I have been a follower for many years now and wanted to take the next step and contribute. Around the same time I stumbled across your blog, I began experimenting with shipping pallets. Being a carpenter by trade, I already possessed the skills to build, but pallets are a whole different ball game. When building with pallets, one cannot just draw up plans and expect everything to work. Pallets need to be looked at as building blocks, like Legos for example. Drawing up plans is still a good idea, but the dimensions and structural integrity of pallets needs to be the main factor in design.

Before, I started building; I needed to find sources to obtain my pallets. The most common pallet can be found behind almost every store and it measures 4ft by 45 inches. It consists of 3 parallel 2x4s with 1x planks running perpendicular. These pallets are normally reused over and over and are riddled with nails. The wood is grade “d” lumber at best and is hard to drive a nail into. However, there are treasures out there; I have found many mahogany pallets and oak pallets. With some dedication, the wood can be reclaimed.

There are also pallets that I call, “one time use pallets.” These have all different dimensions that are based on the product that is being shipped. For instance, Motorcycles, Tractors, wood stoves, windows, furniture…etc, all have unique pallets. A lot of these pallets are constructed out of premium 2x4s and 2x6s, all held together with screws and bolts. This lumber can be reclaimed much easier and even hardware can be reused. At a local glass company I can gather 8ft x 12ft pallets, all made out of southern yellow pine. NOTE: Always get permission before taking pallets, some have deposit costs attached to them.

After collecting a dozen truck loads, I had enough pallets to begin experimenting. I took an inventory of what I had and recorded the individual dimensions of each pallet. I also took note of which direction the 2x4s ran, being that they are the main support. I had seen a couple people attempt to build chairs out of pallets online, so I started with that. The first one I built was just to get an idea of what I could do with the least amount of work. The next involved a little more effort and the third was actually built by deconstructing pallets and reusing the wood.

From what I learned in making chairs, I took my new knowledge and attempted to build a small structure. At a Harley Davidson dealership I found a 4 ft x 8 ft pallet made of 2 x 6s and heavy 1 x 6s. I used this as my base. I covered it with a sheet of plywood and leveled it on top of cinderblocks. Then I began to frame the walls. For the back wall I used another 4 ft x 8 ft pallet made of 2 x 4s. I cut a 4 ft x 45 inch pallet in half and stacked this on top. The front walls were constructed out of two 2 ft x 6 ft pallets with a door opening between them. The side walls were made of heavy duty 3 ft x 3 ft pallets that had 4 x 4s holding them together.

I added some reclaimed 2 x 4s to finish the rough framing. The roof was made of three 5 ft x 45 inch pallets, and then covered with plywood. The roofing is actually made of sheet metal from a newspaper printing facility. A raw piece can be seen in front of the door opening on the ground. I constructed a door out of reclaimed 2 x 4s and added a recycled window. From a demo job at work, I got a truck load of foot wide pine floor boards. They were already stained and had a nice weathered look to them. I nailed these to the frame as siding. Since pallets aren’t perfectly square, neither was my structure, so some custom skill saw rips were needed to make the siding work.

I then attached some more 5 ft x 45inch pallets as a second foundation to the back and leveled them on cinderblocks. Using more reclaimed lumber I built another frame. Then roofed with more pine floor boards. At this point, I decided to make my structure into a chicken coop. This new section would act as a covered run for my chickens. I built a larger run out of more reclaimed 2 x 4s and wrapped everything in chicken wire.

Other than some hardware and two sheets of plywood, the entire structure was made of recycled materials. This was last spring’s project and since then I have been collecting more raw materials. This spring I am going to attempt to make an 8 ft x 8ft structure out of mostly pallets. As soon as I have something made, I plan on showing it to all of you at tinyhouseblog.com. If you have any questions or want to talk pallets, feel free to contact me at artcalderone@hotmail.com.

Thanks,
Doug Calderone
Pootatuck Pallet Projects
Sandy Hook, Connecticut

The house, code named Strawtron, is designed to be a passive solar, straw bale-insulated house using timber frame as the main structure.

The interior living area is 13 ft x 24ft which is about 300 square feet, it also has a loft and a green house area that is used to bring in passive solar heating.

Brian is making the small timber frame house plans available for free.

