tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55290458821459167112024-03-12T21:04:33.026-06:00Cedar Ridge FarmBuilding a debt-free timber frame straw bale house in Kentuckydphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-30887412929473915602016-09-14T09:24:00.000-06:002016-09-14T12:07:39.588-06:00Moved in (Photos)Everything went well on September 1, and we moved our things into our new
home. It was an easy move – we only had to transfer things a 1,000 feet down the
hill. We moved most things in our minivan (without rear seats) and several
things with the truck and a small trailer (heavy and bulky things). We made only
7 or 8 trips (I didn’t keep count).<br />
<br />
We moved a few things in the following days, like some furniture that was stored in the garage. We spent the next few days unpacking and settling in. I’ve been doing some various projects that needed completion with more yet to be done. Thankfully, they aren’t things that must be done right now.<br />
<br />
I took a few photos on Saturday morning (9/10/2016) and am sharing a few of them. Be sure to click on each photo to see a larger version.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kJXrbERBIsk/V9lnXhyB6JI/AAAAAAAAE0E/apycWmcURO0CaQ0B6vl5Zji7PcOak_ExgCLcB/s1600/100_6507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kJXrbERBIsk/V9lnXhyB6JI/AAAAAAAAE0E/apycWmcURO0CaQ0B6vl5Zji7PcOak_ExgCLcB/s400/100_6507.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hBw8Iw1LAK8/V9lnYb2qkxI/AAAAAAAAE0I/chZBNo8YA5QoHjxLYtpdunJYWrd7cCmDgCLcB/s1600/100_6510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hBw8Iw1LAK8/V9lnYb2qkxI/AAAAAAAAE0I/chZBNo8YA5QoHjxLYtpdunJYWrd7cCmDgCLcB/s400/100_6510.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rOoFoqHO3dY/V9lnXaYEilI/AAAAAAAAE0A/IvCowT0t3rEwFxXNb1ocGmxaUMCjhlEkQCLcB/s1600/100_6512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rOoFoqHO3dY/V9lnXaYEilI/AAAAAAAAE0A/IvCowT0t3rEwFxXNb1ocGmxaUMCjhlEkQCLcB/s400/100_6512.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_b0v5y-Bn4g/V9lnpacLwtI/AAAAAAAAE0M/18wWdHcp9UIXPduu-wmZTcZay502VJb5ACLcB/s1600/100_6515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_b0v5y-Bn4g/V9lnpacLwtI/AAAAAAAAE0M/18wWdHcp9UIXPduu-wmZTcZay502VJb5ACLcB/s400/100_6515.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KvloJ0YiO-o/V9lnr5gH0-I/AAAAAAAAE0Q/mKem3DlAtjIwrtkbTHK20S4VVuyrKUwxQCLcB/s1600/100_6517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KvloJ0YiO-o/V9lnr5gH0-I/AAAAAAAAE0Q/mKem3DlAtjIwrtkbTHK20S4VVuyrKUwxQCLcB/s400/100_6517.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wmKZ8ZtCcmE/V9lnshQEOwI/AAAAAAAAE0U/0ru9xvrYEv82CiMMYx0lHZd0L8CaTCHuwCLcB/s1600/100_6520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wmKZ8ZtCcmE/V9lnshQEOwI/AAAAAAAAE0U/0ru9xvrYEv82CiMMYx0lHZd0L8CaTCHuwCLcB/s400/100_6520.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-02qRLUE-9dM/V9ln95hCKNI/AAAAAAAAE0Y/vHFYW7GVDOk-V8jguvfMbKqRgkzYLRXbQCLcB/s1600/100_6524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-02qRLUE-9dM/V9ln95hCKNI/AAAAAAAAE0Y/vHFYW7GVDOk-V8jguvfMbKqRgkzYLRXbQCLcB/s400/100_6524.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-89XoFC7vGaI/V9loBTNwC7I/AAAAAAAAE0g/DaWCjcPAL5wwPZIxFM9Ni0YuCcclO3kRQCLcB/s1600/100_6526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-89XoFC7vGaI/V9loBTNwC7I/AAAAAAAAE0g/DaWCjcPAL5wwPZIxFM9Ni0YuCcclO3kRQCLcB/s400/100_6526.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YHA_I-zd38c/V9loA8zRNQI/AAAAAAAAE0c/42YP8dRJot8dtl6HQ1J7K0jCUeES4WR-QCLcB/s1600/100_6531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YHA_I-zd38c/V9loA8zRNQI/AAAAAAAAE0c/42YP8dRJot8dtl6HQ1J7K0jCUeES4WR-QCLcB/s400/100_6531.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ttYBPlq2-iY/V9loR4xLpvI/AAAAAAAAE0k/oyR7AfJ8oio7eznSB5okCl1DQgwq7kvQwCLcB/s1600/100_6536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ttYBPlq2-iY/V9loR4xLpvI/AAAAAAAAE0k/oyR7AfJ8oio7eznSB5okCl1DQgwq7kvQwCLcB/s400/100_6536.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CH5WQxu8ebs/V9loWXCGfhI/AAAAAAAAE0o/afghD4-N03ILiqnr8FouS9xag7TXw3ekwCLcB/s1600/100_6543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CH5WQxu8ebs/V9loWXCGfhI/AAAAAAAAE0o/afghD4-N03ILiqnr8FouS9xag7TXw3ekwCLcB/s400/100_6543.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTySYE_qCSY/V9loW8B4bXI/AAAAAAAAE0s/nmBmg-7wolsfgPKD0rZ-KOfaF9ITS0CMgCLcB/s1600/100_6554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTySYE_qCSY/V9loW8B4bXI/AAAAAAAAE0s/nmBmg-7wolsfgPKD0rZ-KOfaF9ITS0CMgCLcB/s400/100_6554.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pEArDDGY4oM/V9loiKWx_1I/AAAAAAAAE0w/ONZagVU6RRk8tba0uGcPuIuSjtJPqW-MQCLcB/s1600/100_6556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pEArDDGY4oM/V9loiKWx_1I/AAAAAAAAE0w/ONZagVU6RRk8tba0uGcPuIuSjtJPqW-MQCLcB/s400/100_6556.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sVoJg28o1O4/V9lojvO7iqI/AAAAAAAAE00/eoKFvSBIxaQCmcm8sQPU1DtKUqYLRSnggCLcB/s1600/100_6560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sVoJg28o1O4/V9lojvO7iqI/AAAAAAAAE00/eoKFvSBIxaQCmcm8sQPU1DtKUqYLRSnggCLcB/s400/100_6560.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The house is very comfortable. It is, of course, pleasing to the eyes. It also has built-in air conditioning. The week after we moved had several days with temperatures around 94° and lots of sunshine. At night it would get down near 70°. If we open the windows overnight, the house cools off (the thermometer would read about 74°). In the morning, we close the windows, and the house stays cool all day long. It may get up to 80° because of the frequent going in and out, but it feels cooler than that. We haven't even needed to use the ceiling fans.<br />
<br />
The power system is doing great! We added 690 watts worth of panels on the roof. That helps the batteries to charge more quickly, but the greatest benefit is having sunshine for more hours during the day than we did in the previous location. We have no trees to shade the panels here like we did there. We start harvesting power from the sun almost immediately after it comes over the horizon until about 12 hours later (at this time of year). The batteries have been charged by 10:30 every morning, before the peak charging hours. We haven't had cloudy weather yet to figure out how charging will go at those times.<br />
<br />
We are really enjoying our new home! It is so roomy, spacious, and beautiful! I
can’t help but be in awe of it. Although I did most of the work on the home,
years ago I asked God to be the one to build it. I give Him all praise, glory,
and honor for such an incredible home. We are richly blessed!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-79704002827237999712016-09-01T05:00:00.000-06:002016-09-01T05:11:23.268-06:00September 1, 2016 -- MOVE IN DAY!!!We’ve finally done it – we’ve gotten the house ready to move in!<br />
<br />
The children and I have worked non-stop during the last two months in order to have the house move-in ready. All the doors were framed and trimmed out, all other trim was completed, baseboard installed, cabinets built, plumbing finished, water system hooked up and operational, bathroom fixtures installed, installing the solar power system, and a slew of other things that needed to be done.<br />
<br />
There are still some projects to be completed later on after we move, like railings, closet shelves, some light fixtures, etc.<br />
<br />
But, we’re moving in today!<br />
<br />
I did a walk-through video yesterday in the midst of finishing up some things in the house so that you can see what it looks like just before we get all of our things in it.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="304" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F1jxB8ZEaRE?rel=0" width="540"></iframe>dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-17413915689261294322016-01-17T07:35:00.001-06:002016-01-17T07:39:59.566-06:00Video walk through–January 16, 2016<p>I thought a short video showing the floors as they look with a coat of oil would be appropriate. So, here it is:</p> <p> </p> <p><iframe height="279" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qwVJxZY7BkE?rel=0" frameborder="0" width="496" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-81370757521102998812016-01-16T20:08:00.001-06:002016-01-16T20:08:32.909-06:00The floors on 1-16-2016<p>On Monday (1-11-2016) we put a second coat of oil on the upstairs floors, the stairway, the guest room floor, and the master bedroom floor, and we put the first coat of oil on the rest of the great room floor. On Tuesday morning, Malchiah and I wiped excess oil off of all the floors. Most of the oil had soaked in by then, but there was still some on the surface. We weren’t able to apply any more hemp seed oil during the rest of the week – I worked away from home Wednesday and Thursday and had other tasks to take care of on Friday.</p> <p>I took a few photos of the floors this morning to share here in the blog. The oiling is not finished yet, but these photos should give you an idea of how things look right now. (<em>Note: left-clicking on any photo will open a larger view of it</em>.)