A-Frame repurposed materials cabin

With the gambrel roof mentioned above in mind, why not build a structure that could be your barn later on? You could pour a slab for the bottom level, use it as living space in the short term and as a barn/workshop/whatever for later.

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"Luck is the residue of design" - Branch Rickey

save your self some effort, and get a travel trailer 8 x16 maybe larger, I doubt if you need a permit for a travel trailer, or so,

not to bad to live in, they have toilet shower, heat, kitchen, hot water, and there is some resale value. (I lived in a old 1970 Winnebago, a full summer and fall, when building a house for a relative),

For something that small, buy a 10x 12' gambrel style shed and finish it out. You'd have a usable sleeping loft and the entire 10x 12' space downstairs. You could put in recycled windows and door plus recycled boards/plywood for the inner walls if desired (after packing in lots of insulation). If you are on a real tight budget, it's a lot of work but you can use newspaper for insulation that has been soaked with a borax solution to make it fire resistant then crumpled really tight. I lived in a 10x 16' Morgan building for 8 months, and found it quite satisfactory. But I am single -- I think I'd find it cramped with more than 2 people for full-time living.

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I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it. Attributed to Voltaire

I build all my sheds on the concrete pyramid blocks, 12" at bottom, 8" top and 8" tall. I dig down 4", get of the sod and replace with 4" of tamped crushed rock. Set the blocks on the rock, 8' apart in each direction, all level. I set a treated 4"x6" on top all around the perimeter and a row down the middle if more than 8' wide. Then I set 2"x6"s across, 16" apart, 3/4" plywood for flooring. Regular studding and trusses. The building is 16' wide. Since it has no permanent foundation it does not need a permit and is not taxed here....James

Balloon framing went out with button up shoes, and wooden wheels on new cars. It did so for a few good reasons, primarily because it can create an extraordinary fire hazard by creating chimneys that allow fire to quickly travel upward and engulf the floors above. The only legitimate reason to balloon frame first floor walls is in the unlikely event that the plan calls for a "tall posted cape". This is a cape frame with short pony walls on the second floor. When these homes were timber framed, they presented little structural issue. With standard stick framing however, they create a difficult lateral load at the base of the rafters, unless the studs are balloon framed. Generally, balloon framing should only be done in very unusual circumstances. If the work is done in a code restricted area, it should only be done after the details have been reviewed by the local inspector, since it presents a lot of potential issues. In a gambrel, most usable second floor space has vertical walls held back from the plate line, so the design tend to be fairly straight forward with little concern for collar ties, or thrust until you reach the second floor ceiling joists.

I have worked as a contractor for nearly 40 years, and the balloon framing would give the upper wall a lot of strength, yes the there are some things like fire blocking that would be suggested, but iMO the balloon frame would be the best in this idea,

Just because it is old method, does not mean that it is a poor design or process, or
faulty, western platform framing is simpler in many ways, and has some advantages,

all I got to say when you have old barns and houses that have stood the test of time for over 100 years, that would not meet current code do to framing size, and spacing, but have with stood near tornadoes, hurricanes force winds, blizzards and other natural challenges, and will continue for many many years.

If it was mine I would use a balloon type framing on the walls, that is what I suggested, to have a short wall on the second floor, to in cress the usability of the area, LOOK AT THE PICTURES.

Both my current house, over 100 years old, story and half, and my barn 65' x 60' x 40' tall (which houses the shop, and other farm enterprises ), are both balloon framed, and In my opinion are part of the reason there still here,

You build the way you think is correct,

What the Op Ed, asked for was Ideas,
That is what I did and gave an opinion, and how I think would give the best results, with the experiences and knowledge I have acquired for the past nearly 50 years of building and designing things,

Sorry, but suggesting that old, outdated ways of framing are superior, simply because they have, in your observation, "stood the test of time" doesn't cut it. Balloon framing is inferior for many reasons, including the obvious ( fire safety) and many others, including but not limited to material quality, and workmanship variables of the let in ribbon installation. Lack of suitable structural bearing for the joists. The need for a specified placement, quantity and size of fasteners at the joist to stud connection to resist lateral loads. excessive shrinkage, and structural settling due to radial and tangential shrinkage of both the joist and the ribbon material....... I could go on, but hey, fifty years counts for something right? Sorry, only three decades of the trades for me, oh, and far too much time listening to profs. drone on in engineering classes.

