Gimme Shelter: Build a Modern Bungalow in Your Backyard

Floor frame (all wood is 2" x 4")
2 120" lengths
9 117" lengths
2 101/2" lengths
6 14 1/4" lengths
(Diagram A) Set out four sawhorses in a 10' square on a level surface. Use the 3" squaredrive deck screws to assemble the two 120" pieces with two 117" pieces to make a 10' square. Use screws on exposed areas to help prevent rusting. Assemble the rest of the floor joist using the deck screws. Screw in the outside pieces of 14 1/4" blocking from the outside in. This blocking will be used to screw down the plywood floor later. Check the remaining blocking dimensions for exact size (about 10 1/2", depending on wood thickness). Cut the blocking to the correct size and install.

Front frame (all wood is 2" x 4")
2 108" lengths
3 110" lengths
1 80 3/8" length
1 23 1/8" lengths
(Diagram B) Use the deck screws to assemble the outside rectangle with two 110" and the two 108" pieces. Assemble the inside portion starting with the remaining 110" horizontal piece. (Use the 80 3/8" piece as a guide to determine where to screw in the 110" horizontal piece.) Now screw in the 80 3/8" piece in the correct location to create your door opening, which must be perfectly square to install the door. Screw in the remaining 23 1/8" piece.

Back frame (all wood is 2" x 4")
2 96" lengths
3 110" lengths
4 80 3/8" lengths
2 11 1/8" lengths
(Diagram C) Assemble the outside rectangle using two 110" and 96" pieces. Lumber markings should face in. Screw in the remaining 110" horizontal piece using an 80 3/8" piece as a guide. This will determine where the horizontal board will go. Next screw in the 803/8 pieces. (Cut two scrap pieces of wood at 20 7/8" to use as a guide between the studs.) Work from the outside in, rotating from side to side. The center dimension will be slightly different. Screw in the two 11 1/8" pieces in the center of the opening.

Side frames (all wood is 2" x 4")
2 113 3/16" lengths
2 96" lengths
2 108" lengths
4 113" lengths
6 80 3/8" lengths
2 18 3/4" lengths
(Diagram D) The directions for assembling the right and left sides are the same. Screw the 96" and the 108" pieces to the 113" piece to make a “U” shape. Attach the remaining 113" horizontal piece using the 80 3/8" lengths as guides to determine the exact positioning.

Side Frames, continued
Screw in the 80 3/8" pieces starting at the back (Photo 1). (Cut two scrap pieces of wood at 22 1/2" to use as guides between the studs.) Measure and cut the angled horizontal piece (113 3/16"). Now screw it in. Cut the 18 3/4" piece with one 84° angle cut. Fit into place and screw together from the top on the side that will not have Plexiglas so the screws won’t show through the glass.

Roof frame (if using 1/2" wall paneling or Sheetrock, use these dimensions)
2 73 1/2" lengths
4 112" lengths (if not covering walls with paneling, use 4 113" lengths instead)
6 22 1/2" lengths
(Diagram E) Screw the two 73 1/2" pieces to the outside 112" pieces to create a rectangle. Screw in the two remaining 112" pieces using the 22 1/2" pieces as spacers, then screw in the 6 22 1/2" pieces.

Metal Siding
8 6' pieces
4 111" pieces (cut to size)

Side Walls:
Start from the bottom and center the 72" metal siding between the two horizontal 2" x 4"s (Photo 2). Place the siding flush to the outside edge of the 2" x 4"s. Lay out the four sheets so they fit evenly between the 2" x 4"s. Overlap the siding, tucking each lower sheet under the upper sheet, to prevent water from seeping in.

Fit the “J” flashing along the edge of the corrugated metal. Mark and cut to size (about 82 1/2") with tin snips (Photo 3).

Fit the flashing into place. From the bottom, carefully push in the corrugated foam material (Photo 4). Screw in the bottom portion of the corrugated metal using the sheet-metal screws. Screw right through the metal siding and into the 2" x 4". Working from the bottom up, screw in the corrugated panels. (Screws should be 19" to 20" apart.) Screw down the side and flashing, slightly angling the drill to tuck the screw under the flashing.