</p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zm98eG8abxI/Vpr3dwLSDEI/AAAAAAAAEnU/7atukOD6Dyk/s1600-h/DSCN1444%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN1444" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN1444" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9Rfife4OPKs/Vpr3evm3bjI/AAAAAAAAEnc/YToYK73KsKg/DSCN1444_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="139" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YszG6T9H8OQ/Vpr3fS_lOiI/AAAAAAAAEnk/C0HA21YhZ4Y/s1600-h/DSCN1453%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN1453" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN1453" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fC0TeHIx3To/Vpr3g_Ij6VI/AAAAAAAAEns/SD0nzMlItEc/DSCN1453_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="139" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qI1dDjTNV60/Vpr3hnwG5_I/AAAAAAAAEn0/7GZtidkelxI/s1600-h/DSCN1456%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN1456" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN1456" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-azjMzM54YM8/Vpr3iheKwtI/AAAAAAAAEn8/QOvYlgQedig/DSCN1456_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="139" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qnwCtnX7WA8/Vpr3jQXtY0I/AAAAAAAAEoE/LVBWjHpGf9o/s1600-h/DSCN1459%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN1459" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN1459" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3geb77IPubM/Vpr3j6PqJWI/AAAAAAAAEoI/Isaj2BWtUJw/DSCN1459_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="139" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QZFCozdj0PM/Vpr3kpFiXdI/AAAAAAAAEoU/sKcWAwGDXgw/s1600-h/DSCN1460%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN1460" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN1460" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dL3W-FCbgtY/Vpr3lALiv3I/AAAAAAAAEoY/HLpJAkVg-VM/DSCN1460_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="139" align="left" height="244" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-59xEuk73FgQ/Vpr3lhJDYdI/AAAAAAAAEok/C8Zu5OzecH0/s1600-h/DSCN1468%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN1468" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN1468" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HBNYfD1Dqo0/Vpr3mF0q6DI/AAAAAAAAEoo/yR51x7S_Zyw/DSCN1468_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="139" align="right" height="244" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SufGr4OG6p8/Vpr3m7NA_II/AAAAAAAAEo0/0J1pBzMdAD0/s1600-h/DSCN1469%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN1469" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN1469" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E00qHzvamLo/Vpr3nNGlZWI/AAAAAAAAEo4/ZMF5EU2lUL8/DSCN1469_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="139" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QOIzZ3757Xg/Vpr3nq40auI/AAAAAAAAEpE/ViXTzloUwOk/s1600-h/DSCN1462%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN1462" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSCN1462" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BN_BPIBztYY/Vpr3oLGLngI/AAAAAAAAEpI/3JGKkYzW0is/DSCN1462_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="139" height="244" /></a></p>dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-8932020368470237002016-01-16T12:33:00.001-06:002016-01-17T12:28:08.870-06:00Beginning to oil the floors<p>On Sunday (1-10-2016) we did some more cleaning in order to get as much dust as we could cleaned up. Then, we were excited to start oiling – we just couldn’t wait! So, beginning upstairs in one of the bedrooms, we started the process of treating all of the floors with hemp seed oil. It was a simple process, actually. We poured oil on the floor and spread it around. I had a pad attached to a broom handle, and the three younguns working with me used rags. We oiled the upstair’s floors and window sills and then oiled the guest room and master bedroom floors and their window sills. The next day, we applied a second coat of oil over the first. We then put a first coat on the rest of the floor that hadn’t yet been done.</p> <p> <br />We’ll be applying the other coats soon, but I wanted to share some photos of the process and how the floor looked with a fresh coat of hemp seed oil. The glossy look is because the oil was fresh on top of the floor and hadn’t soaked in yet.</p> <p> <br /><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R5SA_xX-xS4/VpqMdot2UuI/AAAAAAAAElM/zLcKLi66Ors/s1600-h/100_4942%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_4942" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="100_4942" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zp2Eh2LUPdA/VpqMfLVzRII/AAAAAAAAElU/hXzzFDivH-0/100_4942_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="184" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aoHvCA_p8_U/VpqMgnx2yJI/AAAAAAAAElc/1Xgv0KV1NQ0/s1600-h/100_4944%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_4944" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="100_4944" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3ca-AfkIzNo/VpqMiKj7k8I/AAAAAAAAElk/WBg1xpY8gjI/100_4944_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="184" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NOyuVmO7aHo/VpqMj5VFeOI/AAAAAAAAEls/udiDA9Kp-E0/s1600-h/100_4945%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_4945" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="100_4945" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3RexALy2-N4/VpqMk7zpriI/AAAAAAAAEl0/eJCyWAS_8X4/100_4945_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="184" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ig5IT8o1sE0/VpqMmV28_eI/AAAAAAAAEl8/KZF85XGWytU/s1600-h/100_4953%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_4953" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="100_4953" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8qh-jMu04d0/VpqMnyiTxyI/AAAAAAAAEmE/0LlQYV8jAOk/100_4953_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="184" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ECuYz5aKwvQ/VpqMpWvykcI/AAAAAAAAEmM/PnsIu83uHL4/s1600-h/100_4981%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_4981" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="100_4981" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jv2PzsAqxBY/VpqMqKPZ8AI/AAAAAAAAEmU/oC-3NG92zOE/100_4981_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="184" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X44pcIg_4kY/VpqMsR6m2FI/AAAAAAAAEmc/z9Y9xBxMWtU/s1600-h/100_4985%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_4985" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="100_4985" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LCeeObqOjJc/VpqMtjWQySI/AAAAAAAAEmk/i-r5FM_x5k0/100_4985_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="184" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KPrvJqnbdg8/VpqMwA18gXI/AAAAAAAAEms/b2VUsaYdvxQ/s1600-h/100_4991%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_4991" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="100_4991" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gVYeFDGjpzA/VpqMy7S0T6I/AAAAAAAAEm0/LV7Anoa-psA/100_4991_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="184" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EOzZtttZDlc/VpqM1UEQQoI/AAAAAAAAEm8/0t6ikBPAPyg/s1600-h/100_4994%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_4994" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="100_4994" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GLCpa2ri9OY/VpqM2ewzpiI/AAAAAAAAEnE/R9iBSB6OQ_4/100_4994_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="184" /></a></p>dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-34392824095647091362016-01-10T10:10:00.001-06:002016-01-10T10:21:18.130-06:00Video: 1-9-2016 house walk throughI made a walk through video of the house yesterday. I thought that some of you would like to see it with painted walls and sanded hardwood floors. <br /> <br />I hope you enjoy it. <br /> <br /><iframe height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g7tnLw5q3qU?rel=0" frameborder="0" width="480" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-61245160937787072632016-01-10T09:57:00.001-06:002016-01-10T10:20:18.178-06:00Pantry shelves<p>Across the hallway from the main bathroom is the pantry. This small room is intended for the storage of canned goods and other food items (including grains and beans stored in air-tight containers). The room is about 8 feet long by 6 feet wide.</p> <p>Last spring, Malchiah and I built the shelves in the pantry. The design was for shelves on three walls, extending the length of the room from either side of the doorway and across the back wall. Anne and I determined the shelf heights based upon their intended uses, including a lower shelf capable of holding 5-gallon buckets and shelves for quart-sized canning jars. I had previously purchased several 2x10 boards for building the shelves, and we used these. I had to rip about 3 inches off of each one in order to make shelves 15 inches deep (a 2x10 is a little over 9 inches in width).</p> <p>After we built the shelves, we oiled them with hemp seed oil. They came out looking great! (Never mind the dust on the shelves – that’s a result of sanding the floors and will be cleaned off soon.)</p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ug03RWj-hN0/VpJ_gtUy4oI/AAAAAAAAEko/aiCTQRMdDhQ/s1600-h/100_4921%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_4921" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="100_4921" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AX8ABU7lpqA/VpJ_hZkKWtI/AAAAAAAAEkw/YjbQl64qRY8/100_4921_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="330" height="438" /></a></p>dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-75883721388383919532016-01-09T19:06:00.000-06:002016-01-10T10:38:40.862-06:00Sanded hardwood floor<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hv__mm931rg/VpGshrPnMVI/AAAAAAAAEjc/bS7SqFc0TfA/s1600/100_4886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hv__mm931rg/VpGshrPnMVI/AAAAAAAAEjc/bS7SqFc0TfA/s320/100_4886.JPG" width="320" /></a>I keep working on the house as time allows. In September, I borrowed a friend's
old flooring drum sander. It needed new foam on the drum. I bought some off of
Ebay with its own adhesive, cut it to size, and adhered it after
scraping/sanding off all the remains of the old foam. It seemed to work fine. I
used 3/8” foam, but 1/2” would have been better (it ends up requiring the
sanding sheets to be have about 1/2” cut off their length – not a big deal).
