Progress on Plumbing.

Sunday, April 10th, 2011:

Opened up all of the windows in the tiny house and cranked up the propane torch to sweat the 1/2″ copper water piping. Got off to a slower start, but caught up quickly to the learning curve.

We’ve run the water line inside of the house instead of within the walls to address potential freezing concerns that can be more prevalent in copper piping in the winter. While the 1/2″ copper pipe was a bit more pricey and installing it has been quite a bit more work than simply glueing PVC, we are very pleased with the end result.

To allow us to keep the torch flame away from the knotty pine walls, we decided to try soldering each fitting out from where the water line would actually be placed. We did purchase an insulating cloth designed to protect walls from this very thing- but at the last minute felt that we could sweat the entire assembly and then put it all in place with only one last fitting to heat up close to any wood. Thanks to the small size of our water piping needs, this methed ended up working quite well.

Many Thanks to Dave Jones for the plumbing expertise, extra set of hands, and great company!

Sleeping Loft Taking Shape.

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011:

Began forming the structures that we’ve been envisioning for the sleeping loft area. Framed with 2X2′s to continue to be mindful of overall weight. Used 1X8 pine for shelves.

Most of the tiny houses we observed when originally researching this project had sleeping lofts with just enough length for a mattress. We wanted to enjoy some of the closet space we saw available in the smaller tiny houses that had just a sleeping loft and no cathedral ceiling over the ‘Great Room’. Interested in the best of both worlds, we built our sleeping loft a bit longer than the Tumbleweed plans called for. While this cut into the ‘Great Room’, the investment was worth it to have a more complete sleeping area.

We are also borrowing a great idea that we saw on another Tumbleweed Tiny House builder’s blog: small ‘foot lockers’ that run the length of the loft. We will be placing a Full size mattress in the loft, and liked the idea of building structures that will allow us to utilize the 13 to 14 inches of space left on either side of the mattress in an organized and intentional manner. These storage areas will be 77″ long on each side of the bed, 12″ deep, and 8″ high.

Cat Door.

Monday, April 4th, 2011:

As if two people intending to live in a tiny house isn’t adventure enough, there will also be two cats.

As simple a thing as where to keep the litter box can become challenging when working with such limited space. We have ultimately decided to create a little hidden cubby at the bottom of the entry way closet for this purpose.

Litter boxes, no matter how diligent you are at keeping them cleaned out, can be unpleasant. We wanted to keep ours low key, out of immediate sight, well contained, and of little impact on the tiny house experience as possible. We lined the small space with aromatic red cedar to help moderate any offensive odor. As well, Gabby envisioned a small cat door that would open upwards for accessing the litter box to clean/refill. When closed, the door would have a small opening for the cats to come and go, but would keep the litter from flying out into the house as they ambitiously set to their digging. (They really get into it)

On an interesting side note: Gabby was able to find a stainless steel litter box and scoop to continue in our efforts to go as plastic-free in our tiny house as possible.

Applying the Tung Oil Finish.

Sunday, April 3rd, 2011:

Spent an afternoon working with good friends inside the tiny house applying more of the first coat of tung oil.

In keeping with the spirit of using as many natural alternatives to petroleum-based products as possible, we chose to forgo a polyurethane finish on the interior knotty pine. Gabby did some research to find a more traditional, natural wood finishing product. She quickly discovered Tung Oil, and we’ve been very pleased with it so far. There is undeniable satisfaction in taking the deliberate time to apply a natural oil finish by hand.

It took a bit of looking to find a Tung Oil product that was 100% pure, with no chemical additives. A lot of products have added solvents and thinners. Gabby was able to find this particular product online at Wood Craft.

Many thanks to T.J. Goldsberry and Patrick Beezley! We are grateful for the company and helping hands. While the Tung Oil leaves a beautiful sheen on the knotty pine, it also leaves quite a sheen on the person applying it. As tiny as the house may be, rubbing the tung oil in by hand is quite an undertaking. Many hands do make light work. Thank You!

Stabilizing Jacks.

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011:

Made a trip into Kamper’s Supply today to pick up two sets of scissor jacks for the tiny house. Should have done this long, long ago, but it simply kept slipping our minds! And, at $65.00 for a set of two, kept feeling like something that could wait for the next paycheck, then the next, then the next…

Putting them in place made a hugely noticeable difference. The tiny house feels sturdy, no bounce from the trailer’s leaf springs when you walk around inside. A great investment, for sure.