Hobbit Home Progress.

O.k.  guys and gals.

The day is fast approaching, when i can finally install this custom made window.

It currently has 3 coats of varethane, but the last thing i want, is it too fall apart in the first year being exposed to the elements.

What can i put on the outer frame to keep it looking nice and protect it from the elements other than more varethane ?
I make beeswax candles - would rubbing it with beeswax offer more protection ?  While not discoulouring the wood ?

Thoughts ?

I admit I find Varathane poor for coping with the elements. Have you talked to some boat-owners/builders? That would be my approach, although for me it's a matter of walking down the road... may be harder for you.

Jay Angler wrote: Have you talked to some boat-owners/builders?  

Are you thinking clear coat epoxy ?

Dave Lotte wrote: Are you thinking clear coat epoxy ?

Sorry Dave, the only boat I own is a small fibreglass canoe, so I'm not "thinking" anything! I just know people who own boats and work on docks and boats. Shall I put out feelers? My back field neighbour would be bound to have opinions and has worked on boats ever since he could walk. I also have a friend in Nova Scotia who might have suggestions. She grew up sailing on Lake Ontario, but now is on St Margaret's Bay (the one with Peggy's Cove Lighthouse.)

For some reason, I'd be somewhat hesitant to rely on beeswax. My gut feeling tells me it's not 100% impermiable to moisture.

Perhaps consider looking into SPAR urethane. I have no personal experience with it, but it might work for you.

https://sawsonskates.com/spar-urethane-vs-polyurethane/

Nice window, BTW.

Pete Podurgiel wrote:For some reason, I'd be somewhat hesitant to rely on beeswax. My gut feeling tells me it's not 100% impermiable to moisture.

That is what i am thinking as well.

Pete Podurgiel wrote:
Perhaps consider looking into SPAR urethane. I have no personal experience with it, but it might work for you.

Nice window, BTW.

Thank you. About 6 months too build it.  Will look into it the SPAR.

Jay Angler wrote:

Dave Lotte wrote: Are you thinking clear coat epoxy ?

Sorry Dave, the only boat I own is a small fibreglass canoe,

I can relate.  Built a couple of canoes myself, but when they are stored in a shed full time,  i dont have a chance to test epoxy coatings in full sun 24/7.  
Same with the cedar strip bench, clear coat epoxy, but it is an indoor bench.

This window opens up a new set of challenges.

My understanding from the boat people is the epoxy holds up against water but will slowly degrade in the sun. Waxing and oiling just requires regular maintenance of reapplying as it is degraded by the weather. The advantage it remains relatively uniform in appearance without having to remove previous coats and refinish.

We use UV resistant clear epoxy and or ureathane clears on windows and boats.
It eventually breaks down.
And its hard to remove and redo.
I have found a tung oil based brew with a drier [ terebine] very good.
Like all 'oil' based finishes it needs continual refurbishment.
I do it every 9 months.

Dave Lotte wrote:Had an interesting conversation with a fellow the other day.
I mentioned how this is not exactly a "green building" and so far, the materials used have alot of embodied energy in them.

The surprise came, when he disagreed with me.
He then went on to point out that all regular houses are not built to last - you will have to replace or rebuild them sooner or later - compared to this building, which is a solid, simple structure - all materials are protected from the sun, and the freeze/thaw cycle which really degrades building surfaces - siding, roof...
Add to that the protection from wind storm damage, hail damage, tornadoes - the odds of having to replace parts and add more embodied energy to the structure are greatly reduced compared to a regular house.
He then continued on to point out that a regular house uses up to 40 % of its yearly energy on A/C.  So every summer that i live in this house - protected and cooled by the earthen roof - i am actually SAVING energy since i do not require A/C.
As a side note, he laughed and pointed out that i would never have to deal with severe storm damage, or dealing with insurance companies.
That last one is worth it all !! 😁😁

First of all, Dave, I just discovered your thread and have greatly enjoyed following along with your progress.  Thanks, good luck, and keep posting more pics! : )

Second, as a "green" owner/builder myself, I agree with your "fellow" completely.  Why would you think that your Hobbit Home is not a green building?!  For sure, it is not a "natural materials" building, in the common usage of the phrase, but that is only one way to be green.  In my own case, I decided on an approach that leveraged practicality, smart design, and a mix of "natural materials" techniques and conventional construction techniques.  I'm not finished yet, and gods know I've made mistakes along the way, but I'm confident the results will be 10x greener than the typical North American home.  Certainly my results will be no less green for the number of conventional materials and techniques that I used, so long as I chose them well to support the overall design objectives and to allow me to actually get the job done, including get it approved by my building official!

