Vardo plans

[n0klu]

goimg over the plans there is one dimension that seems to be missing and that is the actual height of wall that is angled outward But I've been playing around with some ideas I might do a straight wall with no angles as I'd like to keep it as close to a house shape as possible...figure I better spend some time in designing it right the first time instead of ripping it apart and having to do it over again and agian

The angled wall on the angle is a 4' plywood size,(intended to be a sheet of plywood size) the vertical is shown but it will be a +/- as the trig will be in near ?/32 of an inch and the computer rounds to the nearest 1/8" it show to be 5'-0" from the finished floor.
The floor is made up of flashing grade metal pest barrier then a 1/4" plywood layer with 2x4's joists 16" OC with Styrofoam insulation between joists, and a 3/4" plywood deck all bolted on the frame of the trailer. The walls are to be anchored using Simpsons strong ties hurricane straps and the walls are 2"x3" members with 1/4" plywood interior and 3/8"" exterior nailed at 6" spacing and glued the entire lengths of the studs. Foil backed Styrofoam insulation fits perfectly. Also using straps at each 16" OC studs under the exterior siding
The overall width has to be =/< than 8'-6" by law so I made it something like 8'-4" or so.

Hope this clears things up a bit.

[droid_ca]

Wow that helps alot Thank you I owe you one around a campfire one day. my stud spacing is going to be more then that but I need to keep it light but I'll be mixing and matching stud thicknesses and the voids will be filled with foam that's laminated together I'll be going with 12 feet in length as an additional precaution I'm going to fiberglass my outside of the trailer to keep the rigidity up but it should still help to keep it nic and light with a 4 inch thick wall.after the glass has been laid I'll also add some trim pieces on all of the seams as a final precaution
Thanks again

[n0klu]

Wow that helps alot Thank you I owe you one around a campfire one day. my stud spacing is going to be more then that but I need to keep it light but I'll be mixing and matching stud thicknesses and the voids will be filled with foam that's laminated together I'll be going with 12 feet in length as an additional precaution I'm going to fiberglass my outside of the trailer to keep the rigidity up but it should still help to keep it nic and light with a 4 inch thick wall.after the glass has been laid I'll also add some trim pieces on all of the seams as a final precaution
Thanks again

Great! I would still recommend under the plywood and fiberglass shell to screw in the straps that keep the sloped sides to the horizontal and then the vertical the fiberglass will definitely be good for rigidity. The straps should be 24". split evenly on the different angles. this will keep it together if the worst happens and it tips over by accident. I would recommend a product called "plumbers strap" it is a metal strap that is about 1" by a roll of 10' or so it has a bunch of holes in it use at least 5 screws (every other hole) on a side this will add tremendous numbers to the structures moment and bending figures.

Good luck in the build. keep us updated with pictures. Anything I can do to help just ask.

[droid_ca]

I'm actually going to go one step higher then the plumbers strap and use hurricane bracing as for the panels I want to have another piece of wood cut that fits between the studs so that they are blocked in on the sides as well to help prevent twisting and what not there will be some diagonal bracing involved as it needs to be strong...I still might use the plumbers strap as I have a few rolls handy.. I have talked to a millwright and a few engineers and then some good ol farmers that have fixed a lot of other peoples mistakes so they have an inclination of what works and what don't.I'll be using tightbond-3 for the majority of my gluing as I do want it waterproof and it seems to be one of the strongest there is out there I even have some fiberglass that I'll be adding in some of the weaker sections to help keep things as solid as possible...I just don't want to over build but where I'd like to take it I don't want to under build it either (no extreme mud pits or anything but some back roads and up a few mountains) For me this is all about comfort we have many lakes within an hours drive so I got plenty of places to go but with what you have drawn up and a few of the small changes that I have made it should be able to be a prospectors dream cabin if there ever was one...I figure take my time do it right the first time and ask a lot of questions especially what would people change if they were to do it over again you would be surprised at some of the results..I have been emailing many people who actually live in tiny houses and what not and there seems to be a lot of little things that people would change or are going to change...I don't want to live in this but who know what tomorrow might bring we might all end up living in out trailers and if so I'd like to be comfortable as possible and that means not worrying...Sorry about the long post..Thanks again for all you have done just one more question what is the angle of the roof so if I were to cut my wood I'm wondering what I set it at might have to cut a few of those in the next few days...just itching to work on this

