Building a Swedish hermit's hut!

[Starfaun]

Hey, everyone!

I thought I would share my adventures building a hermit's hut with you! I've been wanting to do this for a few years now and I guess it was just time. I haven't built anything since third grade, so thankfully my dad is helping me out!

Well, anyway, in January I started looking around for windows. I found an old pair in a thrift shop and so I peeled off the paint and the putty, removed the broken glass, oiled them, replaced the glass and applied new putty. The same thing went for the door, except it wasn't found in a thrift shop but up on our attic! Apparently it was the kitchen door in the 40's, 50's and 60's. My late grandmother and I grew up in the same house and it's so fascinating (and comforting) to think that something that was part of her every day life is now going to be part of mine!

I've chosen to use locally sourced 95 mm wood fibre insulation and I'm going to heat with a wood stove, which has been bought used. The hut will be 3,00 meters by 3,60 meters and it will have a sloping tin roof. Well, I guess that's about how far we have gotten for now!

And here's a photo from today's building!

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[Starfaun]

It looks like only one attachment per post is allowed, so here's a photo of the window...:

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[Starfaun]

...and here's a photo of the door!

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[Chants Cottage]

Oh dear. I'm going to make myself feel and sound very old and potentially patronising by saying I wish this is the kind of thing I'd wanted to do when I was 20... Love that door (and the fact that it came from the family home). Look forward to seeing how the hut progresses...

[Carltonian Man]

That's an interesting project SF, I love following things like this. Re posting photos, once one file has been added if you scroll down a bit I think you can add another (and another)

[bill1953]

Nice project

[Starfaun]

Tomorrow, a friend will be dropping off the wood stove we bought - wee! Also, I would be curious to know if anyone would happen to have any experience from working with iron sulfate/copperas/green vitriol? (Which is the most commonly used name, btw? ) Some say to treat the wood when it's in place and some say to treat it in advance... Anyone?

[dustydave]

Hi Starfaun,

Any timber treatment needs to be applied to the finished surface, ie if you cut or drill holes into the treated surface then the wood boring insects and fungies have a way in and can then chew their way through the wood (under the treated area).

I hope that this makes sense.

[Starfaun]

Any timber treatment needs to be applied to the finished surface, ie if you cut or drill holes into the treated surface then the wood boring insects and fungies have a way in and can then chew their way through the wood (under the treated area).

I hope that this makes sense.

It does! But you know how it is - everyone says something different and I happened to read somewhere that with iron sulfate you should treat it in advance, but if someone who tried it doesn't advice otherwise, we will just follow "standard procedure" so to speak.

My little stove was dropped off today and picked up again a few hours later by someone who's going to fix a few things on it. So, of course, I forgot to take a photo... It's a small Husqvarna from the early 1900's with a boiling plate and a small window. Anyone else looking forward to winter?! Probably not.

[Thomzo]

This is fascinating. Thanks for sharing and please keep the photos coming.

Zoe

[demi]

yes keep us posted ! :)

[Starfaun]

It's snowing, so no building this weekend, I'm afraid. *Not very happy about that.*

I found a photo of our sauna wagon, though, and while this one hasn't been treated with iron sulfate, this is something like what the outer walls of my hut will look like. I don't know what you think, but I love it!

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[demi]

is it actually a working portable sauna? love it!

[dustydave]

Looks great! – could you also use it as a caravan at weekends?
Is that a large mosquito hovering above it?

[Starfaun]

is it actually a working portable sauna? love it!

Yes! We pull it down to the lake in the summer.

Looks great! – could you also use it as a caravan at weekends?
Is that a large mosquito hovering above it?

You probably could if you wanted to! The "giant mosquito" is the top of the chimney - I guess I accidentally changed some brightness or contrast settings.