May Build Update

An May build update

Wrapping the tiny house like a present 🎁🎁🎁

What we’ve done

Hello, hello! As May rolls on, the days are getting shorter, and our productivity has slowed down. Not to make this blog become a Let's complain about the weather blog, but with the weather changing, we’ve had to battle with the elements to get any work done. Sunny weekdays are always followed by rainy weekends, leaving us only a few good hours to work on our project. To find a silver lining, we have become masters of water management though - devising a very high tech system of tarps and buckets to ensure minimal pooling.

Our focus has been on rushing to get the roof rafters up, but things are taking longer than anticipated. We’ve had to make a few tweaks and adjustments as we go, ensuring that everything is perfect. One of our biggest challenges has been installing noggins to the roof. It’s a fiddly job, requiring precision and patience due to using second-hand materials. We are installing three noggins between each rafter space, and it is looking good! Speaking of noggins - we’ve also installed our wall noggins to increase the structural integrity of the tiny house. This was unexpected and was partly due to the fact that Lys learnt how to use another tool - the circular saw. Honestly, it is not her favourite - it is ungainly and cumbersome to use with Lys’ tiny little hands struggling to hold the circular saw steady. It is also dreadfully fussy and constantly complains (via not cutting properly, blade binding and making concerning noisy) and does not even cut accurately (totally not the fault of the user). But, because of Lys’ ability to get over her hatred of the circular saw Erny was able to focus on installing those noggins.

We also installed the eaves on the far ends of the house. This was particularly thrilling, being 3 meters in the air carrying a very heavy eave, but also because the house is starting to look like a real house. Huge thanks to Lys’ brother and father for being MVPs holding ladders and being extra hands - could not have finished this job up in May without them! Erny also powered through and ripped through a bunch of roof battens in preparation for our roof install - it feels like things are really coming together.

However, it would not be a build update with a slight mishap. While Lys was working on the ladder she dropped a hammer - which smashed straight through the plywood subfloor. It was bound to happen at one point, but it was incredibly frustrating. We have patched the hole (nothing that glue and plywood cannot fix) but it is still a downer.

We were then blessed with a stretch of sunny weather, so we made the decision to wrap the house. Inspired by a YouTuber and tiny house builder named Two Hands and a Tiny House, we opted to use Fletcher Foam Cell Shed Liner for our house wrap. This product is 5 millimetres thick, featuring a lime green foam core and an anti-glare covering (though the debate about the colour of the anti-glare covering is still ongoing between Lys, Bel, and Erny). Unlike other house wrap it is quite heavy and holds its structure. It took immense effort, three ladders, and unwavering determination to wrap the entire house. When you’re perched on a ladder 4 meters high holding a roll of foam, the world takes on a different perspective, and you appreciate the magnitude of your project.

Bel stopped by on Saturday to lend an extra pair of hands with impeccable timing. Together we balanced precariously on ladders and clambered around tiny house noggins to tap in the clout nails and wrangle the foam wrap, making the process smoother and more efficient. By the end of Saturday (most likely due to Erny’s determination) we had finished two layers so sisalation! What a feat. Then, Silvia joined us on Sunday, and lent us her engineering wisdom to help us figure out the most efficient way to wrap the eaves and the roof with the remaining house wrap. After a bit of mathematics and calculations (on Erny’s part) later, together with Lys’ family (father, mother and brother are working overtime on this project), we installed the final three pieces of sisalation over the roof as the afternoon turned to dusk.

In a slight segue, Lys also took the opportunity to learn how to use the sled on the table saw to make roof spacers! It was a new skill to master, but with practice and Silvia’s supervision, she managed to create precise and uniform spacers that will ensure proper ventilation and airflow under the roof. We haven’t used them yet, but it’s all about those little details that make a big difference in the long run.

However, the true test for our house wrap will come next week when rain is in the forecast. We’re curious to see how the material holds up against wind and water. Two Hands and a Tiny House says it held up, but time will tell. As a precaution, Lys has been busy taping up the bottom of the trailer with Fletcher Vapastop 883, a reinforced foil tape known for its exceptional strength, flexibility, and conformability. The aluminium tape provides an added layer of protection against moisture and helps seal any potential gaps. Lys isn’t 100% sure what the 883 stands for, but it’s getting the job done.

What’s next?

Cladding, a window install…maybe progress on a metal roof - who knows? Overall, May has been a month of challenges, adjustments, and learning experiences. While our productivity has slowed down with the shorter days, but clearly that hasn’t stopped us as we’ve made progress on important tasks like installing noggins, adding eaves, and wrapping the house. Each step brings the tiny house (also known as cubby house by the neighbours) closer to a reality, and it feels pretty surreal.

Catch ya later, Lys & Erny