Build Your Own House

First the background.

I have been reading, and enjoying, this forum for over a year. Ever since I decided to retire, and instead of buying a flash car, travelling and then veging out in front of the tv; to do something more active. Like buying a bit of bush and building on it/working on it.

Unfortunately the funds were not there for this (especially after the house renovation/new kitchen and appliances/new flooring/etc, that my wife insisted on (quite unreasonable I thought {to my self}, after all the kitchen was only a little over 30 year old!!!).

But I was able to get 43 acres of bush (about half very ordinary trees with some brush, another quarter even more ordinary brush with some trees, with the remainder recently roughly cleared of the mostly brush/some trees). Lots of opportunity for tidying up/clearing rocks/mowing/and replanting tree/bushes, maybe even a few fruit trees.

It was cheap as there is no building approval/electricity, but being rural sheds were ok, and there is a good one there. 7m wide, 10m long, and since it was 5m high at the gutters (almost 6m at the highest point), there was a mezzanine floor. The mezzanine floor has 6 big windows giving lots of natural light (though the rickty ladder has been replaced by some stairs). Only the roof has insulation, but there are lots of unused rolls of foil backed insulation that was supposed to go in the walls, but didn't. I don't plan to live there, but on the occassions (in good weather only) I want to stay overnight so I can get more done I plan to pitch a tent at one end of the mezzanine floor. And a composting toilet so I can get some family/frends to visit (and help).

As sheds are, there is lots of entry points for unwanted local visitors because of the shape of the colorbond. Around the slab I plan to use some concrete on the inside (in such a way that the side of the slab is still visible, as there are termites around). I have experimented with a can of spay foam in one corner of the mezzanine, making a mess and wasting a lot, but expect to do better next time.

Which leads to my questions.
- If I don't insulate/line the mezzanine walls (the lower level will be left bare), I suppose using more foam to close the gaps is a good idea (and adding a few insect proof louvres, probably with solar powered fans?).
- If I do decide to go to the trouble/expense to insulate/line should I use the foam, or will this just create a dead space that will need ventilation in some way.
- Or (more likely), if I used those rolls of foil backed insulation taking up space do I foam or not?
- I think there is enough insulation to do the walls twice (but not the walls once and the ceiling again), which is the best way to face it. Foil on the inside and facing the wall (ie, with the insulation facing).

Any advise on this is welcomed.

thanks
Ian

Hi Ian,

I have industrial experience with that foam, and I would not recommend using it as you have indicated.
It is extremely toxic while it cures, which can take 14 days if the air is dry.
It will break down under temperatures of 60C, and behind the cladding of a shed that is easily reached.
It is a sensitiser, so while you may not have experienced any toxicity symptoms yet, you will eventually.
I have seen rats eat burrows into it for nesting.

Please read the MSDS here: http://msds.orica.com/pdf/shess-en-cds- ... 010756.pdf

Shed suppliers can provide you with ember and vermin guards of suitable profile for your cladding which you might be able to retrofit.

Concrete against colorbond will accelerate rusting, if you take this path use a permanent membrane like forticon to keep moisture holding concrete away from the steel.

Hope this helps.

Interesting, though I used Fullers Fire Resistant Foam (or something like that), and it was pink.

I thought that it would handle the heat (one of the other brands was only rated to 50c), though I don't know about the sensitiser side of things.

thanks
Ian

HBFuller MSDS is here : http://hbfuller.com.au/administrator/co ... Itemid=131

The most dangerous chemicals in these products are anything described as isocyanate or diisocyanate as those are the sensitisers.