Dormer Frame Design Done!

Okay.  This should be the final design for the dormer framing.  I just need to make some drawings for quick reference as I build it.

Dormer Framing ... Still!

Geez!  Designing this dormer framing is taking way longer than I thought.  Tonight I rethought the framing for the very tiny dormer walls.  I even included very tiny top plates for the walls, and I wonder if they are even necessary  since the walls are so small.  Then I had to do a lot of work to figure out the design for the valley rafters, which I was missing last night.  Tomorrow I need to add the dormer trusses, and I should be done.

Dormer Framing

I stayed up tonight to finalize the dormer framing design, but I didn't figure it out.  Here's what I came up with so far.  I don't like it because the dormer roof is not well supported at one corner.  I'll have to figure this out tomorrow.

Playhouse End Trusses

I finished installing the Simpson brackets.  Then I added some studs to reinforce the end trusses.  Rene took this pic of me working on the west end truss.  The second picture I am posting just for fun as all the trusses are starting to resemble a tunnel from this angle.

More Trusses!

I worked very late Friday night to make four more trusses.  So here is a pic of the playhouse with a total of eight trusses.  I still need to finish securing the trusses with Simpson brackets.  I installed some brackets, which are visible in the second picture, but I ran out of time to install all of them.  The next step will be to install two or three more trusses for the east end of the playhouse, which will have a dormer roof over the loft.

Playhouse Tarp On!

Here are pics of the playhouse wearing its new tarp roof.  I was a little concerned as we put it on, because it started getting windy.  I really don't want the tarp to blow away as we live right next to a freeway.  Originally, I was hoping to tack down the tarp with nails running through grommet holes in the tarp.  But that didn't work out.  So I had to use the staple gun, which will make it a pain to remove the tarp later.