Cape Cod Barn

[OkeeDon]

bebster, I noticed a few pieces of waste SIPS on the ground. Did you cut out the windows on site or have them precut according to your plan? The SIP distributor to whom I was talking said it would be more economical to cut them ourselves -- I think he mentioned something like $35 per cut to have the factory do it. He had a nifty attachment for a skill saw on display; looked like a small chain saw, and was designed to cut the OSB and foam.

Same question for the angles under the gable ends -- pre-cut at the factory or did you do it?

I guess what impresses me the most is that you essentially have TWO structural processes -- the SIPS are structural in and of themselves, and you have them mounted on a structural timber frame. I guess that thing's not going anywhere soon...

 

[bebster]

The final exterior will be pre-dipped white cedar shingles. Pre-dipped to make them look a little weathered and gray as well as to preserve them better (and no need to paint). The trim is cedar that has been pre-stained with preservative before applying. I'm hoping to avoid painting this thing during my lifetime! Hopefully we get it done before the cold weather sets in.

The SIPs were originally planned to be factory cut, but they screwed up and were late. So I had them shipped on site uncut. We proceeded to cut them for window/door openings, but that wasn't too bad at all. BUT, you need to route out around the openings 1 1/2" so a 2x4 can be nailed in to provide a frame for the windows to nail to. This routing is the worst job I've ever seen! The panel company sells a grinder with a paddle like blade the routes out the foam, but it gets everywhere! It will be a year before I can get it all out of the bushes, etc. It will be short money to have it done in the factory, and I'd have it done that way again if I had the time.

But you can't beat the structural integrity of the timber frame plus the SIPs. I'm figuring this barn will be here for a few centuries at least. My house is 200 years old, and not anywhere near as well constructed.

Glad you all enjoy the photos. More to come...

 

[OkeeDon]

<font color="blue">BUT, you need to route out around the openings 1 1/2" so a 2x4 can be nailed in to provide a frame for the windows to nail to. </font>

In some of the pictures I've seen of various SIP installations, it looks like they are using an electrically heated wire gadget to cut the foam. It looked a large cheese grater set to cut at the proper depth. Or, maybe I imagined such a gadget and will have to invent it?

 

[wroughtn_harv]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Glad you all enjoy the photos. More to come...)</font>

We got you now. We're going to be just like the kiddos. "YOU PROMISED!!!" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( It looked a large cheese grater set to cut at the proper depth. Or, maybe I imagined such a gadget and will have to invent it?)</font>

I think I've seen "hot knives" like you're describing on tv shows where they're sculpting foam. You know, like for that fake stucco (EFIS) finish.

 

[bebster]

A few more photos.... This one is of the roof with "ice and water" shield applied all over it. Finally no water coming through the roof and it stays dry inside.

 

[bebster]

Next went on Typar "house wrap" to keep the walls dry. Once this was on we were able to pop the windows in.

 

[bebster]

Needed to put in a retaining wall because the grade drops down from the main floor level to the drive out garage level. The excavators used their machine to build a wall out of boulders. The operator would pickup a big rock with the bucket and thumb like you and I would a 5 lb one, spin it around and set it in place.

 

[bebster]

Placing the boulder onto the NE corner wall...

 

[bebster]

NE corner boulder retaining wall completed. Took less than a day. Very cost effective and the look goes great I think with the barn.