The Build
inner core
11.10.20
the process
SUPPLY LIST
$ 1867
TOTAL
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Air Conditioning unit
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A/C Hook up
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Wood
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Foam Insulation
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Extra BoxCutter Blades
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Screws
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Silicon
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Paint
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Paint Roller & Brush
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Paint Tray & Liner
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Drop cloth + Rag
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Flooring
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Flooring Tool
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Jigsaw Blade
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Wall PUtty & Knife
This is text element
inner core
Constructing a tiny home is a lot like building a regular house but just on a smaller scale. After the outer shell was framed we put in wooden studs. We decided to turn ours sideways to buy us some extra space. We gained just under four inches but that was the precise amount we needed in order to fit a twin bed from side to side of our house. Because the studs were turned, we just used the condensed pink foam for insulation. We used 1″ sheets + 1/2″ sheets for the walls, and on the ceiling we had 2″ + 1″ sheets. Our studs weren’t exactly spaced to standard dimensions, so there was a LOT of cutting of foam to fill all of our spaces exactly. I mean, A LOT, of slicing foam. BUT, our house now feels nice and cozy and holds the temperature very well.
We had the classic plywood outside, foam + stud middle, plywood inside walls. We then caulked and sealed all of the seams and edges and started on our three coats of paint. We chose to paint the walls white -Nano White to be specific- in order to help the space feel more open and light. We went with an eggshell enamel finish of Behr Premium Plus paint. It shows scuffs and scratchs VERY easily, so next time we might opt for a semi-gloss finish instead. Other than the finish, we love the paint we chose. It was especially nice to have the exact same color for all of our walls, roof, shelves, and all additional “room” installs, because it meant that any addition we made, we could continue painting and not have to tape off the wall or many sections because the paint was all the same color.
For the flooring, we picked Lifeproof Rigid Core Flooring in Sterling Oak. Chad was very excited about his part because his whole life he wanted a house with cool ash grey floors and a white chair. Dreams really do come true because now he has both. The floors were easy to install, clean up easily (including my MANY paint spills), and have proved to be very durable. 10/10 would recommend.
Last but certainly not least, our Air Conditioning unit. We chose a 9000 BTU mini-split system by Premium. Mini-splits are one of the most efficient air-conditioning unit design that there is, so we were hoping this would help minimize energy usage. It is rated for a room about 10x the size of our home so we are able to heat and cool the entire tiny home very quickly.
the details
Our Favorite Things
- The color scheme of the house
- The beautiful ash gray “wood” floors
- How quickly the mini-split A/C can heat and cool
what we don't like
- The finish on the paint we chose
- How much energy our mini-split system uses (despite being one of the most efficient systems on the market…)
- The 1/2″ plywood for our inner walls. We would use 1/4″ to save on weight next time.
