Cabin Design - Seeking your ideas

[balefulstare]

Yeah, a combi boiler would be the way to go for a small space for sure. I've heard good things about Navien but i've never installed any myself. I generally install Viessmann, they've been super reliable for me. They have a heat exchanger add-on for the Vitodens 100 boiler which i've been pretty happy with but they have a dedicated combi coming out this year apparently.

As far as installing infloor tubing I can't stress enough how important fully insulating the slab is, especially the perimeter. You should have no slab to footing/foundation contact at all. A common technique to avoid having to do a funky notch in the foundation is to rip 2" styro on an angle leaving 1/2" on the top edge that will be flush with the slab surface, that way drywall & baseboard will cover it. (last example in pic)

[Viva]

Sweet layout, Wendigo. I may use that design, or a variation of it, on my new place. It would suit my needs (and future needs) pretty nicely.

[riser4]

It's like killing a fire in a huge brick fireplace. The fire may be out but the bricks are still heating as they are super hot.

And the opposite problem. It takes forever to heat up in the first place if it is off or out.

[Name Redacted]

Our in floor radiant is staple up in a crawl space. Insulated with normal pink insulation. Supposedly it isn't the best way to do it but works great for us and our utility bills are very low. Also makes it easily accessible. We also have a Vermont castings natural gas fireplace that is on a thermostat. This helps the radiant keep up and not fluctuate as much or have to work so hard. Works great for us.

[balefulstare]

I would not want in floor heat anywhere the temperature fluctuates. My in laws just built a place with radiant heat (is that in floor? Apologies if not I'm not good with the terms)

Anyhow if it gets warm and the system or you shut off the floor heat it's still gonna be warm and cooling very slow making it that much harder to stay comfy.

It's like killing a fire in a huge brick fireplace. The fire may be out but the bricks are still heating as they are super hot.

This can happen but less of an issue in a well insulated building, especially if you employ some passive solar building practices ie. shading of south windows to block high summer sun and allow in low winter sun & minimizing the use of west facing windows. As well any infloor heating system needs to be regulated by an outdoor temperature compensated control (most new boilers have this built in) so the colder it gets outside the warmer the water gets being circulated in the floor. Just having a thermostat for control will have large temperature swings as the boiler will be set at a static high temp and the thermostat will struggle to control it and inevitably overshoot.

[wendigo]

Thanks for the heating info, I like the bevel cut insulation method - hadn't seen that before. We are aware of the pros and cons of infloor heat (lag times, etc.) if the place were only going to be a garage I would just throw a minisplit and a woodstove in there and call it good. A concrete floor is a substantial mass and hanging out on one for a winter with only forced air heat isn't really fun or cozy. Plus a warm floor is a great place to dry out ski clothes. Plus if it gets to hot, I'll just open a garage door.

Current plan is to set it up as 1 zone with 2 loops, definitely leaning toward the combi/indirect type system due to the small scale (and I don't wan't to drink water that has been sitting in my floor for an extended period of time). The number of companies pitching radiant systems and the number of different types of boilers and systems is a bit off-putting for a diy hack like me.

[iceman]

Do you have gas at the property? We put in a Lochinvar condensing gas unit that's driving both radiant in the lower level and forced air upstairs, it seems like a good product and was well-reviewed, no issues after 2 heating seasons. Not sure if they make propane versions or not.

[wendigo]

propane, oil, or electric - leaning toward propane.

[iceman]

I just looked it up and Lochinvar units can be ordered for either Natural Gas or Propane if you're interested in them.

[Dromond]

Does any special thought need to go into a garage door being installed in a residential space for a cold climate? I ask only because most I've seen before don't look especially well sealed or insulated.

[::: :::]

You can get insulated doors, but they will not have an air seal any better than any other roll up door.

That said, better to have an insulated door than not...

[wendigo]

Roof goes on this week. Be dried in soon.
Roof got pushed up to 3:12 instead of the 2:12 I wanted - simply for ease of building a metal roof that will last. Other than that it is basically the same as the design previously posted. The spaces at the top of the walls (and down the middle) are reserved for big ass glulams.
Likely going with the Navien combi boiler for the 3 loops of heating and dhw.