Back wall
Starting from the bottom, lay out the 120" corrugated metal. One edge of the metal should be 1/2" from the outside edge. Thecorrugated metal will overhang the other side. Screw in the side that doesn’t need to be trimmed, following the instructions for the side walls. Trim the metal to 111". Use a straight 2" x 4" to mark a line on the steel. To prevent the steel from getting scratched, cover the good side of the line with masking tape, including where the skill saw will rest on the metal (Photo 5). Set the depth of the metal-cutting saw blade to cut only the metal, but don’t worry if the blade goes into the 2" x 4" slightly. Trim the corrugated metal. Assemble the “J” flashing and corrugated foam, and screw into place.

Plywood (all 3/4" thick)
Floor:
2 4' x 8' pieces
2 2' x 4' pieces
1 2' x 8' piece
1 2' x 2' piece
Roof:
3 48" x 81 1/2"
3 48" x 63"
Sides
1 42" x 82 1/21"
1 42" x 20" x 42" x 24 3/4"
(trapezoid)
2 72 1/2" x 20" x 72 1/2" x 12 1/2"
(trapezoid)
Back
2 12 1/2" x 55 5/8"

Tip: To ensure a perfectly straight cut, use a long piece of wood as a guide for the saw. Mark a line where you want to cut. Measure the distance from the edge of the blade to the edge of the bottom plate on the saw. Clamp the long, straight piece of wood to the piece to be cut. Make sure the straight wood is the same distance from the cut line as the edge of the blade to the bottom plate of the saw. To cut, run the saw along the clamped piece of wood (Photo 6). After all the pieces are cut, use the orbital sander and 120-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface and edges. Bevel the top edge to help prevent splintering.

Silver-staining the plywood and door. Use a paint stick to mix the Rust-Oleum. In a bucket, thin 1/2 of the Rust-Oleum with an equal part paint thinner. Use a foam roller to apply the mixture evenly to the plywood, including edges (Photo 7). Let the paint saturate the wood for 5 minutes. Use a clean, dry rag to remove excess paint, wiping in the direction of the grain to avoid a streaky look. Repeat these steps for both sides and edges of the door. Let pieces dry overnight.

Applying clear finish to plywood and door. Apply three even coats of Man O’ War finish to all exposed surfaces of the plywood, including the door. Allow each coat to dry overnight. After each coat has hardened completely, sand by hand with 220-grit sandpaper (taking care not to sand through the silver coating).

Installing plywood siding. After all three coats of the finish have been applied, place one wall frame faceup on the sawhorses. Set the plywood into place and align all pieces. If everything fits correctly, remove and set aside. Lay down a 1/4" bead of clear silicone caulking where the plywood will be installed. Carefully set the plywood in place and screw it to the frame every 12" to 20". Wipe off excess silicone with a damp rag. Continue until all of the plywood siding has been installed.

Window Framing:

Plexiglas (all 1/4” thick)
1 40 1/2" x 80" (side)
2 35 7/8" x 80" (front)
1 22 3/4" x 36" (top front)
1 71 3/4" x 22 3/4" (top front)
1 40 1/2" x 18 1/2" x 40 1/2" x 22 1/2” (trapezoid)

Wood stops for windows and door (all 1" x 2")
Window stops:
8 80 1/2"
4 34 3/4"
6 39 3/8"
4 70 5/8"
2 18 3/4"
2 22 3/4"
2 39 1/2"

Door stops:
2 80 1/4"
1 34 1/2"

Cut all the Plexiglas stops to the correct size. (Set the chop saw to 84° for the triangle-shape glass stops). Place the front wall facedown on the sawhorses. Installing one piece at time, apply a 1/4" bead of clear silicone to the Plexiglas stop. Screw in the wood stops 1/8" down from the edge of the 2" x 4"s. (At this point you will be installing only one side of the Plexiglas stops.) Wipe away excess silicone with a damp rag and remove front wall from sawhorses. Place the side that will have Plexiglas on the sawhorses. Install the stops as above.

