rsleftovers

These Welds Were Made for Walkin’!

July 10, 2025

Hello and welcome back to the Rural Studio Bathhouse blog. Check out what we’ve been up to the past few months!

students pose with thumbs up nect to walkway — Thumbs-up for walkway going up!

At the time of the last update, we were just wrapping up stacking the modules for the outdoor shower’s walls and preparing to install the metal roof structure.

We got our good friend Shane back on site to help us out with the installation. First up was the compression frame on the top of the walls. After welding the rods to the frame, we tightened the bolts to the recommended pressure, compressing the wood walls into place.

Student poses inside outdoor shower — Checking out our progress

Next, we lifted the continuous tubes into place. Once they were leveled, we bolted them to the compression frame at the recommended force.

Student levels continuous tube — Leveling the continuous tubes

Students bolt continuous tube to compression frame — Leveling the continuous tubes

With the tubes in place, we marked the locations for the trusses and lifted them onto the tubes. Shane then welded the three trusses into place. He also welded the diagonal support bracing between the trusses.

Student holds truss in place — Holding the trusses

Student and instructor level truss — Holding the trusses

Next, we marked out the locations for the purlins, and once again, Shane welded them to the trusses. With the trusses and purlins in place, we welded the tubes to the edges of the trusses and purlins, capping all the open ends. This step makes the trusses and purlins appear as planar surfaces instead of singular objects. With all the welding complete, we cleaned and painted the welds and touched up any other ugly spots on the structure.

Students clamp end caps to truss ends — Capping the ends of the trusses

Students clamp purlins to trusses — Capping the ends of the trusses

Finally, we were ready to put up the sheet metal roof. We started with the north side of the outdoor shower, making sure to measure to set points on the trusses to ensure the spacing of the sheets was even.

View of sheet metal going up — Roof going up!

Student screws metal sheet down — Roof going up!

We were able to do this very quickly, and it completely transformed the experience of the space. Although it looks like our early renderings, it’s even better than we imagined in reality!

Rendering of Outdoor Shower Interior — One of our very early renderings of the Outdoor Shower

View of finished Outdoor Shower interior — One of our very early renderings of the Outdoor Shower

View of Outdoor Shower from outside — Finished roof from outside

On site, we poured the small concrete pad on the top of the boot washing station at the front of the building. Steve helped us with the finishing work and taught us how to do the edging and broom finish. This little slab will support a water hydrant that comes up through it as well as several boot scrubbers and/or a water hose reel.

Students spread concrete for pour — Concrete pour

Instructor shows student how to finsh concrete — Concrete pour

After we finished installing of the roof structure and completing other site tasks, we made our way back to Columbiana to continue with the rest of the metal fabrication. We began working on the walkway ladders, continuous tubes, plates for the ceilings, and the other miscellaneous roof pieces.

View of finished walkway piece — Walkway ladder #1

Before we knew it, Pig Roast was almost here! The team made a big push to be able to show off what we could of the metal work on site. We were excited to have the first piece of the walkway done, and Shane came out to the site again to help us put it in place. We also finished a mock-up of the guardrail with the help of Flo and Luis in the shop. The mock-up was clamped in place on site to give visitors an idea of the fully finished walkway. We also set up the outdoor shower so that visitors could climb up and experience the space and views for themselves.

Students guide walkway piece into place — Guiding it into place

Students bolt walkway into place — Guiding it into place

With another year down, it came time to celebrate everyone’s hard work and incredible projects at Pig Roast! Although it was rainy and muggy, nothing could rain on our parade. We had a great time showing off our project and the progress made to all our friends and families. We also enjoyed participating in all the evening festivities as well.

Team poses for picture on walkway — Team with plywood cutout Logan

Man poses with cardboard cutout — Team with plywood cutout Logan

The excitement didn’t last long because we had to get back to work in Columbiana. We started back up on the walkway ladder pieces. This work consisted of us cutting the channels to size, coping the ends of the channels to fit together, drilling any holes, leveling all the pieces, welding the outer frame, adding the bracing tees within the frames, and welding those to the channels. We also cleaned and painted each ladder piece when we finished. We have finished fabricating four of the five walkway ladders.

Student cuts walkway channel — Coping channels

Student drills into walkway channel — Coping channels

After we had the four walkway pieces on site, we called on Shane once again to help us out. The installation wasn’t the easiest, but Shane and our two helpers were great, and we lifted all the ladders into place and secured them to the structure.

