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ADK_26
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# Posted: 2 Oct 2023 12:20pm
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Hi there,
Got a dream piece of property in the southern Adirondacks, completely undeveloped, remote. Somehow still has fios and power at the road. Eventually planning to build a cabin on the property, as far back from the road as possible, but living 3 hours away necessitates a few steps prior to starting the cabin build.
Put in a 200' gravel driveway with conduit trenched underneath to run possible solar, 240v AC, fios, whatever without having to tear up my road in the process. No plans for any of that now though...
Next we needed a place to camp comfortably for weeks at a time while staying there. We built a 16 x 16 platform out of rough cut lumber from a sawmill down the road. I only had a chainsaw, hammer, a bubble level, and hardware at the time; minimal cutting required.
Came back in the spring after the snow had melted and it was all still there. Stained the platform and set up our upgraded tent. Having a nice level place to set up my cot is a major game-changer.
Creek on the property
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Platform building in March
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novice excavation
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glamping setup
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ADK_26
Member
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# Posted: 2 Oct 2023 12:52pm
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This summer we started on the shed. My dad had built a pole barn as the first building on the 10 acre farm I grew up on when my parents first bought it. He gave me the book he had read prior to building that barn. I read it cover to cover and jumped in. (Low-Cost Pole Building by Wolfe).
Paid a few of my college buddies in deer-hunting opportunities to come help us dig the holes by hand. The soil is very bouldery for the first 36†then it’s sand. I grew up in the south, so digging holes deeper than 36†was new to me. A few of those boulders were right where I wanted to put my poles. A jackhammer and sore hands solved the problems.
I used post-protector sleeves over structural-grade 6x6 PT timbers for my poles. Set my concrete footers at 60†from grade. I had read on this forum about some other Adirondack builders talking about this sand and not needing to put the footers down so far despite the frost line…. I played it safe, but like everything here, I’m learning as I go.
Garage door (also a work in progress) is 9’6†x 9’ and flanked by 4 x 4’s set at 60†deep as well. Had to piece together 2 post protectors to get the right depth. I had planned for a 10 x 9 door but one of those college buddies had one too many (or maybe too few?) before digging those holes. I had nothing to do with it, obviously.
I had originally planned to use the platform as a level surface to build trusses on, but kind of last minute went with built trusses and now I’m glad that I did.
I made it 9’ high from finished grade in case I wanted to add floor joists and convert it into a cabin in the future… Throughout the process, we’ve been trying to make design choices so that if we ran out of steam/money/time we could stop and use what we’ve already finished or repurpose things we’ve already built to still achieve our long-term goals.
This was my first time using rough cut lumber (also my first time building anything larger than a coffee table). I hear mixed things, but the consensus seems to be that it is stronger and cheaper but requires a little extra work picking the right pieces. I used rough cut for the girders, girts, purlins and siding. I hope the ‘stronger’ part makes up for any errors I made in choosing my lumber. So far my building has stayed straight, but maybe it will start twisting in a few years…
Hole digging party
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Trusses arrived
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Front gable overhang
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salvaged window on backside
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 2 Oct 2023 07:14pm
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The place looks great. We used alot of rough cut on our cabin build I'm still doing also. Mice can climb on that so make sure your cuts are dead on and any holes are filled. One thing about rough cut lumber is when your connecting two together 3in screws and nails arnt enough.
The driveway dosnt look like a novice did it. Nice job.
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ADK_26
Member
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# Posted: 12 Jan 2024 11:44am - Edited by: ADK_26
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Quick update. Got the shed roughed in and a coat of stain on before freezing temps hit. Thought I could get the garage door on before winter, but coordinating the delivery was such a hassle, it won't happen until the spring.
I did reverse batten siding. In order to prevent splitting of the wood as it dries, I nailed the boards (which are overlying the battens on one end). It makes me a little worried they will cup over time since the battens aren't pinning them down like in traditional b&b, but so far so good. I may go around next fall after they have dried for a year and throw a nail in the other side of the boards to keep them tacked down against the battens.
Won't be making another trip up there for a few weeks... and when I do, it'll just be relaxing.
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gwindhurst
Member
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# Posted: 12 Jan 2024 03:10pm
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Looks great! Can't wait to see how everything evolves...
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 12 Jan 2024 06:36pm
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I think after a few months they will be dry enough to fully nail those boards. I used green perlins under my metal roofing and have seen no movement and metal shows any movent under it. I also used green window/door trim and havent noticed any movement. I used 2.5in ring shank galvanized nails.
Place looks good. What's the plan for the spring becids a garage door?
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 14 Jan 2024 01:15am - Edited by: gcrank1
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 YA NAILED IT!
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ADK_26
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jul 2024 06:45pm
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Some Spring/Early summer progress. The last 10% of progress is taking more time than the first 90% haha.
Finally put up the roll up door. Rented the skid steer and put in the compacted gravel floor on the same day. Cleaned up the inside so it finally feels finished (on the inside).
Now I just need to pour concrete pads at the man-door and garage door transition and it'll be 100%.
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ADK_26
Member
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2024 11:10am
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Finally finished! Poured some pads (another first). Started small with the man-door transitions and then poured the garage door pad. I think they turned out nicely... except for the part my dog walked through.
And I built a bathhouse. Scrap wood, extra salvage window, and some T1-11 made it a quick build. It has composting toilet inside. Going to put up some vertical 1 x lumber for privacy on the "shower" side. Still working on how I'm gonna make the shower part.
pad 1
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pad 2
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truck (barely) fits!
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outhouse with composting toilet
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2024 01:54pm
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Looks great. Dont forget vapor barrier under your slab.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2024 01:59pm
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Looks great!
Do you get to relax now? lol
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