When removing the drum in order to install a belt for the vacuum system, one
side of the aluminum frame that holds the drum broke off. I had to repair it
using a thin metal plate bolted to the side to hold the broken piece in place.
The repair worked fine.<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5529045882145916711" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
The flooring boards had some variation in height because the level of the
tongues and groves was not consistent between all the boards. I’m not
complaining – a friend milled the flooring for me, and I know how hard it can be
to get everything consistent without an actual flooring mill machine. Because of
the variations, I had to do some extra sanding to get the floor surface
level.<br />
I started with 24-grit sand paper, moved to 36-grit, 60-grit, 80-grit, and
then 100-grit. The sander itself is not as strong and aggressive as I imagine a
new machine would be. That was a good thing – less chance of creating divots and
hollows in my floor. Doing the edge sanding was more of a job. I used a belt
sander, mainly. This worked well.<br />
<br />
In all, I spent about two weeks worth of work sanding the floors, but they
are now done. Once we get things all cleaned up in the house, we’ll finish them
with hemp seed oil. I don’t want to put a plastic finish on my natural wood
floors. So, polyurethane is not an option. Besides, if you get a scratch in a
traditional poly finish, you have a scratch in your finish that cannot be simply
repaired. With an oiled finish, you can repair such things with a little sanding
and more oil. An oil finish is not glossy/shiny, of course, but that’s not the
look I desire. An oil finish is warm, soft, and durable. Hemp seed oil (and tung
oil) is a drying oil – it will harden when it dries (it takes about two weeks to
dry).<br />
<br />
<br />
I’ll update after we get the floors oiled. In the meantime, here are few
photos of the sanded floor.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VuuZqN15bjk/VpGtnRYFX_I/AAAAAAAAEj0/9FcF4sM0uJ0/s1600/100_4894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VuuZqN15bjk/VpGtnRYFX_I/AAAAAAAAEj0/9FcF4sM0uJ0/s400/100_4894.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dWv2jmKlxkk/VpGtjTKaZuI/AAAAAAAAEjo/G0E4G71QS2U/s1600/100_4899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dWv2jmKlxkk/VpGtjTKaZuI/AAAAAAAAEjo/G0E4G71QS2U/s400/100_4899.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3d1fOFHQl8/VpGtndKMHSI/AAAAAAAAEjw/i14hBsRmEUE/s1600/100_4908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3d1fOFHQl8/VpGtndKMHSI/AAAAAAAAEjw/i14hBsRmEUE/s400/100_4908.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UdcdvKupeXY/VpGt536n-kI/AAAAAAAAEkA/AXTNvisH5qs/s1600/100_4912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UdcdvKupeXY/VpGt536n-kI/AAAAAAAAEkA/AXTNvisH5qs/s400/100_4912.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxH0r_kA-Vo/VpGt_aGEfxI/AAAAAAAAEkM/hwYl7uAcejI/s1600/100_4923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxH0r_kA-Vo/VpGt_aGEfxI/AAAAAAAAEkM/hwYl7uAcejI/s400/100_4923.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dOqO5ZVpCBQ/VpGt-1UVz5I/AAAAAAAAEkI/Nih2h4euDbo/s1600/100_4926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dOqO5ZVpCBQ/VpGt-1UVz5I/AAAAAAAAEkI/Nih2h4euDbo/s400/100_4926.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-74471698102918873602014-12-26T17:23:00.001-06:002014-12-26T17:23:54.165-06:00Beech hardwood floor in the guest room<p>At the beginning of December, we put down the first of the hardwood floor in our house. We worked to get one room painted and ready for the floor. We chose the guest room because it’s out of the way (not a traffic area).</p> <p>Painting involves mixing our own paint (based upon a recipe I came up with after several experiments and trials). It’s basically a clay-based paint. The first coat has a lot of silica sand added to give texture to the walls. Technically, you would call this an Alis. It’s actually a thin plaster. We brush it on with paintbrushes, trying to get it even. It not only provides a nice texture for the walls, it helps cover up imperfections in the finish coat of plaster. The second coat of paint is the same recipe but without the sand added. This brushes over the first coat, brightening the walls (white) and making sure the texture is locked into place (the sand can be rubbed off the walls before the final coat).</p> <p>Once we painted all of the walls and the ceiling in the guest room, we installed the hardwood floor in the room. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CRqfbjd0kZU/VJ3t-wnA7cI/AAAAAAAAEgc/dhKxEM7qIGs/s1600-h/100_3386%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_3386" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 1px 2px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="100_3386" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-trel7hZ6yvQ/VJ3t_eueSiI/AAAAAAAAEgg/q3nLzk5hLxw/100_3386_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>The wood we have is from some trees we cut and which a friend milled, planed, and tongue-and-grooved for us. It’s been sitting in the house for a couple of years waiting.</p> <p>In the fall of 2013, I bought a flooring nailer. It was a good deal, although it was a refurbished unit. I never tried it out until it was time to install the floor. Well, it didn’t work right. I wouldn’t drive the nails or staples in all the way, leaving them about 1/16” above the tongue. I tried everything I could think of to get it replaced or repaired, but there was no honest way. At that point, I spent five minutes with a file modifying the base plate, and now the nailer works fine.<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-saICBVT8g2U/VJ3uAdgVMDI/AAAAAAAAEgs/Gd7em8xWM3Y/s1600-h/100_3387%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_3387" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 1px 2px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="100_3387" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3PbhtfIUuNo/VJ3uA-A96JI/AAAAAAAAEg0/Qini3PYFPGo/100_3387_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p>We spent two or three days laying the floor, and it turned out quite nice. We used American Beech in this room. Some of the logs sat waiting to be milled longer than ideal which resulted in some spalting of the wood. Spalting is wood coloration caused by fungi. If left long enough, the wood will rot, but spalting does not mean the wood is rotten. It adds additional character to the floor. Some people pay extra money for spalted wood.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CtYgAODxPvg/VJ3uBpcWfRI/AAAAAAAAEg8/jx-FzCNgMoo/s1600-h/100_3384%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_3384" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 1px 2px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="100_3384" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CiahEFa5s10/VJ3uCMBkNoI/AAAAAAAAEhA/Dbx6qZNvuI0/100_3384_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>After we installed the floor, I made some templates for finishing the window seat. Then, I cut the necessary curves in some Maple hardwood flooring that I bought and which is slated for the window seats/sills. I nailed these boards in place except for the last one at the outside edge. I need to rip it to the proper width, curve the two ends, and then round the top edge a little. I will also install a board along the wall underneath the outside edge board.</p> <p>I’m pleased with how the floor and window seat turned out. It will be nice when we have all of the floors and window seats done.</p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-75922500437152073332014-09-30T20:06:00.001-06:002014-09-30T20:06:07.603-06:00We finished the final coat<p>At the beginning of August 2011, we put <a href="http://cedar-ridge-farm.blogspot.com/2011/08/well-its-about-time-update.html">the first coat of plaster</a> on a couple of the interior walls of the house. Well, 12 tons of dry material later, <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r6qyxRmBtfA/VCthf6RZXsI/AAAAAAAAEdA/Dwm9XcpVqlg/s1600-h/100_2881%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_2881" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="100_2881" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vQ2NUG3Pr5M/VCthghfzwPI/AAAAAAAAEdE/XU--Fw-W-N4/100_2881_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>we’ve completed plastering the interior walls!</p> <p>Early in the month, I told Ramiah that we should get the plaster finished in September. Although there have been several other things to work on during the month, not just the house, we have managed to spend some time with our hands in the mud. Yesterday, we did two batches of plaster, finishing the boys room. This morning we were back at it, doing four batches of plaster and finishing the last walls before lunch time.</p> <p>It feels good to reach this milestone. We celebrated this evening as a family, having some homemade kettle corn and wacky cake (a special family recipe).</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RfvVt10RqOg/VCthhdZTKKI/AAAAAAAAEdQ/MQlvIAkFtWg/s1600-h/100_2883%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_2883" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="100_2883" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jfWPC1hlqjM/VCthh2HwytI/AAAAAAAAEdU/TyQlOwhHpBI/100_2883_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vVtx1C0-h9Q/VCthikVw7VI/AAAAAAAAEdg/0HfFPZKLPc0/s1600-h/100_2882%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_2882" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="100_2882" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xOlRxp344T4/VCthjjhXkBI/AAAAAAAAEdo/9SBAPaPemc4/100_2882_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-47615983440995423592014-08-22T18:00:00.000-06:002014-08-22T19:29:19.352-06:00Plaster and paint<p>Work on the house was delayed during much of the spring and early summer because of other demands upon my time. These were important activities, many of them involving spending time with and being a father to our children. It’s a blessing to have a plethora of things to do.