January Purely Post & Beam Registeration Deadline Fast Approaching

You know you want to learn how to timber frame! Whether you build a dog house, barn or dream home this one-week long class will be a great way to help you prepare. It is also a fabulous way to unwind after the hectic holidays . . . not to mention getting you off the couch! Join us for five days of Purely Post and Beam January 22-27, 2012 Learn egnineering and beam sizing calculations, architecture and the craft of laying out and cutting the joints. Sign up today -- the deadline for registering is this coming up!

Register for the Purely Post & beam Class January 22-27, 2012

Northeastern Woodworker's Show

Are you living or visiting the upstate New York area this weekend? Come check out Shelter at the 20th Annual Woodworker's Showcare in beautiful Saratoga Springs, New York!

The show, located at the Saratoga Springs City Center and put on by the Northeastern Woodworker's Association, will feature lectures, demonstrations, and all kinds of examples of fine woodworking from across the region. Shelter will be displaying great woodworking tools including Japanese saws, Flexcut carving tools, woodturning tools, Veto ProPacs, the Tormek Sharpening system, and an assortment of woodworking and building books.

You won't be able to miss our booth at the show, which will feature a gorgeous 8' by 8' timberframe in douglas fir. It demonstrates through tenons, trusses, wedges and birdsmouth joints.

Woodworker's Showcase hours:
Saturday the 26th - 10am to 5pm
Sunday the 27th - 10am to 5pm

Admission:
Adults - $10
Children under 12 - Free

Free Intro to Concrete Countertops Class

May 22, 2010 9:30-10:30

Concrete countertops are extremely popular because of their beauty and versatility. Concrete creates a unique and beautiful product that is environmentally sound, low cost, and you can build it yourself.

In this free, one-hour workshop, we’ll discuss the many ways they can be formed, stained, ground, and finished. Our discussion will address the benefits of concrete and how to overcome its limitations. We’ll have samples for you to see and feel, and we'll walk through the process.

You'll leave with a list of materials and a cost estimate. Come with your questions and ideas, and we'll get you thinking in the right direction.

This is a FREE, one-hour workshop with a question and answer session at the end, but you must register in advance, as space is limited. Send an email with your name, address, and phone number as well as the class subject and date to info@shelterinstitute.com or call 207-442-7938 to reserve your spot today.

Concrete counter tops are attainable – we want to show you how!

Timber Frame Barns and Garages

Having a protected space to store and maintain your equipment, tools and toys is an essential luxury in New England. I grew up on a farm on which we had two barns and two garages and still there was never really enough room for all of the toys, tools, projects and animals. I can still remember that sweet scent of hay in the horse barn mixed with horse manure and the horses themselves as well as the smooth feel of those ancient beams and floor boards. My brothers and I spent hours in the hay loft building very elaborate hay castles, mazes and forts. Sometimes we were banished to the barn when we misbehaved and other times we sought refuge in that barn when we felt that somehow the world had misbehaved. My father continues to add barns, outbuildings and garages to his home (we have plans for a small horse barn this spring) and my brothers to their homes. And they continue to offer housing for naughty children, refuge and peace as well as simple storage and protection from the weather.

Two years ago, after living in my own home for a little over five years my husband and I decided it was time to add that cherished barn/garage to our property -- this would allow us to move our woodworking shop out of our basement AND provide protection for the cars during winter storms. Instead of joining the family barn building competition (size and engineering feats win) we opted for simple and insulated! As with any project at my home, my extended family participated in the design and building. Gaius actually told me I was crazy not to build an insulated barn because I would surely want to be able to heat the space and comfortably work on a car in the winter. We ended up with a super-insulated 24x48 structure with a 2-ft kneewall and second floor loft on a floating slab foundation and vertical board siding. We comfortably park four cars in it along with a four-wheeler and still have room for a modest workshop area. And we have a great storage space on the second floor with potential for guest sleeping. After two years of loving it I'm able to say that, as usual all of those suggestions from "the family" were right -- darn them anyway. We appreciate our barn every day; winter, summer fall or spring -- rain or shine for the protection from the elements, storage and also for the play space it provides. There are no horses nor is there any hay in it at this point but it does offer a certain respite from the chaos of daily life and I've found my four-year old hiding out in it more than once.