View of tools used for installation — Tools for Installation

View of tools after used — Tools for Installation

The day wouldn’t have been complete without a little more excitement, this time with Shane’s truck getting stuck on our muddy site.

View of truck pulling out stuck tow truck — Whoops!

After working so hard on the design of the structure and fabricating the ladder pieces in the shop, it is very rewarding to see the walkway coming together on site. It looks just like our model!

View of finished walkway — Walkway model

Student balances on walkway structure — Testing our balance and the structure!

While working on the walkway, we also continued making progress on the roof structure. We cut out all the pieces for the trusses with their angles. We then used those pieces to help lay out a jig to build the trusses with, just like how we did with the outdoor shower. This process ensures all the trusses are the same. Then it was time to get to the welding. We laid out the pieces, clamped them to the jig, welded the top side, and then flipped them over to every other side and welded them as we went. Once all 31 trusses were welded, we cleaned up the welds and then painted them. Recently, we were able to transport all of them back to site.

Student cuts pieces for trusses — Cutting pieces to correct angles

View of truss jig — Cutting pieces to correct angles

The team is delited with the progress being made in the metal shop, as well as site. We have a few more metal things to fabricate but will be wrapping up the work in Columbiana shortly. We will refocus our efforts on finishing making the modules for the shower pod.

Thank you so much for reading along, and we already look forward to speaking again soon! Stay tuned for more fun updates.

Students pose above Outdoor Shower roof — Goodbye, Down There!

– Rural Studio Bathhouse Team

Carla, Ambar, Ashley, and Logan

Tags: fabrication, modules, rs5thyears, rsleftovers, trusses, welding, wood

An Expected Journey

November 13, 2024

Students dressed as hobbits, for Halloween, are posed in front of Red Barn.

While it may have been expected, do not let the title fool you. In the long journey of every Rural Studio team, everyone will at some point come to a moment where they need to build a mock-up to test their ideas. What would be the point of a mock-up if everything always went exactly how we planned? The unexpected results of an expected endeavor are some of the most valuable lessons we have learned in our effort to design a home for Loretta and her son.

A photo of the completed interior of the mockup with shiplap.

A student gives a thumb up in front of their mockup.

At the end of our last blog, we were ready to move the mock-up core. We were trying to test a few key factors from our design and construction process. Actually, we were mainly testing two factors. First, we needed to see how realistic, or possible, it was to try and move this core from the off-site location of the Fabrication Pavilion to its eventual resting place on-site. And second, we wanted to test the durability of the core and its finishes during this process. We are happy to report that both tests went better than we could have imagined!

Let’s walk through the process and our main takeaways. Our first challenge was figuring out how to move the cores on the Fabrication Pavilion. We used hydraulic forklifts for this step, and they worked just as intended. Next, we had to rig the core on the end of the Pavilion so that our friend, Crane Shane, could move it to the trailer. Here, we realized that the real cores will be larger than the mock-up, so the channels for the straps will be further apart to provide better stability.

A photo of the core mockup wrapped up and ready to move on Fab Pav.

Students move core mockup with hydraulic forklifts.

Once the core was strapped to the trailer, we took the core on a “joyride” to simulate the strain it would be under over a longer distance. After arriving safely at the site, we rigged it again for the final move. We knew the main trick to this was to ensure that the core was level once it was placed into the slab depression. This went better than planned (unexpectedly we know), and it sat well within our tolerance for levelness and placement.

The CLT mockup is being moved by crane onto a trailer.

The CLT core is strapped down and being driven off campus.

After celebrating this success, we had to tilt up the CLT (cross-laminated timber) wall that would, in the real project, help to form the area between the kitchen and bathroom cores that will be the laundry and mechanical room. We realized that despite our best efforts, the main slab was not perfectly level. So, trying to rest the wall on this unlevel slab and pull it tight to a level main core was a challenge. We managed this by using ratchet straps to pull it in tight. In doing so, the wall was now too tall due to the misalignments in the slab. As a result, when we placed the CLT roof (meant to cover this space), it did not line up perfectly with the main core’s roof as intended. To fix this, we will deliberately build the stud framed portion of this wall shorter than intended and leave the CLT portion larger than intended. For the real house, we will be able to tilt it up. Then, we can take the accurate measurements for the height of the CLT walls and make the appropriate cuts they need to fit between the two cores.

A student screws a truss to framed walls.

