Single Wall vs Double Wall Construction

[HADave]

Thanks Gene for getting the site for Ajit I've been reading about cement homes.

Wood Rocks!

Ajit, I mean't what Hutch was refering to instead of studs , and also studs with tongue and groove board siding. different in respect to plywood, osb, t-111



Edited by - HADave on 12/09/2005 21:58:43

[leilaniguy]

You know, I forgot to mention the biggest advantage of building a singlewall house.(kind of like the elephant in the room)- When you nail up the last piece of siding, you're done and ready to move in immediatly, no need for next 3 phases.... hanging sheetrock, mud job, painting.

[Rob Tucker]

I gotta say, I know a number of people are fond of single wall but I lived in one for two years and found that it was the equivilant of living in a paper bag from a sound point of view.

The walls actually seemed to amplify outside sounds and perhaps they did - like a drum head. Cars, traffic, radios, boom boxes, people simply talking on the street all seemed to land in my audio lap. I was quite surprised at the noise level and was grateful to move out eventually.



Chairman, Punaweb Committee, MSPA

[adias]

According the Hawaii County Planning Department, 35% of current construction is single wall and 65% is double wall. Also, they mentioned that single wall is legal, and there is no plan to make it illegal.

However, most of the building supply companies indicated that most people are building double wall, not sure why there is discrepancy between the county and building supply companies….

I also talked to many people on the issue and as expected different people had different stories. It appears the influx of mainlanders on the Island is slowly shifting the tide to double wall construction, difficult to say if this is for the better or worse I guess only time will tell.

What is not clear is if it is going to be difficult to find carpenters with the necessary skills required to build single wall structures.


Ajit

Edited by - adias on 12/18/2005 01:51:11

[leilaniguy]

Singlewall is definately not soundproof, works out great if you have a decent sized lot, but in crowded neighborhoods on tiny lots,(Pahoa village and Nanawale comes to mind),it would be very noisey. Of course any type house will have a lot of noise when your neighbors are only 10 or 20 feet away.

[adias]

I also heard from someone that the original single wall construction is based on Japanese farm house construction and different from the post and pier?

Can anyone (leilaniguy?) refer me to any books, articles or perhaps blue prints of this type of construction? I am curious to learn more about this type of architecture.

Basically, where would someone find the details to build a suger cane plantation style home?

Aloha


Ajit

Edited by - adias on 12/18/2005 19:02:35

[leilaniguy]

Aloha Ajit, The house is called a minka,the original houses had thatched roofs and dirt floors. try www.tfujiiantiques.com , they have a series of photos of one being built. Also try googling japanese farmhouse.



Edited by - leilaniguy on 12/18/2005 19:32:00

[adias]

Thanks for the info LeilaniGuy.

The Minkas, AKA Hawaiian Plantation House/single wall construction has a rich history (http://www.colby.edu/colby.mag/issues/fall03/last/). Although I found some books on Japanese architecture on Amazon, there is no published literature on Hawaiian Plantation House construction and design as practiced today, which I am sure, has its own unique style, adapted to Hawaii and new construction material and building code.

I talked to several drafters mentioned on this site and they dissuaded me from going single wall. One said it was not to code (not true) and the other indicated that I would have problems getting people to build it since everyone is doing double wall. I have yet to hear any solid argument from the double-wall stick building advocates on this forum on the perils of single wall construction.

At this point, it seems that this construction technique in Hawaii is being passed around by experience. From everything I’ve seen and heard this type of construction is the most practical and economical way for the owner-builder on a limited budget.

It is also the time tested way of building in the Hawaiian rainforest. In order to perpetuate this type of construction someone would have to document the construction techniques so knowledge can passed on to new owner builders...


Ajit

Edited by - adias on 12/19/2005 12:38:10

[HADave]

Hey Ajit, your web site for info on minka at Colby College. Interestingly is very near our home here in Maine I actually grew up near by, spent alot time parking with my honey around the shores of Johnson Pond. and we used to watch fireworks atop an old water reservoir on campus land. Taught my daughter how to play tennis on the courts there.....World just keeps getting smaller, Thanks for that

[mella l]

Ajit, I thoroughly enjoyed the article on the Minka farmhouse. Did a google on minka and whoops more than I bargained for. Re googled minka structures and found many pictures. I can see the charm and the sensibility of these homes. Would love to see one in person, especially in Japan with the gardens! These would probably be better by the ocean than at any elevation with increased rain I'm thinking. Have you returned from your trip? Mella L

mella l

PS http://www.tfujiiantiques.com/ After posting I went to this web site and we can see one of these beautiful farmhouses in person in Waikiki a little closer!

Edited by - mella l on 12/19/2005 15:42:22