Can you legally turn a commercial shed into a house?

[Xist]

Those are only available in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, although they ship to adjacent states: https://www.tstud.com/availability

No problem, I will just build a jig, trim some dowels, and make my own! Totally theoretically possible!

[oil pan 4]

If you make something small you could make your own T studs.
Also making the walls solid foam can make the wall up to 4 times stronger depending on the test.

[Xist]

How do I make walls out of just foam?!

[freebeard]

How do I make walls out of just foam?!

Perfect your aircrete technique. Forget the shaving cream.

The T-stud might make a good finishwork detail (porch columns or something). But on top of the labor, the dowels will cost more for foot than the dimensional lumber.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

I'm not totally unfavorable to wood, as long as it's properly treated before use and the work is done properly. When it comes to concrete and brick, I always lived in houses and apartments built that way, and even though extra insulation is not so frequently applied to them it fares quite well regarding thermal comfort. Sure it's also a matter of how it's built in order to take more benefit from the materials.

Proper design and workmanship is key for all types of construction.

I disagree on uninsulated concrete performing well for thermal comfort - at least in the areas where I have lived. I suspect it works quite well in areas where the primary thermal issue is staying cool. In that case concrete has lots of thermal mass so you can open the house to the air at night to cool it down and then the house slowly warms up during the day. The offices I visit in Mexico are concrete with no heating or cooling and the day starts cool with a light jacket required but by the afternoon it has warmed up to a temperature that is comfortable for short sleeves. I see you are in Porto Alegre where the average temperatures are a low of 10C in the winter and a high of 30C in the summer for a range of 20 degree.

I don't think concrete works well where the primary concern is heating. Where I lived in Michigan the average winter low is -9C and the average summer high is 28C. A range of 37 degrees. When it is -9 outside in the winter we need to raise the inside temperature to 20C for a difference of 29 degrees. That is a huge difference without insulation to keep the heat in.

The key here is the difference in R - Factor.
A 6" concrete wall has an R factor of 3.12
A 6" wall with steel 2X4 studs 16" on center with R11 insulation is R 5.5
A 6" wall with wood 2X4 studs 16" on center with R11 insulation is R 12.4

That difference is R factor between a wall with steel studs vs wood studs is a big reason why steel studs are not popular for houses. Steel is also more expensive.

I'm currently renting an apartment in Heredia, Costa Rica. It is typical concrete construction. Temperature isn't an issue as it is not cold or hot here. (The temperature ranges from about 15 - 25C all year) The biggest thing I have noticed is the NOISE. As I type this a can hear my neighbor's entire phone conversation. I've also notice that opening or closing the door and window does almost nothing to change the level of street noise.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by JSH

I disagree on uninsulated concrete performing well for thermal comfort - at least in the areas where I have lived. I suspect it works quite well in areas where the primary thermal issue is staying cool. In that case concrete has lots of thermal mass so you can open the house to the air at night to cool it down and then the house slowly warms up during the day. The offices I visit in Mexico are concrete with no heating or cooling and the day starts cool with a light jacket required but by the afternoon it has warmed up to a temperature that is comfortable for short sleeves. I see you are in Porto Alegre where the average temperatures are a low of 10C in the winter and a high of 30C in the summer for a range of 20 degree.

I don't think concrete works well where the primary concern is heating. Where I lived in Michigan the average winter low is -9C and the average summer high is 28C. A range of 37 degrees. When it is -9 outside in the winter we need to raise the inside temperature to 20C for a difference of 29 degrees. That is a huge difference without insulation to keep the heat in.

I have also lived in Manaus and Florianópolis, even though the houses I lived had quite thick walls which I'm sure increased thermal comfort. BTW actually it's not uncommon to have more extreme weather in Porto Alegre, and one thing I can't complain about my apartment is thermal comfort, even though it doesn't have air conditioning.

I'm currently renting an apartment in Heredia, Costa Rica. It is typical concrete construction. Temperature isn't an issue as it is not cold or hot here. (The temperature ranges from about 15 - 25C all year) The biggest thing I have noticed is the NOISE. As I type this a can hear my neighbor's entire phone conversation. I've also notice that opening or closing the door and window does almost nothing to change the level of street noise.

Sure, noise is a major issue, even though some doors and windows are now developed with some sort of soundproofing.

[Xist]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Perfect your aircrete technique. Forget the shaving cream.

I had forgotten the shaving cream, but you just reminded me, and now I want to go crazy with it!

Eh. That sounds exhausting. Nevermind.

I didn't decide against it because you told me to! You're not the boss of me! I do what I want!

Well, what I want within the extremely confining limitations of time, budget, and ability...

The shaving cream was only a proof of concept. I did not feel like investing $30 for something that I might never use again, and supposedly actually costs $100.

What is the r-value of aircrete anyway? I cannot find that anywhere.

Originally Posted by freebeard

The T-stud might make a good finishwork detail (porch columns or something). But on top of the labor, the dowels will cost more for foot than the dimensional lumber.

Not if I make them myself!

Then they cost way more?

All right. I am about to talk crazy, but stick with me! 2x8s are $8.67. I argue that I can make my own Tstud for... $8.67.

Cut out the black part and use a router to reduce the crossmember to 2x2 (or 1.5x1.5). There would still be thermal bridging, but 2.25 square inches per linear foot.

I call it the Shtud!

Why not Hstud?

Histud?
Hustud?
Aychestud?

How would you pronounce that?

[There is a good chance I would only make sch... at least at first]

Okay, how do I make [and pronounce] a Xtud?

I present to you the Xtud!

Their dowels seem to be at a 45° angle, except they are at an angle in two dimensions. They are thinking with triangles and stuff!

Having the crossmembers at an angle makes that part 40% longer, reducing the thermal bridging. If I just made an X it would be a more complicated H with a 2" thermal bridge.

Imagine the crossmembers are 1/2" thick, separated by half an inch. Half an inch of insulation wouldn't do much, but it would do more than an H!

How the heck would I make one?!

I could use a router to make the X, put a wider bit on a 1/2" spacer to create a channel in the middle, and then chisel it out?

I would want to make a 2' section for a proof of concept and maybe patent it.

Not everyone has a patent!

If I made a sandwich of 5/8" and 3/8" plywood it would be negligibly thicker than 1.5". That would be vastly easier than carving a board, but it would not be as impressive.

With much enthusiasm I present to the world the kstud. Yay:

All right. Let's say that I use something like that instead of Honey-do Carpenter's metal studs.

Originally Posted by JSH

I disagree on uninsulated concrete performing well for thermal comfort - at least in the areas where I have lived. I suspect it works quite well in areas where the primary thermal issue is staying cool.

It was 115.0°F (46°C) in Phoenix on July 16th, 2019. The low was 89.1 F (32°C)

[oil pan 4]

I highly recommend spray foam.
I prefer the $360 two tank system from Lowe's and homedepot.

[Xist]

This just showed up an hour away. I do not have any idea how to get a 34-foot trailer over here, nor where I would put it.

Both sides of the driveway, the gravel on the side, and four feet of the lawn?

If I had a lot I could demolish the trailer there, but I do not want to calculate how much it would cost to built to build a trailer that size.

56" x 96", though...

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...4780140228265/

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by Xist

How do I make walls out of just foam?!

In Afghanistan they just spray foamed tents.