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Modern eco cabin ideas

VG SERE

VG SERE

Yellow Skull
Joined
May 28, 2020
Member Number
1621
Messages
204
It's 2021 what's out there for semi prefab high efficiency building construction?

Wife and I are thinking a cabin for mostly fall/ winter recreation. Probably off grid. It's always been a dream to kinda capture the feel of a rifugio that was in the mountains above our place in Marsure, Italy. It was a solid stone structure, and with the altitude, shade and wind was a wonderful respite from the heat in the summer. It also was tight as a crypt with 2ft thick walls, even with the ancient windows and doors. (exterior shutters helped). No idea how old it was or how it was built. The only access I knew off was a hiking trail. (A ancient abandoned tracked Ferrari tractor did kind of mark the trail at the bottom.)

Europe has some cool stuff. Prefab "straw bale" panels. I'd be down to build a lego house out of panels if I had a solid stucco contractor.
https://ecococon.eu/gb/the-panel

I know we have SIP, but I've never seen or heard of anyone actually doing one.

I've seen a couple ICF houses and they are amazing, but costly.

No shipping containers, I've lived in them and they suck. Like really suck.
 
A friend of mine lives in 2 reefer trailers welded together with the middle walls cut out. Set them on I beams, on concrete columns. Has an enclosed lean to off the back for laundry/mechanical.
 
I’d think that straw would be a nightmare for someone with any kind of allergies.

what’s your goal? Natural? Or natural look but enjoyment and longevity?
 
Kyle said:
I’d think that straw would be a nightmare for someone with any kind of allergies.

what’s your goal? Natural? Or natural look but enjoyment and longevity?
Click to expand...

Efficient, low maintenance and longevity. Something that doesn't require 10 cords of wood to keep livable through the winter. Doesn't turn into a oven in the summer. Small, 1 or 2 bed, loft for kids/ guests. 1 dining/ kitchen area. No "living room". Simple box. Preferably something that will weather forest fires and DEEP snow.

We currently have a place we use during the summer, and have a portaloo delivered and maintained. It's awesome and simple. Thinking having one on a covered deck near the cabin so you don't have to slog through snow in the night. Smell is not a concern in the winter and they are serviced weekly in the summer. After experiencing shttiers in the 120+ heat of the Middle East and Africa I was skeptical, but apparently not having TCNs maintain them and normal temps make all the difference. Ours is always clean and hasn't smelled yet.
 
Kyle said:
I’d think that straw would be a nightmare for someone with any kind of allergies.
Click to expand...
THe straw is coated inside and out with plaster, the only way you know it is straw is the over think walls and it is traditional to leave a small section viewable generally beihind a piece of glass.
They aren't as cheap to build these days, back when they were first brought back to light you could sometimes get bales for 10cents or less now you are looking at $10.00 +
 
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Squamch said:
A friend of mine lives in 2 reefer trailers welded together with the middle walls cut out. Set them on I beams, on concrete columns. Has an enclosed lean to off the back for laundry/mechanical.
Click to expand...

:smokin:did you say REEFER:smokin:?


COOOOOLLLL MMAAAANNN:smokin:
 
SIP's is probably the best for what you want unless you can access the site and have foam sprayed.
Design it, have the panels pre cut and haul them to the site, erect, live long and prosper :)
This gives you options for interior and exterior finishes as well.
 
I did 2x6 walls on 16” centers, r19 insulation with 7/16ths OSB decking on both sides. And every sheet was glued with construction adhesive. Then I did a house wrap and r panel metal for siding and the roof.
My land is at 8000’ sees real high winds and was burned 15 years or so ago. So I have cleared off about 5 acres and made the cabin pretty much fire proof.
 
I have a customer that built his house into the side of a hill out of used tires. He filled them with dirt and put stucco on the inside and out, (I'd assume with a moisture barrier). He says it stays in the high 60's/ low 70s year round in central Texas.
 
SPEEDEMON55 said:
I have a customer that built his house into the side of a hill out of used tires. He filled them with dirt and put stucco on the inside and out, (I'd assume with a moisture barrier). He says it stays in the high 60's/ low 70s year round in central Texas.
Click to expand...

I've looked into this, but people all seem to say the same thing; you take 20 minutes, minimum, to hammer a single tire full of dirt

I'd rather spend the couple thousand on plywood formed concrete than the months of hard labor hammering tires full of dirt
 
[486 said:
;n296623]

I've looked into this, but people all seem to say the same thing; you take 20 minutes, minimum, to hammer a single tire full of dirt

I'd rather spend the couple thousand on plywood formed concrete than the months of hard labor hammering tires full of dirt
Click to expand...