As a side note if you would like to help build this house Dancing Rabbit is offering a Natural Building Workshop in the summer of 2012. This includes two workshops one a Timber Frame Workshop and the second a Straw Bale Workshop. Only 12 spaces are available so click here to learn more and to apply.

P.S. Ziggy just sent me the full details so I am including them below.

Building a Small Timber Frame House | Free Timber Frame House Plans

2012 is the year I embark on a brand new natural building endeavor. In 2008, I built a tiny cob house and reveled in the experience of building purely with mud, and designing a small, cozy space. This year, I am taking a very different approach — the new house (jokingly named “Strawtron”, as the cob house has become known as “Gobcobatron”) will be a timber frame and straw bale house. In many ways, the houses are radically different. But one thing remains the same: staying small and natural is at the heart of this latest timber frame house plan.

Designing a Small Timber Frame House

Strawtron has approximately 300 square feet of indoor living space on the main level — the building footprint is as compact as possible. I carefully considered every extra foot when designing the floor plan, and minimized extra square footage as much as possible. An attached greenhouse and screened-in north porch extend the living space and the footprint, but not the amount of space that requires extra heating. Actually, the greenhouse will provide supplemental free heat in the wintertime — windows can be opened to let in extra heat once the greenhouse warms up past the temperature of the house. And in the summer, the shady north porch will provide much-needed relief from the heat during hot summer nights.

Passive solar design and high levels of insulation are key here, and using local and natural materials in the construction is a high priority. The intended number of occupants is 2-3, which equals about 200 indoor square feet each for two people.

Natural Building with Wood and Straw

The rest of the small house design emphasizes natural building materials and ecological design principles as much as possible:

• Building elements: straw bale insulation, timber frame with local wood, concrete pier foundation, living roof, earthen and lime plasters, light clay straw interior wall, cellulose and wool in floor platform
• Interior 1st story living area rough dimensions are 13′x24′ (about 300 square feet)
• Greenhouse is planned to be about 10′x14′ — serves as heat source, additional living space with solar shower, sink, etc., & space for growing lovely things
• Spiral staircase leads up to lofted story above main living space, with a walk out to 6 ft. deep balcony on the west
• Sheltered outdoor work area under balcony on west
• Heat to be provided by small wood stove (Morso 1410 wood stove), with plans for future masonry heat

Learn Natural Building Skills

An important aspect of building this new home is teaching valuable natural building skills. We are offering two natural building workshops this summer at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in northeast Missouri to educate folks about how to build their own energy-efficient, small, natural homes. The full-featured Timber Frame Workshop and Straw Bale Workshops are intended for folks looking to gain crucial hands-on skills that can be applied to their own projects.
(There are actually only 2 days left to save 20% off the cost of the Timber Framing Workshop by applying for the Extra Early Registration Discount.)

Skilled instructors will lead the programs, which are open to applicants of all experience levels. The goal is to educate people about all of the facets of what it means to build naturally, and live sustainably — using local, natural materials, building small and beautiful spaces, and keeping our carbon footprints low. Participants will also get a look into sustainable life at Dancing Rabbit.

Check Out the Free Small House Plans

I am happy to offer the plans for our timber frame and straw bale house for free. The document below includes floor plans, elevation views, a pier foundation drawing, and other design drawings. If you have any interest in small home design, timber framing, or straw bale construction, give these images a look for inspiration or ideas!

Check it out: timber frame & straw bale house plans.

Keep an eye open to learn more about the construction of this new passive solar, timber frame & straw bale house!

The first product sold by the company is the Wallowa. This tiny house is 8 feet by 12 feet and includes 2×4 framing, a standard home size entry door, two windows, double wall construction, cedar lap siding with cedar trim, and metal roofing guaranteed for 35 years. The interior clear ceiling height is 6 feet 8 inches, and the interior loft height at the peak is slightly over 3 feet 8 inches. The overall height with the building on its mobile chassis is 13 feet 5 inches, just under the legal limitation. Level One ($429) includes a complete set of detailed building plans, actual photos of construction and an instructional video. Level Two ($9,850) and Level Three ($15,975) allow the owner to design and build their own interior including wall covering, floor covering, plumbing, electrical, appliances and cabinetry.

