With a break in bad weather, it was high time to get going on installing the siding. Tyvek water resistant barriers are designed to be protected by siding and will break down if they are left uncovered for too long. …

Step 21 – Install Exterior Siding Read more »

Nearly 4 months ago I posted that I was dried in, and it wasn’t a lie.  The water resistant barrier was fully continuous across the entire surface area of the house.  What I left out was the fact that I …

Step 20 – Install the French Doors Read more »

Thanksgiving break was the perfect time to give the concrete a few days to cure, and although it takes about a month to cure fully, it is already at about 60% strength now and that will be plenty to support …

Step 18b – Complete the Deck Frame Read more »

I figured that the most accurate way to position the footings for the deck would be to assemble the frame, ensure it is level and square, and then hang a plumb bob down where the center of the post will …

Step 18a – Deck Ledger and Footing Forms Read more »

Since I moved out on my own, I have had the opportunity to live in 7 different houses/apartments.  I would say all of them except the first one (you’ve got to start somewhere, right?) had a really nice feature that …

Step 18 – 2nd Story Walk Out Deck Read more »

Door installation began by first checking that the rough opening was the correct size.  I caught a mistake that I had made here, as my rough opening was unfortunately one inch short.  I had to either install a smaller door …

Step 16d – Final Touches to Complete Dry-In Read more »

The last section of the house to be dried in are the gable ends.  The gable end trusses cover an area of the house that is not heated, so it doesn’t need to be insulated.  For this reason, I won’t …

Step 16c – Sheathe/WRB the Gable Ends Read more »

Windows allow heat to enter the home via radiation from the sun, and allow heat to both enter and exit the home via conduction (windows are much better conductors of heat than insulated walls).  To mitigate this issue, I paid …

Step 16b – Install the Windows Read more »

With the house completely wrapped in a cozy layer of polyiso foam, I was now prepared to add the water resistant barrier.  The Tyvek WRB comes in a 9 foot roll, and should be stretched taut across the surface of …

Step 16a – Attach the WRB Read more »

The roof has been doing a fine job protecting the house, but as there is a ton of wind in my area, the walls are just as vital to preventing water from damaging the house.  The plywood sheathing has been …

Step 16 – Complete “Dry-In” Read more »