What S Happening At The Toh 2020 Farmhouse

The Big Dig

By early January, the farmhouse’s foundation is in place. When finished, the above-grade portion of the concrete foundation will be clad with stone veneer for a rustic look that marries it to the hillside.

Super Solid

First in are the super-size LVL (laminated veneer lumber) beams that will support the first floor. Their dimensionally-stable construction resists warping, splitting, and shrinking while supporting heavy loads. Structural beams: Microllam LVL by Weyerhaueser via Ring’s End

All in Place

Engineered wood floor joists for the first-floor entryway are lined up and ready to be installed upright at intervals of 16”on center. Their lightweight construction makes them quick to install, and their dimensional stability helps resist warping and twisting for a flat, squeak-free floor. Floor joists: TJI floor joists by Weyerhaueser via Ring’s End

What’s Underneath Counts

Oriented strand board (OSB) engineered floor panels provide a stable, flat base for the white-oak flooring to come. The panels’ self-draining technology came in particularly handy during our wet winter build, and their tongue-and-groove edges helped them go down fast and tight. Subfloor: Diamond Premium Floor Panels by Weyerhaueser via Ring’s End

Picture This Framed

A little sun is always welcome when it’s time to start framing—and our farmhouse will be framed entirely on-site. Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams add extra heft to window and door headers. Framing: Weyerhaeuser Microllam LVL via Ring’s End

“Barn” Raising

Many hands make for light work—sort of—when it’s time to raise a gable wall. The need for tall, straight framing material in the house’s “barn” wing made laminated strand lumber (LSL) studs a natural choice. They’ll also be used on interior walls where pocket doors demand dead-straight walls with no twisting or warping. Framing and subfloor: TimberStrand LSL and Diamond Premium Floor Panels by Weyerhaueser via Ring’s End

Taped Up Tight

A crew member with builder Greyrock Homes tapes the seams on the insulation-backed sheathing in what will eventually be a screened-in porch equipped with an outdoor kitchen. Sheathing and tape: ZIP System via Ring’s End

Tall Order

At the gable end of the house, workers install trim made with an engineered wood strand technology that offers superior protection against hail, wind, moisture, fungal decay and termites. The exterior of this portion of the home will be clad with 12-inch-wide boards and 2½-inch battens made of the same material. The windows feature a specialized wash mode that allows access to both sides of glass from indoors for easy cleaning on upper floors. The following items procured via Ring’s End:Sheathing and tape: ZIP SystemTrim: LP SmartSide Windows: Marvin Signature Ultimate Casement Windows

A Home Takes Shape

Fully sheathed and taped, each part of the house becomes recognizable, including the rear portion that will house the bedrooms, the side porch, and the front barn-like section with its cupola and wide-open views of Long Island Sound. Next up: a plunge pool to be installed alongside the porch. The following items procured via Ring’s End:Sheathing: ZIP SystemFraming: Weyerhaeuser

Inviting Light, Not Rain

Sudden storms are no worry with these newly installed “smart” skylights. A rain sensor automatically closes them at the first sign of bad weather. Architectural asphalt shingles used on this part of the house are warranted to withstand the highest winds, a huge bonus in this coastal setting. The following items procured via Ring’s End:Skylights: VELUX No Leak Solar-Powered “Fresh Air” Skylights Shingles: GAF Timberline American Harvest Shingles in Appalachian SkySheathing: ZIP System

Above it All

TOH editor Chris Ermides and the crew take filming to new heights as they prepare to shoot a segment on the roof. The underlayment installed on the barn’s roof deck not only protects against moisture but upgrades the metal roof to a UL Class A fire rating. The following items procured via Ring’s End:Underlayment: GAF VersaShieldSheathing: ZIP System

Lofty Design

Designed to resemble a vintage barn, this 40-foot-by-20-foot section of the house holds the family room, dining area, and kitchen. A 72-inch-wide gas fireplace is centered on one gable wall, with framing in place above it to support an 80-inch television. The kitchen will be located at the opposite end, with living and dining space in between. The following items procured via Ring’s End:Framing: TimberStrand LSL by Weyerhaueser Windows and patio doors: Marvin Subfloor: Diamond Premium Floor Panels by Weyerhaueser

Panoramic View

A 9-foot-wide patio door is flanked by triple casement windows for a contemporary vibe and an impressive view of Long Island Sound. The cathedral ceiling will be spray-foamed and the wall cavities filled with mineral wool insulation to ensure this vantage point is as cozy and comfortable as its view is breathtaking. The following items procured via Ring’s End:Framing: TimberStrand LSL by WeyerhauserWindows and patio doors: Marvin Ultimate Sliding Patio Door and Marvin Signature Ultimate Casement WindowsSubfloor: Diamond Premium Floor Panels by Weyerhaueser

Topped Off

By early spring the roof shingles are installed, as is the metal roofing on the “barn.” Windows and patio doors are in place. Next comes a drainable house wrap, then siding: for the barn, western red cedar that’s been scored and lightly stained so that it ages to a weathered gray; and for the main house, board-and-batten in a durable engineered wood strand product stained a deep gray. The following items procured via Ring’s End: Siding: LP SmartSide and Western Red Cedar Roof shingles: GAF Timberline American Harvest Shingles in Appalachian Sky Skylights: VELUX No Leak Solar-Powered “Fresh Air” Skylights Windows and patio doors: Marvin Ultimate Sliding Patio Door and Marvin Signature Ultimate Casement WindowsSheathing: ZIP System

Lighting the Way

With multiple skylights and 10 sun tunnels, the house will boast one of the brightest interiors around. Ideal for tight spaces like pantries and hallways, each highly reflective aluminum tunnel bounces sunlight from a roof-mounted lens above to the room below. A solar-powered night-light provides soft nighttime illumination even on moonless nights. Sun tunnel skylights: VELUX via Ring’s End

What You Don’t See Matters, Too

Flue gasses from the home’s propane-fired water heaters will be safely vented through pipes and fittings made from a code-compliant, engineered PVC compound that’s rated for temperatures of 149˚F. Flue Gas Venting System: IPEX System 1738 (Not Shown) Water Heaters: Navien

Plenty of Parking

A steel beam supports the exterior wall of the second floor above a generous three-car garage. The single-ply beams used for the garage door headers eliminate the need to assemble multi-ply beams in the field, saving time and labor. Garage door headers: Weyerhaeuser Parallam PSL via Ring’s End