A sign of things to come….

Posted on Posted in Barns, Houses, Nesthouse, Small House, wood

Finally, the NestHouse is coming out of its weird UFO-resembling phase (comments such as “when is it getting the rockets fitted Grommet?”!!); or as I prefer to think of it, its chrysalis phase! Its been looking diaphanous and semi transparent for too long now while I developed the timber cladding methods.

So here is a sneak preview of where this project is headed in terms of final look and character with its timber cladding finished in a beautiful microporous natural oil based stain. My addiction to Swedish Barns is showing. Bra, jag älskar det!

Cool websites

    Cabin Fever!

    Posted on Posted in Architecture, Barns

    It was four weeks on Sunday since my hernia op…..cabin fever was beginning to bite so I decided I needed to be physically busy again. On Monday afternoon I had the cement mixer going finishing off the Tiny Barn’s slab edge and today I spent a good few hours on tree surgery operations at Shangri La Farm. The fresh air was great and I feel as though I have actually done something rather than just sitting around all day recuperating.

    Speaking of cabin fever…the modular cabin design is coming along nicely but it is still at Top Secret level so no sneak peeks I’m afraid! Here’s a tiny barn on wheels idea though:

    Tiny Barn Design. Tiny House Scotland.
    Tiny Barn Idea

    Open for Owl Business!

    Posted on Posted in Architecture, Barns

    Barns are for Barn Owls of course! That’s the nest box installed, the outer platform built and the door open for business (not to mention the field full of nice fat voles). Anyone got a spare barn owl please?

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    Lined with pine needles.
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    With the access door off.
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    Access door in place.
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    I decided to use mesh for the platform to prevent the usual drainage issues.
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    Hay loft doors draught stripped and fully lined.

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    Tiny Barn fully finished (almost).

    Posted on Posted in Barns

    Resplendent in its full livery that’s the first Tiny Barn finished. The blues are both Jonathan Avery paints - Union City Blue and Stockholm Blue.

    The cantilevered design was prompted by the septic tank and drainage covers being in the way of the intended footprint but creates an excellent sheltered firewood storage area - my usual method is to make gabions from fencing wire and just throw the firewood in - great for drying; so I should be able to get about four of these across the width.

    Well its almost finished! I just need to make a finial and the barn owl nest box for inside and then I can open up the owl entrance door at the top of the gable end! Hopefully we will get a family of Barn Owls this spring?

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    Tiny Barn, Barn Owl Entrance hole.
    Tiny barn under cover firewood store.
    Tiny barn under cover firewood store.

     

    Hay loft nearly done!

    Posted on Posted in Barns, Houses

    That’s the upper storage area all finished apart from the space above the doors. The plan was to have an owl nest box inside with an access tunnel through the insulated panel. We have not had much luck with the owl box in the poplars which has been up for over three years now but I still think its worth giving it a try…after all - it IS a BARN!!!

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    Wall panels

    Posted on Posted in Architecture, Barns, Houses

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    Tiny Barn prototype panel construction. The west elevation will have the cladding inset to show the framing details.

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    The rain screen, fly screen bottom vent construction detail, all ready for the shiplap cladding

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    The rear elevation is being fully clad and although this hides the framing detail it is actually the hidden side of the building.

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    insulated panel 100mm cavity filled with rockwool
    insulated panel 100mm cavity filled with rockwool

     

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    Frame nearly finished.

    Posted on Posted in Architecture, Barns, Design

    The frame was drawn in Sketchup then fully cut and jointed in the workshop before assembly. I decided to build the three lateral bents first and there was the advantage that the North end joins on to the existing barn - so this one went up first and was connected to the footing brackets as well as having several through-bolts into the masonry barn wall.

    It was then easy to erect the middle bent using two of the purlins to set the horizontal distances and provide propping while connecting to the footing brackets.

    Barn Finials

    Posted on Posted in Architecture, Barns, wood

    690mm tall, these finials were inspired by my love of victorian railway architecture and made for our barn. I hadn’t used the lathe for a long time so it was quite a challenge to end up with two identical forms.

    They were turned from lime wood, primed, painted with Jonathan Avery Sabbathday Blue and stuck on with silicon - no mechanical fixings! Why do it? Well they emphasise the structure almost like punctuation!

    Barn Finials by Jonathan Avery
    Barn Finials by Jonathan Avery