Here's how I see it...  A successful green home, like any building, must achieve a balance of design parameters that suits the overall design objectives.  The design objectives include the particular home owner's personal ideals and values, desired lifestyle, budget, sense of aesthetics, local climate and environment, local regulations, desired degree of self-sufficiency vs grid reliance, etc.

Just off the top of my head, I'd include among the list of typical design parameters for a green home, in no particular order: momentary energy usage (which is important, for instance, if you are a home energy generator), total lifetime energy usage (should be important to everyone), embodied energy, comfort level, optimal size, durability (you've definitely got this one covered!), maintenance and upkeep requirements, environmental toxicity, sustainability/renewability of materials, sustainability/renewability of inputs (like energy and water), local availability of materials, and practicality of construction.  I'm sure we could come up with more.

Note that embodied energy, which you mentioned above, is only one of many factors to be balanced here.  Personally, I think it is an overrated one.  All of the green building books harp on it endlessly, urging you to minimize embodied energy but failing to offer a perspective on its importance relative to all of the other parameters.  For one thing, using the "greenest" materials and techniques with zero embodied energy is meaningless if you can't find workers who can use them, if you can't use them in a cost-effective way (it's all about man-hours!), or if you can't get your design approved while using them.

For another thing - and I think this is the most important consideration in order to keep things in the proper perspective - I have read that the average building's construction cost = only 11% of its total cost.

I read this years ago, and my notes indicate that I got it from "G.A.L.," but I've forgotten which source these initials stand for : (  But I do know that this statistic represents all structures, residential and commercial.  And obviously this statistic is expressed in $.  But for our conversation, I think a building's total $ cost is a reasonable corollary for its consumption of energy and human effort, and by extension its total impact.

So what does this imply?  That 89% of a building's impact is actually represented by its lifetime operation (overwhelmingly heating and cooling), repair, and maintenance.  So, 89% of its total impact has nothing to do with the embodied energy of its materials.  Embodied energy is only one factor contributing to the 11% portion associated with construction.

It would certainly seem that, if you've done your homework, your design should provide excellent durability while requiring a bare minimum of energy inputs, all while providing very reasonable comfort.  I don't care if you use concrete to achieve those results, Dave, you're plenty green! : )

Also, Dave, I had several questions.  I can't tell from your pics how you fastened the 8x8 cross beams to the header plates atop your steel I-beams?  Particularly the 8x8s on the two side spans that don't sit square onto the header.  Did you just drill through?  I don't see hurricane clips or similar fasteners in any of your pics.

For another question, those 8x8s must have been pricey.  Particularly since you implied they were custom cut for you.  I imagine that you also considered engineered lumber or pre-fabricated joists.  Why did you choose to go with the hefty dimensional lumber instead?  I can see that even unusually shallow joists would have added a lot of height to your ceilings, and they're not aesthetically suited to an exposed application like yours.  But engineered lumber might work.  I used it in two key spans on my own home design.

Finally, still wondering where all of those sandbags will be used...?  Inquiring minds want to know! : )

Matthew Nistico wrote:Also, Dave, I had several questions.  I can't tell from your pics how you fastened the 8x8 cross beams to the header plates atop your steel I-beams?  Particularly the 8x8s on the two side spans that don't sit square onto the header.  Did you just drill through?  I don't see hurricane clips or similar fasteners in any of your pics.

Keeping in mind that the roof is engineered for 50 tons of earth - i will only be putting on 8 inches ( 33 tons ) hurrican clips were not really a prerequisite.....
2x8 planks anchored into the steel, with 4 engineered screws ( 1,000 pound shear strength each ) on each side of each end after shimming if necessary - so, 16 - 4 inch screws on each beam.   If you are on Facebook, look up " daves hobbit home build"  it is all there - in detail.