The Wallowa has several options including a gable overhang porch, additional side windows and a loft. These options can be added onto Levels 2 and 3 for an additional price.

The second tiny house is the Bitterroot. The exterior dimensions are 7 feet by 16 feet and the interior ceiling is 6 feet 8 inches and it is also 13 feet 5 inches on its mobile chassis. The Bitterroot, with its narrower footprint is better suited to extended towing and the loss of width is compensated by the additional length. The Bitterroot’s Level One, Two, and and Three package and options are the same as the Wallowa. The prices for the Bitterroot are: Level One ($429), Level Two ($12,650) and Level Three ($17,890).

Tiny House Builders’ parent company, Enviro-Mechanical Specialists, Inc. (EMS) is long known for their expertise in providing a broad range of services to the Green Building industry. The company’s philosophy is that “less is more” and that we should do everything possible to reduce our consumption of natural resources.

Photos courtesy of Tiny House Builders

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

A few years ago, Kevin downsized from a 2,700 square foot home, got rid of about 90 percent of his possessions and moved into a 280 square foot 5th wheel trailer. He was in the process of researching alternative building techniques and stumbled onto the tiny house movement. He decided to start a website and blog to showcase his small home plan ideas.

“This tiny lifestyle I was living gave me back serenity,” Kevin said. “This was something that had been sorely missing in my life for a very long time. I just wanted to share my experiences.”

His goal with Cozy Home Plans was to add a few more feet onto tiny homes to make them more livable.

“Can a person live in 100 square feet? Absolutely, but can they share it with guests or a partner full-time? How about a larger kitchen, washer/dryer capabilities and storage for extra stuff in such a small space? Answering “Yes” to these questions became more difficult in such a tiny space,” Kevin said. “My solution was to add a few more feet to each house.”

Kevin created a “6 Must Haves” list for living in a tiny house. These guidelines are the foundation of each of his floor plans and concepts. The various sizes and designs suit singles, couples and families. They can live in the homes full time with all the amenities of traditionally larger homes and they offer alternative solutions for people wishing to downsize without sacrificing too much comfort.

His favorite Cozy Home Plan is the Mount Kiska which includes four storage areas, three French doors and a King size bed in just 505 square feet. He also likes the Crestone Needle’s kitchen and the Bashful Peak and the El Capitan.

From years of studying alternative building techniques, Kevin has also created the Earthbag Shield steel roofing system that is a self-supporting structure used for covering up earthbag homes and other structures. He also has a DIY article on earthbag construction.

“I just wanted to say thanks to all the people in the tiny house movement,” Kevin added.”I have been an entrepreneur all my life and competition is typically met with resistance. Never before have I been welcomed into a new industry as if I’m part of the family. The tiny house movement is quickly gaining in popularity, not only because of its message but because of the wonderful people delivering that message. Many thanks from Cozy Home Plans and I hope your tiny house brings you serenity, too.”

Photos and renderings courtesy of Cozy Home Plans

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Here are some photos of my ‘tiny house’ built from your Sonoma Shanty plans in the summer of 2010 just a quarter mile from Lake Superior in Wisconsin. While my 10 acres do not have a lake, I am near enough to hear the waves on a windy day, and a mile from the local beach.

This summer we had a Jotul 602 woodstove installed, by September it is needed for heat at night! I’m very happy with the house. I bought seven windows made for a house at the local home store and they fill it with light.

My builder was a retired farmer who is 6’5″, so he added 4 inches to the height so the loft is more acceptable to him! I designed a bench that turns into a bed and there is also room to sleep in the loft. The size was adjusted to 10′ x 14 from the original plans.

I’ll get better interior photos next time we are up there. I live six hours away, so that is the only bad part as we can’t get there every weekend. (The first photo, the tiny house in the snow, just won a contest to be the December page in the 2012 calendar by a Wisconsin company named Wausau Supply.) The last photo shows a visiting bear – taken from the north window of the tiny house! He walked all around it and then ambled off. Never noticed us inside gawking at him! Thanks again for your great plans!

Marsha

Photo Credit’s Marsha Siik

The company also offers a pad foundation, Thermowood® siding, cedar roof shingles or insulated metal roofs, French doors, skylights, exterior lighting and decking. Interior options include laminate flooring, electrical and lighting, heating units and blinds.

