Blog - Page 56 of 123 - Handmade Houses with Noah Bradley

Handmade… with chestnut

The stone “undecagon” served as a base that we would re-erect an eleven sided silo upon.

The silo was made out of 2by4 chestnut laid flat, one upon another, and then nailed down. Notice the ring of hundreds of pieces ringing around the site waiting to go up. This baby is going to be tall!

We anchored the first few courses down by bolting them to the stone base. Each course had five large nails driven into each board and before nailing we would apply a layer of construction adhesive and silicon caulk to strengthen and to stop water infiltration. Each board was a slightly different size in length, width, and thickness thus it required a great deal of sorting and measuring throughout the construction to keep things tight, plumb, and level.

So, we built an eleven sided stone base to accommodate an eleven sided silo… but, why did the silo have eleven sides?

Originally posted 2015-01-30 16:02:48.

Handmade… with chestnutNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:52+00:00

A stone arch window

One of the stone arched window openings in the “undecagon”. In my eyes, it’s as good as it gets… elegant, wonderfully made, with a great deal of physical effort, and it will be there for all to enjoy… for centuries, if not millennia to come.

I encourage everyone to leave behind a legacy when they work or build, whether that is a quilt, a table, or a home.

Originally posted 2015-01-30 15:32:53.

A stone arch windowNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:51+00:00

An “Undecagon”

It’s an “Undecagon”… an eleven sided object. Built of solid stone, near the top of a mountain, and under construction in this photo. Notice the arched doorway, and there are two arched windows. I think the most impressive detail are all the cornerstones, each cut by hand and chisel to create a 127 degree angle corner (inside and out).

Originally posted 2015-01-29 15:40:38.

An “Undecagon”Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:50+00:00

The proper way to build a log cabin loft bedroom

Most small vintage log cabins were built with short “knee walls”, generally there were only two courses of logs above the second story flooring, in other words… about two feet tall. I like to add a couple more courses of logs when I rebuild these antique cabins giving the homeowner four foot knee walls. This allows furniture to be put along the outer walls and creates a much more practical and spacious room. It also creates a taller, more attractive, profile for the exterior of the cabin. Notice also the painted paneling we used on the ceiling (so much better than drywall).

What do you think of this guest bedroom?

Originally posted 2015-01-28 19:20:41.

The proper way to build a log cabin loft bedroomNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:49+00:00

For richer or for poorer

This little cabin belonged to one of the richest men in the world (he was in the top ten when he passed away a few years ago).

One day as we were building this cabin he stepped out of his huge brick mansion which was nearby and he came over to pay us a visit. This would be his office and retreat once we finished it. He told me that he would love to live in this cabin but that his wife’s tastes ran the opposite direction.

I’ll always remember that encounter as I realized there is something about a well built cabin that satisfies the soul of rich and poor alike.

Originally posted 2015-01-27 16:05:49.

For richer or for poorerNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:48+00:00

A little cabin in the woods

A little cabin in the woods… and, I mean little… four feet by six feet… but, she is made out of 1700’s vintage timbers and has a copper roof… and, is located on a pretty sweet spot of land!

One of the benefits of working with antique wood, and there are so many, is that there is always left-over material.

An old house was in ruins and it was salvaged, the vintage material was used to build a new home, the left-over material was used to build this little cabin. Then the left-over material from that project was used to build a piece of furniture. And once again, the left over material from that was used to build a toolbox.

Originally posted 2015-01-25 15:56:05.

A little cabin in the woodsNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:47+00:00

The Madison House

I built this home to have a place to raise my children.

It worked wonderfully… including the little play log cabin.

I post this photo as an encouragement to all my readers that you too can build your own home. I strapped on a toolbelt and spent a year of my life building this home. I drafted the design on graph paper. I went seeking the land. I laid the stone with a good bit of help. I drove most of the nails that hold it together. This house was a major leap in a standard of living for me, all done with determination, sweat, support from my wife, and the blessings of God.

Originally posted 2015-01-24 20:47:04.

The Madison HouseNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:46+00:00

He who dies with the most outbuildings, wins

One of the biggest differences between a new house and a house that has been on the land for many years is the existence of outbuildings. A new home often stands alone., but with time, outbuildings tend to pop up like mushrooms. They are extremely important, not only for their function of providing us a place to work or store our things, but to visually improve our properties and our lives. Give careful thought to the design and material selections. Build so that these structures accent your home, not clash. DO NOT give into the temptation of buying a pre-made outbuilding and have it dropped off in your yard. If your budget allows consider building one or two outbuildings while building your home… perhaps even before building the home.

Originally posted 2015-01-23 15:07:41.

He who dies with the most outbuildings, winsNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:45+00:00

No middleman involved

I’m thankful I don’t have to haul brick this way. When I first saw this photo I thought it must not be real. The more I look at it though, the more impressed I became… it’s amazing.

The bricks look mighty fine, just as nice as any brick I’ve ever used. And, I imagine they were bought as cheaply as they can be had, I bet he got a better deal than I could. The guy with the bike is paying nothing for shipping and handling and he’s getting some good exercise, no need to go to the gym after work. If the bricks don’t belong to him, then he is likely proud to have a job. If they are his, they are his… not the bankers… which means he will not pay any interest on purchasing them. And once they are put in place, he will enjoy them for the rest of his life, and generations to come will too.

Originally posted 2015-01-22 15:36:42.

No middleman involvedNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:44+00:00

A chestnut barn

Maybe it’s because my name is Noah, but I must confess that I enjoy building large wooden structures on mountaintops. Here’s a chestnut barn that we dissembled and re-erected in another spot. It’s commonly referred to as a double pen barn, two separate units with a drive-through in between.

I built this barn years and years ago… or at least it seams that way.

It was an influential structure for me. Like most of the structures I have worked on over the years I loved her dearly. I had some great friends help me with the process, and a wonderful family who supported us on several projects, and some really fond memories to keep forever.

But what I took away from it, that tidbit of wisdom that we all seek in every encounter, the thing that surprised me, was how reasonably priced a log structure can be… this place was a bargain. It really doesn’t take that much money to get to this point. What drives up the cost of truly unique home is all the details, all the finish work, all the systems and the subcontractors. A barn and a home are two entirely different animals.

Originally posted 2015-01-21 13:07:02.

A chestnut barnNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:43+00:00