This spring we've received so many inquiries about timber frame barns, garages and boat houses that we thought we would help jump start your imagination by putting together a photo album of our favorite projects. Check out these barns and garages in various stages of construction. Shelter Design Build (formerly Hennin Post & Beam) has a wide range of services starting with a site evaluation consultation to determine best location for the barn and driveway, to recognize potential drainage issues and determine which type of foundation will work best. From there we can move to the design phase creating conceptual structural and three dimensional drawings to help you visualize your new building and determine what size will work best. From the completed design we can provide the engineered cut sheets so you can cut and raise your own frame or we can cut the frame for you and ship it to your site for you to construct -- we have shipped frames as far south as the Caribbean and as far west as Colorado for construction by the home owner. Each framing member is machined, carefully hand carved to 1/32” tolerances by our seasoned staff, sealed with natural oil and labeled for assembly according to the raising drawings. Of course we can also deliver a frame, raise it for you, and enclose it with structural insulated panels, Marvin windows, metal roofing and siding. Whatever our level of involvement, our mission is to forward the construction of thoughtful, sustainable and durable structures with our clients. We offer our a la carte design and construction services to complement your abilities, time and budget. Visit our website for pricing on kits or email us for specific information relating to your project!

GRK Fasteners

by Gaius Hennin, P.E.

Caution: The following blog was written by an engineer who likes to hear himself write. It is boring, wordy and overly technical. Before attempting to read, warn a family member about your whereabouts, as a deep slumber may spontaneously overtake you.

Those of you who have taken our design/build class have heard me describe the phenomenon of ‘cam-out’ in the Sheathing, Insulation and Fasteners class. Those of you who have driven a traditional 3” decking screw through 5/4 pressure treated decking have probably experienced it first hand. If you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing it, let me explain. Cam-out is the very frustrating event where the torque provided by your drill exceeds the friction provided by your (usually Phillips) driver in your drill causing the driver to lift out of the screw head slightly and grind against the screw without turning the screw. Almost immediately, the screw and perhaps the driver become slightly damaged, making further progress even more difficult. If another cam-out incident occurs, damage to the screw can preclude even removal of the screw. As it turns out, the very shape of the Phillips driver was intended to allow, if not encourage, cam-out to happen to prevent the unskilled laborers on Henry Ford’s assembly lines from over-torquing screws.

About 18 years ago we were introduced to a screw manufacturer named GRK Fasteners™, whose line of screws utilizes a TORX™ bit (sometimes referred to as a star bit) instead of a Phillips bit. The beauty of the TORX™ driver is two-fold. First, unlike the tapered Phillips bit, the TORX bit is straight in profile so the resistance to turning provided by the screw does NOT tend to push the bit up and out of the screw head, resulting in cam-out. Second, the TORX™ bit has six flutes radiating out from the center of the bit compared to the Phillips bits’ four flutes, which increases the contact area and therefore the friction between the driver and the screw.

The use of a TORX™ driver is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what sets GRK fasteners apart from most other screw manufacturers. GRK offers a complete line of fasteners from trim head screws to pre-painted screws to lag screws up to 20” in length. Everything about the screws says “Uber-grade” (their phrase). All GRK fasteners (except their PHEINOX line, which is stainless steel) are coated with a Climatek™ coating consisting of six layers of zinc and polymers. Climatek™ is an International Code Council recognized corrosion prevention coating (see ICC-NES Report NER-643) which allows the fasteners to be used with the new, highly corrosive pressure treated lumber. The screws have a patented detail at the tip which GRK calls their W-Cut™ Thread Design. This is a saw-like edge cut into the threads of the screw so that the screw slices through the wood as it is driven (like a circular saw blade), rather than pushing the wood to the side to create a space. This reduces required driving torque and virtually eliminates splitting which allows the screw to develop and maintain a high withdrawal strength. In addition the W-Cut™ Thread, the screws have a slice in the steel of the screw, perpendicular to the thread which makes the tip very sharp and allows for easy starts in even the driest and hardest woods. GRK calls this a Zip-Tip. The basic workhorse of the GRK screw line is the R4™ Multi Purpose screw, available in 59 sizes from 4x3/8” (#4 gauge 3/8” long) to 12x12” (#12 gauge 12” long). These screws, in addition to the features listed above, have a four threaded feature just above the regular thread of the screw, which slightly enlarges the hole in the wood as the screw is driven. This enlarged hole (after the threads) allows the unthreaded portion of the shank to pass easily through the wood, increasing the clamping force between the two pieces of wood being joined which increases the available shear strength of the screw. In short, it makes it much easier to draw two pieces of wood together tightly. Another nice feature of the R4™ is the self countersinking head, accomplished with six cutting edges on the underside of the head which, like the W-Cut™ Thread, actually slices the wood under the head rather than pushing it aside. This makes for a super clean countersink with no splinters sticking up around the head and no splitting. We use these screws for installing 2x6 and 3x6 decking on our timber frames, installing jamb extensions around windows and doors, building templates and deck framing (specifically using engineered lumber) where other screws just break. The R4™ is a pleasure to drive resulting in reduced installer fatigue. We have also noticed that our cordless drills can drive many more R4™ screws per charge than other types of screws due to reduced friction. Lastly, these screws lend themselves well to temporary applications like scaffolding and bracing due to high shear strengths and the fact that the TORX™ head does not wear out easily: these screws can be set and pulled dozens of times with no wearing or marring of the screw where the driver engages the screw.