Two things to consider here, as you offer advice. First, there is absolutely zero logic in telling anybody that you would balloon frame a gambrel. The gambrel is a design that relies on the nearly vertical rafter either.... A. bearing on the floor structure of the floor below, or B. being used as a support for a non-structural roof panel, which is actually an out of plumb wall that bears on the plate line of the floor and "leans against" a structural wall held inboard of the plate line. ( most of what is shown on this forum is very light duty trusses used in garden shed construction, not true stick framed gambrels) In either case, balloon framing would not even be a possibility. Secondly, for anybody even thinking of balloon framing with the currently available junk that we laughingly call framing lumber, please be aware of one critical fact. A typical joist WILL shrink 3-5% of it's vertical height, as will the ribbon. In the end, after the building is under roof , and approaching it's moisture equilibrium, the joists will be "floating" above the ribbon by a good 1/2" or so. In the event that the floor is heavily loaded, the joist to stud fasteners will deform, or elongate their penetrations in the wood fiber, and there will be issues with "settling" due to inferior design and material.

Your belief that a method is superior because it is still standing X number of years later, is simply an observation, not a structural analysis. Particularly telling is the "near tornado" comment. A lot of current knowledge regarding structural strength of light stick framed structures has been gained by literally destroying full scale homes in wind tunnels. The difference between a home that is nothing but memory at F2 winds ( and yes this would include your home and barn) and a place that will need a small amount of cosmetic repair comes down to a lot of details and materials that nobody even dreamed of when your place was built. So, no we don't balloon frame much anymore, or use board sheathing, or cut nails, or knob and tube wiring, or windows with sash weights, or a whole lot of other outdated materials and methods. Some of these choices are made for life safety reasons, some economic, and most simply because there is a better way.

Farminghandymans plan has good merit when used as he intended it. It gives good structural stability when used in a small building that would be used as the OP proposed. Much better than a plated wall with a short wall added to make the upstairs with a full floor space. May not be the modern way, or best use of material in "modern home building" but it does give a strong and open space. After all he was giving his opinion and another option. The OP did ask for ideas and will do as they see fit. No need for the lecture....James

then I guess nearly ever General barn built n the USA from the 1900's through the 1950's that was built in this country with a hay mow was built wrong.
They have balloon framing and gambrel roofs,

Have you heard of DRY LUMBER? yes the lumber to day is not properly dried, (I even have a saw mill and know a little about drying lumber), even if you have to buy at the box store, does not mean you have to assemble the next day, a quality craftsman would not use green lumber, have you ever read the recommendation to let your lumber acclimate to the area it is to be used in,

In my barn the joist set right on the ribbon, board I guess it must have been built wrong, and the wrong moisture content in the lumber.

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what he is wants to build is a glorified garden shed.

Don't argue with wanton He is a GOD among mere men...

but if you insist put these on

Darn auto correct... let me just remind everyone , where talking about what 120 sq foot or less, intended as a temp stay over location until the actual house is built...

oh ya and theres more then one way to skin a cat!

Wow, y'all. Didn't expect this thread to blow up like that

Anyway, I will research what you all are talking about and I do appriciate suggesstions. . .and warnings.

My neighbor, who works for a dirt digging/hauling guy, told me about a subdivision that was being built nearby and that I should go over there and dumpster dive.

We filled up our truck with framing supplies, SO FREAKIN' HAPPY!

I am stilling going to buy the 2X6's for the outer frame and we have 6X6's that are going to be the posts, but we (my husband and I) have a pretty good working plan for getting started. Going to build the floor today.

I am still unsure about the roof/loft, but we are for-going the A frame and making 8 foot walls, which really is going to a 7 ft ceiling. I know that is short but Hub and I are both less than 6 ft, and again it is more like a camping cabin to us then a home, even a temporary home.

And for us it is for fun. We had so much fun gathering supplies and getting them ready/organized to take out to the property.

Will try to keep you all updated on our progress. Thanks again for all the ideas!

Akmyilee,

hope it works out the way you envisioned,

Take a few pictures and post of your progress.

I'm pretty sure your enthusiasm will make it all work out! I also have this weird attraction to A-frames, especially small camp A-frames. They make my heart sing. Must have to do with growing up in the 70's when they were all the rage. You can use the 'wasted space' in the edges to build in storage.

Post pictures when you are done!

one quick question on your A frame design?

how tall do you think your roof peak will be from the floor deck?

It would have been 12 feet from the ground, at the peek, with the A frame. It would have never worked.

We started building on Monday. We are doing poll framing and will add a scillion roof 4 ft on the "front" side and 2 ft on the "back" side. The long front and back walls are 12 ft and the sides are 10. The polls are 8 foot out of the ground, about 2 feet in. We got the polls in the ground and the supports up and have started on the floor. It is a pita because are using reclaimed lumber so we are making the joists to fit the plyboard that we have instead of big regular pieces. We will figure it out though. I will try to post pictures, don't know how to from my phone???