Help us build our fish house

[Big Dave2]

Me and another guy(AKA wally-eye on FM)are building a

6 1/2'X 12' fish house on wheels. The trailer part is being built for us and is nearly done. I was looking for the old thread by Aqua-eye but it seems to be no longer here for some reason. That was an excellent thread with lots of good ideas. I wish I had printed it out.

Anyway, I was wondering if I could get a few new ideas out of everyone. Like I said the trailer is almost built so we don't need to get into that. We do however have to prime and paint it. What has everyone used for paint? How many coats? How long has it lasted?

Moving on to framing the house. We are considering using steel 3-sided studs or plain wood 2"x2"s. We have posted about the steel studs and got a couple of replys about people using them. But I have a few questions. The directions on these studs say not to use for load bearing walls. Will they be strong enough to take the abuse? They seem kind of flimsey. If using steel studs do you still have to frame out the door and window openings with wood? We are planning to put a double door in the back to run a ATV in. Without the use of a traditional header above the door and windows will the walls sag and cause binding? Would we be better off using wood studs instead?

Well, thats enough questions for now. Oh by the way in case you are wondering we are planning to possibly use pole barn steel for siding and paneling inside. Any help would be appreciated. Any cool new ideas would be welcome also.

Dave

[Frozen Fingers]

I just bought a house that FM member tightlines built. Here is info on what he used. I cant say enough about the job he did, the house is as solid as a rock and you wouldnt believe how warm it stays just from just the pilot light.

[Bigbartguy]

nice house!

[wally-eye]

Nice house Frozen Fingers. I'm excited to get ours done.

[Northlander]

NICE!

[hanson]

That is a sweet house Frozen Fingers!!

I would advise to study those photos carefully because there are some good construction techniques in there in my opinion.

I would definitely suggest building the house inside-out, starting with the studs & then interior paneling. Much easier to mount and run your electrical wires this way.

[Big Dave2]

Holy dump! That was an awesome post and an awesome fish house! That was great the way you chronicled the building of your fish house with those excellent photos! I have been studying these for most of the day and I hope you don't mind but I have a bunch of questions for you:

1. Is the plywood screwed down to the frame or is it only caulked down and further held in place by the walls when they are bolted down?

2. How many bolts hold the walls to the frame?

3. How tall are your walls?

4. Did you run your interior wiring between the two different sheets of styro insulation?

5. If so, is this the main reason for the 2 different thicknesses of styro?

6. Where did you get the aluminum siding? I went to Menards(Burnsville)and Home depot(Shakopee) today and neither of them carried it.

7. Are your rafters hung with joist hangers or just nailed in from the end?

8. Are your rafters 16" on center? If so do you think you could have gotten away with putting them 24" on center?

9. What is your inside ceiling paneled with?

I hope all of these questions are not a bother. I think that your pictures and answers should be somehow saved on this site as a tutorial for everyone wanting to build thier own fish house.

Thanks again,

Dave

[wolfwood]

I have a idea for your trailer paint I would think that spray-on truck bed liner would work awsome but would cost alittle more than paint it wouldnt chip from gravel on the road hitting it and should be just as good of a sealer as paint would be

[Frozen Fingers]

Quote:

---

Holy

dump

! That was an awesome post and an awesome fish house! That was great the way you chronicled the building of your fish house with those excellent photos! I have been studying these for most of the day and I hope you don't mind but I have a bunch of questions for you:

1. Is the plywood screwed down to the frame or is it only caulked down and further held in place by the walls when they are bolted down?

2. How many bolts hold the walls to the frame?

3. How tall are your walls?

4. Did you run your interior wiring between the two different sheets of styro insulation?

5. If so, is this the main reason for the 2 different thicknesses of styro?

6. Where did you get the aluminum siding? I went to Menards(Burnsville)and Home depot(Shakopee) today and neither of them carried it.

7. Are your rafters hung with joist hangers or just nailed in from the end?

8. Are your rafters 16" on center? If so do you think you could have gotten away with putting them 24" on center?

9. What is your inside ceiling paneled with?

I hope all of these questions are not a bother. I think that your pictures and answers should be somehow saved on this site as a tutorial for everyone wanting to build thier own fish house.

Thanks again,

Dave

---

Actually Tightlines built it for himself and took the pics, I just bought the house from him a few weeks ago. Maybe he will answer your questions here.

Heres what I can help you with:

I think he just gued the wood down and then bolted all the way thru each stud cavity.

Finished celing inside is 6’3” or 6’4”

I know he used 2 layers of high density foam and then another of a ¼” fan fold type of foam with vapor barrier laminated on both sided of it

The ceiling is just paneling like the walls.

[HaywardBound]

I'd really love to have a house like that, but I'm wondering what it would cost to build.

[Big Dave2]

HaywardBound, I should be able to answer that when we are finished. I know it will be more than I want it to be.

[Posty]

Wow thats a great lookin shack!!!! Where did that knotty pine paneling come from? i would like to put that in my shack. I've heard some of the cheaper thinner stuff will warp easily with the changes in temp. Any advice?

[hanson]

Posty-

I know Menards carries the Knotty Pine paneling. It is near the veneered plywoods as well as the Luaun. Last I checked, its about $32 a 4x8 sheet. I plan on replacing the Luaun in my shack with the Knotty Pine for aesthetic reasons someday. But when I do the math, I need 13 sheets of the stuff which adds up to $400. I then have to stain & poly the paneling or just put poly on it. Outdoor Polyurethane/Spar Varnish isn't very cheap either.

So needless to say, this upgrade to my shack is on hold for awhile.

[Pat K]

If you use treated plywood for the floor make sure the paint job on the frame will protect the steel from the ACQ. Only use ACQ rated bolts to attach your walls through the flooring to the frame. The ACQ will eat through regular bolts in a very shot time. Single dipped hot galvanized aren't safe from it either. Look for ACQ compatible on any metal that comes in contact with green treated lumber. It's been 2 years since the switch from CCA to ACQ so everything in the lumber yards now is ACQ. Pat K