The Stable Company also offers its customers the use of its in-house, planning permission and building regulations services as well as deposit protection and an insurance backed guarantee.

Photos courtesy of the Stable Company

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Mariah and Ryan Lingard fell in love with the woods and lakes of Joseph, Oregon and purchased some partially burned, partially logged land after seeing an ad in the local paper. The 100×150 foot parcel of land cost them $47,000 and is located smack dab in the middle of hiking, skiing and snowshoe territory. The couple has a full-time home in Portland, but they make the 6-hour trip to the Signal Shed about four times a year.

After two years of planning and extended weekend camping trips to their land, the couple built the 130 square foot cabin over a two week period with friends and family. The materials cost about $10,000 and the cabin features several recycled windows, IKEA cabinets and laminate flooring. They found the barn door hardware and the woodstove on Craigslist. The cabin rests on a floating pier to minimize impact on the land and cedar screens used to lock it up when Mariah and Ryan are not around. The Signal Shed has no running water, no electricity and the couple uses the woodstove for heat and some cooking.

Mariah grew up in an off-grid home in rural Oregon and is not bothered by the lack of running water or the portable toilet. The couple heat up water on the stove or in a solar water heater, and read at night by candlelight or oil lamp.

The structure was awarded a 2011 Residential Architect Magazine design award. As an architect, Ryan is now offering the Signal Shed plans for sale in limited quantities. It is being sold for $18,000 for a prefab modular structure and detailed plans are being sold for $1,000.

Photos courtesy of Sunset and Ryan Lingard

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

The Hummingbird has a living and kitchen area with a fire-ribbon fireplace (which requires no venting) and a large, covered deck which LEAP calls a “chill” space. A small bedroom and bathroom suite are also included. Plans for the hummingbird are priced at $995, the building kit is around $55,000 and an on-site built Hummingbird is about $80,000 which does not include the general contractor fee, building or permit fees.

Other green options included in the Hummingbird are:

• Cement board or teak siding
• Trex recycled content-engineered deck planking
• Low-mass Structural Insulated Panels
• Multi-unit sliding glass doors with dual-pane Low-E glass
• Simpson “Strong-Wall” seismic resisting brace-frames
• Low-flow plumbing fixtures
• EnergyStar rated Heat-pump HVAC system, lighting and on-demand water heater

LEAP Adaptive is a home design group in San Diego, California. Design director Brian Darnell has spent the last 22 years designing multi-million-dollar residential estates, but realized that “the lust for size and granduer has given way to the realization that the economics and ecology of our flattening world can no longer support such extravagance.” LEAP seeks to create environmental designs that are easier on the owner’s wallet as well as on the earth.

Image Courtesy of LEAP Adaptive

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Andrew Morrison is an easy to understand instructor and you get a little feel of his teaching ability in this video below. He has produced a number of hot selling videos and I will be reviewing his latest How-To Guide To Building With Straw Bales (Post and Beam) next week.

This charming cottage is perfect for the Tiny House enthusiast! Straw Bale construction lends itself very well to space-conscious builders because the thickness of the bales allows for all types of carved-in wall niches to be created, allowing for storage/shelving right in the walls. Straw bale window sills are also wonderful for creating window seats, eliminating the need for chairs.

The Sunset Cottage has room for a full sized fold-down couch, a large set of wall shelves, a large work desk with file cabinets on the side, a substantial window seat, a small set of shelves, and plenty of floor space to walk around the room in. And with a little modification, you can create space for a tiny bathroom and kitchen as well.

So if you have been thinking of building your first straw bale structure purchase the Sunset Cottage Plans Today by click here.

Your purchase helps support this blog. As an affiliate of StrawBale.com a percentage of the purchase goes to the Tiny House Blog.

In this video, Bill shows us the kitchen, his propane heater, water storage and some of the plumbing that was involved. There are lots of little details that go unnoticed because they are hidden and this helps give you an idea about the work involved.

Again, I am learning and the video is proof of that. I am getting a little faster at pulling them together so in the next post you will probably see 2 or 3 videos. Youtube limits the length so I am trying to give you over an hours worth of video in little sections so you can get the full picture.

To keep updated be sure and subscribe to the Youtube Tiny House Blog Channel.