Sustainable Roofing

The tar-shingle roof on our tiny house is no more environmentally friendly than the tens of thousands installed on conventional homes all the time.  Still tiny homes have an inherent advantage due to their smaller scale.  This became apparent this weekend when a friend pitched in to replace our roof in a matter of hours.  The savings from living in a smaller dwelling--in terms of time, money, and natural resources--is potentially vast as tiny homes become more popular.  There is no comparison with large homes whose owners reluctantly cough up $10,000-20,000 to hire professional roofers.

This was my first experience roofing anything larger than a chicken coop, and it went smoothly.  It helps having several ladders and hammers, and working with an experienced friend.  Unable to locate a pair of sheers, we were forced to leave ragged edges at the front and rear of the dwelling.  We'll return next time to snip the overhanging shingles to create a tidy look.

For those who are keeping track, I took off a few months from tiny house building and blogging.  Summer spare time was filled with family vacations, as well as with helping on my neighbor's project, the construction of an outdoor fireplace.  Now that his fireplace is finished I will hopefully convince him to hang some drywall together.

Build Tiny Workshop

What an utter joy to spend a weekend with a barnyard of tiny house enthusiasts.  And, imagine, we got to build tiny houses too!

Last weekend was the latest Build Tiny Workshop in Berryville, VA.  Participants put together two new tiny houses from the trailer up during the event.  (Believe it or not, one was actually a tiny chapel!)

The Build Tiny Workshop is geared for adults of all ages, regardless of prior construction experience or skill.  In fact, Friday included basic carpentry instruction those who had never wielded a hammer.  By the end of the weekend everyone had an opportunity to screw, glue, haul, hoist, drill, cut and pound to their heart's desire.  The workshop included meals and camping too.  Heck, there was even a campfire with live singing and fresh strawberries!

As a bonus, participants were exposed to multiple styles of construction.  One home was an energy-efficient passive home made of Structural Insulated Plywood (SIP).  The other was assembled from weight-saving Structural Steel C-studs.  In addition to those built during the event, there were two more tiny house examples on site in varying stages of completeness framed in traditional dimensional lumber.

Beware, the workshop attracts a contagious bunch of creative, diverse, and hard-working folks who are extremely fun to hang out with.  My only regret was I had to leave early.  If you have any inkling to someday build a tiny house, then I highly recommend you make friends at the next Build Tiny Workshop.

Marine Folding Table Brackets

Tiny house builders are always looking for ways to save space without foregoing life's essentials.  Certainly high on my essentials list is enough table space to share a meal, play a game of cards, or support laptop computer.  Having a table that is easy to stow away when not in use is preferable.  One option is to mount a tabletop on a wall using a pair of brackets like those pictured here.  In the upright position these brackets lock in place to support a tabletop load up to 300 pounds.  Folded down, the table hangs on the wall, out of the way.

These brackets are sold on eBay in pairs for around $50  Although they can be adapted to tabletops of various widths, the table depth is restricted to around 30 inches.  This permits the table to clear the floor when folded down, and to rest at a functional height above the floor when in use.  I plan to employ them to support a table beneath a window that is just over 30 inches above the floor.  This arrangement will allow for seating on three sides with a wonderful view.

Table brackets are one of many kinds of marine hardware that can be easily adapted to tiny house living.  Other space-saving boat tables include pedestal tables, detached folding tables, and upright folding tables.

Berryville, VA www.Build-Tiny.com Retreat in April

I am honored to be invited to speak the weekend of April 18-20 in Virginia at the Build Tiny Workshop hosted by Robin Hayes, Al Cobb, and Tony Gilchriest.  This team of experienced tiny house builders offers an affordable three-day seminar to help you get started on your project.  The event, which features the construction of two tiny houses on wheels, includes food, camping, and an opportunity to meet other enthusiasts in a relaxing environment.  What better way to spend a weekend learning and doing.  Hope to see you there!

Medicine Cabinet and Spice Rack

What do cinnamon, salt, gauze and toothpaste have in common?  They will all hide nicely inside a medicine cabinet.  The absence of a window in the kitchen of our house caused me to want a mirror above the sink.  The mirror will provide additional reflected light in that area.  One morning I awoke with this epiphany: a medicine cabinet can serve triple duty as a mirror, a first aid kit, and a spice rack.  For small living spaces, it is nice to discover household items that can serve multiple purposes.

So much time was spent last weekend on conversion of our shed to a tiny house that we need to spend next weekend doing other chores.  Plus our wrists and elbows are sore.

Tree Down

With the start of conversion of our shed to a tiny house this weekend, there was so much going on that I almost overlooked this stunning event.  Apparently last week there was a heavy wind storm in the area where our shed is located.  So heavy that it blew over the tree shown here.  Not shown, just fifteen feet away is the shed, to the left of and behind the photographer.

Had it blown the other way, it might have put an end to the tiny house project before it began.  Instead, the fallen tree will become fuel for our tiny wood stove.  Anyone have any guess how many winters one can heat a small shed with a tree that size?

Windows in a Tiny House

Blogging is a great way to clarify your thinking.  It also provides a feedback loop.  One commenter on the Small Cabin Forum wisely advised "having a window or two" in a loft.  It makes sense that a loft window will help ventilate the tiny house during the hot summer season.

It might sound dreamy to have an entire tiny house built of windows, especially if you're fortunate to be situated in a scenic setting.  However, if you have spent any time in a greenhouse, even in the winter, you quickly realize why that would be a very bad idea in almost any setting.  Like many things, windows are a tradeoff.  More windows means more airflow, more sunlight, and a better view.  It also means more passive heating.  Solar builders recommend limiting the window glazing to just one-sixth of the south wall in order to provide the required "thermal mass" to retain heat.

More windows means less wall space too.  This is an important concern for a tiny house.  Along the long wall I would have loved to install a gigantic bay window, but opted instead of a more affordable two- by four-feet slider model.  Smaller window means smaller curtains.  The modest dimensions of the window permit a table below, and maybe a knickknack shelf above.  And I cannot live without the loft, chair, and wood stove on the same wall.

The opposite wall does not have any windows.  It will get a small mirror to make use of reflected light.  The uninterrupted wall with the mirror hides a nearby garage which is not particularly sightly.   In general, homes should have windows on all faces, but for tiny houses I make an exception to this rule.  Most tiny houses are basically one big room and, if you think of it like that, most rooms do not have windows in all four walls.  The reason is space.  Having one or more uninterrupted walls permits greater flexibility for decor.  If security is a concern, I say install a peep hole, camera, or periscope.

Insist on energy efficient double-paned glass if you plan to use the house in the winter.  This weekend we installed the three windows in our tiny house, one in the loft and two at eye level.  Well, at least they are at eye level when seated.