</p> <p>We have spent time during the last few weeks on plaster and painting. <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CqXJMBURGgM/U_fbDizdyKI/AAAAAAAAEWc/v9qXFfb3Ejo/s1600-h/100_2786%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="final coat of plaster on landing upstairs" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="final coat of plaster on landing upstairs" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_clvBbTmlUI/U_fbE3_1TXI/AAAAAAAAEWk/et73i7MD760/100_2786_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>We still have the upstairs walls to finish plastering and two walls in the pantry. We’ll finish those in the next few weeks. Completing the plastering before the weather turns cool is important – it needs to be warm and dry enough for it to dry properly.</p> <p>We’ve also spent time painting interior walls. This is a one of those things that we want to have completed before we begin to put down the hardwood floors. The paint we’re using is some that I’ve developed a recipe for. There are several different varieties of natural paint. The one we’re using uses wheat paste as the binder.</p> <p>Using a natural paint is important to me. We have natural, earthen plaster walls, and it would just be wrong to put a synthetic, latex paint on them. One of the benefits of earthen plaster is its ability to “breathe.” It naturally absorbs and releases atmospheric moisture (clay is hydrophilic), <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MvrgLRWs-lw/U_fbF5a8juI/AAAAAAAAEWs/m6RGs1CaA0Y/s1600-h/100_2769%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="the Mud Room" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="the Mud Room" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CvzL3c-XT3A/U_fbGmfprNI/AAAAAAAAEW0/XMqfBJrEIqU/100_2769_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>and it also allows moisture in the straw in the walls to pass on through rather than get caught. Moisture in the straw would not be a good idea. With clay-based plaster, moisture that naturally gets inside the wall will be able to get out. Many people don’t realize that moisture within walls is a factor in stick-built houses, too. The inside environment, especially during the winter, is warmer and more humid than outside. Moisture in the air will naturally move toward a less moist environment. It will move through a wall. If it hits a cold, vapor-impermeable skin on the outside, it will condense within the wall. Some wall construction methods may be able to handle this condensed moisture, but straw bale is not one of them.</p> <p>So, how does paint affect that? On the outside, it can have a greater effect if it prevents moisture from getting out the cooler side. <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OSTvP3rZGiQ/U_fbHg6xW3I/AAAAAAAAEW8/YMCldyqrmeg/s1600-h/100_2773%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="the Laundry Room" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="the Laundry Room" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iwAyiyNgUIM/U_fbIWxQHhI/AAAAAAAAEXE/DpgaEwdPHfo/100_2773_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>On the inside, it may be less of an issue. The general rule/idea is to have greater vapor-permeability on the outside of the wall than on the inside. So, maybe latex paint would be alright on the inside, but why use it on natural walls? If I go to the trouble of mixing and putting 12 tons of earthen plaster on the inside walls, why would I want to cover them with a plastic coating? It just wouldn’t be right.</p> <p>So, I’m making paint. Sure, it’s not washable, but neither are the walls. If you put enough water on them and scrub, you’re going to take off part of them, and I wouldn’t really like that! You can’t treat these walls like that; they have to be cared for. They aren’t concrete and they aren’t drywall – and I’m happy they aren’t. If you bang something into them, <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ke2AfeKevJs/U_fbJCgM9OI/AAAAAAAAEXM/J1TWNgyfFLc/s1600-h/100_2775%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="the Dining Room Wall" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="the Dining Room wall" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HBItmUYmAu4/U_fbKX9TMSI/AAAAAAAAEXU/I_GsX0IYXrU/100_2775_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>you’ll likely make a divot. They are organic in composition, shape, and function. So, the paint that goes on them must also be.</p> <p>Originally, I was going to let the wall color be in the finish coat of plaster. However, that didn’t work. Instead of coming out a nice white, they end up gray when the plaster dries. Maybe there was another way to mix the plaster, different ingredients to use, or something, but I didn’t do it. Because of that, our application involves paint.</p> <p>It’s been fun developing my own paint recipe. I’m not sure I want to share it, yet. I've thought of maybe selling natural paint in powder form. Just add <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IlOCSi3wTT0/U_fbLKLcYBI/AAAAAAAAEXc/LyBrxuGnON8/s1600-h/100_2779%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="looking down the Hallway" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="looking down the Hallway" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qoMvm3eLdB0/U_fbMPvP_mI/AAAAAAAAEXk/eTlalmBE2UA/100_2779_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>water. The natural paints you can buy online seem to cost an arm and two legs. The paint I’m making doesn’t have to cost that much, and in powdered form, it’s dry, not too heavy to ship, and will keep for a long time. It’s important to use what you mix up, because if you let it sit for a couple of days, the wheat paste will begin to sour, and that’s not really pleasant.</p> <p>I mix the paint with an electric mixer. I wore out two cheap ones – the plastic gears inside aren’t made to handle a lot of use. Last week I found two heavy duty ones at thrift shops for about $1 each. I put the dry, mixed ingredients in a bowl, add water, and then mix. It get beaten pretty vigorously. If more water is needed, I just add more. It can be mixed to whatever consistency, thick or thin, that I desire.</p> <p>Anyway, enjoy the photos of the painting we’ve been doing. There’s still quite a bit more to do. It takes a minimum of three coats. The plaster really soaks up the first coat. When it’s fully covered, it really looks nice. I’ve mixed the paint to an off-white color. Originally, it was going to be kind of a light yellow, but I’ve adjusted it to be more white than yellow. It really brightens things up!<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DXn1HkqrwNM/U_fbNN1mqGI/AAAAAAAAEXs/sSoBIW69Huc/s1600-h/100_2792%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="the Great Room looking eastward" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="the Great Room looking eastward" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-99GEnL8WkKo/U_fbN6ZUOdI/AAAAAAAAEX0/23WJd2addnM/100_2792_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UxC4pwOjGgc/U_fbO0aCEVI/AAAAAAAAEX8/SRVQKB0Fklo/s1600-h/100_2794%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="the Great Room looking westward" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="the Great Room looking westward" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pGG4oQo0tKI/U_fbP64p1FI/AAAAAAAAEYE/YzOp1EMXLwU/100_2794_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-20017205829310119532014-02-28T16:13:00.001-06:002014-02-28T18:23:51.192-06:00I have begun building the kitchen cabinets<p>I’ll refrain from offering excuses for my lack of blogging during the last however many months.</p> <p>Last week I began to work on the specific design of the kitchen cabinets for the house. The kitchen space is not large and doesn’t allow for standard kitchen cabinet dimensions/design, especially when factoring in the double-basin commercial sink we purchased. I also didn’t want to pay for commercially-made or specialty-made cabinets (at least not pay someone else – my neighbor says I’m cheap, but I prefer to be called frugal).</p> <p>The design phase (which actually overlaps quite a bit with the construction phase, at least when I’m the one doing it) began with the dimensions of the kitchen and the locations of the windows and door. We opted for large windows in the kitchen for the light which affect upper cabinet location and size. Lower cabinets have to fit in a space delineated by the refrigerator location and the door to the summer kitchen/porch. We will have no stove in the kitchen since we cook on the wood stove we heat with (or do we heat with the stove we cook on?) during the winter and outside in the summer kitchen during the summer. The basic setup is a U-shape with a short leg on the right and the sink in the middle under the 6-foot window (which is on the longest wall straight ahead as you go into the kitchen).</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8ZGGjKcJ_jI/UxEJ67SQlUI/AAAAAAAAEQQ/1wOF94om7nY/s1600-h/cabinet%252520framing%25255B19%25255D.jpg"><img title="cabinet framing" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="cabinet framing" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9cXmu-Wpgr4/UxEJ82TRLxI/AAAAAAAAEQY/pjvkSP64rZM/cabinet%252520framing_thumb%25255B17%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="149" /></a>I searched the internet for information on built-in kitchen cabinets and didn’t find much. So, I made my own plans. I spent some time with Google Sketchup in order to explore my ideas about how to make them. Then, I began the actual construction.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kFRted3RZJ0/UxEJ-cnUpyI/AAAAAAAAEQg/rsLWQVh114Q/s1600-h/100_2033%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_2033" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="100_2033" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lSMkrqXq_mo/UxEKALxenKI/AAAAAAAAEQo/uW7GCElcXa0/100_2033_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>My construction method involves using 2x4’s to frame the toe kick (with some 3/4” plywood to raise it the level of the finished floor). I also put a 2x4 along the wall at the height of the bottom edge of the counter top. I will use some 1-1/2” cherry to construct the counter top. Then, I used maple-veneer plywood for the bottoms of the cabinets and for shelves. I used my Kreg jig to construct some internal rectangular frames using 1x’s I ripped to the desired width and cut to length. Throughout this process, I continuously checked that things were plumb and level.