as possible without sacrificing structural stability so that I can lighten the load on the trailer and avoid purchasing and using unnecessary materials.

Green building organizations, both governmental and private, are trying to change old framing methods that tend to use excessive materials.  Using more materials than necessary can increase the cost of construction projects significantly, as well as place a burden on natural resources and waste facilities.

A few of the tenants of advanced framing include laying out your design in 24" increments to make efficient use of lumber and 4x8 sheet goods; using engineered metal connectors (like header hangers and sheet rock clips) to replace trimmer studs and backing boards; and framing studs on a 24" on-center layout when 16" OC layout is not required.

In the process of re-working my design, I decided my loft was cramped and impractical.  Originally, I designed my loft so that I could sleep perpendicular to the length of the trailer (because the short ceiling that a loft creates beneath it would be reduced using a perpendicular orientation).  I thought that a gabled roof would mean that if I sat up in bed I would always bonk my head on the ceiling; therefore a shed-style roof was my best option.  But after doing a study of how someone of my particular dimensions lays down in bed, I realized that a gabled roof would actually work quite well.  To be sure, I built a couple quick mock-ups to actually FEEL what the space would be like and observe the aesthetic of gabled roof options.  This was a very valuable exercise and I'll post my new design shortly.

Big thanks to my architect-friend Captain Steven for his feedback on my framing plan.  Also thanks to my friend Amy for testing out my mock-ups and lending her brain to help me process the decision.

House Party!

The deck went on today, but only temporarily.  I decided not to fill the floor with insulation quite yet because I don't want it to get wet.  I caulked the metal underbelly, so if water did get into the insulation at this point it may have a hard time getting out, which would be a very bad thing.  I wonder if I should install some vents in that area in case moisture ever gets trapped in there...

The flat deck will be a handy surface to frame my walls on.  Once I get all the walls framed, I'll wait for a day or two of good weather to take off the floor, stuff it with insulation, re-place the underlayment, and then raise the walls to support a temporary roof (tarp) to ensure the floor stays dry.

I took advantage of the deck to layout my tentative floor plan with tape.  Then I invited my roommates to my first house warming in hopes of getting some feedback on the final design before I begin framing the walls.  It was a bring-your-own-chair event, so we all marched out to the trailer and had a seat on the "couch."  I sat on the "composting toilet" in the bathroom.  There was a brief dance party in the "living room."  

Next up, I need to finalize my floor plan and framing detail on Google Sketchup.  I also need to finish acquiring my windows so that I know how large to frame the openings.  Then I'll head over to Sustainable Northwest Wood for more 2x4s and get to framing!