Lastly, like many students before us, we had to build the “house” part of the mock-up. Unlike our predecessors, who built mock-ups at a smaller scale, our core had to be full scale to adequately test the moving process, the rest of the build had to follow suit. Here, the benefit of a mock-up truly shined. We learned so much about what it takes to build a house. We saw how easy it was to make a small mistake and oftentimes, how hard it is to think ourselves out of it.

Student slides shiplap into interior mockup.

With all of this under our belt, we have finally begun work on the real project. We have also gotten the chance to meet with some more amazing reviewers and consultants.

Students cut CLT on the back of Fab Pav.

Jake LaBarre helps students with their construction documents.

Students attempt to lift fellow student on CLT panel.

All seriousness aside, we are still making time for a little fun!

A photo of a carved Scooby-Doo pumpkin. — You can look, but you can’t touch!

Student shows off their costume. — You can look, but you can’t touch!

Tags: CLT, CLT Core House, halloween, hobbits, mockup, rsleftovers, ruralpref

Four Cores and Seven Weeks Ago…

October 10, 2024

Student lying down on wooden framed box.

The CLT Core House team had just begun their journey to build the core mock-up. Bright-eyed and eager to prove their design’s worth, they got to work. Despite the heat, it was exciting for them to be working outside.

formwork for the mockup's first concrete pour.

Students use shovels to spread concrete throughout the mockup's formwork.

They exclaimed, “Finally, we can get our hands dirty!” Though they, like many before them, were about to see an entirely new side of design, one that would transform their drawings into reality and expose the previously missed shortcomings. A humble lesson for all, and perhaps the most potent. Yet the team treated these lessons as opportunities, not an embarrassments, and were pleased to embrace them.

the plumbing stub out in the concrete slab.

the first concrete pour drying in the sun.

Students acted shocked by their hard work as they wrap up their second concrete pour.

How optimistic! How youthful!

The act of, as it were, “mocking up” a design is a pivotal moment for any builder, green or experienced alike. It forced the CLT Core House team to reckon with the stutters in their meticulous design process. No matter how long the process took, they learned new lessons. One would think that after the third consecutive day of sanding wood, they might have stopped to question the process. Alas, they powered through for the fourth, and yes, fifth day of sanding.

Two students paint water proofing onto CLT panels.

Student handprints are left in a pile of sawdust.

How determined! How youthful!

Once the students realized that sanding one spot means sanding all spots, they came to their senses and scrapped the sanding altogether.

Student stands in front of framed walls.

The CLT core assembled without the roof on top

Do not fear, dear reader: not all lessons were born of mistakes. Many a wise word was gained from consults versed in all manners of design. Among these travelers came Joe Burns of Chicago, the city of winds, to aid our CLT Core House team in structural matters. He continually adds merit to their work, ensuring that their uncommon use of shiplap as both a ceiling and structural member effectively transfers shear loads from walls to the central core as intended.

Many more came bearing gifts of knowledge and advice. Jonas Weber of David Baker Architects, defender of tile, Kiel Moe and Jacob Mans of various wooded landscapes, and lady Adele Schirmer of all things civil (engineering) have helped to refine the details of the cores themselves and the performance of the house. The CLT Core House team is so appreciative of this aid, not forgetting the many more who have helped take this project to where it is.

A model representing the bathroom core's tile and CLT.

Students talk with structural engineer about drawings.

How Fortunate!

Soon they will endeavor to build on a full scale. They do seem to feel as though they are ready…

How Ambitious! How Youthful!

Students demonstrate the layout of their mock-up.

Tags: CLT, CLT Core House, concrete, mockup, rsleftovers, ruralprefab, sawdust

Squared Away

September 30, 2024

The 18×18 House is officially complete!

You read that right. The new semester saw the final touches on the interior, siding, and porch, after a productive end to the summer.

Interior

After painting was done, Jake, Julie, and Meagan started with the tile in the bathroom and the floors downstairs. The tiling process involved patching gaps in the cement board around the shower, then lining up row after row of (square) tiles in an offset grid. We thought it looked pretty good, right?

Installing the floors downstairs involved a special guest! Adam Whitley from Interface, Inc. paid the team a visit to show us how to lay the vinyl tiles. We owe a huge thank you to Interface for donating these beautiful tiles to the project! And, of course, to Adam and his step-by-step tutorial!

Adam speaking about tiles — Adam teaching us about the material

Demonstrating adhesive application — Adam teaching us about the material

Bedroom window before finished floors — Bare floors…

Bedroom window with floor covered in adhesive — Bare floors…

The floors upstairs are hardwood instead of vinyl, so that process was a little different. The team set down an underlayment before installing the floor plank by plank on the second and third levels of the house. The stairs were included, and Jake took on that challenge all by himself.

