A frame house is a structure that is built with wood instead of concrete or brick. Despite the name, these structures do not have to be rectangular in shape. They can come in many different shapes, sizes, and styles. The purpose of these buildings is for them to be heavy and strong enough for public use.
The first thing a homeowner needs to do when building a house frame is find a strong and dependable contractor. A professional will help the homeowner plan their home and make sure the planning line up with their budget.A builder must understand that building a home requires full commitment, knowledge, experience and dedication.
Building an A-frame house can be a very fun and rewarding project, but it’s important to take the process step by step. If you don’t know everything there is to know about carpentry, it may be wise to hire a contractor or architect who does. Still, if you’re up for the task of building your own home from the ground up and want something with a small footprint (or just like building things with weird shapes), here are all of the steps you’ll need to take in order to build your own A-frame house.
Step 1: Prepare solid foundation
- Make sure the ground is level.
- Make sure the foundation is strong enough to support the house.
- Make sure the foundation is strong enough to support the weight of snow during winter months and other natural disasters such as tornados or hurricanes in certain areas of America.
Step 2: Build the main frame
The main frame is the skeleton of your house. With this step, you’ll be using a 2 x 6 for the main frame and attaching it to the A frames with nails and screws. Attach all four corners by stretching a long piece of string from one corner to another. Use a level to make sure the string is perfectly straight, then use two 2 x 4s as guides for where you need to nail/screw your vertical supports into place. Your framing square should be used here as well; at each corner, place it against the sideboard and then align its edge with your guide marks (you should have four of them). Once everything is aligned properly, hammer in one nail at each corner point.
Step 3: Build the side walls
Side walls can be made of 2-by-4s, 2-by-6s or even 2x8s. You’ll need to cut the boards to length based on how tall you want your walls. If you’re building an A-frame house with two stories, measure the height of your frame (from ground level) and make sure that when you place your side wall board against the horizontal member (a piece of lumber spanning between two vertical posts), the board is flush with it at both ends.
Once all four side walls are assembled, attach them to each post using screws and washers. Securely attaching these boards will help prevent them from wiggling out over time if someone leans against one while walking by – which could cause serious injury.
Step 4: Start building the roof
- Build the Roof
The next step is to build the roof rafters. The rafters will be attached to the main frame and then covered in sheathing, which you can buy at your local hardware store or home center. Once this has been done, you will need to install shingles on top of it all.
Step 5: Put on the roof
- Attaching the roofing material to the purlins:
- Attach shingles or tiles to the top of each rafter with nails or screws (or bolts and nuts if you’re using metal sheets). If you’re using shingles, determine where they’ll go before drilling holes so your pattern will be even.
- Use a nail gun/brad nailer to secure plywood sheathing over plywood subflooring. This step helps protect against leaks and rot in your home’s structure.
Step 6: Attach facia boards and drip edge
You’ll need to attach the facia boards to the outside of your house. Use a hammer and nails to attach them along the top edge of each wall panel.
Also, install drip edge on all four sides before installing the facia boards. A drip edge is a board that creates a drip line to prevent water from running down the walls.
It’s best if you can do this step before attaching your roofing materials because it will be easier to work with when it’s on its own
Step 7: Exterior siding
Now that your frame is in place and you’ve installed your ridge, it’s time to add siding. Siding is the material you use to cover the outside of your house. It can be made from wood, vinyl or aluminum and available in a variety of colors and textures. Exterior siding is available in many thicknesses as well; most commonly 1/2-inch, 3/4-inch or 1-inch thick panels are used on A-frame houses.
To install siding on an A-frame house:
- Cut into each corner piece with a circular saw (or reciprocating saw) so that they fit snugly around each corner post or rafter post. Do this before installing any other pieces if possible because it will make installation easier later on down the line but it’s not required if you don’t want too wait until then.
Step 8: Install windows and doors (and flashing)
Install your windows and doors. Windows and doors should be installed on the outside of your house, but if you want to install them on the inside, go for it. You can also install them on the side or front of your house. This is totally up to you.
Step 9a : Plumbing
Plumbing is an integral part of any structure, but it can be especially important in A-frame houses because you’re working with a limited amount of space. In this step, we’ll discuss the basics of plumbing and how to get started on your plumbing system.
Plumbing codes help ensure that the pipes are properly installed and maintained so that people are safe from potential dangers such as toxic gases or bursting pipes (which can lead to flooding). The plumbing inspector ensures that your home complies with these codes before approving it for occupancy.
When choosing which type of water supply system to use for your house, keep these points in mind:
- Do you want rainwater harvesting? Rainwater harvesting systems collect rainwater from rooftops into underground cisterns where it’s stored until needed by the house. If there’s no roof space available for instance when building an A-frame house you’ll need another type of water supply instead!
- How will you dispose of wastewater? Some cities don’t allow septic tanks near homes; if this is the case where you live then consider getting a sewage pump instead.
Water heaters provide hot water at all times through heating coils connected directly into radiators throughout your home; however they require electricity which means having enough power outlets nearby before installing one into each room.
Step 9b : Electrical wiring
The electrical wiring of your A-frame house is the next step in building it. You will need to wire the house and install any electrical panels, sub-panels, breakers, switches, light fixtures and outlets. In addition you will also have to install plugs for power tools and thermostats as well as smoke detectors if you don’t have them already installed in other parts of your home.
Building an A-frame house is really not too difficult, but it does require some basic knowledge of carpentry. You may want to hire a general contractor who has experience with these types of houses.
Building an A-frame house is really not too difficult, but it does require some basic knowledge of carpentry. You may want to hire a general contractor who has experience with these types of houses.
If you want to do this project yourself, you’ll need the following materials:
- 2 sheets of plywood (1/2″ thickness) – 48″ x 96″
- Two 4 x 8 sheets of OSB or plywood for ceiling (1/2” thickness) – 48” x 96”
- One 4 x 8 sheet pine lumber for floor joists (23/32″) – 48″ x 96″
- Two 4 x 8 sheets pine lumber for floor joists (11/16″) – 48″ x 96″
- One 4 x 12 piece 1-3/4 inch thick structural foam insulation board across the top plate(s) on each side wall to create a roof decking surface that will support roof rafters. This will help keep heat inside your home warmer in winter months and cooler in summer months.
Final words
Building an A-frame house is really not too difficult, but it does require some basic knowledge of carpentry. You may want to hire a general contractor who has experience with these types of houses.