Matthew Nistico wrote:

For another question, those 8x8s must have been pricey.  Particularly since you implied they were custom cut for you.  I imagine that you also considered engineered lumber or pre-fabricated joists.  Why did you choose to go with the hefty dimensional lumber instead?  I can see that even unusually shallow joists would have added a lot of height to your ceilings, and they're not aesthetically suited to an exposed application like yours.  But engineered lumber might work.

The architect had drawn up the plans at first - with engineered beams and flat roof, but :
1. Earth sheltered homes cannot have flat roofs - it has to slope to allow drainage.
2. I told her to change it, as that is not what i wanted, as i did not want it to look like i was living in my mother's basement.
The inside looks AWESOME.
Picked up the beams from an amish sawmill, about 5,000 $ for 65 - 8x8 beams 12 feet long.  Did not seem like a bad price.
Found out that white pine is a weak wood, so instead of the planned 6x8 beams - the engineer o.kd the plan for 8x8s

Matthew Nistico wrote:

Finally, still wondering where all of those sandbags will be used...?  Inquiring minds want to know!

Keeping this one under wraps for now - filling as many bags now, so when i need them i dont have to stop and wait to fill them.
Your gonna love my next post 😁

230 sandbags filled.
470 empty bags on hand read to go.
600 bags on order.

Switched to white, cheaper to buy.

One .... at ... a .... time.

Had to rent a jackhammer this weekend, to get the darn concrete out of the way for the main sewer line to go in.

Moved a bit of concrete, dug a little dirt - so far so good.

That is some high quality "urbanite" in that first pic.  Very useful for creating flagstone patios and pathways.  I have several such on my property of mixed urbanite, natural flat stones, and chunks of reclaimed brickwork.

With the days fast approaching, where i can take this big styrofoam box i have built, and start to add windows and doors,  watching  L.O.T.R last night, and noticed in one of the interior shots, that on some of the round interior doors - they have made bi-fold round doors....
I may have to put in a round door or two inside, just to see how these would work.... of course i would have to make a wall pocket for a clean fit...

The last 600 sand bags for this year, have arrived!  I now have 1,070 empty sand bags to fill on hand ( 1,000 should use up the 22 tons of sand )

I know people want to know, but untill i get to the point were i can use em, we will have to wait.  It is a few months off as of yet and i got a bit a sand shoveling to do....

Took the opportunity to add in a personal "gift" message in each box.   Hope i made somebodies day over at Amazon.

Have had different people mention ....

Nothing is happening,  you give up ?
Nothing is moving, why not ?
When is it going to get done ??

Well, the waterproofing needs hot weather to stick down, so that is out ( for now)....
Did not want to cut into the side of the house when its cold outside, so that was out....

Unofficially, May the first is the start of the building season....  so lets rock !
Front door opening  is 6'6 inch outside, and a full 7 foot inside dimensions.
Now that the warm weather is here, round custom made window installation is next, since the custom round door and hinges may take a while....

We will see how the back feels in the a.m.

Dave Lotte wrote:Have had different people mention ....

Nothing is happening,  you give up ?
Nothing is moving, why not ?
When is it going to get done ??

Yes, I find it is a constant that other people - who often would never in their lives even attempt a project of such magnitude - love to harp on your perceived lack of progress!

Dave Lotte wrote:Front door opening  is 6'6 inch outside, and a full 7 foot inside dimensions.

So, your round front door will open swinging to the interior?

Some people have no appreciation for the vagaries of Ontario weather.

Ottawa only has 2 seasons...  winter and construction!

Matthew Nistico wrote:

Dave Lotte wrote:Front door opening  is 6'6 inch outside, and a full 7 foot inside dimensions.

So, your round front door will open swinging to the interior?

Yes, interior swing direction.

After far more tinkering and fiddling around then i would have liked , the custom, home made,  26 inch, stained glass,  round window is in its PERMANENT home.  

Time for a rest.

Dave Lotte wrote:

Matthew Nistico wrote:

Dave Lotte wrote:Front door opening  is 6'6 inch outside, and a full 7 foot inside dimensions.

So, your round front door will open swinging to the interior?

Yes, interior swing direction.

Well, that is accurate to the source material, at least as portrayed by Peter Jackson.  But it will eat into your interior floorspace a bit.  It is a big door, after all.

The window looks lovely!

