Garden Kitchen/Processing Room

[EddieWalker]

When I built my house, it was mostly a workshop with a living area attached to it and a lot of plans that I no longer have any interest in perusing. Along the side of my shop I built an area that I've been using for storage with a porch area in front of it that was only 4 feet deep. I also had a very limited budget to build the it, so I went cheap on my exterior siding. I used Hardie 4x8 panels, which I've regretted, and come to hate. I love Hardie lap siding and I'm in the process of covering the existing Hardie with Zip siding, and then Hardie Lap siding.

In the picture, you can see how ugly the siding looks, and also how small the porch area is. All that porch did was hold water at the base of the wall. Totally useless.



Part of the changes is relocating all the utilities in that area. I have a 100 amp power line coming out of my attic area above the storage room, down the wall and then under ground to an RV pad and a shed. That had to me moved into the wall so I could put a window where that conduit is.





Then I ran new water lines, a drain line with vent, and power through the room. I also added two outdoor spickets so we can water the garden easier, and also fill the chickens water bowls. Everything is done with PEX and copper at the threaded ends. I like to use copper where I will attach valves because of how durable it is and how solid I can attach it to the studs.

 

[EddieWalker]

The room is 12 feet wide and 24 feet long. There will be a 3 bay sink, electric range, dishwasher and refrigerator. There will be plenty of storage and counter space. Our goal is to have a place where we can make a mess and not stress over what it looks like at the end of the day. If we need to leave stuff out, then that's not a big deal.

Here is my wife installing insulation. The walls are R13. To get as big an R value as I can, I doubled up the existing 2x6 rafters with another layer. Add the thickness of the purlins and I was able to get R49 with two layers of fiberglass put in perpendicular to each other. While not ideal, I went with paper facing the metal roof on the top layer, and paper in on the bottom layer. With such tight spacing, I felt this was my best option.





Last weekend I installed 4x8 sheets of sanded beedboard for the ceiling. At $23 a sheet, and using 9 sheets, I felt this was a very economical way to get a wood ceiling at a minimum price.

 

[DFB]

Nice project Eddie

Summer kitchens or second kitchens are definetly a great idea, Extra sinks for washing pots and cleaning garden produce and another stove for hot water canning and pickling stuff especially when using vinegars hate that smell or processing messy stuff like tomatoes for sauce etc.


What to you plan to use for the finish wall material?

I covered many walls with FRP for the commercial kitchen and fruit processing areas where I work, being the inspectors wanted washable wall surfaces. The donut shop walls are sheetrock with a stainless wall panel behind the fryer.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thank you. I'm hanging sheetrock and will use tile for a backsplash behind the counters. My goal is to make it a happy place that my wife enjoys being at and wanting to be in there. Raising the ceiling too a long time, but the results have been more then worthwhile. I'm hoping that a little extra effort on the rest of it will also add to it's appeal.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thank you. I'm hanging sheetrock and will use tile for a backsplash behind the counters. My goal is to make it a happy place that my wife enjoys being at and wanting to be in there. Raising the ceiling too a long time, but the results have been more then worthwhile. I'm hoping that a little extra effort on the rest of it will also add to it's appeal.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Looks great Eddie. Hope to have a place like that one day myself. How well does the drywall lift work? I have seen them for years but never seen one used. Ed

 

[gsganzer]

Eddie,
What's the Hardi ZIP siding? I haven't heard of it.

While you have your walls open, have you thought of outlets for freezers and a dedicated 20A for each one? Outlet for an electric stove, or gas line for a gas stove for canning? Vent hood/ducting for over the canning area? I can see this project snowballing!!:laughing:

Looks great, that's a nice sized room. You can probably find some good surplus restaurant stainless counters/sinks, unless you're planning to go the country cottage feel, so it doesn't feel like a laboratory.

If I ever build a new house with a kitchen, I'm paying closer attention to pot, lid, utensils and appliance storage. I hate digging through drawers and shelves clanking around pots and lids trying to find stuff. I like where they have pots/lids hanging from a rack, where they're easier to get to.

 

[EddieWalker]

Ed,

The lift is awesome. I remodel homes for a living and usually just do sheetrock repairs, or small jobs like a bathroom. Every now and then I get a job where I need to do a big ceiling. I will only use 5/8's sheetrock on a ceiling because of the 24 inch span of the joists. I also work alone. With the lift, I can place the sheetrock on the lift, wheel it into position tight next to the previous piece and then take my time screwing it in. It is easy, fast and simple. I rented them a few times before realizing that it's something that I needed to own. This one is from Northern Tool, and I highly recommend it.

Gordon,

The ZIP siding isn't a Hardie product. I wasn't clear. Hardie makes the cement fiber siding that goes over the ZIP System. It's a higher grade of OSB that is denser and heavier. Not a lot, but enough to notice it when cutting it and working with it. It has a coating on it that makes it water proof so it can be left exposed to the elements a lot longer then uncoated OSB. I've heard it will last a year somewhere, but know for a fact it will last a lot longer without any issues. It's probably twice as much money as OSB, but then you don't have to buy or install a house wrap. You do have to seal the ends with special tape that runs about $25 a roll, so the price goes up a little more there. I use the same tape on my windows.

The big advantage to it and why it's worth the extra money for me is that I'm doing my entire house a little at a time. It would be impossible to get the house wrap over OSB and then move on to the next stage, and then come back to finish off a section at a later date with as good of results. For brand new construction, I don't feel it's worth the expense. For this, it's ideal.

Another thing that I like about ZIP System is that you can get it in longer sizes then just 4x8. I've used 9 foot sheets for my walls that are over 8 feet tall because of my rafters being on top of my walls. I can run a solid piece of siding from my sill plate to my rafters and tie it all together!!! I think they come in sizes up to 12 feet, but I've only bought the 8 and 9 foot lengths.

ZIP System, Huber ZIP System Sheathing, ZIP System Wall Sheathing | Huber Engineered Woods


I have two 200 amp panels in my house. For this room, I'm running 20 amp lines for every three outlets. The garbage disposal and fridge share a 20 amp line. The stove is electric. We plan to start off with just one refrigerator, but have space and outlets for half a dozen fridges or freezers if that's what we end up wanting. There will be a vent over the stove. I also ran a cold water line to the stove so we can fill large pots. I've never done this before, just seen pictures of it and on TV.

I'm a member of a bunch of Facebook Groups that have just about everything for sale in my area. It's better then Craigslist!!! One of my Facebook friends used to sell food at Canton and listed all of their equipment for sale. I picked up a 3 bay stainless steel sink with faucet for $200 over the summer. I've seen other great deals for more stuff, but really don't want to buy anything else until I have a place for it. I've been tripping over that sink for too long!!!!

 

[downsizingnow48]

Looks great Eddie. Hope to have a place like that one day myself. How well does the drywall lift work? I have seen them for years but never seen one used. Ed

I bought one to do the 900 sq ft workshop ceiling. Worked great.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Thanks Eddie and downsizing, I have wondered and i tend to have projects and no help so it just might be the thing for me. Ed