[bad dancer]

Glad this thread got bumped. I thought I posted my wood stove earlier but could not find it.
Sunk a piece of stainless into the floor for my hearth. Sweeping is a breeze. My firewood box has now been replaced with a sexy stell box rather than the wooden one pictured.

[Skidog]

Roof goes on this week. Be dried in soon.
Roof got pushed up to 3:12 instead of the 2:12 I wanted - simply for ease of building a metal roof that will last. Other than that it is basically the same as the design previously posted. The spaces at the top of the walls (and down the middle) are reserved for big ass glulams.
Likely going with the Navien combi boiler for the 3 loops of heating and dhw.

Do me a favor. If anything check my buddies new venture might be able to get yourself in the beta testing for free.

https://coleforgestoves.com

Sent from my Pixel 2 using TGR Forums mobile app

[DougW]

How big is your footprint and how high are your piers ? I'm trying to decide what to do whith my next project. It will be a 6 foot drop over 36' in one corner. not sure if i want to go that high with tubes. i'm considering a concrete pony wall in that corner and build up off of it.

missed question, cabin is 20' by 32' with 3 rows of piers some one mid span on the 20' , piers each row 4. top of pier 4' above grade

[bad dancer]

Had a chance to put some finishing touches on the outdoor kitchen.
I used a rough board form for the counter supports. turned out pretty cool.
Just need to drop in the sink and put the fixtures in.

[RustyGroomer]

Glad this thread got bumped. I thought I posted my wood stove earlier but could not find it.
Sunk a piece of stainless into the floor for my hearth. Sweeping is a breeze. My firewood box has now been replaced with a sexy stell box rather than the wooden one pictured.

These little squirrel stoves are awesome. Mine.

[bad dancer]

Love my squirrel !
It is in installed to code with only 4 inches to the back wall.
Great heat and low profile. My place is so small that I simply cant have it stick out into the room too much.

[bad dancer]

Is that copper in the back ? It looks good.

[RustyGroomer]

yes, copper. While I don't know the science behind it. It stays cool to the touch always. I cut more 10-12" wood than anything else. Fun to see how little wood I can actually heat the room with.

[mcski]

Timely bump. That squirrel stove looks awesome. I need something small like that. Looks like that about as small a foot print as possible for a wood burning stove?

[RootSkier]

wendigo to the update courtesy phone...

[iceman]

This was probably mentioned earlier in the thread but it's a good site: https://cabinporn.com

just page down. Don't click on the book (unless you want to buy it!)

[BobMc]

I’ve recently bought some land down on the C section of the Green river. It started as a possible camping spot to park my trailer, I thought I may have been able to skirt some laws while I hoped to buy enough land to build. It’s a strange hodge podge of 1/4 acres lots where you have to have 6 to build.

Within a month of buying I was presented with the opportunity to buy the coveted sixth lot, Looks like I’ll have enough lots to build within a couple months.

It’s in the middle of nowhere, but yet central to some of the best trout fishing in the state of Utah. There isn’t much of anything worth a lot of money out where my land is located. I’m thinking of putting something nice out there ( for me), two bedrooms plus loft.

I’ve got the full on buy in from my wife, she likes this as something our kids can use and like as they get older.

Our house here in SLC is almost paid for, we’ve lived here for 25+ years. We can easily refi to a lower rate while grabbing enough cash to fund the build. I’m still not sure if this is a good idea, but fuck it I’m going for it.

I’ve been dithering between log cabins or steel buildings, may go with this build.

https://imaginekithomes.com/plans/bangalow/

I like the steel structure, they have a lofted version that puts it into the three bedroom realm. I know I’m going to have a lot of shit to deal with in regards to water/septic and other regs.

My first instinct was to buy a log cabin kit, but I’m liking the steel version better. This will be a cabin we’ll use a few weeks a year. We’ve discussed making it a tradition to do Thanksgiving out there every year.

Has anyone done one of the steel home kits? Or any advice on the build process?

These are my lots, I’m still hoping to buy the other two to make it an 8 lot even parcel.

[Vt-Freeheel]

Bangalow? Oh boy, who cums up with these names. Looks solid to me, get the high ceilings and hard siding.