[n0klu]

Sounds like you have a good handle on things. The length is determined on the height and run so
height from top of wall to top of peak is A
length of run is length from inside of top of wall to Center line is B
the hypotenuse is C: here is a web addy with a calculator in it:
http://www.mathwarehouse.com/geometry/t ... iangle.php
a2 + b2 = c2: this gives the measurement from the bottom of the rafter to the top edge of the "birds mouth"along the bottom of the rafter...

The angles are a little more involved math for me (I am mathematics illiterate) sorry... CAD programs are great! They are smarter than me! My computer makes me look like a genius! here are the formulas:
http://serc.carleton.edu/mathyouneed/tr ... index.html

You can play with the numbers a bit and make it anything you desire.
remember as long as it is less than a 3" in 12" slope you can't use shingles, not that I recommend shingles metal roofing is best for high winds as in road speeds.

[droid_ca]

I was wanting to use shingles I was thinking of glueing them down and then coating them in a sealer so that it would be essentially just one piece of textured roof I was thinking of going with a metal foor so we'll see what happens when it comes to that time...but from all the pictures I have been looking at what is on the sides I want for the roof
&

then do a cedar lap siding so that it would also add to the front and back forces while traveling to help prevent twisting and if it is sealed properly then it should hold really good from what people have been telling me anyways and for my sides I'm still deciding I might even go with some nice and light tongue and groove pine would be easy to put a coat of fiberglass on it

[n0klu]

I was wanting to use shingles I was thinking of glueing them down and then coating them in a sealer so that it would be essentially just one piece of textured roof I was thinking of going with a metal foor so we'll see what happens when it comes to that time...but from all the pictures I have been looking at what is on the sides I want for the roof
&

then do a cedar lap siding so that it would also add to the front and back forces while traveling to help prevent twisting and if it is sealed properly then it should hold really good from what people have been telling me anyways and for my sides I'm still deciding I might even go with some nice and light tongue and groove pine would be easy to put a coat of fiberglass on it

Love the houseboats. Just remember that less than 3" in 12" run snow will back up under the shingles any where it can so seal it well.
Also they do make a "shingle" look in the metal roofing's...

[droid_ca]

so is that for every 12 inches in it goes 3 up or do I have that backwards

[n0klu]

so is that for every 12 inches in it goes 3 up or do I have that backwards

If you measure from the eaves (wall side) you are correct.
Opposite if you measure from peak down to wall side.
The formula is 3" drop in 12" run as a minimum for shingles, and can be as flat as 1" in 12" for metal roofing. If you use a continuous roofing such as rubber or plastic it can be flat... but.... not good idea as ponding may occur and then it will leak. It can also be made in a single slope (shed style) and then you go back to the 3" in 12" rule. This is because normal shingles (Wood or asphalt) snow and ice can build up and will move up under them a few inches, the lower the slope the higher it will seep under them.

[tinkerluthier]

Has anyone made a bowtop vardo? Had any trouble with towing it with canvas on?

[newlifestyle]

Here are some photos of vardos.

[rebapuck]

I was wanting to use shingles I was thinking of glueing them down and then coating them in a sealer so that it would be essentially just one piece of textured roof I was thinking of going with a metal foor so we'll see what happens when it comes to that time...but from all the pictures I have been looking at what is on the sides I want for the roof
&

then do a cedar lap siding so that it would also add to the front and back forces while traveling to help prevent twisting and if it is sealed properly then it should hold really good from what people have been telling me anyways and for my sides I'm still deciding I might even go with some nice and light tongue and groove pine would be easy to put a coat of fiberglass on it

These days you can get cedar shake siding in panels. That would give you the stability and cohesiveness you want.