GRK also has a line of screws designed for attaching to concrete. The Caliburn™ line of screws is available in ¼” through 19/64” in diameter and lengths from 1 ½” to 4 ¾”. These screws do not use a lead shield, so require only a small diameter hole to be drilled in the concrete. The hardened steel of the screw then cuts into the concrete as the screw is installed, resulting in ultimate withdrawal strengths as high as 5,724# per screw. We use these for installing sill plates into the vertical portions of a stepped foundation in lieu of j-bolts.

Several of the specialty fasteners offered by GRK include cabinet screws, composite decking screws, metal siding screws and Top Star™ Shim Screws. The cabinet screws, as the name implies, are intended for installing and constructing cabinets. The screws are quite thin to prevent splitting when attaching face frames to each other and have a built-in washer to distribute clamping forces over a greater area. This is very helpful when attaching cabinets to a wall where the screw is installed through the rear thin plywood of the cabinet. GRK’s composite decking screw has a self-countersinking head and rings under the head which trap the composite decking fiber to eliminate mushrooming of the fiber up around the head during installation. These screws also have the CEE thread feature which enlarges the hole in the decking, allowing the screw to easily pull the deck board tight to the framing. The Kameleon ™ line of composite decking screws comes in six colors to match most available decking brands. The metal siding screws combine all of the unique thread details of the GRK fastener with a built in washer (powder coated) and rubber washer to create a watertight fit between screw and siding or roofing. Lastly, the Top Star™ screw is incredible, though difficult to describe. It is intended for use installing doors and windows to allow the jamb to be moved in or out to level and straighten the jamb. This fastener consists of a screw within a screw. Using a specialty driver provided by GRK, the fastener is installed through a predrilled hole in the window/door jamb into the rough opening frame. Switching bits at this point allows the driver to engage a smaller screw within the fastener; turning this screw walks the window/door jamb in or out to get it perfectly level and straight. Without the Top Star™ this same procedure is typically accomplished through the use of shims and screws working against each other.

The last GRK I will discuss is my favorite, the RSS™ (Rugged Structural Screw). This screw is available in sizes from #10 x 1 ½” up to 3/8” x 16”. It has a built in washer, a CEE™ Thread, Climatek coating, a W-Cut™ thread, and hardened steel. With ultimate load capacities as high as 5,990# loaded in withdrawal and 2,065# loaded laterally, this is truly a structural screw. The thread on these screws is DEEP, which allows it to really bite into wood, more so than a traditional lag screw. The International Code Council has recognized the performance values of these screws (see ICC Report ER-5883) as equal to or greater than lag screws. Due to a thinner shank comprised of harder steel and deeper thread gullets, these screws can be driven with less torque than a lag screw without pre-drilling. Some of the RSS screw sizes are available in PHEINOX™ stainless steel, great for decks, docks and any other outdoor structures along our salty coast.

Why has it taken 18 years to write about GRK you ask? Well, we are finally stocking and selling them at our Woolwich, ME location. Please feel free to e-mail or call with any questions; chances are GRK has a high quality, easy driving, specialty fastener to make your project easier, and we have used it. As always, thanks for reading and remember-life is too short for bad screws.

A Grand Entrance

This time of year usually sparks the desire for a protected entrance because of the wind, rain, snow and ice. I recently met with a past timber framing client who is considering the addition of a timber frame entrance to their home and their design dilemmas made me pause and consider the importance of an entrance not just for protection from weather but because of how it links the home to the world. Co-Founder of the Shelter Institute, Patsy Hennin wrote an essay on how to design an entrance in 2004. She describes an entrance as:

"The way into a house--it’s driveway, it's doorway, it’s final arrival into the home is part of the way we extend an invitation to our guests, family, friends, intruders, salesmen, canvassers. This is our statement to the world that defines that fine line between their welcome and our ability to preserve our privacy. The word entrance is found in the dictionary as a noun that is 'the point or place of entering; opening or passage for entering."

She goes on to describe entrances in other countries and how they create a relationship between the privacy of the inhabitants and the individual approaching. The entrance, and certainly the exterior of a home portray the attitude and personality of those living on the inside. What does your entrance say about you?

This weekend, I took a hard look at my own entrance and realized that mine has none of the intrigue, mystery or charm that my Mom described. It is purely functional, cluttered with snow shoes, sleds and loads of firewood. And when you step over the threshold you arrive in our kitchen and living room area. Perhaps that portrays my husband's and my own open and welcoming attitude; I like to think that it was planned that way because our house is so far off the beaten path. If a visitor indeed makes it to our home, we want them to be enveloped into the warmth and comfort of it. After much reflection, I've decided that the structural component of our entrance is beautiful but that I might want to incorporate the "leading and inviting path that says. 'follow me—this is the way and on the journey in you may discover something magical'" that my mom describes. So I've set forth my summer project of extending our entryway, re-defining it, and beautifying it.

Below is a series of timber frame entrances that we've recently built, to help you shape or re-shape the entrance to your own home. If you have an intriguing entrance that we could add to our gallery, send a digital image to info@shelterinstitute.com (please add "entrance" to the subject line). If you would like to have us custom design and build an entrance for your home send us an email with the basic design requirements, and we'll provide you with feedback and pricing. If you would like to read Patsy's article in full, it is featured on our web site under our Newsletter link.

Bragging Rights: Past Students Current projects: Solar Integration

Shelter Institute students are some of the most talented, exciting, thoughtful and determined people in the world. And we love to keep in touch and hear what our graduates are doing. Check out this recent note from James and Kim who took the Small Housebuilding Class of 2008.


The evolution of our back porch from an 1850’s-era summer shade piece to the backbone of a solar generating plant happened over seven years. We first designed and installed a 10-panel electrical system, wiring the house for both 12-volts DC and 120 volts AC, constructing a sixteen-piece battery bank, and hooking up everything to run through a panel with a smart charger and house-sized inverters. Our original intention was to start with wind as our power source, but fortunately we took a chance with sun first. Now that we have both wind and sun systems generating electricity for us, the sun has turned out to be much more reliable a power source, although the wind provides excellent supplemental power and provides charging on windy nights and stormy days, when the sun isn’t an option.

A year ago, we finished the design for a solar water heating system using a re-circulating antifreeze loop and a 3 watt DC pump controlled by a Maine-designed electrical solar thermostat. We had difficulty finding plumbers in our area who were familiar with this technology, though we hired one company that had little experience with our type of design. In the end, we ended up reworking many of the lines, flow-meters, and check valves the plumbers installed to get our system to work. Our experience has been that many contractors try to sell themselves as “green” contractors and as having experience with alternative energy systems, but we have not found many that live up to their claims.


Disappointingly, Maine winter sun is insufficient to heat our small 40 gallon hot water tank to bathing temperature, so we designed and built a second parallel antifreeze loop to run off our wood stove. The heat exchanger is a fabricated deep water-filled copper pan in which our closed antifreeze loop is immersed. The antifreeze is re-‘circulated through our hot water tank using a second 3 watt DC pump and electrical controller. Since we heat our home with wood in the winter, this system provides sufficient hot water for our winter domestic use.

Build Boston Trade Show

By Ethan Courand
Designer

I traveled to the Build Boston Trade Show on Friday Nov. 20th, which was held at the Seaport World Trade Center on Boston’s waterfront. With more than 250 exhibits and over 200 workshops, there wasn’t enough time in the day to see it all. This show was a bit different than some that I have been to in the past, in that it had something to offer to anyone who is involved in designing, constructing, maintaining, or occupying a building. Whether you are a student, architect, engineer, contractor, or a homeowner this show had something for you. The organizers brought all aspects of building together under one roof; exhibitors ranged from building product manufacturers to renewable energy companies to educational institutions. I did get a chance to stop and talk with some of our suppliers who had booths in the trade show. Marvin, our window supplier, had a huge display of windows and doors that took up the space of about eight standard size booths. Our structural insulated panel manufacturer was there as well, showing off their EPS Foam Core Panels as well as their new “Fast Form” insulated concrete form line. Longfellow Cedar Shingles  based in Windsor, Maine, caught my attention with a new MicroPro  pressure treated cedar shingle which brings maintenance free to a whole new level. All in all I had a great experience and I would recommend this event next year to anyone who is thinking about or is in the process of building or renovating a home.

As we travel to other trade shows across the country we'll report back on our findings and our experiences! If you have a favorite trade show that you think we should attend please make a suggestion.

