A Blueprint for Better Building
Follow these simple steps to create strong, beautiful and energy-efficient buildings.
August/September 2005
By Steve Maxwell
 |
The author's model shows the workshop as it will look after completion.
LEN CHURCHILL
|
This is the first of two articles describing the principles and guides used to build a long-lasting workshop. The second article, in the October/November 2005 issue, will discuss using structurally insulated panels (SIPs). — Mother
RELATED CONTENT
The Healthy Building Network’s Pharos Project aims to tap the collective knowledge of green buildin...
Keep your outdoor cats safe and warm in the winter with this three-bale insulated cat house. From t...
Are You INSULATED? December/January 1995 The easy way to make your house warmer in winter, cooler i...
Structural Insulated Panels, known as SIPs, are energy-efficient and easy to install....
Build better using structural insulated panels (SIPs). They're easier to erect and go up faster tha...
Sooner or later, most of us will need one or more buildings to serve our homestead — there are tools to store, animals to house and workshop tasks to complete in all seasons. Whether you’re talking about upgrading your house, building an addition or creating a work space for a home business, it’s never been easier to create your own durable, attractive and energy-efficient structures thanks to advances in tools and building materials. I know about these things because I’ve been building on my own land for almost 20 years. (Read about Maxwell’s The Self-sufficient Homestead, June/July 2005. — Mother)
During that time, I’ve occasionally made some mistakes in planning and building, but I’ve also honed my skills and discovered a process for design and construction that makes sense for homesteaders working alone or in small groups. My current project is a two-story woodworking shop with an office loft. What follows are practical guidelines to help you build or renovate a long-lasting workshop (or other structure) of your own.
Start With Design
When it comes to creating terrific buildings, the most important thing to keep in mind is not the most obvious: Don’t let your enthusiasm get the better of you. As strange as this sounds, it’s good advice because excess enthusiasm can short-circuit proper planning and diligent workmanship. When you make a mistake in these areas, you’ll pay for a long time indeed. Relax, slow down and get it right the first time.
If a high level of workmanship is your goal (and I’m convinced it always should be), then you’ve got to start with careful planning based on a scale model. Why take chances gambling on a dream worth thousands of dollars and buckets of your own sweat, guided by nothing more than a few scribbled notes to yourself and an imaginary design? Those scribbles can be the motivating factor in your decision to start the project, but you’ll need more than that for success.
Three things are necessary for every new or renovated structure to succeed. First, it must be designed to endure the forces of time and nature — and designed to use energy frugally. Our society can’t afford to create wasteful environmental liabilities like it has done in the past, and all effective solutions begin with good design.one correctly, you can enjoy terrific comfort in your new building using minimal amounts of energy.
Page: 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Next >>
