Leave a comment Posted on October 21, 2013July 28, 2015 Tiny House Framing

Tiny House Framing by Myself

The IndieGoGo Campaign funds in hand, I began the daunting task of framing the walls. I completed this in parts as I am building the Silver Bullet myself without a team of volunteers or friends so my choices reflect the challenge I made in Deek’s workshop almost a year ago.

1. I started with the rear of the tiny house.

2. Here’s the back view.

3. Sheathing and insulating as I went. Again, I used the same recycled blue jean insulation as I did on the floor with a layer of EcoFoil and 3/4-1″ space before any exterior or interior top layer.

* Note: All 2×4’s, 2×6’s and 2×8’s are SFI Certified Wood.

Leave a comment Posted on September 9, 2013September 11, 2013 reclamation art, Silver Bullet Indiegogo Campaign

Waste Not, Want Not

I temporarily stopped building the sustainable Silver Bullet Tiny House Classroom* on wheels to take a month off to attend to two things.

First, I ran an IndieGoGo campaign to raise funds for the remainder of the exterior and am happy to report we raised about 60% of our goal. My gratitude goes out to all my supporters and I’ll be back to building next week!

And secondly, I assembled all the upcycled artwork that I’ve been creating over 14 months. So mark your calendar because the art reclamation show opened today! The opening night party is September 20, Friday 6-8PM. You are all invited.

Remis Gallery, The Wilkie Center for Performing Arts, Governor’s Academy, One Elm Street, Byfield, MA. 01922

Link to directions and campus map: http://govsarts.org/reclamation.html

Over the last two years I’ve become obsessed with forging a sustainable tiny life and building a tiny house. I’ve drawn countless tiny house designs, electrical drawings, elevation sketches, and collected windows, doors and materials from Habitat for Humanity, the side of the road, yard sales, you name it. While in the process of getting ready to build the Silver Bullet, I have been very busy downsizing, recycling, repurposing, gifting, free cycling, and making art out of all sorts of materials. I’ve made cardboard wingtips, beautiful jewelry, toys, bustiers, skirts, shawls, purses, pyramids, chandeliers, musical instruments, paintings and sculptures out of recycled newspaper, plastic bottles, feathers, silk, buttons, beads, ribbons, doors, canvas, yarn, bottle caps and more.

I had great fun inspiring an excited group of local high school students to contribute an entire grid of small paintings of their own waste streams. Come and join the party on Opening Night! See you there!

* 50% of all the show’s proceeds will go to supporting the Silver Bullet Tiny House construction; the sustainable classroom on wheels that will tour the country in 2014.

(That’s my friend, Max, an artist, who will be modeling the fashions on opening night. You can find her here.)

Waste Not, Want Not (Everything is food for something else) Remis Lobby Gallery, Wilkie Performing Arts Center, Governors Academy, One Elm Street, Byfield, MA. 01922 Opening night with the artist: September 20, 2013 6-8PM Noted reclamation artist, resource steward and sustainability educator, Vera Struck, upcycles her waste-stream into artwork, www.struckstudios.com

Leave a comment Posted on August 12, 2013July 28, 2015 The Foundation

The Foundation, Part 3

Finished most of the floor envelope (adding the last layer underneath will have to wait until the plumbing, electrical and framing bolting are complete) and started the wall framing.

1. Completed lower insulation (This will add an additional 7.5R value to the floor, bringing the subtotal R value to R28 ; the additional 3 Inch layer added later will bring the total to R38)

2. Installed 3/4 inch plywood (birch on one side), drilled bolt holes through to steel frame (for tension ties to wall framing) and rubbed in water based varnish.*

3. Prepped, flashed deck area and pieces.

* Note: All 2×4’s, 2×6’s and 2×8’s are SFI Certified Wood.

1 Comment Posted on July 28, 2013July 28, 2015 The Foundation

The Foundation, Part 2

The envelope of my 144SF tiny house required a lot of research. As many tiny house builders and enthusiasts know, such a small structure has unique issues with moisture, energy, heat retention, airflow, cooling and design.

A word about why I chose the aluminum flashing vapor barrier vs. a radiant barrier with bubble wrap. When I grew up in Minnesota, we had lake homes and cabins where “critters” had eaten through all kinds of softer material like cardboard, bubble wrap, tin foil, thin masonite and 1/4″ plywood, among other things.

Although I love wildlife, I am concerned that could easily happen under my sub-flooring with all those “critters” visiting me when I start touring the US and so I chose a variety of R value solutions.

I want to make sure the Silver Bullet envelope is as watertight (yet breathable), as durable, recyclable and repurposable as possible. That means that some of my choices will be different than others.

After speaking with several manufacturers I chose the EcoFoil single layer perforated barrier. It is more time consuming to install than just wrapping your floor framing; however, it will allow me to sleep more soundly knowing my sub-flooring is secure and more energy efficient.

