Tag: Barndominium

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Energy Audit-Blower Door Testing a Barndominium

This post first appeared on the Rockwool R-Class Website

The first time I visited one of Kyle Stumpenhorse’s (RR Buildings) jobsites was in December of 2022.  I made the trip to Illinois to blower door test one of Kyle’s Barndominium projects, the project he calls “Building a Barndominium”.  The barndo we tested was post and frame construction using closed cell spray foam (CCSF) as both the insulation and air sealing for the project.  The home tested very well, 0.41 ACH50.

Kyle (Left), Dan Edelman from Rockwool (right), and me at Kyle’s first blower door tested barndominium, December 2022.

I got to know Kyle a little on that trip, I was very impressed by his attention to detail and willingness to learn.  He pushes himself to do better on every new build.  I wasn’t surprised to find out his next project he was planning on using Rockwool insulation.  He also had a goal, beat the blower door score of the project using closed cell spray foam as the air barrier.  Could it be done?

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Barndominium-Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing and Final Blower Door Numbers

This post first appeared on the Green Building Advisor Website.

Work on the “barndominium” project is nearly complete after 18 months of construction.  You can read parts 1-5 here on GBA (linked at the bottom of this post) and on this blog, links to the right labeled Barndominium Project.  This final post will discuss mechanical systems, blower door numbers, along with the challenges and benefits of this type of building method.

Continue reading “Barndominium-Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing and Final Blower Door Numbers”

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Barndominium Part 3-Windows

This post first appeared on the Green Building Advisor website.

When I first started planning the water and air control details for the barndominium project, I knew the windows were going to be one of the tougher parts.  Window framing for a typical post and frame building consists of a simple 2x wood frame extending horizontally between two posts, which in the case of this structure are six feet on center, with two vertical boards fastened between the upper and lower horizontal frames.  Once the basic frame is constructed inside the wall cavity, horizontal wall girts are placed over the framing, a kind of window buck, if you will.  My original thought was to have the window buck placed around the window rough opening, flash the buck so I could extend the window flashing back to the Majvest WRB, then add the needed wall girts for fastening the cladding.  In my mind, this wouldn’t be a difficult assembly to build, the framing crew didn’t agree.  They insisted on not changing their usual assembly of having the exterior wall girts installed, then for me to have to figure out how to extend the window flashing to the WRB. Continue reading “Barndominium Part 3-Windows”

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Barndominium Part 2-Foundation and Shell

*This post originally appeared as two articles on the Green Building Advisor website.*

The bardominium, part storage facility, part shop, part man-cave with a home inside.  Working on this type of project has had its difficulties.  We have taken the framing crew outside their comfort zone, though they are well versed with post and frame structures, they were not familiar with many of the materials I was asking them to work with.  I was able to have them change some of their sequencing, but I lost of few of the battles.   On top of those difficulties, the project started about a month later than expected forcing crews working during sub-zero temps, that’s, 0°F.  Progress at times has been slow.  The foundation portion earlier in the fall went well, though I think I would change a couple of the decisions we made.  More on that in a bit. Continue reading “Barndominium Part 2-Foundation and Shell”