Most tiny house walls start on a garage floor from a full drawing set. Trailguide Pictures went the other way: the only plan here is a rough sketch made before starting, and the framing is going well so far anyway. This is part three of a series meant to help others build their own or to show what was done, a generous way to work through a first attempt.
The walls stand on a modified utility trailer with a wooden subfloor. Lumber was laid out on the trailer deck, and stud locations were marked on both plates with tape, pencil and speed square at 16 inches on center. A compound miter saw on folding stands with a plywood worktop handled every cut. The end walls use spruce 2x4 studs, while the angled side walls came from 2x4s ripped down to 2x3s to save weight. Assembly relied on construction adhesive and 4-inch #8 wood screws driven by a cordless drill. The side wall frames, rough window openings included, went together on the subfloor and were test-fitted upright along the trailer's outer ledges.
Two details stand out. The side wall studs carry a 5-degree bevel that matches the flared sides of the trailer, a neat bit of layout on a vardo-shaped body. The base also includes a built-in bench or storage structure. The roof plan is laminated arched beams across the width, panelled in 3/4 inch cedar tongue and groove and topped with flat steel sheeting.
One open item: whether a 3/4 inch rigid foam layer goes between the cedar and the steel is still undecided. The fastening approach shifted too, since screws were chosen believing they beat nails, and nails will now be added after concerns were raised about screws snapping when bent, something nails handle far better. Headers went in above the windows, and the side windows will get a top plate because the sides carry load.
Project by Trailguide Pictures. Watch it on their YouTube channel: