Garn Barn Project

[RowCropRenegade]

Sent my check off to get my Garn headed this way next week.

In the process of figuring out the specifics on my Garn Barn. I'm scabbing the garn barn onto the side of the garage. The garage has a side area I'll use for wood storage. It can hold 4 or 5 cord easily.

Although the the Garn installation manual doesn't call for a footer, I'm putting one in anyway. Last thing I want is some groundhog to root undernearth my pad.

I'm trying to decide on how to insulate this unit. 2x6 walls double insulated. Then spray foam inbetween the garn and sheetrock. Air Krete was the product I was looking at. Cementitious foam than expands to fill all the nooks and crannies. Fire proof. Mold proof. Anyone got any suggestions here? Also thought of making the exterior wall concrete block then a space for insulation then another block wall with foam insulation.

I'm not afraid of going overboard with this lean to. It's gonna be storing my precious BTUs.

 

[pybyr]

Congrats on taking the plunge! Take and share photos of your Garn's arrival!

How about building the side walls with insulated concrete forms ("ICFS")-- they'll be easy to put up, sturdy, and have good R-value, and then blowing in dense pack cellulose between the inner edge of the walls and the Garn? Cellulose should be less expensive than the Air Krete (which I've looked into for another project -seems like good stuff), cellulose can be done on a DIY basis with a rented insulation blower, and _if_ you ever need to access some part of the Garn in the future, you could more easily shovel the cellulose back out. Cellulose blocks heat loss by air convection within the insulated area much better than fiberglass, giving it better insulating performance (than fiberglass) when there's a big temperature difference from inside to outside.

 

[SE Iowa]

I just started building my dad's house yesterday. We are using ICF's for the foundation. I built my house entirely out of ICF's. To the point though. I just did a rough calc of the cost to build a small shed using the A-one ICF form. It would take a total of 78 blocks (24 corners and 54 straights) to make a rectangle shed with INNER dimensions of about 8' by 12'. This would build a wall 8' tall and a slab could be poured on the INSIDE eating up 4" of that height. Throw in a little bit of rebar and some footings would run the cost up to about $3000. Then you could put 2x8's on the roof with sheeting on the top and bottom and blow in cellulose in that cavity. If this was placed outside you would want some sort of siding.

I have been dreaming of a GARN for about 2 years now and usually plan and then re-plan these kind of things. I was thinking about building this exact "shed" but then placing it in my 50x90x16 outbuilding. I then could use the top for storage (farm stuff). This way I would not "waste" space. I also was thinking about running a small vent to the inside of the chicken coop. Then I could use the stand-by loss off the GARN to give a small amount of heat to the chickens during the winter.

 

[RowCropRenegade]

I'm really digging into this ICF idea. Some questions though. Order of assembly. Pad first. Set Garn. Then build the ICF. Probably should make one end of the building out of sticks, just in case I have to pull the Garn out. I don't have much concrete experience but these things can't be too hard to do.

My building needs 8ft inner dimensions by 20 feet long. I'm starting to consider putting the Garn inside the garage and stick building in there. Any heat lost will be going to heat the garage at least. The garage will require more deconstruction and require cutting out the back wall to insert the garn. Which is just more labor. I've tried deciding on where to put the thing for months now. Was going to be in machinery shed. Now next to garage. Maybe next inside. Still kicking around ideas. Love the input guys.

 

[pybyr]

I haven't worked with ICFs, but I've been told by people who I trust that they're pretty simple to work with.

some good info/ links here (and I have had good experiences dealing with this company on other things)
(broken link removed)

also you can find some interesting videos of ICF installations on the 'net &/ or YouTube

 

[SE Iowa]

Actually, the order of constuction is different than other building types. First, you pour footers, then lay your 1st layer of blocks (16" high). Then you pour the concrete slab BEFORE adding any more blocks. Essentially, you are uusing the inside wall to be a form for the slab. Then you have a termal break between the slab and the outside world (neat huh!). I put styrofoam under the slab as well so that my slab is sort-of free-floating and has a continuous thermal break around it and underneath as well. The other nice thing about this is that you can kneel down around the outside and finish off the flatwork just by reaching over the 16" form. After the slab cures, you then stack up the wall and add rebar where/when appropriate to the rebar hangers. Then a little bracing and then pour the walls. It is quite fun once you get past the fear factor, just like gassifiers I'll bet.

As far as framing goes, that is a good idea if you ever think you'll take it back out, although you could take it thru the roof. You have to make some special window/door bucks which is not difficult and then brace it slightly different, but this could all be explained over the phone. I could sell small #'s of forms and help anyone interested in these ICF's. I'm building my dad's foundation in Rockford, Il as we speak and live (in my completely ICF home) in eastern Iowa if that is close to anyone.