Billboard Tarp Tent Construction

I have several large billboard tarps stashed for building long term tent structures.
I intend to build a deck conventionally and then use 2x4 to frame roof and walls. I'm looking at pretty standard building techniques with a vinyl covering rather than wood or metal. I'll frame in windows and doors.

Anyone see a flaw in this plan or anything to add? Thanks, neighbors

Here's a word dense blog that tells some of my story with some pictures. If you like people that think for themselves and act accordingly. Here's a teaser: Look for the picture and article about our 1956 Ex Trailways bus that was once a tour bus for The Bill Monroe Band. Blue Grass Royalty. It's now our cabin in the woods and base camp as we permaculture every inch of this magical piece of land.

We're looking for help clearing land and building structures. We pay well and expect diligent labor.
Come camp and work. Short term to who knows what we will manifest for the benefit of all.  Community is vital for our survival in these tumultuous times.

permaculturegeezer.com

I saw the picture first and thought, "my, what a neat old bus".  Then to find out the history... super cool!

Look forward to reading the article.

One thing I've seen mentioned on threads about billboard vinyls is that they release carcinogenic chemicals as they degrade (i.e. in the sun, or a certain level at all times). Not saying this to shut down your project-- I know we work with what we have, and I'm looking forward to seeing, for my own projects, how to circumvent this difficulty with billboard vinyls. May need some special treatment to last as part of a dwelling, hopefully someone else has an idea that works.

Thanks for reading and commenting on this post. I'll add to it as I go along. I've been concerned with off gassing
nasty compounds from the billboard tarps. Perhaps there's a way to isolate the tarp from the structure. Two layers
of material. The top one BBT and the inner something more benign such as canvas with an air gap between. Insulation is desired and that's a whole other question.

Keep meaning to tell you wonderful folks that we're located in far South Central Indiana in a very libertarian county with no zoning or building codes. Our family has been here since 1811.

Raymond Geezer wrote:Keep meaning to tell you wonderful folks that we're located in far South Central Indiana in a very libertarian county with no zoning or building codes. Our family has been here since 1811.

I always like to point out that just because there *aren't* building codes, doesn't mean that people shouldn't read and understand the intent of codes.

One that I like to point out is the reason there should be two exits from any sleeping area - usually a door and a window - which was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt when a local lady had to drop her 11 mnth old baby into the arms of a Good Samaritan from one floor up, and then jump herself with some help landing from a second person. Without that window, they would have both died.  

In my area, the big threat is earthquakes. Personally, the codes are waaaayyyyy too wimpy compared to what might be coming, so when we build, we will build *better* than code.  (So know and research potential extreme weather/natural disaster risks, be they fire, flood, hurricane etc.)

Then there are some codes I could cheerfully live without - what, no composting toilet? I think I can build one safer than any sewage system, and it will be much more environmentally sound.

Where I live in Mexico a lot of people use this kind of tarp. Politicians are constantly making them with their faces larger than life. People agree to hang them on their buildings during the campaign. Sometimes I think they do it just to score a free tarp at the end of it.  After the campaign, they use the tarp to cover that old junk car, or as shade over their patio, or to keep the rain off those three bags of cement that seem to always be leftover. In full sun, these tarps last at best two years. So the flaw I see is, if your building will be in full sun, keep in mind that it will be a temporary building.

I have not been dissuaded from using BBT for covering a structure. Looks like we'll use frame construction and dimensional lumber, covering the exterior with 4x8 sheets of foam insulation and then covering the roof and walls with BBT.
The question of the day is: How to avoid condensation? Do we use vents of some sort. I'm out of my element here. I'm a furniture builder and handy with tools and smart enough to know I need advice.

Raymond Geezer wrote:I have not been dissuaded from using BBT for covering a structure. Looks like we'll use frame construction and dimensional lumber, covering the exterior with 4x8 sheets of foam insulation and then covering the roof and walls with BBT.
The question of the day is: How to avoid condensation? Do we use vents of some sort. I'm out of my element here.

1. You haven't said how big this thing is, nor how many people will use it at any time, unless I missed that. Humans are required to breath, and they generate a *lot* of humidity that way. Depending on temperature, sweat will also generate it. That's before you get Mother Nature. You might think that telling me that you're in Indiana would give me Mother Nature's contribution, but being Canadian, not so much!
2. One thing about humidity, is the effect of temperature change - here daytime vs nighttime temps can vary a lot due to daily onshore/offshore breeze activity. Thus, my bedroom is prone to condensation on the window, and my solution is to deal with it on a daily basis. Condensation in hidden spots can create mold which is nasty for people's lungs, or rotten wood which will shorten the lifespan of your building. Your insulation will go a long way to helping with these issues, so I'd suggest you be generous with it.  
3. You've also not given us any hints about the style you're building - rectangle, dome, yurt (cylinder) and the shape of the roof - gable, hip, shed, cone etc or the slope. Knowing these things, would help with the "vent" plan. Give us some size idea too, please.

