A-Frames are STUPID | Rant and review from a happy a-frame owner

I love a-frames and even have the Den Outdoors A-Frame cabin kit but a-frames also don't make a lot of sense. They aren't efficient, there is a ton of dead space, they aren't a good bang for your buck so the ROI is terrible, and the list goes on. In this video, I have a bit of fun and have a quick vent/rant session about all of the reasons a-frames are just stupid.

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⏰ Timestamps ⏰

0:00 Intro
0:19 Reason number 1
1:18 Reason number 2
2:10 Reason number 3
4:19 Reason number 4
5:21 Reason number 5
6:43 Reason number 6
7:19 Reason number 7
8:45 Reason number 8

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[waspmeat]

I love the guy who’s obsessed with not being able to hang anything on the walls… actually has not one thing hanging on his vertical walls behind him. priceless 😂

[Dedfool]

You have convinced me to continue with my A frame build lol

[donnamcdonald]

You almost talked me out of an A-frame. Solution: connect an A-frame with a regular-shaped cabin shed; use the A-frame as the family room. The A-frame does not need to be the only room!

Thanks for the eye opening tips! I had already been wondering about those problems. Thanks to your video we see that these are real (but resolvable) issues.

[jakenowhere]

The A frame makes perfect sense for heavily snow packed areas...
Where I come from the annual snow fall is roughly 10-12 feet of snow.
The A frame sheds it all naturally, negating the need to clear excessive buildup.
Also much cheaper & labor intensive to heat/cool.

[yehanavossen]

A frames are for minimalists literally half of your issues are fixed by not having a bunch of junk to hide in storage. It's basically just necessities. Furniture isn't supposed to be against the walls even in normal homes, it's just bad decorating and makes the rooms look smaller than it actually is. high pitched roofs are supposed to be for much colder climates so the heat rising is intentional by design for sleeping in winter

[vtzavp]

You forgot to mention how it is 3 times cheaper and 5 times easier to build A frame than a regular house!

[correctpolitically]

The solution ? Build a bigger house . I lived in an a frame and didn't have those issues because it wasn't a tiny little house. The bedrooms upstairs weren't really to hot because the heat kept going up above the second floor to attic space where it was vented. But that's usually an issue in any case anytime you have multiple floors. As to the ventilation and ac thing . The vents were in that " unusable space you were talking about that in my house was flat. Windows were kinda odd. Bottom line an a frame house is not an apartment building in the city. If that's what you like then stay there.

[bobharvey]

Helped a buddy of mine build an A frame a long time ago. He built short 3' walls before the actual A frame which helped quite a bit with head clearance and furniture placement. Also gave him a place to put rectangular frosted windows to help light the center of the building. The real ingenious move tho was he put ducting between the rafters from the ceiling to the floor vertically with a small fan on each to recirculate the heat from the peak to the floor in the winter.

[pat]

I'm a style over function type of guy...so I'll chose the A over □ all day

[PA]

I love my A frame. It's structurally strong. I had a 6.2 earthquake and nothing fell off the shelves. Less wood means less trees.
But the energy you get from the triangle shape is an amazing feeling you don't get from regular homes. It also hides very well alongside hills.

[TheAdVentureists]

For someone who has an A Frame, you sure don't like them much! :) In all seriousness, good video to get everyone thinking, each structure has it's pros and cons that should be thought through. We're still going to keep loving A frames though and you can't convince me otherwise!

[sorta.cinderella]

I love all of your realism and practical feedback as an A-frame homeowner. What interests me more than the aesthetic of the A- frame's iconic architecture, is how structurally sound they are in their ability to disburse seismic load, shed snow and water and with the right clad of roofing materials, also protect against fires. Essentially, if constructed well, they are virtually impervious to the wrath of mother nature.

With that being said, it seems that spray foam insulation in floor and ceilings/roofing is essential and a carefully ducted HVAC system, ceiling fans, fireplaces, and extractor fans in the apex are key to controlling temperatures. Perhaps even heating some of the floors and/or choosing carpet over vinyl/hardwood/tile in specific rooms may also help with regulation.

If money is no object, building it as large as possible, both up and out (lengthwise) will certainly help mitigate storage issues. Dormers can help with storage but I hate what it does to the exterior facade and would be more inclined to install a pony wall/half wall/perfectly vertical wainscoting wall in some areas, to allow for more ease in furnishing, finishing and decorating certain areas. That would obviously cost you some additional square footage that could be used as potential storage but if you can spare that space, it may allow for more livable functionality without completely sacrificing the appeal of the design.

Also, in terms of ladders, I loathe them and would opt for a spiral staircase to more easily transverse between floors without having to install a traditional staircase. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and personal experience with your home.

[tristanjones]

The only real complaint here is that A frames have slanted walls. Every other complaint either comes down to poor design, or is a problem with any house you build. It all comes down to planning and execution. Ultimately the catch with A frames is that they are cheaper to build per square foot, but you need to build an A frame with more square feet in order to make the usable space similar to that of a traditional house. Also, if you can't find a builder who is confident in building an A frame, you just need to find a different guy for anything you build.

[TheCsel]

Just from living in areas prone to tornadoes, I don’t think I would ever build a house without a basement or cellar. Having a basement would add cost to construction, but could greatly improve the A-Frame experience due to added storage and square walls.

[lilly]

Lack of storage in an A frame is a failure in design. Build out dormers

[ezpz]

All I got from this video was crucial edification on A-frames I know what to look out for, what to expect and plan around. Thank you for that and I hope other people who love A-frames didn’t skip this video. Yes I do still love A-frames I’ll take what you say to heart and work around it.

[nattybushdoctor]

If you are a minimalist an A frame sounds perfect. Great video. thank you.

[findinglisa]

Nothing will stop me from getting an A Frame, who cares about storage? I dont, Im a minimalist!

[mrstrangetiger]

A-frames are great if you're not into having excessive amounts of stuff. It's far more efficient to live with only the things you need both financially and functionally. You have to want an A-frame home and be prepared to live in one. Super good for heavy snow, it'll slide right off. It's my dream home because I love the tiny home life style. I make use of a 24x24x7 bedroom in a two bedroom apartment while I save up to build my dream home. I want just enough room for a twin-xl bed and a small kitchen/dining room for maybe 4 people. The loft will be the living room, Bedroom downstairs. Though you do make a lot of good points. If you're going from a regular large boxy style home to an A-frame home. You'll run into the issues your having.

[yensilamakasaukatume]

If you hate A-frame just keep it for your self. No need to ask people to hate it too✌