Build Update 7: Building the Larsen Trusses & Adding Siding
By Graham Mann | Published: 11/17/2025
Outer details, including the first build of the Larsen trusses and getting ready for siding.
This is part 7 of my Nova Scotia build series. Catch up on Build Update 6: The Theory of Passive Houses & Larsen Trusses(/blog/build-update-6-the-theory-of-passive-houses-larsen-trusses) if you missed it. --- Last post, I detailed the theory behind Larsen trusses, and why I selected them. In short: they are supposed to be easy, customizable, and cheap to construct, yet still provide high insulation levels. --- Stay tuned for the next build update! Browse all articles →(/blog) It was time to put that to the test. Wall Base Detailing The first step was some of the detailing around the base of the walls, where the foam insulation around the slab meets the bottom of the wall. There are a couple options for this: 1. Adding “parging compound”—basically a mortar-like substance that you trowel/scrape onto the foam 2. Adding some other durable barrier, like metal flashing For the sake of this small shed, I decided to go with metal flashing. I didn’t know this, but local building supply stores o...
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