Different ideas for interior walls,floor and ceiling.

[oz in SC V2.0]

We are BACK to moving to our land in WNC... known as 'Plan F' to ourselves so are back to looking at finishing out the 'barn'.

I have put a call into the builder as he knows a local sawmill owner and we have thought about using similar wood as is the siding on the barn,also they have some T&G that is around the eaves that might work too.

We do not want to use sheetrock...I dislike it intensely.
Of course we also do not want to spend a fortune either...

Right now we have stud walls,no ceiling and subfloors only.
I have been scouring Craigslist in all the neighboring states and haven't found anything that would work.

The 'barn' floor is roughly 1040 square feet,the wall height is 10 feet and the actual dimensions are 30'x36'.
Here is a link to some pics for those interested:

http://s454.photobucket.com/albums/qq264/deerrunland/

[chewie]

i am very interested in answers too, as i have the same question. we are building this spring, and that is one part we're kinda stuck.

you have a great start! i surely wish we were this far along!!

[Beeman]

Floors either T&G wood or clay/ceramic tile. Walls I could live with rough cut wood or T&G possibly 1 wall on the diagonal. Insulate and good vapor barrier behind it. Ceilings could use roofing tin, comes in colors and some patterns.

[Cabin Fever]

Based on the photos, my priorities would be to get the place insulated and some stain, paint or sealer on the pine exterior walls.

(Sorry for not answering your question...just my $0.02)

[oz in SC V2.0]

Thanks Chewie...it has been a long and difficult time of it...mainly due to our own mistakes.

Beeman, we wanted to stay away from tile upstairs,we are putting slate in the downstairs rooms(bought long ago from Mrs oz' now defunct former workplace).

We thought the rough cut walls would look 'cabiny' and would be made from wood...a big plus.I think we might use spray insulation upstairs and then perhaps regular batts.

Ceilings...what about corrugated metal???
It might look a little odd.

Cabin fever,we actually will be going up to seal the outside,we did most of it the last time up there....and yes insulation is a biggie...

[oz in SC V2.0]

Looks GREAT!!!

That is what we were thinking...

I have a call into the man who built the barn,hopefully he will be able to help on getting prices.

[Watcher48]

If your not going to use drywall that is fine. Cabin has a nice place. What you need to pay critical attention to is air infiltration. Every crack is a place for air to get in or out. Also how much do you like to clean.
I don't don't about CF place but I would say the walls are finished smooth.. If you go with rough sawn then you can count on lots of dust and dirt. And hard to clean.
THings like T&G are best pre-finished before you put them up. Then if you want to put a another coat on after the wall is done you can do it.
You can also apply the lumber vertically or at an angle. There is also the reverse board and batten vertically that is done. But once again pay attention to sealing the envelope. if you have a fireplace/stove you can always run a small duct from out side to just in front of the stove for combustion air.

[Woodsprite]

Originally Posted by Wind in Her Hair

we determined not to use sheetrock anywhere in our cabin and opted for pine tongue and groove in the Great room and "ship lap" everywhere else.

Corrugated tin ceilings might be fun, but I would worry about sound bounce back, vibration, echoing. Just my 2¢.

Oooh...I love that ship lap! I hate sheet rock, too: if I wanted to live in the 'burbs, I'd live in the 'burbs! Is it rough-cut? Do you have trouble with cobwebs clinging to it? My hubby worries about such things...

Sounds like very good advice to consider the acoustical properties of the surface as well as the looks.

My advice, Oz, is to be sure whatever you come up with is light-colored enough. We lived for a while off the grid in the wilderness in this huge log cabin, which was unbelievably beautiful and romantic and all that. But although the whole front of the cabin was covered in windows, they didn't seem to let in light so much as glare. It's no fun when you have to hang a flashlight from the kitchen ceiling so you can tell when you're finished peeling garlic - in broad daylight! Even if you have electricity, you'll probably be happier with something light and reflective on the ceiling at least.

[RVcook]

The person who built our home must have disliked sheetrock also since they used pine boards on some of the walls and tongue and groove pine on the vaulted ceiling.

Our home was built in 1980 and from that time to the present, the horizontal boards on the walls have shrunk considerably and now we can see the studs and wires running behind the boards! It is SO bad, that I will be pulling it all down and installing sheetrock. Not to mention that the wood absorbs light and doesn't reflect it so the hallway to the bedrooms (which has no windows) looks like a dark cave. And as was stated before, each horizontal seam has become a mini shelf that collects dust like a magnet...ughh!!!!

I have a 'feeling' that the interior finishes in this house were installed by the homeowner himself with more regard to cost than long term stability. Clearly, the boards were not dried sufficiently before they were installed.

I know that wallcoverings are largely a matter of personal taste, but think this through and choose your materials carefully since what you select today, you may regret later.