Concrete piers: Place the nine piers on level ground. (To level the ground, build up dirt below the piers, compacting it as much as possible.) Use a level and a string line between the piers to make sure they’re level. If not, the building will be out of square, making it very difficult to install the door and windows.

Assembling the Structure.
Floor. Place the floor frame on the level piers (Photo 8). If the piers have settled beyond level, use shims to level the floor. Set the plywood floor pieces on the frame, staggering the plywood. Screw down the plywood to the frame using the self-countersinking wood screws.

Walls. Lift the back wall into place and make sure it is against the back edge of the plywood (Photo 9). Slide the wall to the right until it is 3 1/2" from the right edge of the plywood. Secure the wall to the floor using two screws every 12" to 16". Have friends hold up the back wall while others help move in the right side.

Lift the right wall into place and slide it back until the vertical 2" x 4"s of each wall overlap (Photo 10). Screw the two walls together using the 3" deck screws. Screw the wall to the floor as above. Lift the front wall into place. Slide it to the right wall, making sure the walls overlap.

Screw the two walls together (Photo 11). Screw the wall to the floor.

Lift the remaining left wall into place (Photo 12). Screw the back wall and the front wall to the left wall. Screw the left wall to the floor.

Interior paneling. If you want to cover up the framed walls with paneling or Sheetrock, now’s the time. We used 1/2" particleboard to cover the interior walls.

Roof. Lift the roof frame into place and screw it to the walls (Photo 13). Line up the front 2" x 4" of the roof frame with the vertical 2" x 4" of the right and left walls. Screw the roof frame to the right and left walls using the 3" deck screws every 6". Lift the plywood into place. Use the 1 1/2" self-countersinking screws to attach the plywood to the roof frame and the walls.

Roll out the roofing asphalt from the bottom up to prevent water from seeping underneath the asphalt. Use a carpenter’s knife to trim the edges of the asphalt flush to the edge. Nail the asphalt edges every 12" and the field every 18". Apply the tar caulking across the edge of the first sheet. Roll out the second sheet of asphalt (Photo 14). Nail it down around the edges.

Continue rolling out sheets, nailing the edges, and nailing the field until the entire roof is covered. Starting in a corner of the roof, lay down a 1/4" bead of roofing tar along the edge of the asphalt. Nail down the drip edging with the 3/4" roofing nails. (The edging comes only in 10' sections; use tin snips to cut four 30" pieces.) Nail downthe edging until the roof is complete.

Installing the Plexiglas. Start with the largest front window. Lay down a 3/8" bead of silicone against the Plexiglas stops. Lift the glass into place (Photo 15). There should be no more than a 1/8" gap between the two sheets of glass on the front window.

After the glass is in the correct location, lay down another 3/8" bead against the glass. Now lay down a 1/4" bead of silicone on the remaining Plexiglas stop and screw into place. Wipe away any excess silicone with a clean damp rag. Continue the steps above for all remaining Plexiglas sheets (Photo 16).

Fill the slight gap between the two large sheets with silicone (Photo 17) by running tape along both sides of the seam on each side of the glass, filling the gap, then wiping off any excess. Remove the tape and let dry.

Installing the door. Cut all 3 doorstops. If the hinges aren’t installed on the door, recess each hinge 10" (measure from the center) from the top and bottom of the door. Place the hinged door in the doorway. The door should swing in and the hinges should attach to the 2" x 4" next to the right wall. Use shims under the door to bring it above the floor by about 3/16". Mark the place where the hinges should be screwed in. Remove the door and the frame side of the hinge. Use a chisel to recess the hinge so it’s flush with the 2" x 4". Install the doorknob. When the door is in place and closed, install the remaining doorstops, following the directions above. Be sure the stops rest against the door when closed.

Exterior finishing. Apply two coats of Man O’ War varnish to all exposed wood to help maintain the wood over time.

Interior painting. Choose any combination to paint the interior walls (but the ceiling and the underside of the roof the same color). Look at that. You’re home!