</p> <p>I secured the rectangular frames into position with pocket screws (Kreg jig, again) and connected them to one another to frame the openings for drawers and cabinets. Later, I will construct face frames for the cabinets using 1x oak boards, and then I will make the doors and drawers.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-x5QFJNQImSo/UxEKB6XZoAI/AAAAAAAAEQw/cu5TWhFGx1A/s1600-h/100_2040%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_2040" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="100_2040" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HyeJtcCgU0I/UxEKDHotXzI/AAAAAAAAEQ4/M_wtfIOrk50/100_2040_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9g8g0WI2wts/UxEKEn6tYrI/AAAAAAAAERA/eo5Ex7jBBto/s1600-h/100_2047%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_2047" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="100_2047" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OXwSAsVRsxg/UxEKF7l88EI/AAAAAAAAERI/95gDTEP1CU8/100_2047_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p>The design of the kitchen includes five drawers with cabinet space below them. We’ll have eight pull-out trays to better utilize the cabinet space. There was not a good way to make the space in the corners of the U easily accessible. The space can be used, just not very well.<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xBaa4m6t8VE/UxEKHHb8AGI/AAAAAAAAERQ/YNKDbboZZEo/s1600-h/100_2057%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_2057" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="100_2057" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--prCEmPB3Pk/UxEKH21lqDI/AAAAAAAAERY/C2RM1v7YKug/100_2057_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="254" height="192" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0YNrKFdw7Sk/UxEKIsbvbAI/AAAAAAAAERg/tl_uTGPb0nM/s1600-h/100_2059%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="100_2059" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="100_2059" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-p0bLmtiEKOY/UxEKJb2QtJI/AAAAAAAAERo/86EWuanQXQs/100_2059_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p>At this point, I have most of the rough framing done for the lower cabinets. I will continue with them and then move on to the upper cabinets. They will also employ some custom design, but more on that at a later time.</p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-73308581123863664242013-04-30T20:06:00.001-06:002013-04-30T20:06:34.151-06:00If I don’t blog, did it really get done?<p>Well, the winter is over, although spring tried to drag it closer to summer. During the winter, I built a fire in the highly inefficient wood stove in the house occasionally. I would say once a week on average I would get a fire going, stuff the stove with as much wood as possible (mostly dried sycamore – not something that would burn for long, but it’s what I had), and close it down. After we stopped work on the house last fall, the indoor temperature was about 60-65 degrees. Adding only a little heat inside, the temperature bottomed out in the house at around 45 degrees. I’m looking forward to seeing what it will be like with a continuous fire when we’re living in it.</p> <p>I did a few things but not much on the house over winter. Without keeping a lot more heat in there, plaster wasn’t going to dry well. And, without a more efficient stove, that was going to be problematic. Wintertime seems to have other things to commit my time to, anyway. Also, the day light period seems to be shorter for some reason.</p> <p>I was able to accumulate a few things for the house (I’m still accumulating, actually). I bought interior doors. They are 3’ by 7’ solid core doors that were intended for a doctor’s office, but they had too many. I’ll have to cut them down <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZvgVSDVnFuo/UYB4gIygTUI/AAAAAAAAEDU/vSh7BL0wvbY/s1600-h/016%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="016" border="0" alt="016" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xx06-rduKAs/UYB4g0yKMII/AAAAAAAAEDc/HWmFUCGHMjY/016_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>to the right size and face the edges, but I think they’ll work well (they’re heavy, too). We also bought a kitchen sink. We wanted a stainless steel double sink with double drain-boards. To get what we wanted, we ended up buying a commercial sink.</p> <p>In march I bought plumbing supplies for running the water lines. I decided to use PEX tubing which I had never worked with before. A friend lent me crimping tools, and I bought all the supplies locally. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QR-mGXyLAjU/UYB4icT2wOI/AAAAAAAAEDk/j8Yq4nqM4x8/s1600-h/015%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="015" border="0" alt="015" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AqwduOAa4sk/UYB4jNep6_I/AAAAAAAAEDs/3JYa4qE6G64/015_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>All the water supply lines are in. I still have to plumb the range boiler for the hot water (heated by the wood stove), but the lines are stubbed out for doing so. I’m actually going to plumb a similar tank on the summer kitchen with the wood stove we’ll use out there for hot water in the summer time. Because of the location for the two stoves, these will be two separate systems with valves to manually select which one to use.</p> <p>After completing the water lines, I started on the drain lines in April. These are now completed, too. I still have to arrange for a septic system to be installed. We were going to just have a gray water system, but we decided to go ahead and do a full septic system. If gray water isn’t handled properly, it turns into black water. As long as we have water in the cisterns, we’ll be able to use flush toilets. If water gets low, we will use sawdust (composting) toilets.</p> <p>In addition to the pressurized water system, we will also have pitcher pumps in the house. The plan is to have four: one in the kitchen, one in the mudroom, <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XTbgnOEJRz8/UYB4kdoYO8I/AAAAAAAAED0/I1i8cy54o04/s1600-h/019%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="019" border="0" alt="019" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8eUd5ZEkAS8/UYB4k1tChNI/AAAAAAAAED8/WFebPAw14Lg/019_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>and one in each bathroom. I just ordered an <a href="http://www.oasispumps.com/" target="_blank">Oasis Pump</a> – the description of it online looks quite good for our purposes. If it meets expectations, we’ll get more.</p> <p>On Friday of last week, I decided to mix up some plaster. We quit a few batches shy of having the 2nd coat done last fall. I put one batch on in the morning, and then the 3 younger children joined me in the afternoon. We put 3 more batches on the walls in the afternoon. Two more batches will finish the 2nd coat. That means, the first and second coats will amount to more than 19,000 pounds of plaster – and that’s only counting dry ingredients. <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mlx9Bf-soLc/UYB4mILmaJI/AAAAAAAAEEE/F8dVbdsdgoY/s1600-h/004%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="004" border="0" alt="004" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-u3JPceJjDB8/UYB4m2wwbqI/AAAAAAAAEEM/lo-fJM6dw-o/004_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>By the time the finish coat is completed, we’ll have somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 tons of plaster on the interior walls! That should be a good thermal mass.</p> <p>Yesterday and today, we mixed and applied 4 batches of finish coat. These batches are about 100 pounds of dry ingredients each, half what the batches for the other coats. These batches have gone on the walls in the master bedroom. The process involves applying the mix to the walls by hand. I then trowel it smooth. After it begins to dry, I buff it with a piece of yogurt container lid. This helps to smooth it out and close up the pores by pushing the sand into the plaster.</p> <p>We’ll keep working on things. The objective is to get this house done so that we can move in. We’re getting closer.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2qy_O4VJyl4/UYB4oG94lNI/AAAAAAAAEEU/8Z8VEMZo17c/s1600-h/022%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="022" border="0" alt="022" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yxH5YsDDrlQ/UYB4oieFzlI/AAAAAAAAEEc/LeRrblnHTb4/022_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-z_IY17uLims/UYB4pvbDCUI/AAAAAAAAEEk/Glzbq8VHq38/s1600-h/023%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="023" border="0" alt="023" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-05nOxOmUnOI/UYB4qCBRiJI/AAAAAAAAEEs/c51cxdZrItQ/023_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-11690511525745729032012-09-09T21:18:00.001-06:002012-09-09T21:19:33.221-06:00Video: House Tour, September 7, 2012<p>A video tour of the house filmed on September 7, 2012, just after we finished the 2nd coat of plaster on the downstairs walls.</p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1cef1ab7-a5c2-49e0-bedb-238f7232c216" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="8d5ab15d-b601-4ba8-ad86-bdc73b2567a1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zv4w0z3T6Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player" target="_new"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vi1vKMv2pZY/UE1cE9YTShI/AAAAAAAAEAI/mRkAVnqo7bg/video32b18a08cf04%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('8d5ab15d-b601-4ba8-ad86-bdc73b2567a1'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"517\" height=\"387\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8zv4w0z3T6Q?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8zv4w0z3T6Q?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"517\" height=\"387\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> <p> </p> <p><a title="http://youtu.be/8zv4w0z3T6Q" href="http://youtu.be/8zv4w0z3T6Q">http://youtu.be/8zv4w0z3T6Q</a></p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-83049247259643783732012-09-09T20:35:00.001-06:002012-09-09T20:36:19.832-06:00Second coat of plaster downstairs is finished<p>We were able to get back to plastering this last week. We spent the previous week getting the <a href="http://cedar-ridge-farm.blogspot.com/2012/09/cistern-hooked-up.html" target="_blank">cisterns hooked up</a>. The week before that was occupied with making hay while the weather was good for doing so.