Our Forum…

I'm getting ready to start construction on the studio and garden areas of the new house. I've about an acre and half to work with plus a horse shed that will be converted to an art and music studio.  I need to put up trelliising and privacy fencing and repair the  split rail fence that borders the property.  The problem is the iron and steel.  The heavy construciton nails that I should be using are steel.  The winters in this area are quite brutal with high up to catagory 2   hurricaine force winds that come in with the Nor'easters as well as 2-3 ft of snow a week.  So the structures cannot blow over as they would damage the buildings.  I'm not sure if there area any alternative ways of fastening the pieces so the structure is safe. Lashing will not hold up to the winds reliably enough and the only copper nails  made to my knowledge are for slate roofing  and copper guttering and they're too short.  ( I need 16-20 framing and post and beam spikes) Dowling requires a drill press which I don't have and cost about $5000 CA for one large enough to handle post and beam work.

 THe studio I don't have any choice I have to build to code because it has power and water.

Any ideas?

I was thinking about it. Another problem is a flat structure without a squared side isn't very sturdy no matter what you do to it in the conditions it has to face there. So maybe I'd be better off  extending the Ceder hedge through the front yard. The bush on the left hand side is the white ceder native to this area that hedge extends to the road.

It will take longer to grow but ceder works good and it seems to like the location. Ceder either loves a place or hates it. I've got enough ceder trees now to make enough incense for all of Nova scotia for years, but a few more won't hurt. okay try  The building is going to be an art/music studio. the sandy horse arena is whats going to be the first to be converted to garden space with the firepit nearer the building side or centered.  The split rail fence in back is attached to a chick wire fence that I think is very dangerous for mowing and if we decide  on some goats I would never fence pasture animals with it.

Ideas are appreciated.