Building A House A Different Way

[LoveDaBlues]

What on earth is a stick built house? i have worked in the construction industry for more than 50 years and I have never heard this term used.

That's a very common phrase at least in the US Midwest. It simply means a house that is built board by board with each piece of lumber nailed in. Years ago the standard construction was studs 16 inches on center with floor joists normally 12 inches on center. Prefab roof trusses have been around for a long time now and are very strong. Over the years things have changed and everything has been cheapened. Normal construction now for walls have gone to 24 inch centers unless building codes won't allow it.

In the South USA were I'm from it's a common term; sorry I forgot this is the WWW.

Gary said it nicely.

Basically, it's a wooden framed home.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Gary ask "Can you apply stucco to Foam?"

You can if you first wrap it with chicken wire to make the stucco stick. Done quite a bit in Florida and Arizona.

[Gary A]

Gary ask "Can you apply stucco to Foam?"

You can if you first wrap it with chicken wire to make the stucco stick. Done quite a bit in Florida and Arizona.

What I actually had in mind was to use hollow core cement block and then spray on PU foam. For the interior I'd like to stucco right over the foam. A couple inches of foam would give me about an R 12 insulation rating in addition to making the wall thicker so I can use better windows. I'd hate to see the stucco fall off after it set up.

[yorkman]

why bother with "cheap" construction methods better suited to the Australian Outback?

Ahh, ignorance is a bliss & a curse.

Only a Pom could come out with a pearl like that.

Which "Pom"?? .. confused

Ahem... I have nothing against the original idea, but it does look a bit, shall we say, crude

Of course the Thai have no idea, they have never had other than a crude shack here (tongue in cheek, for those that will deliberately misinterprate). Just see what those (Thai) that have the opportunity would prefer.

Ahh well, I hope the business venture with the oblique advertising goes well

[erikr_]

Ahh well, I hope the business venture with the oblique advertising goes well

he is indeed suddenly very silent since the exposure

[yorkman]

Ahh well, I hope the business venture with the oblique advertising goes well

he is indeed suddenly very silent since the exposure

Hmm yes...

It's a shame people cannot be honest sometimes. A decent product with value for money annoys nobody, providing they reveal their interest.....

Ahh well..

Edited December 12, 2007 by yorkman

[joeuk1]

Well i hope we get to see the photos of when its finished , i feel its a good product and will do well in Thailand .

JB

[thai_narak]

8,000 baht/meter, is this cheaper than bricks or hollow blocks? i'm planning to build a "dirty kitchen" attached at the back of the new house i bought maybe around 3x4 meters quite similar to the photo provided in the link. this will end up less than 96,000 baht is that right? i already have a good kitchen inside the house but i want 1 more with just a normal thai stove and a simple sink that i don't have to take care of.

Edited December 13, 2007 by thai_narak

[MrSquigle]

with slightly more character can be done for the same....

John

'Slightly' more character is the understatement of the year.

Nothing at all wrong with using the steel frames, many bonus points, but the finishing certainly has the trailer park look and if that is what you want, then fine.

I have a little bit of taste, even though I do like the odd cask drop.

I have lived and worked in the tropics for 20 odd of the last 28 years, particulalry outback oz and I have yet to enter a steel or wood studded home and find it cooler than a properly built stone/concrete one.

I also have plans for a 600sqm house, whats wrong with that ?? I prefer big and open rather than a small dogbox.....and as for cleaning it....really for 5k a month who cares.

[Gary A]

with slightly more character can be done for the same....

John

'Slightly' more character is the understatement of the year.

Nothing at all wrong with using the steel frames, many bonus points, but the finishing certainly has the trailer park look and if that is what you want, then fine.

I have a little bit of taste, even though I do like the odd cask drop.

I have lived and worked in the tropics for 20 odd of the last 28 years, particulalry outback oz and I have yet to enter a steel or wood studded home and find it cooler than a properly built stone/concrete one.

I also have plans for a 600sqm house, whats wrong with that ?? I prefer big and open rather than a small dogbox.....and as for cleaning it....really for 5k a month who cares.

