Thread: Traditional thai wood house build...

Originally Posted by Koetjeka

Amazing, it's so beautiful! Just love the baluster poles too!

What about the ceiling, are you going to leave it like this or cover it with something?

Thank you. The poles are from a local wood yard and cost 90badt, we could have made them for about 50 badt but we didnt have time to wait on the this going in.

The ceiling is staying like that with exposed beams and plasterboard infill, this breaks up all the wood and provides a nice lightness to the rooms. It doesnt feel too woody if that make sense like European chalet wood houses. Based on English style houses where I come from.

Master bedroom is lit up..


looking out to Doi suthep..



Out to the terrace...



doors locked


Master bathroom teak wood lovely


Glass needs a clean nice view



Looking back in the bedroom...

Looking very nice mate. Well done.

Very nice.
That's going to be a wonderful home.

Ben, I really like the exposed beam ceiling and wonder if you had any pics showing the build process. I am also curious if you have a cost associated with it. Being over in the NE, wood is a little harder to come by and I would still like to look into this style, if possible. It really looks great!!

Thanks for the updates Ben ... looking realy good mate .

Its getting very close to our build ,, so keep an eye out for our little shed ,, coming here soon

Thank you chaps for all your comments, and for reading this very long winded saga.

NigelandJan I await eager for your house pics, I hope you have taken all precautions to talk yourself out of it.....seriously should start it before you change your mind.

Rickschoppers - ceiling is working very well, if you notice in most thai houses they are wood and very sqaured or plasterboard with wood strips holding them up. None of this appealed to me. So we took some inspiration from UK.
We had 2 different builders do 2 different things I will try and explain whilst i look for pictures.
What i wanted them to do is sink the joists into the cross beam, then use wood strips to create a lip for the plaster board to be cut to shape and screwed in place. This would be the traditional method.
First builder (who i like and is now again working on the house) sat joists on cross beam(thai method) then screwed down on top the plasterboard into the joists, he then boarded up the spaces in between with teak cladding and trim.

The second builder (wife like him, i didnt like his joinery) put in cross beams and sat the joists level with the cross beam and 'gunned' them in. This is fine if you are not using as a floor, as we are not. He then used the normal method of 1x1" wood lengths nailed to the joists and then cut plasterboard to the shape and screw in.
To finish you would normally use a cloth fabric (like Hemp) to cover screws and paint over them. I hope that helps to some degree, i can post pics when i find them or draw something to show you?

Jimba- I dont drink coffee, Ive never liked it. But any drink with that view is a special treat and thanks for the greetings and kind words.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Ben, I really like the exposed beam ceiling and wonder if you had any pics showing the build process. I am also curious if you have a cost associated with it. Being over in the NE, wood is a little harder to come by and I would still like to look into this style, if possible. It really looks great!!

Hi Rick, right if you see this pic of the main house you can see that the joists rest on the cross beam and he has used other wood cladding to hide this, I like the look of this as its very shapely with character.


Another earlier perspective.

Stripped down to just joists and cross beams with plasterboard screwed in from top.

Bathroom has slightly wider joist separation with viva board instead of plasterboard. black screws are used not silver, there is a reason its lost on me at such a late hour.


thats all i have for main house.

Hi Rick this is the other builder in the extension you can see he has dropped the joist to sit inside the cross beam and nailed and gunned it in place.

All in all it depends on budget and what your builder knows, but i would say if budget is a concern then this way is cheapest. If budget is not a concern then i could give many examples of a better way to do it. I will try and draw some for you.
2x5 inch joist is normally required. The cost varies I pay between 55-90 badt a 50cm length for good to very nice wood. If there is anything i have missed let me know and ill try to answer for you.

Cheers

Ben, aren't these joist brackets available in Thailand? Maybe they would look like shit for a ceiling, but I think just nailing would work for a light ceiling.



I appreciate your response and will be looking into this for a solution to my ceiling. I am not fond of the hanging ceilings I see in many houses today. The wood adds a lot of richness and class IMO.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Ben, aren't these joist brackets available in Thailand? Maybe they would look like shit for a ceiling, but I think just nailing would work for a light ceiling.



I appreciate your response and will be looking into this for a solution to my ceiling. I am not fond of the hanging ceilings I see in many houses today. The wood adds a lot of richness and class IMO.

If someone knows where to buy those, would be awesome as I'm looking for those guys too. I can order them from Europe but it will probably cost 300% more than here.

I've never slept in one of those Thai style houses , but I've often wondered what kinda level of sound insulation is offered between bedrooms ?

ie if someone in the room next to you is snoring / dropping theyre guts during the night or worse still

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Ben, aren't these joist brackets available in Thailand? Maybe they would look like shit for a ceiling, but I think just nailing would work for a light ceiling.