And that's my two cents...

RVcook

[MushCreek]

We're planning a cottage look for our future build, and will use minimal sheetrock (or maybe none) I prefer vertical paneling, which requires adding nailers in between the studs. There's also wainscoting, which can be rasied panels or beadboard, which is now available in very reasonable plywood form. I'd like to plank the ceilings as well, possibly putting a coffered ceiling in the parlor. Coffered ceilings have a grid of fake beams and molding. I'm thinking about a tin ceiling in the kitchen and bathroom- there are still places that make the tin ceiling panels in a wide array of patterns. It's not too expensive, but for some reason, the fake panels made pf plastic that they sell at Home Depot are very expensive! There's also good old fashioned lath and plater, which is cheap but labor expensive. It has very good sound-proofing characteristics, and you can make it as fine or rough as you want. Be aware that a perfectly flat plaster job starts to look like.... drywall! I'm looking in to milk paints, both for their appearance and the lower toxcicity than conventional paints.

Floors can be anything! One floor in our old house was T&G southern yellow pine, which was stained and varnished, then had a pattern painted on it with black paint. It was a beautiful floor.

[oz in SC V2.0]

We were thinking that the walls or ceiling could be painted...helping with the light issue.

Floors we would LOVE to have wide plank but we also would LOVE to be able to live up there....

Thanks all for the advice and thoughts.

On another note,talked to a well driller and we should be able to have a well put in for around $4000 not including the pump...seems the county now requires a well permit and to be present when the well is grouted....adding to the cost of course.

[English Oliver]

All of my interior walls except the kitchen are rough sawn Sassafrass.



The wood is sealed with a slight tint in the sealer. You can change the tint from one area to another to create a different appearance. You can also use circular cut in one area and band sawn in another. The kitchen is pine tongue&groove (car siding).

"O"

[Witterbound]

Another idea is to use sheetrock, then add texture to it like they do in some restaurants. It's easy to do, and sheetrock does have some advantages. It's more fire resistant than many other materials, and because it's so easy to cut and patch, it's often easier and more forgiving to put up.

[Michael W. Smith]

I've often thought it would be neat to put up inside walls using old weathered barn boards. If there is an old barn in the area that is falling down, perhaps the owner would gladly give it to you in exchange for you tearing down the barn.

Of course, using those boards would result in gaps and cracks. If money wasn't an issue, you could insulate, put up sheetrock, and then barn board over it!

[Ravenlost]

That is what we're using to finish off the room above our garage...my parents' old barn.

[SolarGary]

Hi,

The earth plasters that are often used on strawbale homes have a very nice and natural look (at least to me). I am sure they can also be used on non-strawbale walls.
If you Google "earth plaster" tons of stuff comes up.

Just a thought

Gary

[||Downhome||]

if you like the tin ceiling look that can be achived with a textured wall paper.
depending on the pattern though it can be expensive ($150 fo 52 sq') but ive
seen pleasing patterns for less ($26 for 52 sq') this kind of paper needs to be
painted so then you have a little more expense their (material at least)
you will have to do the math but sheet rock with a decent coat of primer
would be a good medium to apply it too. (you could use a primer that is self sizeing zinnser has a few as does sherwin) I wouldnt worry about finishing the drywall ,just butt it tight the textured paper is pretty thick and would hide a slight joint (some of it is thicker than wall liner Im going to say less than a 1/8" joint would be fine unless you end up with a edge of the paper on the joint)
the wall paper is Anaglypta and Lincrusta again paintable (really should be at least) wich gives you a lot of option (my dad did his family room painted it a darker clay/terracotta then used a copper glaze over it.looks like a copper ceiling)

[Lost River]

I like the looks of that tounge and groove pine room.

[plowjockey]

Look around for people with big old barns falling down.

See if you can find wood from the INTERIOR WALLS. Usually, it is the same wood used for the outside siding, but it is usually UNFINISHED and in near PERFECT CONDITION, with no weathering or cracks. It must re removed very carefully to prevent damage.

Installed and stained (or not), will make beautiful walls.

When we replace our little old barn we are saving the interior wall, to install in the new barn.

[Yvonne's hubby]

I like wood. I started with logs, had them milled into random width boards, air dryed for a while, planed them on one side and straightened the edges a bit and it works just fine for me. It leaves a wee bit of a crack when it shrinks in the winter but nothing I cant live with. I am tounge and grooving the flooring though, three inch strips work out to about 2 5/8 widths and they have to be dry dry dry before installing. I used a lot of red oak, white oak and tulip poplar throughout our home, with red cedar in both bathrooms and the bedroom closets. Kitchen cabinets and counters are all black walnut. The cabinet work I spent a bit more time with and they came out great. Kitchen and bath room floors are tan and grey slate tiles.