At 600 square meters you will have plenty of room for her family. My wife and I consider 120 square meters just right for the two of us and any bigger than that she feels would be a waste of space and just more work for her. Different strokes for different folks. I happen to value my privacy. Family and maids invade that privacy.

[MrSquigle]

I value my privacy also, but I also value it with wifey and kids rather than having her running around cleaning crap all day.

I was the same when we first moved here, I thought a live in would ruin it all and there goes any chance of nookies on the sofa....well the kids finished that more than any nanny or maid. But we still had a shag on the sofa outside 2 months ago....in daylight too.....also had a shag in the garden last monday at 5.45am coming home...so not all bad.

Anyway, I got used to it and the privacy is not an issue at all now, I prefer to have the advantages that a maid/nanny bring us than not.

This 600sqm house is inclusive of a lot of outdoor areas, large undercover living entertaining, relaxing areas. I also like it big, lots of space between walls and big windows for the views etc. We also have kids, having one more one day soon and I am even thinking to adopt twins. So space will be essential then.

If everyone had the same ideas and likes, it would be a boring place....in fact the world might look like a trailer park all over.

[Gary A]

A bedroom 4 meters by 5 meters is a good size bedroom for a kid. So if you have six kids all with their own bedroom that is 120 square meters. Your master bedroom is huge at 6 by 6, that's another 36 so with all the bedrooms you have used up 156 square meters. You have living room 8 by 8. Now you need a 60 inch TV to be able to see it from across the room. The kitchen can be small because the maid will cook outside as long as it is under roof. So let's say you have used 300 square meters total for the house. What could you possibly use the other 300 square meters for? That other 300 square meters will make a decent sized dance hall.

[yorkman]

What messes up your calculation here Gary, although it does add to your argument, is that you don't have kids in Thailand.

Six kids six bedrooms? That's not how it works, they certainly will WANT to share, even if it means some on the floor. You just need the rooms for storage space for all their "stuff".

Having said all that, I have 4 in the house, plus a stayover neice (or 3 ) and at near 300 sq metres it does not feel over large, and don't forget bathrooms, minimum 2 for me, in fact we have 3.

If you add on top generous outdoor covered areas, maid accommadation (we don't have, see free neice above ), well 600 sq metres is a lot, but I can understand it going in that direction.

[MrSquigle]

Dance hall....good idea.

The thing is the space, I am building a house around 430sqm now and while it is nice open and spacious, it is not overly large, nothing is wasted.

The master bedroom alone is about 75sqm.

The 600sqm incorporates all outdoor undercover type areas also, so it is not 600sqm made up of bedrooms and living areas. In reality I had it planned out at 800sqm when I roughly totaled up the meterage, then cut it back to 600sqm.

Anyway, the idea...for me...is I like it with big open spaces and you just cannot do that with 120sqm.

Also we have incorporated 2 guest rooms and a kids 'muck about' room where I just want to rubber pad a large room where they can run amuck and do whatever and then just house it out at the end of the day.

[NIRVANA1]

Hi

Was just wondering where you got the rollformed frames from. Is someone activily rollforming & producing steel frames in Thailand. Just interested cos i work for a company that makes these machines in New Zealand

[Naam]

What could you possibly use the other 300 square meters for?

that's all a matter of perspective Gary. some people are happy in 30m², others feel "claustrophobic" in 450m². i'm about to integrate additional 140m² living (airconditioned) area to the existing 460m² and we don't have any children nor do we have guests often.

now go ahead and crucify me!

[bergen]

The living area in my house is 300m2.

In addition comes garage 100m2 and a swimming pool area 150m2 with gym/fitness room.

Ground floor have walls made of interlocking blocks which we made ourselves!, and the height from floor to ceiling is 3 meters.

First floor is all wood with double walls. Insulation only in roof, and height from floor to ceiling is up to 4,5 meter.

I only use aircon when I sleep, otherwise not needed.

To those who don't like big space, but prefere smaller houses - so be it.

I don't mind what other people have, but I do like what I have

We're all different, and that's the way it is!

