I drove out to the Building Material Resources center in Sherwood one day to look for some T&G (tongue and groove) material for my ceiling. It is an awesome place to find inexpensive building materials. You never know what you may find there. It was helpful that I only had one material in mind to purchase since I could easily get distracted by others.
One of the sheds outside is specifically for T&G ceiling material. They also have one for flooring which could be used for the ceiling. I looked at beautiful Alaskan yellow cedar and blue pine boards but decided I liked the idea of a Doug Fir ceiling and floor. Plus it was the most inexpensive at $.65 per linear foot.
Then I was informed that they had Doug Fir T&G shorts, pieces that are 3', 4' and 5' in length for $.39 per linear foot. At first I was unsure if I wanted more seams in the ceiling but then decided it would look fine since the wood had knots and other imperfections. I later was very happy with this decision since it enabled me to install them myself without needing to find a helper. I sorted through a sizable pile of wood to find the nicest, almost CVG (clear vertical grain) wood for my tiny house ceiling. I purchased enough for the ceiling square footage plus some extra to account for waste.
Back at site, I applied two coats General Finishes satin Arm-R-Seal, an oil and urethane topcoat which my brother who is a woodworker recommended. I had to get a little creative in making supports for the boards to keep them off of the ground and dirt free since we lack ample sawhorses. I lightly sanded in between coats with 400 grit sandpaper.
With a borrowed nail gun, hose and air compressor, I began installing the boards. I started along the taller wall of my house and worked toward the shorter one. Before nailing each board in place, I added a dab of construction adhesive to the rafter for extra hold. Then I nailed 18 gauge finish nails diagonally through the tongue (so they are hidden) into each rafter to secure each board in place. I had to set the nails in since I had maxed out the compressor pressure and the gun depth setting was not working. I staggered the seams between rows so they do not match up. I realized that I had two slightly different variations of wood but was able to use the one with more for the entire ceiling.
Since I admire the truth windows in strawbale homes, I decided to use a some of the smaller knot holes to my advantage and placed a few of them above my loft so I can see and feel the Roxul insulation if I poke my finger in. Since one of mineral wool's features is moisture management, I chose not to install a vapor barrier on the inside face of the wall.
I am pleased with the way it turned out and I think I have enough left over to cover the vertical side walls of my loft which I hope will feel like its own distinct space since I plan to cover the walls with plywood.
For more photos, check out my Flickr!