</p> <p>We finished all of the straw bale walls in the downstairs by Friday, September 7, 2012. It took 28 batches to do them all. That’s nearly 3 tons more plaster on the walls once it’s all dry. So far, we’re up to 9 tons of plaster on the interior walls. That total will increase by another 3 tons by the time we’re done, I expect. I think of that as great thermal mass to help moderate the interior temperature during the year – warm in winter, cool in summer.</p> <p>We hope to complete the second coat upstairs within the next two weeks.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iKDghA9jWZg/UE1R8evacyI/AAAAAAAAD_I/n_6SEr9mDss/s1600-h/005%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="005" border="0" alt="005" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NqsL-Uz4aYI/UE1R8wKlGWI/AAAAAAAAD_Q/pgi8Wx8HVlM/005_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-S4DoTmed6iQ/UE1R-LundjI/AAAAAAAAD_Y/y_lP18sL7cM/s1600-h/008%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="008" border="0" alt="008" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5l2FHj6ScSI/UE1R-jdB-ZI/AAAAAAAAD_g/acRqg_e1gjE/008_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-662155503266462222012-09-09T20:09:00.001-06:002012-09-09T20:09:04.561-06:00Cistern hooked up<p>Last summer, we buried three 1,500 gallon septic tanks (new ones) in front of the house to serve as a <a href="http://cedar-ridge-farm.blogspot.com/search/label/cistern" target="_blank">cistern</a> for rain water collected off of the roof of the house. I also contracted with a local company to install 6-inch seamless gutters on the house. However, it took them a year before they came and completed the job. Thankfully, I wasn’t in a hurry. I patiently waited for them to do the job, calling them occasionally to find out when it would happen (it was almost always, “the first of next week unless the weather is bad”). Yeah, I could have hired someone else to install gutters, but the quote <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zZcgopc394c/UE1Lm7e_ubI/AAAAAAAAD9g/w4qAhsE_Sfk/s1600-h/008%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="008" border="0" alt="008" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-guzdSc1e3v0/UE1Lnkn7L_I/AAAAAAAAD9o/FCNahDVbK8Y/008_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="134" height="177" /></a>I got from this company was $700 cheaper than the quote I got from another company, and it cost less than what it would cost for me to install gutters.</p> <p>Anyway, they showed up in late June this summer and installed the gutters. It took me until the last part of August to finally plumb our water collection system from the downspouts to the cistern. It wasn’t difficult. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5TaqBZdIFkQ/UE1Lps6uLdI/AAAAAAAAD9w/KyItkxm9ff8/s1600-h/012%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="012" border="0" alt="012" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Rpy4AZZANY4/UE1LqKc3Q0I/AAAAAAAAD94/_PuPkhRgjFY/012_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>Basically, I ran 4-inch Schedule 35 sewer pipe from each of the four downspouts to the cistern. I installed a roof washer on the east side and on the west side of the house.</p> <p>The roof washers purpose is to divert away from the cistern the first 100 gallons of water that come off of the roof in a rain storm. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CZTWMzRmrEY/UE1Lr7UhWCI/AAAAAAAAD-A/uIi686faghI/s1600-h/010%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="010" border="0" alt="010" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eLBuCtd3WLo/UE1LsRWcBwI/AAAAAAAAD-I/3-h4FPPFuig/010_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>This allows dirt, bird droppings, and other contaminants that may have accumulated on the roof to be washed off with the beginning rain and not end up in our household water.</p> <p>I contemplated upon how to design the roof washer system for the house. The design I settled on uses a 55-gallon barrel for each one. As water flows from the two downspouts on either side of the house, it flows into the barrel on that respective side. I used 2-inch PVC to connect to the barrel with a home-made floating ball valve in the line. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sjBR5mO1wHQ/UE1LttNQbkI/AAAAAAAAD-Q/W8g-95XMuV8/s1600-h/015%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="015" border="0" alt="015" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TXkcSOzTBoY/UE1LuAuSKXI/AAAAAAAAD-Y/BwCkwTwI-Zo/015_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="224" height="297" /></a>The initial rain off of the roof will not generally be more than the 2-inch pipe can handle. The water flows around a ball contained in the space inside two 4-inch to 2-inch reducers. When the barrel is full, the ball floats upward and closes off the entrance for the water into the barrel. This is to help insure that nothing in the barrel can be washed out and back into the line to the cistern.</p> <p>For the floating ball valve to work, the barrel must be sealed. The water and little bit of air left in it when full keeps the ball from sinking, effectively closing the inlet to the roof washer. I laid the barrels on their side so that water flows in through the top bung into which a regular 2-inch threaded PVC connector threads (2-inch NPT). The other bung which has different threads (very course) can be opened to drain the water out of the roof washer barrel after a rain shower. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YRi2t7GUM_I/UE1LvHNkjVI/AAAAAAAAD-g/wIrTQO26Z1k/s1600-h/018%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="018" border="0" alt="018" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dNSKNXVtFdI/UE1Lv41qZpI/AAAAAAAAD-o/CBdEbi8IWd8/018_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>This system collects about 50 gallons on each side of the house before the water proceeds to the cistern.</p> <p>We’ve had nearly 3 inches of rain during the last two weekends. I previously calculated that it would take about 2.5 inches of rain to fill the cisterns. My calculation was very close. The cistern was full and overflowing somewhere around 2.6 inches of rain. The overflow runs from the cisterns to the pond through a 100-foot section of 4-inch corrugated drain pipe.</p> <p>The last thing I did to ready the system for water collection was to install 1/2-inch hardware cloth over the gutters. I bought 3-foot by 10-foot rolls of galvanized hardware cloth and cut it into 8-inch widths with a metal cutting blade. I inserted one edge two inches under the roof metal and attached it to the top of the outside edge of the gutters with self-drilling machine screws ever couple of feet. This keeps most of the leaves out of the gutters and out of the cistern. A few leaves that get through will end up in the roof washers. The rest of them are screened out before the water enters the cistern (it’s run through window screen). Before we use the water in the house, it will run through an inline screen filter, and all drinking water will be filtered with a ceramic filter or a reverse osmosis filtration system.</p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-66734168675747848182012-08-15T20:29:00.001-06:002012-08-15T20:29:48.999-06:00Twelve batches into the second coat<p>The second coat (also called the brown or infill coat) of plaster takes a lot of mud. Of course, we already knew that based upon our plastering experiences two years ago when we finished the exterior of the house.</p> <p>The recipe that I’ve been using for the second coat is different than the recipe for the first coat (also called scratch or discovery coat). The first coat has a fairly high clay content. I used 1.5 parts clay-rich dirt to 2 parts sand. It can be done with equal parts clay and sand (there are variations depending on the clay content of the dirt being used). The more clay there is in the mix, the more cracking that occurs when the plaster dries. This is because clay expands when wet and shrinks when it dries. So, as the plaster dries, it naturally shrinks, and the shrinkage causes cracks (something has to give somewhere). For the first coat, that’s not a big deal – the cracks will be filled by the next coat and will actually help the second key into the first.</p> <p>For the second coat I started with a mix using 1 part clay to 2 parts sand, but I’ve adjusted that on the last four batches to 1 part clay to 2.5 parts sand. Although cracks on this coat of plaster aren’t a real problem because they will be covered by the finish coat, I would like to minimize them as much as is realistic.</p> <p>I’ve noticed that cracks are more apt to appear in areas where the plaster is thicker on the wall, presumably because the thinner areas surrounding the thicker dry faster, shrinking as they do. The thicker areas take longer to dry and are still wet enough to be weaker and therefore the first place to give. Less clay in the mix will allow less shrinkage and fewer cracks. The important part is that the plaster be strong enough, a characteristic dependent to a large extent upon the clay which is the substance that binds the plaster together, that makes it work (sand and water doesn’t make a good plaster).</p> <p>We’ve mixed 12 batches of plaster for the second coat so far. We started in the kitchen, because I want the walls there to dry so we can put up the green board. They are mostly dry now, with only a few areas still damp. The weather played a role in that – it was humid and overcast with rain for several days. That’s not good drying weather. But, drier weather has returned, allowing the process to continue as needed.</p> <p>The kitchen windows were the first ones I did with the second coat. They went well. The greatest challenge is above the windows. Somehow, gravity seems to work against me, causing plaster to fall. Sometimes it’s because it sticks to my hands more strongly than it sticks to the first coat, I think. But, once it’s pressed in firmly and troweled, it does fine. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tnEcXYF4D_Y/UCxa8Ys7T0I/AAAAAAAAD7o/kmaVAkG1zLI/s1600-h/004%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="004" border="0" alt="004" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fQAotfdHRoM/UCxa9bScLAI/AAAAAAAAD7w/uOxadG_fUjE/004_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="182" /></a>It’s just initially that a fair bit falls to the window sill. I pick it up and use it anyway (it’s not like it’s going to get dirty).</p> <p>After the plaster is troweled and shaped, the windows look good. The important thing is to get the shape on the walls with this coat. Around the windows that means the curves I want. On the rest of the walls, the kitchen walls excepted, the idea is to even them out and give them the shape and smoothness desired in the final product. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8Hcm7Vxc4Z4/UCxa-S__4jI/AAAAAAAAD74/KvFZQPNcTlU/s1600-h/002%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="002" border="0" alt="002" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YgL5qWBZLpA/UCxa-1RyPlI/AAAAAAAAD8A/Tt79OvA9GWo/002_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>There will be a few areas that will need a third coat, though – some of the low spots require 4 inches or so of plaster, and that is too much at one time in some areas.</p> <p>After the kitchen, we moved along the wall into the dining room. This wall has the most area to be plastered of all the wall sections. It’s 14 feet long, 9 feet tall, and has only one window. We finished it yesterday and then moved on to the living room walls. As you can imagine looking at the photo (to the right – click to e<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZN5RgTLQZbU/UCxa_wPWXPI/AAAAAAAAD8I/azPCnZG4QSo/s1600-h/008%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="008" border="0" alt="008" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zJInqgFDCVg/UCxbBZyNKTI/AAAAAAAAD8Q/QYgvw2hyZSc/008_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>nlarge any of the photos), the areas above the braces on the timber frame present some challenges because of the limited space to work in.</p> <p>The wall near the chimney behind where the wood stove will be located presented the challenge of plastering behind the chimney. It wasn’t too bad, and, thankfully, it will not be seen anyway. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ioDN2QqFSxI/UCxbCm2zDLI/AAAAAAAAD8Y/LJh5A8jKr_Y/s1600-h/017%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="017" border="0" alt="017" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TwZRMzB64k4/UCxbDPDhCOI/AAAAAAAAD8g/HX9f3_YeqR0/017_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>This section of wall will require a third coat in places because of the depth of some low spots.</p> <p>We moved on from the chimney, around the front door and to the double windows in the living room. We didn’t finish the living room walls today, but we’ve got a good start. It should only take one more batch to finish the second wall. The front wall is done.</p> <p>We mixed and applied three batches of finish coat on the interior packed walls in the master bedroom earlier in the week. Interestingly, the finish plaster that we put on the upstairs walls a <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kP07wlP_BIY/UCxbEdGWtdI/AAAAAAAAD8o/JCGfAtDcuU0/s1600-h/011%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="011" border="0" alt="011" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YphRdmlWpW8/UCxbFOCXURI/AAAAAAAAD8w/if_-CBdzc0k/011_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>few weeks ago did not dry white as expected. It is white in places, but not as uniformly as I anticipated, like it did when I did a test patch last year after buying the kaolin clay. The only difference I know of in the mix is the addition of wheat paste. I bought some dried wheat past to help bind the plaster together, and I think it is keeping some of the clay from working to the surface when I hard trowel and buff the plaster. That’s okay because we’re going to paint all the walls with a clay paint anyway. The wheat paste does a good job binding <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-T3W3SHL8-Y8/UCxbF_B-vtI/AAAAAAAAD84/LLEWv1-SQTs/s1600-h/015%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="015" border="0" alt="015" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JhSVPIRr9kc/UCxbGg18JII/AAAAAAAAD9A/OgbTWuwQfE0/015_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>the plaster, though, and it keeps the clay from dusting off if you rub on it. It makes a nice finished surface.</p> <p>It looks like the walls in the bedroom may dry mottled in color, too. There are a few cracks that have developed as the plaster is drying. I’m going to adjust the amount of clay in the recipe. My books recommended more clay in the final coat than I expected, and I went with their recommendation. I think less clay will still work fine and will allow fewer cracks. I need to get some silica sand so that I can mix up some plaster with it to repair the cracks. Masonry sand, even when screened through a window screen, has too many large pieces to make a good patch plaster. I’m going to want some fine silica sand for the clay paint anyway.</p> <p>In the next few weeks, I’m going to experiment with the clay paint, mixing up different batches to find a recipe that I like. It should be fun trying it out with additives like mica powder and/or mica flakes. I also have some natural yellow ochre pigment to see if I can come up with a nice pale yellow.</p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-6069969996175074562012-07-27T10:22:00.001-06:002012-07-27T10:25:13.738-06:00A little finish coat and some photos<p>On Wednesday this week, we decided to put the finish coat of plaster on the walls above the open, center section of the house. I wanted to get the scaffolding out, and we needed it for doing these walls.</p> <p>I purchased some wheat paste from <a href="http://www.natural-craft-supply.com/" target="_blank">Natural Craft Supply</a> the previous week which arrived this week. I can make my own wheat paste for less money using high-gluten white flour, but the product I bought is easy to use and works well. The idea with the wheat paste is that it works as a binder in the plaster. Basically, it’s a glue made out of flour (traditionally, it’s been used to glue wall paper to the wall). It helps to hold the plaster together more strongly and keeps the surface from dusting off when it’s dry. It works, too.</p> <p>Our recipe for the finish plaster was to screen 5 gallons of sand through a window screen (it is amazing how many rocks can be screened out of sand). Then, we mixed in 3.25 gallons of dry, powdered, white kaolin clay by hand. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gvibL67_NWM/UBLADtyFi_I/AAAAAAAAD5s/VR6ZfeNfVUM/s1600-h/013%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="013" border="0" alt="013" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zUvoqY8DefE/UBLAEuVhutI/AAAAAAAAD50/j9aqlkqOUGU/013_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>Once that was mixed, we mixed in 1.5 pounds of wheat paste (about 3 cups of dry powder). The next step was to add water and mix thoroughly. It’s amazing how much water it can absorb – about 4 gallons.</p> <p>We found that it is easiest to smear the plaster on with your hands after dampening the wall (we use a garden sprayer) and then trowel it as smooth as possible, adding or removing material as necessary. After the plaster has begun to set up a little as it begins to dry, I came back over it with a pool trowel to take out trowel marks from the previous step. I tried buffing it with a yogurt container lid, but I liked the trowel better.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HQYNrrGvZrs/UBLAF4_td8I/AAAAAAAAD58/4kzwykQG0Mk/s1600-h/020%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="020" border="0" alt="020" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-M01NKbIFPig/UBLAGvGuviI/AAAAAAAAD6E/bPmPVRmXD2g/020_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DGp3fsTECBA/UBLAIAlppfI/AAAAAAAAD6M/Avz_TsRIpiU/s1600-h/022%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="022" border="0" alt="022" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ObOcUcWYWgA/UBLAIwA1uxI/AAAAAAAAD6U/0P2baGwa0NA/022_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p>The plaster looks gray when it’s wet, but it dries to a white color. Later, I will mix up an alis to paint the walls with. An alis is a clay-based paint (clay, fine silica sand, wheat paste, and water). This will help even out the color (white because we’re using white clay – I’m not intending to put in any pigments) and seal up the finish coat a little more.</p> <p>Yesterday, the boys and I straightened things up in the house and swept the floors. We also removed the scaffolding from the center of the house. I took a few photos to share.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-a3ygcIi2F9c/UBLAKNm0wLI/AAAAAAAAD6c/m_-OkJLBLrU/s1600-h/031%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="031" border="0" alt="031" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WlN4yOIN1Eg/UBLAK3w7_aI/AAAAAAAAD6k/DW2R7ecdhfk/031_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="224" height="297" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-B26uJ31s9W4/UBLAMIkOaXI/AAAAAAAAD6s/Bl7sJ8q3SnU/s1600-h/040%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="040" border="0" alt="040" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Iu8GQv7DM9U/UBLAMz4FStI/AAAAAAAAD60/8GewKOVtzhM/040_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="297" height="224" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>The photo below is one from three that my camera stitched together – the beams are not really curved like that.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OkimOr6mcfE/UBLANu_nt3I/AAAAAAAAD7M/6Za52wu3vuI/s1600-h/038%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="038" border="0" alt="038" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vY4lWslRH6k/UBLAO-sULZI/AAAAAAAAD7Q/QfUDScGlSpI/038_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="534" height="144" /></a></p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-77196340438874101982012-07-27T10:02:00.001-06:002012-07-27T10:02:15.328-06:00July 24: First coat of interior plaster DONE!<p>We finished the first coat of plaster on the interior walls on Tuesday of this week. We’ve been working on this goal for the last month. It took 59 batches of plaster to get the first coat done – about 6 tons of dry material.