CABIN 1.0: CABINISM

CABINISM:  An architectural style I defined years ago when working on a cabin owned by my wife's family on Priest Lake, Idaho.  Generally used to describe a style of construction that was functional, resourceful and funky.  The construction techniques were forged out of practicality not necessarily high design or highly engineered and used materials that were readily available and sometimes cut directly from the forest. 

 We see and experience these styles a lot and sometimes describe them as cozy or quaint.  ...And, they seem to last a long time in spite of our critical code and construction knowledge.

So we start on the cabin.  This is a little toy of a structure - 750 + square feet in area.  It is fun.

Removed the drywall on the ceilings in the living room and bedroom this weekend.  In so doing revealed the original construction of the bedroom addition (date of addition unknown) - photo above.  It went right over the top of the existing roof - cabinism.

The roof at the bedroom requires some remedial work.  2 x 4's at 24" on center (o.c.) will not handle the snow loads we have here in Eagle.  Someone, apparently, realized this after the fact and installed a solitary 2 x 12 to assist the roof.  We'll fix that.

The removal of the drywall is intentional.  When I first walked in the space I knew the ceiling would be gabled - a quality of space issue.  This is too small a space to have flat ceilings.

As I remove the drywall I now go to figuring out the final revised framing strategies which includes final floor plans in order to determine the first phase of framing revisions and which are the most critical.  The revised framing in the bedroom is top on my list which will include extending a wall to the ceiling and a new beam on the other side.

And, as the framing and plan design goes on so does the technical evaluation of the envelope revisions to determine appropriate insulation, air barrier, and dew point calculations to get the building to perform well when complete.  The goal here is to consume as few resources in heating and cooling as possible.

One step at a time in the unheated, cold, drafty cabin.  Winter work...but good work.