Nickw cabin/house build

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Double panes are installed. Minimum windows facing the road 200+ feet away through woods. Patio door isn't in yet so when the pileated woodpeckers are calling from a tree 20' from the house it sounds like they're inside! Anyone who doesn't know pileated's; they're the size of a raven or small hawk and have an extremely loud call. Think woody woodpecker obnoxiously loud only the whole head isn't red, just the crest. Really cool birds. They're big and don't make wood chips, they make wood chunks...
 
I've never heard of 2x8 walls. Maybe in the States it isn't done much because our climate is warmer than you guys north of the border. The thermal bridging down here is something that seems to be done more at the concrete than above grade. I have foam between the garage slab and house foundation wall.
My sister's house has staggered 2x4 walls which equal an 8" (ok 7') deep wall. The staggered 2x4s eliminate thermal bridging. They were very thorough about sealing and insulating the house well. It is in NYS and is super easy to heat. They just use the wood oven most of the time unless it gets in the low teens. They have a wood/oil boiler for the very cold weather. Average annual wood consumption is about 2 cords to heat about 2200 sq ft, not including the insulated basement.
 
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My sister's house has staggered 2x4 walls which equal an 8" (ok 7') deep wall. The staggered 2x4s eliminate thermal bridging. They were very thorough about sealing and insulating the house well. It is in NYS and is super easy to heat. They just use the wood oven most of the time unless it gets in the low teens. They have a wood/oil boiler for the very cold weather. Average annual wood consumption is about 2 cords to heat about 2200 sq ft, not including the insulated basement.
Interesting concept. I like the logic behind it. Never heard of it before until earlier in this thread. NEXT cabin/house I build I'll consider it ;).
 
Interesting concept. I like the logic behind it. Never heard of it before until earlier in this thread. NEXT cabin/house I build I'll consider it ;).
This was 1980 technology, owner-built, but it worked out very well for them. My BIL spent the previous decade pouring over Mother Earth News articles on efficiency. This was his dream project. The basement has 10ft ceilings to accommodate his full woodworking shop down there. One corner's bump-out walls are not insulated. That area is walled off to create their walk-in "root cellar".
 
Thanks for telling us about your project! I'm debating whether to build a cabin or get a boat I can live on as a holiday house within the next couple years (I'm looking at this property in Budapest regarding my next primary residence because I've landed a stable job there, but I want something "wilder" for my free time, which is why I joined a forum about boilers and other individual heating options), and hearing of these nice little cabins could very well influence my final decision... Especially when you're mentioning woodworking shops, that's one of my main hobbies.
 
Haven't been watching the forum much lately, so I scrolled through the new posts and give an update...

We're sealed up, all the foundation insulation panels are on, all rough-ins are approved, septic is in, grading is done, getting close to being ready for the insulator, well goes in this week, gas line should be in about 2 weeks so the furnace can get finished up... Getting to crunch time, been in the 30's overnight a couple of times.
 
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Getting closer. Have you fired up the fireplace?
 
Getting closer. Have you fired up the fireplace?
No. Don't have the hearth in yet or the surround and chase covered. I've been toying with the idea of firing it up and burning some of the stink off of it before I get the soffits on and insulation in. Generally sweating enough during the day without the extra heat from a fireplace. Days are still usually in the 60's.
 
That'll change soon with the cold front that blew in here from Alaska. We dropped 12º in an hour yesterday. Expecting 30s overnight. I'd fire up the fireplace now both to bake in the paint and also to make sure there are no issues before it gets fully enclosed.
 
Did a small fire in the fireplace last night. No install issues to be seen, everything functioned properly but I didn't get any secondaries because it was such a small fire. Draft didn't seem very strong, but again... small fire. Don't have power to it yet, so I don't want to get too carried away. Straight up 22' of insulated class A in the middle of the building should draft more than enough.

A bit concerned that the pine I split in spring and expected to be ready may not be. Mrs. Nickw is coming up tonight and bringing some seasoned wood with to continue the break in fires. Brought some pine into the heated loft in the garage to test tomorrow on a fresh split. We don't and won't have occupancy until next year, so I won't be burning much anyway here. Hopefully the wife & kids burn enough at home while I'm gone.
 
Gosh you are really progressing well with your cabin--you stubborn so you just keep at it like you are doing...wood checking time...clancey
 
The greater the difference between the interior and exterior temperatures are the stronger the draft will be.
 
The greater the difference between the interior and exterior temperatures are the stronger the draft will be.
So if the house doesn't have heat yet and the temperature inside is the same as outside, weak draft... well, that gives me a little bit more hope. I'll admit I was a bit frustrated last night. Checking the pine mc tomorrow.

Should have insulation and heat in the next couple of weeks.
 
Oops, forgot to post that last night. Mc was 16% on one and 23% on another, so not terrible but also not good. My grading is done, so I will move the pine up to my new wood storage area where it will get more sun and wind. Another month and it should be OK.
 
So if the house doesn't have heat yet and the temperature inside is the same as outside, weak draft... well, that gives me a little bit more hope. I'll admit I was a bit frustrated last night. Checking the pine mc tomorrow.

Should have insulation and heat in the next couple of weeks.
It will get much better.
 
Doing a fire with the firescreen installed and more wood to let the heat radiate out because I don't have power to the blower yet. A little more wood tonight and it's running well. Had the doors shut at first while I assembled the firescreen and with more wood it was drafting OK with the air open.

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Blown in insulation was completed today. Hooked up the outside air and am having a medium sized pine fire in the Strattford II while listening to the Packer game on the radio. Seems to be heating pretty well with just a mid sized fire and inside temp at the start of around 50. Haven't gotten the thermostat to turn on the blower yet so I'm running it on manual.

Have a box fan running up in the loft to help circulate the air down. Made a cord to connect the blower to one of the temporary outlets.

Should have a running furnace in a week and a half or two. Bought siding now, but several types of trim are on backorder. Septic and well are in but not functional yet...need power hooked up and drains connected.

Moved my pile of pine splits up to the new wood storage area to season more. Cover it when rain is in the forecast, uncover when not for better sun and wind. Ash and birch split last fall is not anywhere near ready. The ash surprised me. Usually white ash at my house is good to go in a year. This is black ash that was standing dead in our swamp. Took the tree's down Feb of '19 and stacked the logs. Finally got to css some of them fall of '20. This fall some still wouldn't register on the moisture meter meaning over 50%! With how bad they juiced out the ends in the campfire I wasn't shocked.
 
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Well if they were standing in a swamp that kind of makes sense for them to be juiced out and wet like that---your making progress in this back ordered time--can't wait until its finished and my how beautiful it will be--your doing it...clancey
 
Got some siding done now that the corners and J channel came in. Undersill is still back ordered so I can't finish any of the sides. Deck steps are mostly done. Top 2 can't go in until I get the first row of siding on. Furnace is ready to get fired up as soon as the dang plumber gets back out here and connects the drains.

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Heat went on Friday. So nice to get here yesterday and have it warm inside! Drywall got delivered this morning and the sill plates will get spray foamed this afternoon.

Saw a doe/fawn down in the woods earlier this morning and just had a little buck down there now. Deer, rabbit, bobcat, squirrel and grouse tracks in the snow yesterday on the walk down to the water. Last time up I never walked down. I think I need to make a point of taking a break and walking down at least once every time I'm here.
 
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That's wonderful what a nice walk just so you do not meet a bear or a cat of some kind and take a stick with you too...I love your plumbing arrangement--lol Years ago I was on a lake with my hubby and there were boats all around us fishing like we were and I had to go and it was a problem so I said I need to go and my husband handed me a baggy and we laughed because I could not put my fanny over the side because of all the boats around--so you do what you have to do...glad your enjoying your new territory and the cabin is going to be just beautiful as well..clancey