I thought about using a jack hammer with a 6x6 flat compacting bit set up. i have been wanting to do my pole barn back wall for years.
 
dig hole in ground, add concrete if you are rich or form thick 12" interior and 2'+ exterior walls out of dirt with added clay if you don't have any in the dirt if you are poor, use dead trees for roof support over span, or concrete if you are rich, rebury with dirt :smokin:

add heat in the winter as required from burning wood in a large central heat sink.
 
gunracer1 said:
I thought about using a jack hammer with a 6x6 flat compacting bit set up. i have been wanting to do my pole barn back wall for years.
Click to expand...

they make these pneumatic fill tampers that guys use to speed up the process, but they just look like tennis elbow and carpal tunnel all in one torturous device

I've been thinking of cutting the top sidewall out so you don't have to tuck the dirt underneath it, then just use soil cement so that you don't need to do nearly so much compaction. Probably just run the plate compactor over them all in a row, then toss up the next row of tires, fill with the loader bucket, compactor, next row...
 
He's only been telling my coworker and I to come look at it for 3 years. He's an old retired guy with plenty of time on his hands. I just hope he gets to enjoy it for a while once it's finished. He's been living in a travel trailer with his wife since he started. :eek::eek:
 
SPEEDEMON55 said:
I have a customer that built his house into the side of a hill out of used tires. He filled them with dirt and put stucco on the inside and out, (I'd assume with a moisture barrier). He says it stays in the high 60's/ low 70s year round in central Texas.
Click to expand...

Got pic's? That sounds interesting.
 
What about precast concrete sandwhich panels? 3" concrete 3" of foam and 3" of concrete. 4 walls with all of the cutouts for doors and windows with conduit and boxes already set wouldnt be that much. Use SIPs for the roof. You pour a footer and set the precast right on it. Once the walls are in you pour the slab.
 
bigun said:
THe straw is coated inside and out with plaster, the only way you know it is straw is the over think walls and it is traditional to leave a small section viewable generally beihind a piece of glass.
They aren't as cheap to build these days, back when they were first brought back to light you could sometimes get bales for 10cents or less now you are looking at $10.00 +
Click to expand...

I keep seeing these mentioned by people but can't help but think that with all the moisture around here you'd pretty quickly have hollow stucco walls with some dirt in the bottom.
 
[486 said:
;n296651]

they make these pneumatic fill tampers that guys use to speed up the process, but they just look like tennis elbow and carpal tunnel all in one torturous device

I've been thinking of cutting the top sidewall out so you don't have to tuck the dirt underneath it, then just use soil cement so that you don't need to do nearly so much compaction. Probably just run the plate compactor over them all in a row, then toss up the next row of tires, fill with the loader bucket, compactor, next row...
Click to expand...

You don't need to compact CDF....:flipoff2:
 
cdf
cement dirt fill?
I dunno I've always heard that you compact soil cement. maybe if you use more cement in it than the absolute minimum it'll bond together good enough without compaction?
 
Check out Kingspan insulated panels if you're ok with a warehouse look with excellent insulation properties or "project frog" for panelized.
 
Stuck said:
What about precast concrete sandwhich panels? 3" concrete 3" of foam and 3" of concrete. 4 walls with all of the cutouts for doors and windows with conduit and boxes already set wouldnt be that much. Use SIPs for the roof. You pour a footer and set the precast right on it. Once the walls are in you pour the slab.
Click to expand...

I’m down with ICF building.

Putting together 2’x4’ foam Legos is easy.
 
or see if you can find a deal on some freezer board. metal on either side with a foam core. I had a buddy build a deer stand the other day, pretty impressive to say the least.

28AC039A-BD54-4E8B-9554-19F4A54AE076.jpeg
 
I wonder what the current cost of ICF and SIP roof vs stick framed now that a 2x4 cost 7 bucks? I dig icf, wired a few homes like that and it’s a stout building method.
 
I'd be down with ICF, but site access is a huge factor. Pump truck+ lots of concrete trucks. Not an option in a couple spots we are looking at.

Like the SIP idea. Box+single pitch roof, cover the whole thing in metal. Enjoy

Kinda out on stick built, they just suck for thermal regulation. We just throw so much cheap energy at them they work.
 
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