Making Room for Guests

Small House Sale

To me the holidays mean gathering together with family and friends -- sharing stories and cooking. With my extended family spread around the country, that usually means hosting people at my own home. I've spent the last week frantically preparing for the much-anticipated arrival of our visitors -- cleaning out spaces in our home for them to sleep and planning special meals for them. Our house is the "small house" variety designed for energy efficiency in a small footprint so we don't have multiple spare bedrooms that provide the luxury of privacy. While I scramble to create some semblance of comfort and privacy for our guests, I've been pining over these guest cabins, built in our small-house-building class. One of these little structures would be an ideal guest space; allowing our visitors to stay with us but also providing them with a quiet space to sleep so our girls don't wake them in the middle of the night and at the crack of dawn. And the cabins can be shut down completely so we don’t need to heat them at all when our guests are not visiting – so it won’t have a major impact on our long term energy use. Happy Thanksgiving and while you're enjoying the holiday with family and friends, consider how fun it would be to have a little guest cabin right next to your home!Slideshow of construction of a Shelter 12x16 Small House.

Shelter currently has one such small shell waiting to be turned into a quiet retreat for guests, a writing or artists studio, a great escape, workshop or first structure on your property ideal to live in while building your real house. They are just under 200 square feet, often not requiring a permit. The printed price for these insulated shells is $10,000 but because of the backlog we’re cutting the price in half! The kit includes structural framing, rigid foam panel walls, Marvin Integrity windows, a Therma-Tru door, a metal roof, and vertical board siding. The $6,000 sale price of the kit (FOB Shelter Campus) comes with a set of plans and instructions for assembly. Our crew is available to deliver the shell to your site and even raise it if you need us to. Call today for pricing on additional labor or to reserve your insulated small house shell today! And if that price tag is still too high we have one 12x16 shell that does not include the windows, door and metal roof. This shell, comprised of the framing, rigid foam insulated panels and vertical board siding has a special sale price of $3000 (FOB Shelter Campus). Sale prices available while supplies last.

Intro to Concrete Countertops

October 17, 2009 9:30-10:30
Concrete countertops are extremely popular for new construction and renovations because their beauty and versatility. Concrete creates a unique and beautiful end product that is environmentally sound, low cost and you can do yourself. In this free one hour workshop, we’ll discuss the many ways they can be formed, stained, ground and finished. Our discussion will address the benefits of concrete and how to overcome the limitations. We’ll have samples for you to see and feel and we'll walk through the process. You'll leave with list of materials and a cost estimate. Concrete counter tops are attainable – we want to show you how! Contact us for details!
This is a FREE one hour workshop with a question and answer session at the end but you must register in advance as space is limited. Send an email with your name, address and phone number as well as the class subject and date to info@shelterinstitute.com or call 207-442-7938 to reserve your spot today.

Timber Frame SALE

Those of you who have been dreaming about our 24x24 timber frame kit becoming your very own home, garage, barn, studio, workshop, boathouse, guest cabin, retirement home, escape, vacation home . . . YOU are in luck. We have three 24x24 frames sitting in our shop and we're taking $4,900 off of the list price bringing it down to $12,000 for the kit. This price includes the framing elevations for the structure, a foundation plan, all of the timbers with joinery pre-cut, and 2-inch tongue and groove decking for the second floor. These are Eastern White Pine Frames, square cut timbers with hand cut joinery. Each is crafted with tremendous care in one of our recent timber framing workshops in which approximately 20 people from around the world gather to learn the art of timber framing. Our instructors take tremendous care to teach technique and craft. At the end of the class the instructors go through and complete any unfinished joints, and clean and oil the timbers with an all-natural wood oil called Land Ark. Supplies won't last long so call today to reserve your 24x24 today at this very low price of $12,000.
(Price includes framing members and second floor 2-in tongue and groove decking FOB Shelter Institute Campus, Woolwich, Maine. Shelter Institute will gladly ship and construct the frame. See our web page for additional pricing on construction and enclosure with Structural Insulated panels to create a super insulated shell.)

24x24 Home or Guest Cabin

24x24 Home or Guest Cabin

24x24 Timber Frame Garage Addition to Existing Home


3- 24x24 Frames Assembled together to form an L-Shaped Garage

Purely Post & Beam Class

Join us for 5-1/2 invigorating days where you will learn how to select, care for and use the best timber framing tools and create beautiful timber frame joinery. We'll spend the first morning learning how to draw the building to scale both by hand and on the computer. We'll spend the next several days in our comfortable shop laying out the joints on the timbers and hand shaping them in the timbers. Our in-house engineer will present the basics of beam sizing and joint selection to ensure that your timber frame structure is designed to support itself as well as the many pressures of wind, snow and ice. Walk away at the end of this class with a thorough set of plans for re-creating this building, the knowledge and skills to do it yourself. And as part of the alumni of the Shelter Institute, we are always available to answer questions and assist you through those complex building processes. Join the thousands of Shelter Institute grads by taking this next Purely Post and Beam Class: September 13-18, 2009 Sunday 5:00-8:00 pm, 8:30-5:00 Monday through Friday.

