Hey guys I plan on building a cabin soon. I am pretty lost on what design and such yet but I do have a question that's been bothering me.
On something like pic related, what's keeping moisture from getting into the vertical wall boards?
I would imagine it's insulated inside between another wooden wall.
But wouldn't moisture cause rot and mold and such?
For vertical wood siding you have to use a moisture resistant and rot resistant wood like treated cedar or redwood. Its more costly, but the look is there for the vertical battenboard siding. But eventurally, it will fail sooner because of the buildup of moisture.
Theres a few DVDs and books out there regarding tiny-house designs. They're essentially light duty trailers as the base built into a house structure. If its for a long term placement, you essentially level it and block it in like a manufactured or mobile home.
>>902741
Wouldn't horizontal boards run into the same issue? There's no way to leave them exposed and totally sealed right?
>>902741
I'm not buying this, I have an old cottage (built in 1912) with the original pine siding. By now it's starting to look the part but that's a hundred years later. Possibly in a very humid climate but OPs picture makes me think that's a non-issue.
This said, I have no answer as to why the place hasn't rotted. Some steps on the way to make it work are:
- Locking panels (no gaps for moisture).
- A breathing paint (don't want moisture trapped in there).
- Cutting the planks at a 45 degree angle on the bottom side (so that water will run off rather than spread out only to be absorbed).
- Keep the siding high enough from the ground so that it doesn't get splashed by muddy rainwater.
- Make sure leaves and similar organic material doesn't lay next to the wall holding moisture to the siding.
>>902741
not actually true. you need a rot resistant wood if it's constantly exposed to moisture AND you don't regularly seal it with something.
So fence boards (which sit in wet dirt) and dock/ship wood (obviously) should be cedar etc. unless you're ok with replacing it regularly every few years, and sealing every year/other year.
The real answer is that wood generally doesn't rot as long as it stays dry, and by dry i mean doesn't have puddles of water it's sitting in or are sitting on it.
Also, with most woods, once it spends a few years dried out, it becomes less absorbent to water. This is the secret to the shitty log cabins of yesteryear, high chance of rotting for the first 5 years or so, but if it lasts 10, it'll last a century.
>>902738
the walls are not sealed tightly, this allows moisture to breathe out of the wood. If the inside was finished with a vapor barrier wall then problems.
OP are you asking how to prevent water from getting behind the siding?
Look into vapor barriers
Different siding material will require or recommend specific vapor barrier
Most use tyvex house wrap,
>>902738
I would suggest going for a traditional Finnish log cabin it will stand for ages to come.
>>902765
Horizontal boards are usually ship-lapped, or stacked in such a way that doesn't allow water to get to the interior side of them.
>>902794
Older wood was sometimes treated with deadly chemicals such as arsenic, they were also done really well and not as quickly as possible like much of today's wood. Also, if your siding was done correctly, it'll dry out just fine in the air and sun.
>>902804
Look at wood fences, especially on smaller grass yards where lawn sprinklers routinely spray them year after year. The seal, stain, and finishes come off in just a couple years only where the water always sprays.
Sure it doesn't rot but it'll start to deteriorate and will not last anywhere near as long as the upper half of the wood that doesn't get wet as often. But OP is talking about a tiny house in the wilderness, maybe I simply over build things to last, but I wouldn't use just any wood, never treated, and never sealed. Even if its for siding.
>>902738
ask /out/
>>902794
This. I worked as a ranger at a boy scout camp where most of the buildings were slat pine siding that we made ourselves. The good majority of it was over 80 years old and the only boards that we replaced were moisture damaged ones or bug rot ones. Just keep the water away from your wood and it will last a long time.
