A-Frame Tiny Houses: How To Build + Free Tiny House A-Frame Plans - The Tiny Life (2024)

What is a Tiny House A-Frame

FRAMES have always fascinated me as a bit of nostalgic architecture, but also as an interesting snapshot of American optimism. They rose to popularity in a time when many were entering into the middle class and cars became common place.

The idea of the weekend getaway became a thing for the first time and people look to rural parts of the country to build a cabin in the woods. Enter a simple but practical design called the A-frame.

Today’s modern A-frame tiny houses are designed and built with full-time living in mind. Although many people still adore this architectural style as a cabin or vacation home, the shape has really taken off in the tiny house movement.

Now, not all A-frames are considered tiny houses. In fact, there are small A-frame houses and even quite large options. A-frame tiny houses usually fall between 100-400 sq. ft. Small tiny A-frame houses are typically between 400-1000 sq. ft. Both styles are popular for those who want to build their own dwelling and take on tiny house living.

Pros and Cons of Tiny House A-Frames

Like any architectural style, A-frame tiny houses come with a list of pros and cons. The biggest advantage of the style is that it is relatively easy to construct, which appeals to many who want to build their tiny A-frame on a small plot of land.

The simple design means you do away with side walls entirely, opting for a larger roof plane instead. What normally would be a wall system made up of studs, top/bottom plates, sills, and a complex roof truss structure becomes a single piece of lumber you only have to make two cuts on.

This monolithic roof isn’t without its downsides, though. The sloped roof creates less usable internal space because you can only stand up straight so close to the wall.

A-frame tiny houses tend to skew a bit bigger than most because you need a wider and taller house to have enough livable space within the sloped roofs. If an A-frame style is appealing to you, don’t get too caught up in thinking a tiny house “should” be so many square feet, build a house that works for you!

Free A-Frame Tiny House Plans

If you’re considering building your own A-frame tiny house or small A-frame cabin, good plans can be hard to come by. Studying a set of plans can help you determine a design that works for you, estimate how much a tiny house A-frame costs, what materials you’ll need, and more.

Viewing the floor plan will help you get a feel for layouts in an A-frame tiny house. You can start to envision the possibilities for your own tiny house A-frame and how it might work with your lifestyle.

I’ve put together these plans that you can get for free. They include a 14’x14’ tiny house A-frame and another layout for a 16’x16’ design. Included in the PDF is a full materials list, sample cost breakdown, tool list, and more!

A-Frame Tiny House Plans For Sale

Once you’ve taken a look at the A-frame floor plans above, you should have a good handle on what you like and don’t like about the A-frame layout. Maybe you’re starting to generate ideas on how an A-frame tiny house could work for you.

If you’re seriously considering building an A-frame tiny house and you’d like additional floor plan options, I suggest exploring some of these A-frame plans for sale below. These tiny house floor plan sellers are experienced and familiar with the requirements of building a tiny house. Investing in a good set of floor plans will ensure first time builders don’t miss important details.

If you’re a first-time tiny house builder, an A-frame tiny house is a relatively simple design that’s easy to build. That said, there are several good reasons to build from an A-frame tiny house kit rather than making your first tiny house from scratch.

With an A-frame tiny house kit, you’ll get precisely the right materials and pieces you’ll need. You won’t have to worry about the planning and troubleshooting, which can lead to expensive mistakes. Even expert tiny house builders make mistakes that can add up, so if it’s your first time, weigh out the cost of your time, planning, and an allotment for any mistakes before deciding that a kit is a more expensive route. In the end, you may save money by opting for one of these great A-frame tiny house kits.

A-Frame on a Foundation VS an A-Frame on a Trailer

So should you build your A-frame tiny house on a foundation or on a trailer? Well, it depends on your needs. The main reason to build any tiny house on a trailer is usually to get around building codes. The other advantage of a trailer is that you gain mobility. Should you decide to move someday, you can take your house with you.

If the building codes aren’t a concern for your area (and be sure to check out the codes thoroughly before you build), then you can certainly build an A-frame tiny house on a slab foundation. A benefit to building on a foundation is that you can make it wider,creating more floor space.

Since trailers have a maximum width allowed by the DOT, you’ll only be able to have an A-frame tiny house 8.5 feet wide, which doesn’t leave a lot of room inside with the steel sloping roof.