1. I continued with the remaining bracing of the subfloor framing.

2. Blocked out plumbing, and installed Owens Corning for structural rigidity.

3. Installed Bonded Logic Blue Jean insulation for additional R value

4. Installed EcoFoil radiant barrier per their specialist, David Arnold.

EcoFoil’s article about the Silver Bullet

Note: This was a busy week as I am preparing my reclamation show artwork whenever it rains (which was 5 days this week) and so Saturday was the only dry day for building outside.

Leave a comment Posted on July 24, 2013August 1, 2013 Silver Bullet Indiegogo Campaign

Indiegogo Campaign for Tiny House

We launched our Indiegogo Campaign last Friday to fund the completion of our exterior structure of the sustainable tiny house/classroom we call the Silver Bullet.

Here’s the thing, the sustainability non-profit I started, terrabluteams.org, wants the Silver Bullet Tiny House to tour the country in 2014 to inspire individuals, families and communities to live sustainable lifestyles. Any chance you or a friend could help us do that?

To contribute, please click on this link:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tiny-house-teaches-others-to-live-sustainably/x/350152?c=home

Any donation, no matter the size, would help! Check out our creative perks and pass on the link to others!

Leave a comment Posted on July 18, 2013July 28, 2015 The Foundation

The Foundation

This week finished with:

1. Putting down an aluminum vapor barrier over the five reinstalled 2×8’s. I overlapped the layers 5′ inches and secured them with XtraBond®150 – Premium Grade Silicone Sealant and then taped the edges with aluminum tape.

2. I have framed the sub-flooring with 2×4’s secured with premium galvanized screws. I anchored the corners with Simpson L-braces and also used those to secure the framing to the trailer 2×8’s.

3. The side 2×8 bottom’s were flashed with aluminum and bolted to the trailer bed (2 in front, 6 along each side). The sub-flooring was bolted to the trailer sides.

(Thank heavens our Seabrook Home Depot Manager, Brandon Hardy, suggested I get an Impact Drill. It saved my hands from getting numb. I counted them; 382 Simpson screws, 126 wood screws and 12 1/2 inch bolts were required and I haven’t even gotten to the 3/4 inch plywood flooring yet!)

Leave a comment Posted on July 7, 2013August 20, 2013 tiny house trailer

Preparing the Trailer and Me

Preparing the trailer, although difficult, was far easier than preparing myself. When constructing something out in the open there are so many uncontrollable issues with weather, possible tool theft, distractions, critters, insects, water damage, etc. But hey, it was my idea to do it in the natural world.

The learning curve with tools I’ve never used before like compound mitre saws, circular and Skilsaws, drills, building principles, etc. took several weeks of research and will certainly involve lots of trial and error. One builder friend, helping me overcome my lifelong fear of construction accidents gave me a wonderful lesson on construction safety and encouraged me to get in there and just start. (Kind of like the Nike ad, “Just do it!”)

Once I started, it was fun, I couldn’t stop. Now I know what Deek meant; its like a fever, this building, reclaiming, creative process. I’ve reclaimed resources for making art and now, a tiny house.

The tiny house build has been slow as this has been the wettest summer in New England in 30 years. This weather plus the heat-waves of 100 degrees between storms has limited me to a few 3-hour sessions of building, but I am up and at ’em whenever I can.

Trailer Preparation:

1. Remove all the boards, shorten for enclosed rear deck.

2. Reinstall only half of them to conserve weight. (Note I numbered and marked their position so I could match up the threaded screw holes when reinstalling to the struts)

3. Install jacks and balance trailer, add 2×8 support framing

3. Remove front corner lights and electrical box to accommodate additional bolted bolsters and front structure.

4. Bolt flashed 2×8’s to trailer base

Leave a comment Posted on July 4, 2013August 20, 2013 reclamation art

Reclaiming my waste stream by making art

During the last two years I’ve become an ardent tiny house enthusiast and have spent the last two years adjusting to living a tinier life. I’ve drawn countless tiny house designs, electrical drawings, elevation sketches, and collected windows, doors and materials from Habitat for Humanity, the side of the road, yard sales, you name it.

While in the process of getting ready to build the Silver Bullet, I have been very busy downsizing, recycling, repurposing, gifting, free cycling, and making art out of all sorts of materials. The process is challenging and totally worth it.

I’ve made shoes, necklaces, earrings, toys, bustiers, gowns, dusters, shawls, purses, pyramids, paintings and sculptures out of newspaper, plastic bottles, feathers, silk, buttons, beads, ribbons, doors, canvas, yarn, bottle caps and more.

I had great fun inspiring an excited group of local High School students to contribute an entire grid of small paintings of their own waste streams. Come and join the party on Opening Night!