Intro to Insulated Shades

Saturday August 29, 2009 9:30 AM

As the heating season approaches, those of us living in colder climates are looking around our homes for last-minute improvements that we can make in order to stay as warm as possible with as little energy as possible. An obvious heat loss is through the glass in our windows. Regardless of how tight your windows are there is still considerable heat loss. Insulated shades have been available for more than thirty years but this year they are becoming so mainstream that you can purchase them everywhere from specialty stores where they are custom made for your windows to online sources and big box stores. You can imagine that there is considerable variety in the quality, r-value, and options available. This one-hour workshop will explain the science around insulated shades and explore the options, pros, and cons of various shades. You'll leave knowing what option is best for your home and your budget.

This is a FREE one hour workshop with a question and answer session at the end but you must register in advance as space is limited. Send an email with your name, address and phone number as well as the class subject and date to info@shelterinstitute.com or call 207-442-7938 to reserve your spot today.

Metal Roof Penetrations

by Gaius Hennin, PE
We install metal roofing exclusively on our timber frame shells. With warranties up to 45 years on the finish, ability to recycle, wide range of color options, longevity, ability to reflect the sun’s heat and shed snow and, this year, available tax credit, the advantages of metal roof are obvious. We are typically installing the metal roof long before the plumber has had a chance to run the main vent stack up through the roof, and this part of the job seems to create a fair amount of (undue) anxiety for both the plumber and the homeowner. I recently had the opportunity to install a couple of vent stacks through a metal roof for past clients and thought ‘What a great blog this would make!’ Here is my technique.



As with most of our shells, the timber frame was enclosed with SIP (structural insulated panel) walls and roof. This makes the installation even easier since there is no framing lumber in the roof to avoid. I use a slow turning right angle drill and a hole saw with an extension to drill up through the SIP and metal roof all in one clean shot. For this particular job, the plumbing had been run up to within a few feet of the roof panels. Using a plumb bob, I transferred the centerline of the pipe up to the ceiling and placed a mark there. The hole saw has a pilot drill making it easy to center the hole on my mark. I choose a hole saw that is just large enough to allow the pipe to pass through (photo 1).

A hole that is much larger than the pipe is more likely to allow warm moist air inside the building to come into contact with the underside of the cold metal roof, condense and drip back into the building, making the roof penetration appear to leak. I also like to seal the PVC to the metal roof as additional insurance against leakage which is only possible with a snug fitting penetration (see photo 2).

It is convenient to have a helper with a well calibrated eye stand back and make sure your drill remains plumb as you drill up through the roof. This house had a 9” thick SIP on a 5/12 pitch making the hole about 10” in length-plenty of room to get out of plumb. The pipe that will get installed through the roof is schedule 40 PVC and quite rigid. If the hole you drill is far out of plumb it can be quite difficult to align to the existing plumbing and make the pipe look crooked from outside.

After the hole is drilled, measure from the existing plumbing up through the hole to determine how much pipe is needed to make it through the roof, then add 12-24” of length to ensure that snow does not build up against and plug the vent stack. If the International Plumbing Code is enforced in your area, Section 904.1 calls out the minimum roof extension distance for your zone. I feel compelled to mention that the IPC also stipulates that “vent terminals shall not be used as a flag pole or to support flag poles, or similar items,……”. No further comment needed.

After gluing the pipe in place with the appropriate primer and glue, it is time to head up onto the roof. For this job, the roof is a 5/12 pitch and it is possible to walk on the roof, when dry, with no staging or scaffolding needed. I do have several words of caution though. In the spring, a layer of yellow Pine pollen can build up on the roof making it quite slippery, so try to plan the roof trip after a rain. Stepping on the screw heads affords extra friction and avoids the ‘little slips’ that can give you a heart attack. Remember that OSHA requires some form of fall protection, for good reason, when over 6’ off the ground. For clarity, we have Photoshopped the scaffolding out of the accompanying photos.

We use an EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) flashing boot known as a Dektite, for plumbing stack and all other ‘cold’ penetrations. For penetrations, such as single wall chimney pipes, where extended, elevated temperatures are inevitable, use the silicone Dektite. These are both available in a wide range of sizes, and can be trimmed to fit the exact pipe diameter. Be extremely careful when trimming the Dektite because a tight fit between the Dektite and the pipe is a critical part of a long term, leak-free installation (photo 3).

I use a sharp utility knife, but only because I sharpen my blades out of the package on my Tormek T-7 professional sharpening system (available at Woodbutcher Tools and, of course, on our website), and I have a dead steady hand. A lack of either of these can lead to an errant slice in the Dektite, rendering it useless. Notice that the Dektite I am installing here has a round base that sits on the roof surface (photo 4); this works well up to a 7/12 pitch. For steeper roofs, a Dektite with a square base works better, with one corner of the base aimed up the roof, toward the ridge.