Cheers

Trond

[Gary A]

What could you possibly use the other 300 square meters for?

that's all a matter of perspective Gary. some people are happy in 30m², others feel "claustrophobic" in 450m². i'm about to integrate additional 140m² living (airconditioned) area to the existing 460m² and we don't have any children nor do we have guests often.

now go ahead and crucify me!

As I said before, it's different strokes for different folks. As for myself, I go outside when I want to take a walk. I never want to be too far from the refrigerator, my bed or the bathroom. BUT, 30 square meters? No, I couldn't handle that. I have a one bedroom condo that is 60 square meters and that was comfortable for me. I had a TV in the bedroom and my wife had her TV in the living room. My computer set up was also in the bedroom. As far as a huge house, the only thing that appeals to me would be an indoor swimming pool.

I'm the kind of guy whose favorite clothes are shorts and a T shirt. My favorites are a little frazzled and my wife Irritates me greatly when she makes my absolute favorites into mop rags. Sometimes I embarrass her with my comfortable style of dressing. If I have to put on a button up shirt and long pants to go somewhere, I don't want to go.

ADDED - When I left California, I left some well dressed veterans. I was FORCED to wear suits and ties for TOO many years. Every morning when I was getting dressed for work, I promised myself that when I retired, I wouldn't own a suit or a tie and I don't.

Edited December 19, 2007 by Gary A

[Naam]

I'm the kind of guy whose favorite clothes are shorts and a T shirt. My favorites are a little frazzled and my wife Irritates me greatly when she makes my absolute favorites into mop rags. Sometimes I embarrass her with my comfortable style of dressing. If I have to put on a button up shirt and long pants to go somewhere, I don't want to go.

Every morning when I was getting dressed for work, I promised myself that when I retired, I wouldn't own a suit or a tie and I don't.

is it possible that you are my twin brother and we married twins? same same with me, except that i vowed only to wear a suit and a tie for weddings and funerals.

[klikster]

Gary ask "Can you apply stucco to Foam?"

You can if you first wrap it with chicken wire to make the stucco stick. Done quite a bit in Florida and Arizona.

And California .. from inside out, my 20 year old house was wallboard, wood studs, black construction "paper" with restraining wire, chicken wire, stucco. I think some get pressboard between the studs and construction paper.

I don't know how hard that foam is, but maybe if you fabricated some fastener wires that went all the way through the foam .. and they supported the chicken wire.

[Gary A]

Gary ask "Can you apply stucco to Foam?"

You can if you first wrap it with chicken wire to make the stucco stick. Done quite a bit in Florida and Arizona.

And California .. from inside out, my 20 year old house was wallboard, wood studs, black construction "paper" with restraining wire, chicken wire, stucco. I think some get pressboard between the studs and construction paper.

I don't know how hard that foam is, but maybe if you fabricated some fastener wires that went all the way through the foam .. and they supported the chicken wire.

I have already decided to lay a row of hollow block, put styrofoam and then lay up another row of blocks. I'm not ready for the steel studs.

[klikster]

One of the construction methods that I think looks really good for Thailand is a foam and wire "panel system". This pretty damned complex machine invented in Europe ran these things out in varying lengths.

Basically, it was 2 layers of 10 gauge steel wire in a welded grid .. maybe 20 cm(?) spacing, sandwiching a slab of foam maybe 120 mm ? .

The layers of 10 ga wire were structurally connected with 8 ga wire that punched through the foam (alternating angles) and welded to the grids.

The foam didn't quite reach the "top" and "bottom" Window and door openings could be easily cut out and frames set in place. The panels were light enough for two men to hold in place .. then get welded together so that the entire wall structure was standing. Plumbing and electrical could be run inside the grid, foam cut as required.

Then when everything was ready and aligned (and braced, I assume), concrete was low-velocity sprayed on both sides .. or wallboard on the inside. Easy to make the texture of choice. Because the foam didn't reach top and bottom, solid concrete sections could be achieved at the foundation and roof line.

Too bad some Thai company has not bought one of those machines. Looks like a really good system.

Saw it years ago and can't find the link now.

