A backyard sauna is a great way to get through a long, wet Pacific Northwest winter. This customer in NW Portland already had the building and the materials. What they needed was a crew to help turn it into a solid, weather-tight sauna, and that’s where our team came in.
Starting With a Level, Well-Supported Base
Gavin came out first to look over the project and plan the work. Before any siding went on, the building needed to be level and better supported.
Gavin, Brian and Chase lifted the building and added support under the middle of the floor joist spans, using concrete block piers the customer had on hand. They added a center beam to carry the joists, put in blocking where the front wall sits, and then adjusted the supports around the outside until the building sat level.
It isn’t the flashiest part of a project, but it matters. A building that sits level on solid supports keeps its door and windows working the way they should, and keeping it up off the ground helps it stay drier through the rainy months.
Finishing the Exterior
Next, Brian and Chase finished the outside of the building over several days. The customer supplied the materials, and the work included:
- Siding on three sides of the building
- Corner trim and window trim
- The front door and two windows
- Roofing and flashing
- Caulking the siding
Partway through, the plan changed. The project switched to cedar tongue-and-groove siding instead of T1-11 panels on the front, and to a metal roof instead of shingles. Both take more time to install than what was first planned, so Chase flagged it for Tarah, who handles our scheduling, and she added time to the schedule. That’s how we like to handle changes: speak up early, plan around it and keep the job moving.
Small Details That Keep the Rain Out
In the Portland area, the small details are what keep water out of a building over the winter:
- Flashing at the roof edge. Metal flashing where the roof meets the wall sends water out and away instead of letting it get behind the siding.
- Trim at the corners and windows. Clean corner and window trim covers the board ends and gives the siding a tight, finished edge.
- Caulked siding. Sealing the seams and joints helps keep wind-driven rain out.
- A metal roof. It sheds rain quickly, which is a nice thing to have during a Northwest winter.
Have a DIY Project That Needs a Hand?
You don’t have to hand us the whole project. Many of our customers buy their own materials, start with a kit or do part of the work themselves, then call us for the parts that need more tools, more hands or more experience. We can help with:
- Leveling and supporting a shed, studio or other outbuilding
- Siding, trim, doors and windows
- Roofing details, flashing and caulking
- Inside finish work
On this project, Brian and Chase later came back to waterproof and tile the sauna floor, so the inside is ready for plenty of warm, steamy evenings this winter.
We’re local, licensed, bonded and insured, and we show up when we say we will. Thinking about a backyard sauna, shed or studio in Hillsboro, Beaverton, NW Portland or nearby? Text us at (503) 567-1058 for a quote. Sending a few photos of your project helps us get back to you faster.