(That’s my friend, Max, an artist, and fellow tiny house enthusiast, who will be modeling the fashions on opening night. She’s traveling in Europe, you can find her here.)

Waste Not, Want Not (Everything is food for something else)*

Remis Lobby Gallery, Wilkie Performing Arts Center, Governors Academy, One Elm Street, Byfield, MA. 01922

Opening night with the artist: September 20, 2013 6-8PM

*Noted reclamation artist, resource steward and sustainability educator, Vera Struck, upcycles her waste-stream into artwork, www.struckstudios.com

3 Comments Posted on February 10, 2013August 20, 2013 tiny house trailer

Choosing a Tiny House Trailer

Choosing a trailer for your tiny house can be daunting. My 4 requisites were:

1. Substantially built with two 5″ channels, strong struts or ribs

2. Local dealer who is friendly, courteous, and professional

3. Will deliver on time

4. Uses the most environmentally harmless wood with the least off-gasing

I have seen several tiny houses come apart or become structurally compromised by starting without a strong base. And yet other builders have been successful in refurbishing, repairing and making their older trailers structurally sound.

So I spent several months talking to tiny house owners and trailer distributors trying to find a local dealer that represented a sustainable and substantial trailer manufacturer. I interviewed six distributors until I found the group who would service my needs and would help their customers before and after their trailer purchase! It’s surprising how many have trouble selling to women.

Ross and Brad Peterson at REP, in New Hampshire, were professional, courteous and excited about my project. They were thorough in answering all my questions, providing measurements, information, tours, and options.

I bought a LoadTrail 8’x 18′ trailer. It has double hung 5″ channel and the struts are very strong. The copper preserved wood in my trailer is called LifeWood, it is EPP rated (SCS’s Environmentally Preferred Product).

Leave a comment Posted on November 5, 2012November 21, 2013 tiny house workshop

The Tiny House Workshop

I signed up for a 3 day workshop as soon as Deek Diedricksen put it up on the web, RelaxShacks.com. Waiting 3 months felt like forever!

I was so obsessed with the tiny house movement that I forgot that Deek’s offer to sleep out in the “Gypsy Junker”, meant without heat. In November.

Friday afternoon we all met and started the sub-flooring on Deek’s tiny one axle trailer. I learned all about vapor barriers, “great stuff”, foam and other insulations, bolting, bracing and closing the floor of a tiny house.

We framed the walls, made openings for windows did some sheathing with some recycled building products, windows from the side of the road and siding.

Me and my new TH friend, Max, in front of the Gypsy Junker; below, Mr. Steven Harrell of Tiny House Swoon

Building a tiny home on two axles is an item on my bucket list. Now I know how to construct it and make it a carbon neutral environment. I’ll let you know when it’s done!

Now if I could just find a Honda Element “gas to cooking oil” conversion workshop I could attend, I would have a net-zero tiny house hauler! Tell me if you know of one! (As I posted this I learned my Honda can only haul 1500, so anyone have a used Ford 250 Diesel I can convert?)

I’ve renovated my mountain homes, made them energy efficient; built out my commercial studios in mill buildings and yet, I’ve never had as much fun as I did with these creative “off the grid”, eco-warriors. We all came from different backgrounds, different states, and levels of experience, ages and cultures. Tiny house advocates and the subculture that surrounds them make some pretty interesting campfire workshop parties! Our second evening campfire we were serenaded by banjoes, bongos, guitars, and the voices of passionate, driven, creative, artistic tiny house builders! And a visiting tiny house bicyclist came by with a 350.org poster as his roof treatment!

One of Deek’s early “Relaxshacks” called the Gypsy Junker (7 minute Youtube video), is all of 24 square feet! I slept in it for 2 nights, without using the heater, just to see if I could do it. Outside, 32°F, inside, 40°F. Glad I brought my Mummy Sleeping Bag and my crystal heat packs!

Thanks, Deek, for a great workshop and the opportunity to find a new group of sustainable friends! Thanks to Dustin, Steven, the Comet and Caravan builders!

After Sandy ravaged our shores this week, I was once again reminded of how powerful nature is, how vulnerable we are and humanity’s denial of our impact on climate change and environmental resources.

I’m in the red down jacket standing next to Deek. Steven Harrell from tinyhouselistings.com is standing behind me.

Links you may want to explore:

http://www.thane.com/default/red-fusiontm-heat-wrap-basic.html The reusable Nikken Crystal Heat sodium acetate 6”x8” packs that kept me warm in the Gypsy Junker were 14 years old. They do not sell them anymore. However, these look great, I just ordered some.

Tiny House Workshop of Deek’s that I took this weekend in Stoughton, Ma.

The New York Times article about Deek

http://tinyhouselistings.com Steven’s other website

Max’s artistic website here.

silver bullet tiny house