Construction - Hi-Hat - Materials and Cut Guide
Base panels
Here's the cut guide for the lower half of the hut, which is all rectangular panels. For the roof systems, see below.
| Panel | 2x4 studs | Plywood sheets | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96" | 91.5" | 72" | 69" | 65" | 62" | Total | 5/8" | 3/8" | |
| Floor | 4 | 7 | 11 | 1.5 | |||||
| Side | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | |||||
| Side | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | |||||
| Back | 4 | 2 | 6 | 1.5 | |||||
| Front | 4 | 2 | 6 | 1 | |||||
| Loft | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1.5 | |||||
| All | 8 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 43 | 3 | 7 |
Plus:
- 4 2x4 studs, 24" for loft ladder - these can come from leftovers from the 69" studs
- 7 2x4 studs, at least 6", for loft supports
- 1 2x4 stud, at least 5', for a ladder/loft support
- 4 cinder blocks
- 16d nails, cement coated for framing
- 8d nails for skinning
- Caulk
- Paint
Useful Extra: Insulated Floor
Adding floor insulation not only helps retain heat in the wintertime, but it also raises the interior floor to the level of the stud at the bottom of the front door stud, which makes the hut both safer (less of a tripping hazard at the door) and easier to clean (huts can be swept out without a dustpan). To insulate the floor, you'll need:
- 3 sheets asphalt impregnated sheathing (QuietBrace™) or rigid insulation
- 1.5 sheets 3/8" or thicker plywood.
Roof
| Panel | 2x4 Stud | Plywood | Insulation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96" | 93" | 81 3/8" angle cut |
72" | 62 1/4" angle cut * |
41.5" | 38.5" | Total | 3/8" | 1/2" | |
| Gable | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3/8 | |||||
| Gable | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3/8 | |||||
| Roof | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Topper | 2 | 5 | 7 | |||||||
| Total | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 21 | 2 3/4 | 2 |
* The 62 1/4" gable stud is not load-bearing and can be pieced together from scraps; see the hihat gable page.
Plus:
- 1 roll roll roofing, 30ft
- Roofing tacks
- House wrap such as Tyvek or tarpaper to protect the insulation
The insulation is built in to the hi-hat design; if you decide to omit the insulation, you'll probably want heavier plywood, say 1/2".
Useful Extra: Overhangs
The roof overhangs the tall and short sides by a few inches, but not the front and back. Adding these overhangs not only helps protect the front and rear panels from rain, but they also make the shelter look considerably more homey.
To add overhangs, you'll need:
- 2 scrap 8' lengths of plywood, at least 12 inches wide
