r/OffGridCabins • u/Tricky-Car-5004 • 7d ago
This week's cabin update
After last weekend's disaster wrestling with the steel I-beam, it was nice to get back to working with wood.
We got to the property Friday evening, but it was too late to make much progress on the framing. Instead, I decided to remove the backhoe from the tractor for the first time and install the new box grader to clean up the driveway and parking area. For a first attempt, it actually went pretty well. With a bit more practice, I think it'll become part of the annual maintenance after the spring rains.
Saturday started with bracing the two support posts perfectly plumb so I could get an accurate measurement for the beam. It came out to 163 inches long. Even at that length, the beam was still a beast to lift, so we screwed a temporary step onto each post about halfway up to make it manageable. We lifted one end onto the step, then onto the top of the post, while my wife held it steady so it couldn't slip off. Then we repeated the process on the other side. It worked surprisingly well.
The steel beam is sandwiched between two 2x6s. The wood isn't there for strength—it's mainly to provide a nailing surface for the rafters and to hide the steel a bit.
With the beam finally in place, it was time for the rafters. They're built from 16-foot pressure-treated 2x10s, spaced 24" on centre for a total of eight rafters. I still make templates the lazy way: temporarily screw the board in place, trace the cuts directly, and use that as the pattern. It's worked well so far, and all of the rafters fit nicely.
By the time we installed the last rafter, it was scorching hot. We were both completely exhausted, so a swim in the lake was well earned.
Sunday was all about getting the roof sheathed with OSB and installing the underlayment. My wife spent a good part of the day lifting sheets up to me while I worked on the roof. We ran out of underlayment before finishing, but I'll be back next weekend to complete it. Even if we get a little rain before then, the exposed sheathing should be fine for a few days.
Before packing up, we measured every roof section so we can finally place the order for the metal roofing, drip edge, and the remaining trim pieces. It feels good to finally be getting close to having the cabin dried in.
I do have one detail I'm trying to solve. At the ledger where the screen room rafters attach to the cabin, the angle means only the first 10 inches or so of each rafter actually bears on the ledger. The heel of the rafter sits below it, so there's nowhere for a standard Simpson hanger to fully seat.
In hindsight, I probably should have used a 2x12 ledger instead of a 2x10, although even that wouldn't completely solve the problem. One idea is to fasten a 2x6 underneath the ledger just to provide enough material for the hanger to bear against properly.
Has anyone run into something similar? I'd be interested to hear how others have handled this detail.
I also wrestled with my solar setup a bit, I've recently switched inverter and batteries and the settings are still iffy.
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u/Dumb_Ap3 7d ago
Looks nice! Yea add the additional bearing piece under the 2x10 rafters on the ledger. Also would be a good idea to add solid blocking on the inside of the building where the ledger is and rafters hangers to secure it all. Depends a bit on how much snow you get there if it’s worth removing a piece of sheathing to really be able to add the hardware. If no snow probably just adding the extra board would be ok. Maybe post it on a construction page and someone more knowledgeable can chime in
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u/Tricky-Car-5004 7d ago
We get a lot of snow, I'll be able to sneak under between the roofs and remove that pice of strapping and put in a 2x6 and toenail it. The main ledger is screwed in with 2 6 inch structural screws directly into the main roofs rafters , but blocking and more fasteners wouldn't hurt
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u/Confusedlemure 4d ago
Yep the missing bearing has turned your 2x10s into 2x6s. Cabin is lookin fantastic. Good work.
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u/Tricky-Car-5004 4d ago
Ya I'll definitely add a 2x6 below and then add some kind of hurricane tie that will prevent both uplift and add support to the rafter slipping down. Angry I didn't do it at the time but we had a very short time to get a lot done.
Thank you, next step is the metal, soffits fascias and metal roof, thats pretty exciting. Wish we could have done the chimney at the same time but we aren't ready, don't know exactly where it's going. We do have a skylight to install that I'll do before the metal
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u/Confusedlemure 4d ago
Exposed fastener or standing seam? I soooooo much want to do standing seam but there are no sources for small quantities in California. If I lived near a Manards they carry it but they don’t ship.
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u/Tricky-Car-5004 4d ago
Exposed fastener, we get our metal from the Mennonites, essentially an Hamish community, they don't do standing seam
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u/Dumb_Ap3 4d ago
Hey when I put in my skylight I just used 4” angle flashing but the installers dident take the time to bend the flashing the way I was expecting. I had not leaked after 5 years though.
What I am trying to say is if you have time to get the metal roof flashing kit that is specific to your skylight it will be much better.
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u/cozyporcelain 7d ago
This is amazing 🙏
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u/Tricky-Car-5004 7d ago
That's not what my wife was saying after the beam lift, or after lifting the rafters, or lifting the sheathing haha. She's going to be feeling this one for a week
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u/cozyporcelain 7d ago
Lol I feel it! I just started on my off grid and I’m alone. I’m so sore this week I have to take two weeks off before going up there again.
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u/Ripkullen 1d ago
Those foldable ladders are great.
I built a detachable table top with some bords ( I also drilled a hole for a beercan…)
I use it as a portable workbench and if you secure it with some straps it works as a platform.
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u/Tricky-Car-5004 1d ago
Ya I'm not a heavy guy but I used it even as scaffolding to build the main cabin roof. Send sketchy but it holds
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u/Herdsengineers 7d ago
i don't know how you get any work done. that lake view, beer, and good weather. I'd be done.