Since you know that BBT is sun sensitive, have you considered building beefy enough with a shallow enough roof that you could put multiple layers of BBT on the roof, and then put dirt and grow mosses or sedums? This would go a long way to helping the roof last longer. Similarly, placing trellises in key spots to block the sun when it's at it's hottest (usually west side for me), and growing some useful vine may be worth considering.  Done right, it can provide some privacy also. It does *not* have to be flat, and I don't recommend flat as you'll be more likely to have leaks.

Although I haven't done this myself, a friend bought a nylon-covered yurt, and within 5 years it sprang leaks. It also looks pretty sad. It's not sturdy enough to go the green roof route, but it's why I'm suggesting you see if you can incorporate such a thing. Even fall leaves netted in place would decrease the solar damage, but they'd have to be replaced every fall.

Thanks, Jay for your incredibly useful post. Your thoughtful reply has been fodder for the design of our first cabin.

We're in Zone 6a, cold winters and hot, humid summers. We are planning a 16'x20' single story gable roof cabin,framed with traditional dimensional lumber if we can get it. We are in an area of dense hardwood forest and lots of small sawmillers around as a back up with rough sawn lumber. Due to the changing world events, this needs to be done as quickly as possible. We have a hundred mature Southern Yellow Pine trees on the ground, limbed with brush cleared ready for a sawmill, but don't have time for that project at the moment. Gotta get out of the city.

The cabin will have a full kitchen, shower and composting toilet and will be the primary home of my wife and I while we establish a homestead and build the large house. The cabin will be stout enough to add metal roofing and siding when available. 4'x8' foam panel insulation will be used liberally.

One gable end will have a french door and windows, with additional windows and floor and roof vents to shed heat in our summers. We intend to heat with wood and use an air conditioner in the summer.

In essence, we are building a house and wrapping it in BBT because we cannot get metal, or plywood. I like your idea of using BBT on a slightly sloping roof and cover lightly with soil. We are planning to to that with other structures on this land and is one of the reasons we started thinking about BBT.

Thanks for thinking about our project. You're a good neighbor.

Raymond Geezer wrote:

Your thoughtful reply has been fodder for the design of our first cabin.

Your welcome - makes me want to write more fodder!

Your plan is for a 320 sq ft cabin - if you design it well, and there are lots of examples on the web to look through - that could last you a good while. If you're concerned about food security - which is understandable - and you were me, I would focus next on: 1. water movement and storage on your land, 2. planting beneficial trees, shrubs and perennial food plants, and 3. building a well-designed, efficient, heatable work-shop. So many things will be easier to do - from potting plants to building small animal cages to cutting and pre-assembling parts for the eventual house - if you've got a large, hard, flat, warm, weather protected space. A big house is nice, but won't actually feed you!

If your goal is food security, I'd also consider some sort of root cellar with a "damp food area" and a separate "dry food area", and with your humid weather system, some sort of outdoor kitchen with good air-flow for canning efficiently. The cellar can be a later project, but depending on how you design buildings, having it in the back of your mind while deciding where things should/could be located for ease of use and efficiency might be useful. Cold cellars need specific designs for specific locations, but in general, need two bays, earth berming and be on a north/north east side of a slope or building. I can't tell you how many "cold cellars" I've met in my past that were on the south side of buildings and were totally useless... sigh... Our ancestors knew better! Mother Nature knows better, and if she's been kind enough to give you a cave on your property, you might be able to adapt that!

Thanks again, Jay. You're a man after my own heart. It's spooky to read your words and realize I'm thinking the same things. Water management and storage are being planned now. We're fortunate to have a good aquifer and so far plenty of rainfall. Who knows when another drought will hit. I always plan for the worst and hope for the best.

We are in cave country and have at least two on the property but not very accessible and need some digging. For another time, however we have some ravines that can be readily adapted to root cellars.

Our focus is to get the cabin built and continue to improve the bus for additional living space. Once we move in a few months or less; we'll then have the room and time to develop gardens and such. Our neighbors are willing to allow us a garden on their land. We're part of a tight knit group of friends and neighbors that understand the Old Ways. Living in cooperation with our neighbors allows everyone a better life.

Raymond wrote

You're a man after my own heart.

Sorry - but just to prevent "foot in mouth" disease, I'm a rare example of a female "Jay" - not at all common in the USA, so I do not take any offense when people assume I'm male.

It's nice to meet you, Jay. As a boomer, I have several male friends named Jay. I assumed your gender and guessed incorrectly. Thanks for making yourself known.
Raymond

You are most welcome! I joined permies shortly after one of FB's fairly nasty data mining scandals and the female name the "Jay" is short for is too uncommon for my family's comfort level at the time. I very much appreciate how safe, secure, kind and well-moderated Permies is!

I also love how many like-minded individuals I find here who are prepared to listen about what's really important in life - like being able to feed ourselves and our community. I'd take a properly designed cold cellar over a "multi-media room" any day!

Ok, think of the bbt as house wrap or temp cover until metal.

Use tape on all the foam board seams and nail holes.  Then it is water and vapor proof so the bbt only needs to be uv protection.