After trimming the Dektite along the appropriate score line provided, I test fit the boot. The base has a piece of aluminum adhered to the EPDM which allows you to bend the base to fit the roof profile. When I am happy with the fit, I pull the Dektite off and apply a healthy bead of 100% silicone sealant (a marine adhesive like 3M’s PL 5200 also works very well, though is more expensive and often difficult to find) to the interface of the metal roof and the PVC (photo 5), this is the final line of defense against leakage, but should never see moisture, theoretically. Notice in photo 5 that a roofing screw has been removed, and the Dektite will end up partially straddling a rib. The screw was removed to allow the Dektite base to fit tight against the roof; the boot is straddling the rib because of Murphy’s Law.

Next I apply a thick bead of silicone sealant, using my professional grade Tajima caulking gun, to the flat underside of the Dektite (photo 6), and slide it down over the pipe.

Just before contacting the metal roof with the silicone, I double check that the boot is oriented properly to take advantage of the pre-fit work: I want the boot to slide straight down and have the excess silicone squeeze out without rotating, as this can allow air pockets to form in the silicone which can leak. To attach the boot to the roof I use 7/8” long Tek screws. These have a pre-drilling tip which makes it easy to drill through the aluminum base and the metal roof. These screws get installed about 1” on center (photo 7) all around the base and will hold the silicone gasket captive as well as preventing sliding snow from breaking the waterproof bond between the Dektite and the metal roof. It should take about as long to install the Dektite as it does to read this verbose article.

On roof pitches above a 7/12, it is wise to consider additional snow slide prevention. There are two typical devices. One is a plastic ‘block’ with a self-adhesive membrane. These should be placed every 3-4 feet up the roof to within 3-4’ of the ridge. Be aware that these will only fully adhere with continued temperatures above 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The other device screws to the roof and ties to the vent pipe with a stainless steel band. The metal plate that screws to the roof deck is shaped like a ‘V’ to help part the sliding snow around the pipe as it comes down the roof.

Lastly, the hole in the roof inside the building should be properly sealed to prevent warm moist air inside the building from coming into contact with the cold underside of the metal roof. A bead of 100% silicone between the pipe and the drywall ceiling works well if the gap is around 1/8” or less. If the hole was drilled larger, you should instead place expanding foam all around the pipe to prevent air migration.

It should take about as long to install the Dektite as it does to read this verbose article.

Metal Roofing Tax Incentives

DO YOU NEED A NEW ROOF?

The 2009 Stimulus Package provides substantial tax credits to homeowners who make energy efficient updates to their home. A great way to qualify for the credit is installation of a painted or coated Energy Star® labeled metal roof. Homeowners installing qualified roofs in 2009 and 2010 may be eligible for a tax credit worth up to 30% of the materials cost (materials only) up to $1,500 per home.

For example the metal roofing that we install on our 24x24 timber frame kit (with a 12/12 pitch roof) has a materials cost of $2900. If you select one of the qualifying colors you can receive a refund of $870 on that roof. That pricing is based on the Ideal Roofing Product Line which do qualify for this Energy Star Rebate. The Rebate is limited to a select group of colors because they do not absorb a tremendous amount of heat from the sun (Polar White, White, Bone White, Stone Grey, Regent Grey, Charcoal, Metro Brown, Coffee, International Orange, Bright Red, Red, Tile Red, Burgundy, Antique Linen, Tan, Mahogany, Slate Blue, Mist Green, Pacific Turquoise, Medium Green). Please contact us for a complete color chart, certification form and pricing. ph. 207-442-7938 or email a request and we can mail you a packet: info@shelterinstitute.com

How to receive the tax credit:

1. Find a Contractor or supplier near you to discuss a new metal roof for your home.
2. Confirm that the metal roof you select is a painted or coated Energy Star-labeled metal roof and obtain certification.
3. Purchase and install the metal roof between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010.
4. Fill out IRS Form 5965 when filing your taxes for 2009 and/or 2010.

2010 Class Schedule

Join us for a class on energy efficient housebuilding. Our 2010 class schedule is now available on our website. Check out the Design Build Class with all of the topics from solar angles to engineering to wiring and plumbing. The Small Housebuilding Class offers hands-on construction and techniques building a 12x16 structure installing windows, doors and roofing. Learn the art of timber framing in a one week Purely Post & Beam class. Classes qualify for general course credits through the University of Maine in Augusta and VA reimbursements. Take all three classes and receive a ten percent discount on the tuition of all three when you take the final class. Join the thousands of energy concious thinking people who plan well, to build well to live well!

