7)
The simplest roof structure will be a single
slope shed roof. Mark out the rafter placement on the top plate with
16” centers. If you don’t plan to insulate the roof, you can use 2’
centers for your rafters. Nail the first and last rafter in place with
the necessary overhang. Nail up the fascia boards on each end and use
them to place the remaining rafters. If you are going to shingle the
roof, sheath the roof with boards, osb or plywood and cover it all with
black roofing paper. Nail up the metal drip edge and shingle the roof in
the usual manner. If you are going to use metal roofing, the method is
slightly different. Once the rafters are set, nail up the 2x4 purlins
across the rafters, placing the purlins on 2’ centers. Lay out the metal
roofing sheets and screw them down according to the manufacturer’s
instructions. You can leave the roof overhang open, if you aren’t
concerned about heat loss or insects. If you need to winterize the
structure, close the overhang with soffits or put blocking between each
set of rafters, above the top plate of the walls. If you prefer to do
a gable roof, the easiest way is with purchased pre-made trusses. They
come in various sizes and are relatively inexpensive and easy to
install. If you aren’t well versed in laying out and cutting rafters,
trusses will save you a lot of headaches. They can also be placed on
wider centers, if you are using the purlin and metal roofing method. The
lumberyard will help you choose the proper size, number and placement.
Once the roof is on, you are practically home free.
8)
Install all doors and windows on the exterior.
9)
If you have chosen to rough sheath your
building and then put siding over it, now is the time to do the siding
and trim work. Once the exterior is completely closed in, caulked and
ready for paint, you can go on with the interior work.
10)
The interior finish can be as simple, or as
elaborate, as you like. If you plan to wire the building, now is the
time to do it. Keep the wiring simple. A single circuit for the
lighting system should be more than adequate. A single circuit for the
kitchen area will probably be sufficient if you don’t have any large
electrical appliances, but it might be best to split the plugs in the
kitchen area between two separate circuits, and extend each circuit into
other areas of the house. If you plan on having an electric range, you
will need to put it on a separate 220 circuit. A separate circuit for a
full-sized refrigerator is also a good idea. Just remember to keep the
electrical system as simple as possible. With care and a good book on
basic wiring, you should be able to manage it all nicely. However,
unless you have done it before, I suggest you hire an expert to install
the panel box and hook up your circuits. The power company will
naturally take care of the connection to the main line. All this is
moot however, if you plan to be off-grid and use kerosene lamps or
candles and cook on a wood stove. This is also the time to do any
plumbing you may have in mind. You probably won’t be installing running
water and the drains should be as basic as possible.
11)
Insulate the building well if you plan to
occupy it in cold weather. Fiberglass batts are the cheapest way to go.
Two people working together can easily cut and install the batts
necessary for a small structure in a day or at most two. It’s easiest
if you measure and cut a number of batts first and then install them.
You will be warm as toast in no time.
12)
If climate or aesthetics aren’t an issue, the
interior walls can be left open to the framework, but most will choose
to put up some sort of finished wall surface. Conventional dry wall is
quick and easy, and if you rough tape the seams and use textured paint,
it will have a suitably rustic look. Pine boarding is just as easy.
It’s really a question of personal taste and the depth of your pockets.
Once the wall surface is up, you’re down to cabinets and fixtures and
before you know it, the furniture will be in and you will be hanging the
curtains and making the beds.
Now let’s take a look at the plans
for a few structures that you can build with this simple method. Because
I was inspired by Neil Shelton’s recent article about his visit to a dacha
in Belarus, I have named this group of designs the Dacha series.
DACHA1:
This is the smallest and simplest of the designs at 368 sq.ft. It’s meant
for a single person or a couple. There is a single main living space with
a 10’ kitchen counter with a sink and open shelving. The sleeping
platform is big enough for a queen-sized mattress and has room for
built-in drawers underneath. There is a small room for a sawdust toilet or
potty chair. A woodstove will provide heat and a place to cook. Double
French doors open to a generous front porch. A tool house at the back
provides additional storage space. Lofts can be built over the whole
interior, just the bed and bath spaces or at the back. DACHA1 is shown
with a gable roof and porch, but it could just as well be built with a
shed roof on the main structure, the high side to the front and another
shed roof on the porch. There are plenty of windows for light and
ventilation.
DACHA2: THE LONGEURE.*
This plan is meant for a larger household. It has 672 sq.ft. , but this
includes attached work and barn space. It has two sleeping rooms. The
smaller room has a single bunk, but with sufficiently high ceilings, it
could have double bunks for two children. There is drawer space under the
lower bunk. The larger bedroom has a platform for a double bed with
drawers underneath and the room is large enough for a chest of drawers and
other small furniture. The central kitchen/living room has a 10 foot
kitchen counter and space for a wood stove. There is a 6’x7’ bath room
and a 6’x10’ storage room that connects to the barn area. The barn has a
large work space, a stall for a goat or cow and a small chicken house. It
isn’t a big set-up, but would be sufficient for the new homesteader just
starting out. The front door is sheltered by a wide arbor, which will make
a shady place to sit in the summer. It would be a simple matter to extend
the barn in the future and loft space could be provided over the whole
structure if taller poles were used and a second floor was framed.
*NB: A longeure is a French term
for a house and barn combined into one long structure. It’s a
common traditional house form all over France.
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