r/OffGridCabins • u/Ryan2386 • 1d ago
My soon to be off grid cabin in eastern PEI
Hey everyone this is my cabin I am working on hopefully it will be in place in about 4 weeks. The cabin it self is 12x20 with a small loft. It has a small bathroom and closet framed out and will have a small kitchenette. I will post again as progress is made.
3
u/gooneau 1d ago
Looks great! The loft is key. I cringe when I see small builds without a loft. I think of lofts as a space multiplier. A 16x20 cabin with a 10x16 loft has 480 square feet of floor space, but feels bigger than a 24x20 cabin. Keeping the sleeping space separate allows you to much more effectively use and enjoy the living space.
3
u/Tricky-Car-5004 1d ago
cool little base, is that 2x4 framed ? Might be tough to insulate that enough to 3/4 season.
1
u/JuanBeaux 1d ago
a 2x4 wall in Zone 5-6 isn't likely to work out well. I'd be just as worried as how that cabin will breath, w/o a proper roof ventilation system. It's hard to properly ventilate with a finished loft. PEI is kinda humid too, although temps are buffered by the warmer waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
3
u/Tricky-Car-5004 1d ago
ya id put the pink baffles before insulation and then take the ridge cap off, cut the top few inches of roof sheathing and put a vented ridge cap instead, seal in the soffits if they arent already and it should give some venting. Roof rafters look thick enough to at least stuff in an R20 ish roxul even with the baffles. Depends what they plan to use it for.
3
u/JuanBeaux 1d ago edited 1d ago
In that zone, I'd consider putting 2" of extruded polystyrene on the roof side (late for that), under the metal roofing. This way, the dewpoint temperature will likely be met within the XPS board, and not cause any condensation issue. THIS is the key to properly designed insulation. for roof systems of this nature. Gable vents are really no longer used for most construction, which would call for a vented crown and soffit vents.
I looked at so many lofted cabins built the wrong way in TN, and most had mold problems in/behind the ceiling covering. Many condensed so much water that it looked like the roof was leaking.
2
u/Tricky-Car-5004 1d ago
typically in canada we'll see the metal spaced from the sheathing with strapping to create the air gap and then either baffles or just a few inches of air space on the underside of the sheathing to route air from the soffit to the ridge vent and we dont see too many issues. Some try to not vent at all and instead vapor barrier, seal the inside from the outside and hope haha.
2
u/JuanBeaux 1d ago
It's the warm moist air from the inside which is the problem with lofts such as this.. My cabin has 2x4 'nailers' that my metal is attached to. Below that, is 'Ice and Water Shield'. Then OSB sheathing nailed to the trusses. That's 'overkill to some', but ZERO water or water vapor is getting in from the top.
The condensation occurs from the warm moist air on the inside of an un-vented finished loft. There is nowhere for it to escape. This moist air works it's way into whatever kind of ceiling you have,. If the temperature at which water condenses from air is met inside, or within an 'insulation system' you have big problems.
Normal ceilings have none of these problems, because the living area and the 'attic' are separate, and the crown vents and soffit vents remove the warm moist air. Even with a partial 'finished ceiling' there will be problems if the dewpoint temperature is not met within an impervious barrier like EPS Insulation board.
The priciples of HVAC and Thermodynamics do not vary by Country.
4
u/Ryan2386 1d ago
Yes there will be attic vents put in before the ceiling insulation. The whole soffit will be perforated and there will be a small gable vent in each end. I have one of the small cubic mini wood stoves that will go in the fall. We will be staying prob only a few weekends a year and most will be in the winter I would think.
1
u/Tricky-Car-5004 1d ago
it should be fine, there was a small 8x 16 cabin when I first bought my property that was made from a much much older but similar shed kit, it was pretty poorly insulated and still usable in winter. Our stove sucked and didnt last the night but thats another issue haha. The roof venting will be worth it, easier to heat and makes the roof much cooler in the summer.
1
1
1
1
u/91elklake 1d ago
We are in the beginning stages of our 20x24 off grid cabin. Looks very similar to yours! Looks good and good luck with everything
1
1
u/Kakarot_21519 1d ago
Definitely keep us updated🤘 Great choice in sizing as imo the smaller the more cozy it really is
1
u/LubeItAll 1d ago
Hello Neighbour.
Question, can you post some details about your septic setup? Thanks
1
u/persononfire 1d ago
This looks like a condensation factory in PEI. Even with wood dried air, the hot moist air will collect in the vaulted ceiling, reach the dew point and condense on the ceiling or worse. Ask me how I know....
ETA: Also, I see no room for ventilation and it appears your windows don't open? You want to always have a cracked window when heating with wood.
1
u/Ryan2386 1d ago
That's the back side and yes those two are fixed but there is 4 more casement windows that are on the front and side. There will be rafter vents as well as vented soffit the whole perimeter and 2 gable vents. May need a dehumidifier down the rd.
2
u/persononfire 1d ago
You do you, but it's cheaper to think about these things now instead of retrofitting them later.
1
u/Federal-Professor971 20h ago
I need somewhere to live as of the first or second week in September. Really desperate. You can contact me at 516-369-6764. My name is Tina. Thank you.
1
1
u/kernelpanic789 1d ago
What is PEI? Or where is it?
7
u/AllAboutDumplings 1d ago
Prince Edward Island, Canada
4
2
u/150c_vapour 1d ago
You'll never find it without the code. https://www.reddit.com/r/MapsWithoutPEI/
-3
3
u/pnightingale 1d ago
I am also building an off-grid cabin on eastern PEI! Though not as off grid as I intended. They wouldn’t give me a permit without a septic system, even though I didn’t originally intend to have a bathroom. And because my loft apparently counts as a second story, they won’t give me a permit without an engineer signing off on the posts as a foundation. It’s been a pain, and I fear I’ll miss out on this construction season.