SIPS are very strong, energy efficient, building panels. They can be used for both residential and commercial buildings. They are typically used for outer walls, floors, and roofs. The panels are made in factory controlled conditions, by "sandwiching" rigid foam insulation between two sheets or "skins" of oriented strand board (OSB). The insulation is much like the Styrofoam cups that keep hot coffee hot and cold drinks cold. Channels are cut into the foam core for the electric systems to run through. Plumbing and heating systems are installed in the interior walls, which are built in the conventional method. These panels can save you a great deal of money by saving time and labor and in the long run by saving on energy bills.
Many of the timber framed homes in Blowing Rock are built to remind people of old styles and times. People like the fact that they look elegant and stylish as well as being dependable and reliable. The wood that is used is insect resistant and not likely to rot. Once the pieces of timber are joined together, it forms a solid and integrated structure. Many excited new home builders have started writing blogs about their own personal stories online. This is a great way for you to learn more about the process. They like to write about each step and will often up date daily including many pictures to show the progress.
Well organised storage is a great help. Everything should have its place, and be retrievable. Tools, abrasives, finishes, etc, should mainly be kept in drawers, because shelves are traps for dust and chips, and drawers are easier to access than cupboards. If you have a table saw, it is quite easy to make simple but strong plywood chests of drawers to fit odd spaces in the workshop (as long as you are satisfied with 'workshop' quality!). I recommend you number the drawers and keep an up to date alphabetical list of each item in them. Better than spending half a day hunting for a missing item.
Doors and windows start by placing a frame on the wall at the lowest level of the opening, and then stacking and mortaring the cordwood to the side and then over the top of the frame. The frame can be temporary, and removed once the wall has set, or it can be the permanent frame to which the doors and windows get attached.
Decking has always been a popular choice but has become even more so in recent times. Timber is great to work with and it is fairly easy to construct a good looking deck. A decked area really ties in nicely to a stone patio or can be built on differing levels without too much of a headache. Where paving needs an area that is already level, a deck can be constructed on a timber frame home eliminating the need for labour intensive site preparation. Hardwood decking is more expensive than it's softwood alternative but the benefits are considerable. Hardwood lasts much longer and provided that you maintain it annually with oils or wood treatment it will look great for many years to come.
Kiln dried. Green. Dead standing. Moisture content. Which is better and how do I know what I am getting? There are pluses and minuses to all of the above. The key is to know and to compare apples to apples when you select a log home or timber frame manufacturer. As a building of log home and timber frame projects, Custom Woodcraft Builders really does not care what the moisture content is, we just need to know and all the logs must be the same. The key is account for any shrinkage in the building process and adjust accordingly.
Gradually we have added more solar panels to our Home Solar Power system. We started with another small panel, about 15 watts, a small inverter, rechargeable batteries for flashlights, and a rechargeable Coleman lantern. Anything that could be recharged slowly worked fine on our small system. Right now we are in the process of upgrading our battery bank and every year we add a solar panel or two. The nice part about this arrangement is that you can start to enjoy Home Solar Power in your own home by spending very little money, and adding on as you can.
door jamb, building timber frame, cord wood, between concrete blocks
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