Cape Cod Barn

raynman · Feb 1, 2004

bebster,

I have a question regarding your last attachment, is that SIPS I see you are using?

If so, why?
How was the cost?

Just curious, I have read a lot about them and was thinking 10 years down the road that they would be great to use on a house and garage and haven't talked to or heard of anyone using them.

chim · Feb 1, 2004

One trick they use sometimes when setting anchor bolts is to put some insulation material around the top several inches of the bolt. This blocks out the concrete provides a soft area around the bolt in case it needs a bit of "adjustment" to hit the hole in the plate......................chim

bebster · Feb 2, 2004

Raynman, yes, they are structural insulated panels. I'm using them on the timber frame barn for several reasons. 4 1/2" thick approx R=25 on the walls and 6 1/2" thick approx R=38 on the roof provide excellent insulation in a New England Patriots climate. They install quickly (basically placed on the building and screwed to the timbers with really long special screws). Also they provide a clean interior surface consistent with the style of the barn, and eliminate all internal studs. The cost is between $4.50 and $5.00 per sq foot, but eliminates the typical cost of 2x4s, plywood sheathing, and fiberglass insulation. Here's a link to one of many manufacturers of SIPs.
Winter Panel Corp
Structural Insulated Panel Association

bebster · Feb 2, 2004

Chim, sounds like a good tip. The hole in the bracket is about 1" in diameter, and the threaded rod is 1/2". So that gives me 1/4" margin of error in both directions (away from and towards the post). I was also planning to offset the template about 1/8" away from the post, figuring that I can always add a spacer between the bracket and the post if too far away, but can't easily shave the post if too close. Your tip probably buys me at least another 1/8" of wiggle room, so now I have 1/2" margin of error total. Worst case I can ream out the hole in the bracket for another 1/2" if needed, so now I have worst case a solution for up to 1" of misalignment. I've also attached the specs for the Simpson bracket I'm using.

chim · Feb 2, 2004

Your barn sounds like it will have construction similar to one built on Bob Vila's show a while back. I remember the very neat and clean roof panels. Those are sure hefty clip angles. Be sure to keep us updated when the weather gets better....................

raynman · Feb 2, 2004

Thanks bebster,

That's is what I have read about the panels also. I would love to see a whole house made from them and see how much money you would save on heating and cooling.

Keep us informed on your project /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

bebster · Mar 1, 2004

Well, a month's gone by, and the weather this week is breaking, finally! Highs in the 40's lows in the 30's all week. But I've got some frozen soil under the footings. I've put down black weed control fabric I got at Home Depot to try to add solar heating to the ground to thaw it. (attached photo).

I used the backhoe today to dig down and it looks like about 6" of frozen soil. I even drilled a few pilot holes down about 8" and put in the probe of an outside thermometer to measure the temperature. The side that gets sun all day long is reading 45 degrees during the day. The far corner which is shaded most of the day is reading about 33 degrees. So I assume it's frozen.

My hope is that the "meat thermometer" approach will register high enough to indicate the soil is not frozen, so that by the end of the week that I can get the footings poured.

I know you're not supposed to pour footings on frozen ground, but does anyone think that a few inches of sand that are still frozen will make a difference?

Junkman · Mar 1, 2004

Not only wouldn't I pour until the ground was completely thawed, I wouldn't pour the footings until I compacted the entire area first with a vibrating roller or a portable jumping jack type. I wouldn't want to gamble a expensive building on a questionable footing. The footing is the most important part of the building and if it isn't on solid ground, the rest of the foundation is going to crack and move. Wait and don't rush it. You have waited this long, what is another couple of weeks.

EddieWalker · Mar 1, 2004

I agree with Junkman.

Why rush it when you just have to wait a few more weeks?

keeney · Mar 2, 2004

You could dig the footings deeper to non-frozen ground.

I was investigating putting my garage in here in MN this winter, and here are the three things the excavator said to me to talk me out of it:

1. Ripping through 5' of frost will be expensive - they charge a premium hourly rate for ripping frost because it is so tough on the equipment, and it takes twice as long as well.

2. The material that is ripped up is not suitable to back-fill with because it comes out in big frozen chunks. So you have to haul it out and then haul in clean (dry, unfrozen) fill, gravel or sand to back-fill with. More $$$

3. Pouring the concrete would have to be coordinated to be done as soon as the trench is dug so that the bottom would not just freeze. Also, the concrete work would be more expensive as well.

Bottom line = do-able, but much more expensive than just waiting.

Your situation doesn't sound as bad with only a few inches to dig.

- Rick