Julie installing hardwood floors — First comes underlayment

Jake installing baseboard — First comes underlayment

After floors came CABINETS!!!

Julie and Meagan laid out the kitchen one cabinet at a time, then installed the countertop and sink. This installation really made the house start to feel finished.

Partially installed cabinets — A kitchen!

But then came the really exciting day. The ship’s ladder and guardrail designed by the team and fabricated by Superior Metal Works were ready to install. Our client, Detyrick, came to check on us just in time to see it fastened into place, and he got to see it for the first time with us!

Ships ladder without treads — The ladder with bare tread brackets

Ships ladder with treads — The ladder with bare tread brackets

Outside

Since the home stretch of this project lined up with the start of a new semester, the team was lucky enough to get some help during “Neckdown”! We had new (and old!) students working with us to set pavers for the porch, spread topsoil, and lay grass seed around the site. A special thanks goes to Peter from the CLT Core House team, who was on our site three days in a row and acted like he enjoyed it the whole time.

Students crouching by porch edge — New 3rd-years helping out!

Jake removing formwork — New 3rd-years helping out!

The final few panels of siding also went up, covering the last of our sheathing doodles. The house had scaffolding around it for months and looks entirely different without it. And the last touch on the outside of the house is painting the door! After much deliberation, Detyrick helped the team pick out a light blue to complement the gray metal. We got it done and painted to finish off the exterior.

And that’s a wrap, folks. The team is preparing for their next steps after Rural Studio, but not before saying a proper goodbye to Hale County. We hope to see all of our friends, family, supporters, and past Rural Studio friends at our opening on October 18!

Thanks to all. Signing off,

Jake, Julie, Meagan, and Naomi

Tags: 18x18, 18x18house, finishedproject, rsleftovers

Straightening Ducks and Mocking-Up

July 23, 2024

Students stand proudly on dug trenches for mockup. — Duck Ahead!

In the time since our graduation, the world has kept spinning. The team quickly returned to work on the project with the time for outside work quickly approaching.

Lighting study for CLT Core. — Look at that warm glow!

Nighttime rendering of future house. — Look at that warm glow!

After all the labor poured into iteration and preparation, we are ready to make our plans a reality. In Rural Studio fashion that means it’s mock-up time! But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. We must get all our ducks in a row, or at least some of them into a decently straight line. We worked on transforming the core and house elements to a smaller scale, while also putting the finishing touches on details with the help of Dan Wheeler.

Dan Wheeler sketches over 1 to 1 detail drawings.

We are also double and triple-checking our structural strategy with Joe Burns. On top of this, we met with Thomas Paterson to discuss our general lighting strategies, which, like many other things, needs more iteration. With all this help, everything is looking good enough to get started. So, we have officially broken ground on our mock-up and things are progressing smoothly.

Joe Burns looks at drawing of house section.

Student points at drawing in sketch book.

It is fascinating to realize that there is another layer of complexity in construction that we must reckon with beyond the seemingly overwhelming complexity we face with our drawings and design. It is a lot to keep track of and easy to make a mistake, which you then find yourself taking time to fix. One of the incredible opportunities of Rural Studio is that we must work through all these problems as a team and truly understand the repercussions of what we design. No one does it for you; if we find a problem, we must think ourselves out of it.

Students test window dimensions. — A walk down memory lane!

Students test the dimensions of the house's porch. — A walk down memory lane!

Groundbreaking News: We Broke Ground

So where are we today? Well, we are busy finishing the foundation trenches and prepping our pieces for the assembly. We have built the core base and the walls. We also have the formwork assembled and rebar cut to size.

Materials and pallet for the project organized on Fab Pav.

Throughout, we have been critiquing and altering our process and design. As soon as we finished the core base, we became aware of how we would build differently and how it would be designed differently. We all know that design has a long way to go and that even as the house itself is built, we will see things we would change if we could do it again. But that’s for future teams to figure out.

Students and teacher set up batter boards. — What a determined look!

Student pickaxes the edge of the trenches. — What a determined look!

For now, we are pleased with our progress and do not want to slow down anytime soon. At the time of writing this, we are hoping to pour our mock-up slab in one week! It has been a welcome change of pace to do some physical work. We’ll see how long that disposition lasts in this heat. But for now, we are happy to swim through the humidity towards our next task.

Tags: CLT, CLT Core House, digging, mockups, prefab, rsleftovers, ruralprefab, summer