Photos of A-Frame Exteriors

Photos of A-Frame Lofts

A-FRAME EXPERT CONSTRUCTION TIPS

Step-By-Step Guide To Build An A-Frame

Ready to build an A-frame tiny house? I’ve broken down the tools and guidelines here to help you plan your big build. An A-frame small house, cabin, or tiny home is a good way for first-time builders to learn as they go. The A-frame shape is a simple design, and if you opt to build from a kit, the process can be even easier.

Of course, there are plenty of pre-built options out there as well, but if you’re hoping to save money and DIY, this is a great option. A-frames also make nice vacation homes, satellite offices, studios, or guest rooms. Watch this video for more details on what it takes to build an A-frame tiny house.

How long does it take to build an A-frame? How much will your A-frame cost? It all depends on the simplicity of the design, your experience, and materials. A simple A-frame shed or camping space may take only a day or two and cost less than $5000. A more robust design could take weeks or months and cost thousands more.

Common Tools For Building An A-Frame

You can build an A-frame tiny home with a pretty basic set of tools, but you might want to invest in a few labor-saving ones. If you’re starting from scratch, plan on spending about $1,500 dollars for everything you’ll need.

While you can go middle of the road or buy some used tools for many of these, there are a few tools I’d buy brand new and consider paying a little extra for higher-end versions. The first one is an impact driver and drill set with four batteries — this is going to be a tool you use a ton and for this I’d budget between $300 to $400. You don’t want to cheap out or buy used, particularly when it comes to batteries.

I’d also splurge a little and purchase a basic 6-gallon compressor, with a brad nailer, a finish nailer and a framing nailer. While you can certainly use a hammer for this, you’ll move a lot faster and save a lot of energy if you have an air powered set of tools. You usually can get a compressor with a hose and 2 smaller nail guns for around $350 and a framing nailer (I’d consider used for this) for $100-$250.

The final thing I’d splurge on is a good level and maybe a laser level, too. Cheaping out on these things will only hurt you later, as making sure things are level and plumb is critical.

Estimated Usable Floor Space in an A-frame

How much space will you have in your A-frame tiny house? It’s always best to calculate the space you’ll need before you start to build. It’s also essential that you know the building codes in your area so you can get the proper permits and be sure the dimensions are up to code. With an A-frame, the useable floor space is the biggest question. Use the grid below to help you measure and plan.

A-Frame Interior Height Chart

How tall will your A-frame be? The size of the flooring dictates the pitch of the roof (determining your interior height). Use the chart below to help you calculate your ceiling height. Remember, if you want to include a loft, you’ll want a steeper pitch (or a bigger floorplan).

Materials For Building A Tiny House A-frame

What materials will you need to build an A-frame tiny house? Of course, many of the materials are dependent on the design specifications, size of your tiny house, and plans. But for the most part you’ll use the same ones, just in varying quantities based off the scale of your build.

There are some instances where choosing a lower cost item is a great place to save some money, while skimping on others is foolhardy. The two areas I suggest not skimping is your roofing material and insulation.

Your roof is the thing that protects everything else from water damage, so here I’d spend time and money to make sure it’s done right. I’d start with a good roof decking of plywood instead of OSB, and on top of that I’d opt for Ice and Water Shield instead of standard tar paper. Finally, if you can afford it, a standing seam metal roof with hidden fasteners is expensive, but it will last 50+ years and have no spaces water can leak in from.

Your insulation is another place that you should not try to penny pinch on. Because so much of your A-frame tiny home is roof, you want to keep the heat in. To do this, I’d make sure you frame with larger timbers to give yourself more room to insulate, shooting for an R 30-40 insulation.

Basic Steps to Build an A-Frame Tiny House

A-Frame Tiny House Costs

As I’ve mentioned above, determining the big question, “How much is an A-frame tiny house?” isn’t so simple. You’ll need to consider the size, the materials, the layout, and all your needs. Still, I certainly know it’s easier to plan when you have a ballpark figure to work with.

Using the A-frame building plan above, I’ve calculated the materials estimate for a 16’x20’ A-frame tiny house. Again, this doesn’t necessarily factor in any of the interior extras — this is simply the shell for an A-frame.

Materials Estimate for a 16′ x 20′ A-Frame Tiny House

Your Turn!

• Have you considering building an A-frame tiny house?
• What size are you thinking of building your A-frame?