It's a bit like this one http://www.tridipanel.com/

[Bpraim1]

Ok, It has been awhile but I am back in Bkk for a few days. I have some update photos of the house. Running a little behind as had to wait for PU Foam team to spray house. Looks like should be done around to 10-14 of this month.

[Joe Walshe]

Looks like way to build to me. Why did you foam some walls and fill others with what looks like glassfibre.

I like the wide overhangs.

[Joe Walshe]

Had a closer look at photos and, if you don't mind me saying so, it sems as though the cables should have been tied to metal out of way of plasterboard. also, where main sloping roof panels meet the overhanging roof panel there does not appear to be sufficient overlap. It seems like water will go under the lower roof panels and then over edge to area below.

[Bpraim1]

Joe

Under all connections on the roof is a 35cm strip of flashing, plus a foam insert that is formed and glued to the surfaces. The ends of the roof is also curled up to add protection is all else fails. At the ends of the roof I still have to install the gutters. I will try to find you a photo of the layers of the roof.

I also questioned at first. But after completed I am more then happy. We used a pressure washer to spray to the joint and no water entered the build

I used foam only in the outer walls because it allows me to completely seal my house and accoustic batt in the interior walls just to deal with sound from room to room. The foam was sprayed at 75mm thickness to walls and roof, I will also add some extra accoustic batt the the roof/ceiling to help with sound from the 6am news broadcast station 100m away. Walls are completely filled so no more sound dampening can be added.

As for the wires, They are just ruffed in right now and will be cleaned up before ceiling is added.

[Bicko]

Joe

Under all connections on the roof is a 35cm strip of flashing, plus a foam insert that is formed and glued to the surfaces. The ends of the roof is also curled up to add protection is all else fails. At the ends of the roof I still have to install the gutters. I will try to find you a photo of the layers of the roof.

I also questioned at first. But after completed I am more then happy. We used a pressure washer to spray to the joint and no water entered the build

I used foam only in the outer walls because it allows me to completely seal my house and accoustic batt in the interior walls just to deal with sound from room to room. The foam was sprayed at 75mm thickness to walls and roof, I will also add some extra accoustic batt the the roof/ceiling to help with sound from the 6am news broadcast station 100m away. Walls are completely filled so no more sound dampening can be added.

As for the wires, They are just ruffed in right now and will be cleaned up before ceiling is added.

Looking good mate. I do strongly recommend that you place unprotected cables into rat proof conduits. The rats love to eat cable.

Are the silver spiral tubes conduits for the electrical cables. If yes that is an excellent idea because I have seen PVC pipe eaten by rats.

Also termites will enter conduits and eat cable. It is a good idea to block the open ends with a hard setting 2 part epoxy and mix in some termite killer powder when you do the 2 part mix.

[Bpraim1]

Bicko,

I'm not 100% pos if the conduit is electric only. Cables are all closed. They are screwed into junction boxes and boxes are closed. Other ends are still open untill we get the ceiling and walls on. There are some small holes in the boxes but other then that conduit is sealed. I attached a photo to show how we attached the conduit to plug box. Outside plug boxes are sealed to house and have a rain cover that closes when not in use. The other wires you can see in the photo are for my speaker in my home theater system. Cleaner look with all wires in the walls, they are now covered with foam.

I did put ant/termite powered on all the bottom layers of sprayfoam. I was told they will not eat the Pu foam (rats too), but was told lots of thnigs before. Only time will tell! I will try you idea, never hurts to over do it.

House is sealed very good so will give them a challenge to get in. It took almost two full days to spray the house, as I was very very watchfull to make sure no corners were cut. You can see in some photos the pink colour on the foam. This is were I went over and tested depth and full seal of each panel.

[chownah]

Are there some gypsum board joints between verticle studs?

[Bpraim1]

Chow,

The outer wall is Shera brand plank cladding at 12mm spec. The PU Foam is sprayed on to the Shera and vertical studs to completely seal the area. No Air can pass. Depth is 3'' or 75mm.The vertical studs are then cleaned and inner wall Shera Flexi-board 8mm is screwed on.

Here is a photo of the first coat application. I will try to upload a small video of the first coat going on.