I appreciate your response and will be looking into this for a solution to my ceiling. I am not fond of the hanging ceilings I see in many houses today. The wood adds a lot of richness and class IMO.

That is more for covered joists or garage joists, I have some at home in my garage in the UK.
Yes that would work but why not just get your carpenter to make a wood copy, carved, the cost would not be disproportionate to the quality of finish against this metal work.
Ive just got my wood builder to those all the traditional door wood bolts, it took him a day. when youve got the wood the cost is cheap.

NigelandJan - The sound is the same as a concrete house if its double clad, and windows siliconed. As for bathroom noises, a hard wood door is better than a plastic door. As for night time activities, ill let you know....

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

I am not fond of the hanging ceilings I see in many houses today. The wood adds a lot of richness and class IMO.

I agree, I wouldnt try to over engineer with metal, something that is not necessary, wood done correctly is fine. I wouldnt use metal again I just done see the point. I dont really like concrete, and I dont get the over engineering of fences in thailand to construction grade but that is just me. Wood is much more attractive, and pleasing and when you know whats what inexpensive.

I agree wholesomely with you statement, the wood and class bit, spot on.

like the look Ben, looking good

Rick lots of wood available in North east, get wife to ask around if anyone is re-building there home, good bargains to be had buying old Thai wood houses.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Ben, I really like the exposed beam ceiling and wonder if you had any pics showing the build process. I am also curious if you have a cost associated with it. Being over in the NE, wood is a little harder to come by and I would still like to look into this style, if possible. It really looks great!!

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Rick lots of wood available in North east, get wife to ask around if anyone is re-building there home, good bargains to be had buying old Thai wood houses.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Ben, I really like the exposed beam ceiling and wonder if you had any pics showing the build process. I am also curious if you have a cost associated with it. Being over in the NE, wood is a little harder to come by and I would still like to look into this style, if possible. It really looks great!!

Yes, there is a fair amount of wood available, just not as much as the NW. There are several "reclaimed wood shops" on the road to Nong Khai, but they are overpriced.

Finding an old teak house that is being torn down is ideal and I will put the BIL on it. My wife still has this thing about "ghosts" but I should be able to talk her into some beams.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Rick lots of wood available in North east, get wife to ask around if anyone is re-building there home, good bargains to be had buying old Thai wood houses.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Ben, I really like the exposed beam ceiling and wonder if you had any pics showing the build process. I am also curious if you have a cost associated with it. Being over in the NE, wood is a little harder to come by and I would still like to look into this style, if possible. It really looks great!!

Yes, there is a fair amount of wood available, just not as much as the NW. There are several "reclaimed wood shops" on the road to Nong Khai, but they are overpriced.

Finding an old teak house that is being torn down is ideal and I will put the BIL on it. My wife still has this thing about "ghosts" but I should be able to talk her into some beams.

I've asked my wife to look for some old wooden houses for sale, she kept saying that it was impossible to find...

My take on it as Ive done it is that you would be better to have a plan, and then buy wood as to your plan. This will save a lot of hassle, if you decide to change the old house design.
In a place like Chiangmai, or Phrae you are very fortunate with wood and can have a very good selection. Buy from a yard its the cheapest way, unless you get a bargain price for a set of posts, however its becoming harder to find and wood yards have their ears, nose and wallets to the ground to know when someone is selling.
I can buy teak at 55 badt a 50cm length, redwood @ 35badt and build for about 1200 badt a day for a team of 3.

Tell her the Monks can bless the wood and all will be ok

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Rick lots of wood available in North east, get wife to ask around if anyone is re-building there home, good bargains to be had buying old Thai wood houses.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Ben, I really like the exposed beam ceiling and wonder if you had any pics showing the build process. I am also curious if you have a cost associated with it. Being over in the NE, wood is a little harder to come by and I would still like to look into this style, if possible. It really looks great!!

Yes, there is a fair amount of wood available, just not as much as the NW. There are several "reclaimed wood shops" on the road to Nong Khai, but they are overpriced.

Finding an old teak house that is being torn down is ideal and I will put the BIL on it. My wife still has this thing about "ghosts" but I should be able to talk her into some beams.

^
Good suggestion and I will try that if she gives me more ghosts stories.

How much has it set you back so-far Ben ?

Been a great read

Hi Dead Metal

The house is 320m2 living, we have 1000m2 land.

The land cost 1.13 million for this we got the land raised, with water pump and drilled water. We also got temporary electric to the land.

The house to date is running at 11,500 badt a m2, with very little to do. We might end up at 12,000 m2 which is quite an achievement for wood.

We could have done it much cheaper, but first time build and learning as we go. I think we could have shaved off 700,000 off of that.

Thanks for reading and your interest I hope we can get some finished shots soon.

Regards

Then the rice barn.....