I’m still hunting for roofing material and currently thinking I may just focus on searching for some scrap corrugated roofing. After experiencing extreme winds and rain this past winter it just seems like the smartest solution for roofing is to use some kind of real metal roofing.

Below: Here’s what it looked like when I left. We’re expecting another storm this week so I resecured the tarp before I left.

Above: A mid-day shot with the tractor working the field in the background. This year the farmer that works the 40-acres has planted four separate crops for organic seeds, bok choy, swiss chart, carrots, and radishes. The carrots are right behind the tiny house.

Below: A close-up of a date stamp on one of the recycled pieces of plywood I’m using.

…and lastly Katie posing for a photo with the tractor :-)

After removing all the nails I’ll put it on the exterior walls and interior ceiling. But first I need to put some roofing on it and insulate the roof. I’ve had little luck finding anything suitable for the roof but I’ve also had little time to scrounge around… so at the very least I’ll cover it before the rain starts with roofing felt and possibly a tarp. At this point the less rain on the house the better.

The plywood is now stored in the shed/shop at the farm… well protected from the rain. It will stay there until I started putting it on the house.

I also realized the side windows were too high and needed to be lowered so I threw a temporary support in, unscrewed a couple pallets, cut them up and reframed. I only got one window lowered before I called it a day on Sunday.

Next Steps:

• Lower other side window.
• Finish putting boards on roof.
• Finish filling in pallet boards on sides so I have something to screw the milled pallet boards onto.
• Finish roof (roofing felt and shingles (The jury is still out on the final roofing material)).
• Mill up a bunch of pallet boards for the siding.
• Wrap it up with house-wrap.
• Screw on the milled pallet board siding.
• Install the windows I got free off craigslist.
• Mill up pallet boards for trim around the windows and door.
• Build the door from pallet wood, and install.
• Seal the exterior with some kind natural free finish. (I’m open to suggestions.)

At that point I’ll be ready to move to working inside the house. My plan is to get all this done before the rain starts. At my current slow pace I think it’s possible. Here are a few more photos.

How to take apart pallets

Tiny free house tour

How to work with the pallet boards

Demonstration of attaching pallet boards to the roof

Nice view of corn field

Crop duster flys over the Tiny Free House

After this weekend it looks like I’ll be back on track with the tiny free house! This week I’ll redouble my scavenging efforts and get all my ducks in a row for my next trip to the farm. Next step is to get the roof on and then I can start covering the exterior with pallet boards. I can’t wait for the tiny free house to really look like a tiny house.

Anyway it felt very good to have this milestone complete. It also feels good to have a safe roof over head. I didn’t want to use pallets in the roof because it just seemed like asking for trouble. This roof shouldn’t collapse on my head.

The next step is to close up the roof with roofing felt, tin or shingles. I’ve already got enough scavenged roofing felt but I still need some kind of roofing material. Initially I was hoping to find an old metal shed someone wants hauled away, but I’ve been thinking more about using flattened #10 tin cans. I’ll need to do an experiment before I start collecting the 200 cans. My imagination tells me it will work great but my practical side tells me I’m crazy… but we knew that right?

A finished roof will give me some shade to work in while I finish up the interior wheel well and bathroom wall framing. I’d like to get all the rough framing work done before I start closing it in with pallet boards so it’s easier to work in there under the hot sun.

I’m also still on the lookout for insulation but I’m pretty sure I’ll use styrofoam packing peanuts stuffed in old plastic grocery bags. The bags should hold the peanuts together and keep the whole process of putting peanuts in the walls and ceiling less messy. The interior will be sealed up the same way are the exterior with pallet boards.

Here’s what it looked like after I cleaned up my mess at the end of the day:

I plan to put bracing in at the peak to keep the roof strong. Instead of framing the roof normally I made simple trusses on the ground and lifted them into place and then added cross bracing between each truss. By adding a little metal or wood plate at the peak it should help keep the roof together for a long time.

I also realized a funny irony this morning… I’m building a tiny house just a couple miles from the Sutter Buttes, which has the honor of being known as the world’s smallest mountain range. I may also be the only person who thinks building a tiny house at the foot of the world’s smallest mountain range is  funny… so thanks for bearing with me.

It will be even funnier when I build Nine Tiny Feet which might actually become a contender for the title of the world’s smallest house… but I’m not holding my breath or getting my hopes too high.

1. It looks really cute without too much extra effort.
2. I should be stronger since the left wall stays short (about 4 feet).
3. Not much usable headroom is lost since a bench/bed will be along the short wall.
4. The loft will be a bit narrower but still 6 feet in depth.

My plan is to mock it up for real on my next work weekend to the farm. The weekends have still been a bit wet and I’ve not found time, but I suspect I’ll get a couple days in a row to get up there and get a start on this. If it seems like it’s not going to work I’ll go back to a more conventional pitched roof. Let me know what you think. Here’s the video:

The house is no worse for wear. The pallets are ready.

The hitch is installed and Katie is ready to help her daddy finish their tiny house.

Oh and I got some bad news from James Burgett at Alameda County Computer Resource Center. It turns out he won’t be able to help me out. I’m not too bummed about about the stuff, more bummed out he won’t be able to contribute his ideas. One of them was to figure out a way using free stuff to provide power. He described making a wind mill out an old discarded power drill, a bike wheel, and milk jugs. I can’t really go into why James won’t be able to help, but my best to him. Rock on James!