SketchUp Class

Saturday June 13, 2009
9:30-11:30
In this two hour session, learn the ins and outs of Sketchup, Google's free computer design program. We'll tour of the software and its capabilities, and do some hands-on guided modeling. Sketchup is a great tool for visualizing spaces. Professional builders are able to share ideas with clients and sub-contractors in perspective, plan and elevation view while only having to create one “drawing”. Sketchup even makes it possible to export your model to your site on “Google Earth”.

The instructor, Patrick Wright, is a self-taught Sketchup artist who has experience as a teacher, homeowner/builder, land use planner, and TimberFramer with the Henin Post and Beam Crew. In 2007, he led a group of novice volunteer modelers who created 45 buildings in Downtown Brunswick, ME. These models have been accepted in Google Earth's "3D Buildings" layer. Patrick's practical building experience helps to bring together the realities of home design and construction with the expertise of computer aided design.

Students should bring a laptop computer to gain the most from the workshop but it is not required. If possible, please download Sketchup ahead of time at: Google Sketchup If you have trouble installing the program, the instructor will help you at the beginning of class (please arrive early). Be sure to bring a mouse, as a touchpad is much more difficult to model with. Non-Refundable Registration: $45 (This Registration fee can be transferred once at no charge. A second request for transfer will result in the loss of deposit.)

The Financial Times' Learning Vacation

Shelter Institute was featured in The Financial Times Saturday May 23, 2009:
"A hands-on revolution" By Madeleine Johnson
"A few years ago Jon Biehler took a life-changing bicycle ride through the US state of Maine. He happened upon a school – the Shelter Institute – which would eventually transform him from a teacher into an architect and builder, the sort of man able to put a roof over his own head. . . . Biehler and many others have discovered, taking a self-building course not only improves your project’s bottom line. It can improve your life too."

See the full article on the Financial Times Website

Join us for the Design Build Class in July and Improve your life too!

Draw Your House with Your Computer

Saturday June 13, 2009 9:30-11:30 am
Now you can take a hands-on drafting-on-computer class. While we have always offered drafting with pencil and paper in our Design-Build Class, we know that many of you have stopped using pencils and paper and we don't want that to be an excuse for not creating a thorough design. Although Pat will always draw his projects by hand, many of you have asked about our favorite computer programs. Although there are a myriad of choices out there with a wide range of price tags attached to them, we thought we would start with a cost effective version.
Google has brought 3D modeling into the mainstream with their FREE distribution of a product called “Sketchup.” This software has a remarkably flat learning curve compared to most CAD programs. This 2-hour session covers a tour of the software and its capabilities, as well as hands-on guided modeling. This is a great tool for visualizing spaces. Professional builders are able to share ideas with clients and sub-contractors in perspective, plan and elevation view while only having to create one “drawing”. Sketchup even makes it possible to export your model to your site on “Google Earth”

The instructor, Patrick Wright, is a self-taught Sketchup artist who has experience as a teacher, homeowner/builder, land use planner, and Timber Framer with the Hennin Post and Beam Crew. In 2007, he led a group of novice volunteer modelers who created 45 buildings in Downtown Brunswick, ME. These models have been accepted in Google Earth's "3D Buildings" layer. Patrick's practical building experience helps to bring together the realities of home design and construction with the expertise of computer aided design.

Students should bring a laptop computer to gain the most from the workshop but it is not required. If possible, please download Sketchup ahead of time at: Google Sketchup If you have trouble installing the program, the instructor will help you at the beginning of class (please arrive early). Be sure to bring a mouse, as a touchpad is much more difficult to model with.
For more information, please visit this products webpage. Tuition for this class is for services rendered. The Shelter Institute makes no warranty, and holds no license for "Sketchup" software. The Shelter Institute and its instructors are not employed by or agents of Google, Inc. Non-Refundable Registration: $45 (This Registration fee can be transferred once at no charge. A second request for transfer will result in the loss of deposit.)

Intro to Wiring April 11, 2009 9:30-1:30

Learn to be confident about wiring through a complete understanding of ELECTRICITY! This workshop teaches how to wire or re-wire your home. We first describe what electricity is and how to control it in simple, non-technical language. Next we discuss the National Electrical Code, with focus on the major affects of the code on residential wiring, how to wire a house that conforms to the code and how to interpret the code. This is followed by a discussion of how electricity actually ends up in the house. Finally, we break into small groups to practice wiring sample panels, switches and lights. Suggested text: Wiring Simplified (Richter, Schwan, Hartwell), available at Shelter Institute for a 10% discount to students.