Bannedjoe
Well-known member
Some 20 years ago, my wife and I built our house, by ourselves, just the 2 of us.
After considering many styles such as log cabin kits, cordwood, and other things, we finally settled on cinder block.
What can be more durable than that.
We were working as truckers.
We'd stay out 3 months at a time, come home for a few weeks and work on the house, then go back out.
It took the better part of 2 years before the walls and roof were completed.
We built the foundation all at once, figuring we'd most likely build it in two parts.
Shortly after making the first part livable as a one room house, we got distracted by opening our own restaurant.
That took 10 years out of our lives working and staying there 24/7.
We retired in 2015.
I was quite happy with what we had, but the wife wasn't, and wanted to continue with the plan.
It took me almost 4 years to gear up and see things her way.
A few friends had gone with EF block, which is a composite of styrofoam and concrete. The blocks are stacked, loaded with rebar, glued, then filled with cement.
This particular block, once filled, without the addition of anything else, is rated at R-40.
There's many advantages to using this block, one being quick, and a bit less heavy than cinder block, which I feared I just wasn't young enough anymore to handle.
There's a long ways to go, and I'll probably be working this the rest of my life.
I hope to have it enclosed and floor poured by this time next year.
Anyways, if anyone is curious about this style of building, I have tried to document as much as possible as we've gone along.
Enjoy, if you care to.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjlTBW7fbzOMrAI1nvhB0HI30eWaRmh3I
After considering many styles such as log cabin kits, cordwood, and other things, we finally settled on cinder block.
What can be more durable than that.
We were working as truckers.
We'd stay out 3 months at a time, come home for a few weeks and work on the house, then go back out.
It took the better part of 2 years before the walls and roof were completed.
We built the foundation all at once, figuring we'd most likely build it in two parts.
Shortly after making the first part livable as a one room house, we got distracted by opening our own restaurant.
That took 10 years out of our lives working and staying there 24/7.
We retired in 2015.
I was quite happy with what we had, but the wife wasn't, and wanted to continue with the plan.
It took me almost 4 years to gear up and see things her way.
A few friends had gone with EF block, which is a composite of styrofoam and concrete. The blocks are stacked, loaded with rebar, glued, then filled with cement.
This particular block, once filled, without the addition of anything else, is rated at R-40.
There's many advantages to using this block, one being quick, and a bit less heavy than cinder block, which I feared I just wasn't young enough anymore to handle.
There's a long ways to go, and I'll probably be working this the rest of my life.
I hope to have it enclosed and floor poured by this time next year.
Anyways, if anyone is curious about this style of building, I have tried to document as much as possible as we've gone along.
Enjoy, if you care to.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjlTBW7fbzOMrAI1nvhB0HI30eWaRmh3I