Matthew Nistico wrote:
Well, that is accurate to the source material, at least as portrayed by Peter Jackson.  But it will eat into your interior floorspace a bit.  It is a big door, after all.

The window looks lovely!

Thank you.

Some people are surprised when i tell them that i am not actually trying to follow the movies....
Round front window just looks cool.
Round door ? Love the challenge of just getting it to work.

As for interior or exterior swing, i have already built a shed with a 7 foot round door - the door is 8 inches or so off the ground on the shed - and it was still a challenge to open and close it in the winter.
The house door will be set down into an in ground front porch- which i am guessing will collect snow at one point or another....
Just makes sense, want to get out of your house, especially in winter ? Interior swing.

Of course i am not saying i may regret this decision later on, but for now, it makes sense.
And, if you need the floor space to play twister, close the darn door ! 😁

Dave Lotte wrote:As for interior or exterior swing, i have already built a shed with a 7 foot round door - the door is 8 inches or so off the ground on the shed - and it was still a challenge to open and close it in the winter.
The house door will be set down into an in ground front porch- which i am guessing will collect snow at one point or another...

Ahhh, excellent thinking.  Where I live and build, I don't put too much thought into snow.  We get some snow, but accumulation is minimal and short lived.

And, so it begins ....

Small earth moving project.

Time to test out the tracked power wheelbarrow - 1100 lb. Capacity - hydraulic lift - 6 speed tranny.

Works good.   Almost time to bury a house !

One of the "little " projects i have to do before burying this home, is too install the main sewer line from the old house to the new.

Found the pipe inside the house ...
Finally found the pipe outside the house as well.
Now to get the trench dug down to that level all the way to the old house ... as this is where i guess T mated it would be so long ago...

I have been getting alot of compliments on this window, and i have to say, it is very much appreciated.

But ....

I have to tell people, that after making up the window buck to hopefully the right size, then telling the concrete guys to place the buck in hopefully the right location, then installing the steel panels that are not a full 48 inches wide, but 36.5 wide and hope that everything lines up....
If you look at the top and bottom pieces of wood in the frame, you will notice it lines up dead center of the window.

Nice looking window ? You betcha.   Me, i am just damn glad it worked 😂😂😂🙌

Its official, they are now part of the Hobbit Home.

Waterproofing done.

After realizing that i had purchased some MONSTER caulking tubes, had to go out and pick up a caulking gun for a 13 in tube on Saturday.
On Sunday, peeled back the white liner and caulked all the year old seams on the left side after washing to clean off the dirt.  - some of which had stuck to the tarps - so when i removed the tarps, some of the edging came with it.
FIXED.
Then a marathon 7 hour day on Sunday to get it ready for the next step.
Found out i had a small leak in my back porch, when i investigated, it was pretty obvious - see pictures...
FIXED.

First 3 layers are on, onto the next one !

10 inch thick roof foam arrived, time to put the puzzle together...

10 inch thick, R 42 insulation installed.
Onto the next step !  Drainage.

Drainage matting installed !

Almost ready for the 33 tons of earth.

I'm unfamiliar with your "drainage mat" product.  Could you give a nutshell description of how it works?

Amazing how all of a sudden, great progress is made! That insulation should make a huge difference to temperature swings.

Jay Angler wrote:Amazing how all of a sudden, great progress is made.....

I tend not to advertise when i have 10,000 $ worth of materials just layin around.
Now that it is fairly secure i can post updates. 😁
But, yes most of this was in the last 2 weeks - the parts are here, get off my butt and get er done !

Matthew Nistico wrote:I'm unfamiliar with your "drainage mat" product.  Could you give a nutshell description of how it works?

Regular dimple board looks like an egg carton kind of thing....  this product i have here is the same material, except that it has a cloth or a mesh welded to the tops of the dimples.
The mesh is for vertical walls ( used all around the hobbit home walls ) and the cloth is for horizontal surfaces (used on the roof of the hobbit home )
It makes an actual physical space for the water to travel down to the perimeter drain.
The theory is - give the water an easier path and it will go that way.

Dave Lotte wrote: The theory is - give the water an easier path and it will go that way.

And I am hoping you'll report back in 5 years to inform us how closely theory and reality are matching!

In the short term, I know Ottawa, Ont is in the path of major rainstorms from the leftovers of a recent hurricane. Are you expecting significant rainfall where you are building?