</p> <p>We finished the upstairs rooms on Monday, leaving the pantry and a couple of miscellaneous spots to be plastered on Tuesday. It was nice to finish this step.</p> <p>Next, we’ll be put the second coat on the straw bale walls. This should go easier because it won’t be necessary to work the plaster into the bales.</p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-82579283432158891742012-07-27T09:52:00.001-06:002012-07-27T09:52:05.314-06:00Mud on the walls in the upstairs bedrooms<p>When we finished plastering the kitchen walls, the only thing left to do downstairs was the pantry.<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZY1w_Qpe7pA/UBK5BTJM7gI/AAAAAAAAD4I/RtAcztUmT_c/s1600-h/004%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="004" border="0" alt="004" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Zz51zauD7B0/UBK5CC6xNAI/AAAAAAAAD4Q/PmIP9uWf6Ew/004_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> We decided to save it until after we finished the first coat upstairs. I mixed up a batch of plaster and got the boys busy putting it on the walls while I worked around the windows.</p> <p>I was thinking of putting boards above the windows upstairs because of their location. It turned out that I could plaster above the windows on the ends upstairs, though. <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0dY3zI3KHyg/UBK5DN3oTSI/AAAAAAAAD4Y/GpHS5aQbth4/s1600-h/008%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="008" border="0" alt="008" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-L1JRRrjE30s/UBK5Ds32FoI/AAAAAAAAD4g/d6rT1_c4tuY/008_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>So, I had to take down the support boards I had under the bales and put up chicken wire. The bales were actually wedged in very well and didn’t move without the boards to support them.</p> <p>Then, I had to prepare some oak boards for above the windows on the rear of the house upstairs. <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7N6Ksk-dJqY/UBK5E8t1LqI/AAAAAAAAD4o/IfKpYcJDFeM/s1600-h/007%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="007" border="0" alt="007" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VFSucWzUVBA/UBK5FjjMoxI/AAAAAAAAD4w/hbZ3zLB6OeU/007_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>I planed some boards from some trees we had cut and milled about 8 years ago. Then, I edged them, cut lap joints, and cut them to the proper length before nailing them in place. They turned out really nice and finish <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MifaExKljQI/UBK5Gk7kMeI/AAAAAAAAD44/lASztY8AoZQ/s1600-h/011%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="011" border="0" alt="011" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ieJjipQ5PRc/UBK5HeBqlJI/AAAAAAAAD5A/CklmPHIursE/011_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>out the windows well.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-esXx8tT7gvU/UBK5Ic15cdI/AAAAAAAAD5I/M986n9_5iQM/s1600-h/001%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="001" border="0" alt="001" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nv6hxr1elHE/UBK5I_KchWI/AAAAAAAAD5Q/m4nTGvc2_Ac/001_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-57678431823561143482012-07-27T09:38:00.001-06:002012-07-27T09:38:03.868-06:00Plaster, studs in the kitchen, & underlayment<p>Last week we were able to get back to plastering the interior walls full time. We finished the small section in the master bathroom that needed done and moved on to the upstairs walls in the center, open part of the house. We also plastered the wall and around the window in on the landing upstairs.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hNOk8WRAsL8/UBK1qpnXTBI/AAAAAAAAD2E/RljSfMFrVl0/s1600-h/002%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="002" border="0" alt="002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tZV7pJwMO2o/UBK1rMgiLkI/AAAAAAAAD2M/UkiVcugQQhc/002_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--VMq_vxZndE/UBK1sa3subI/AAAAAAAAD2U/rS4W_nZAS_8/s1600-h/003%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="003" border="0" alt="003" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ddGr_M0t-eg/UBK1tAv7toI/AAAAAAAAD2c/NTh9mY9WHm8/003_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dUKyRfuPCG4/UBK1uP2i4dI/AAAAAAAAD2k/OymjfEyY8iE/s1600-h/004%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="004" border="0" alt="004" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FdqACeMYPE0/UBK1uxSiSdI/AAAAAAAAD2s/ZozvVcRv9UA/004_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BzdaPUWd4oI/UBK1wK7l8bI/AAAAAAAAD20/L7Iw_rbPLvI/s1600-h/006%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="006" border="0" alt="006" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YeYX4MrTqlw/UBK1xSADXZI/AAAAAAAAD28/dWN6GpOc1Hs/006_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p>Another project was to install 2x2 framing on the kitchen walls. I’m going to build in the cabinets and wanted a smooth surface against which to build them. We’re also going to have tile backsplash above the counter and below the upper cabinets. There needs to be something to attach the cabinets to, also. I’m going to put up green board (moisture-resistant drywall) on the kitchen walls. The straw bale walls will be plastered behind the drywall to make sure they are well sealed.</p> <p>So, once I finished the studding, we plastered the kitchen walls with the first coat. Around the windows and the door, the plaster will be shaped to meld with the surfae of the drywall.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DjUwL-7I_xM/UBK1yuOGabI/AAAAAAAAD3E/jUDwGNL_hoc/s1600-h/009%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="009" border="0" alt="009" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7qTCHlgt048/UBK1zEN6-1I/AAAAAAAAD3M/x5dGMF77UNg/009_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RhW6obhmilw/UBK10FP4NVI/AAAAAAAAD3U/3hngq8RX_ak/s1600-h/012%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="012" border="0" alt="012" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BWJKY4amQQk/UBK11Hs_1OI/AAAAAAAAD3c/RWlmn4QvSFI/012_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p>One other project we completed last week was to put down 1/2 inch plywood underlayment upstairs. We have hard wood (oak, maple, and hickory) boards for a subfloor <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CZN_0nFn_eI/UBK12AlpUMI/AAAAAAAAD3k/RFITe5fxLis/s1600-h/008%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="008" border="0" alt="008" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_vLCRE92EeA/UBK12jhmVPI/AAAAAAAAD3s/FE4H_a-vxwA/008_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>upstairs which also makes the ceiling downstairs. The underlayment will provide a more even surface for installing the finished hardwood floor on later. It will also serve to keep some of the dirt and mess from plastering from sifting through the cracks. Actually, we’ve already had a fair bit of dirt work its way through the cracks and fall from the ceiling downstairs. So, before we could put the underlayment down, we had to clean out as much of the dirt as we could. We used the air compressor with an air nozzle and a vacuum to get as much as we could. We also put down red rosin paper before the plywood. We’ll have another layer of the rosin paper under the finished hardwood.</p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-52751735658339195382012-07-27T09:21:00.001-06:002012-07-27T09:21:08.331-06:00Mud in June<p>I’ve let a few weeks pass without posting, but that doesn’t mean that we haven’t been working. Actually, there were two weeks that we took off from work on the house (not completely, but mostly) for a variety of reasons, including <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZLsgXGyXOYI/UBKxx_ymeCI/AAAAAAAAD0k/IigF78EAMiY/s1600-h/005%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="005" border="0" alt="005" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rK_EbOT9bZ4/UBKxyblOiWI/AAAAAAAAD0s/btOQFhNgr1U/005_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>Anne and I celebrating our 22nd anniversary and my finishing up my summer classes.</p> <p>We continued from where were left off in the last post by finishing in the hallway outside of the guest room and also plastering the walls in the main bathroom. Smearing mud plaster on the walls is not difficult. We just make sure that on raw bales or packed walls that the plaster is worked into the straw well. This first coat provides the foundation for the rest of the plaster, making it important that it is keyed into the straw well. Around the windows, this involves pressing the mud into the straw through the chicken wire used to curve the edges. The straw in these areas is mostly parallel with the surface. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ffqui-aZn_4/UBKxzNHB1uI/AAAAAAAAD00/V4PlFazqhyo/s1600-h/007%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="007" border="0" alt="007" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yIBgZ6GUk_A/UBKxztDToJI/AAAAAAAAD08/djmVovBe5jU/007_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>On the regular edges of the straw bales the ends of the straws are oriented toward the surface which is much easier to work the plaster into.</p> <p>One difficulty revealed itself above the back door. Above the windows and the other doors, I used chicken wire to hold the straw in the right shape, but above the back door there was no where convenient to attach the wire at the top above the door. So, I didn’t use any wire and instead just shaped the edge of the bales. This part was fine. The problem was the board that I used to support the bales above the door – <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xqJg3BWEE5Q/UBKx0sEKkbI/AAAAAAAAD1E/yUk3xIQnfdo/s1600-h/011%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="011" border="0" alt="011" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mA8Iezec148/UBKx1FWmPmI/AAAAAAAAD1M/xRbvGm9Oit4/011_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>the plaster didn’t stick to it once it dried. I’ll have to remedy this later.</p> <p>Once we finished the bathroom, we moved on to the master bedroom. We plastered in the closet, the walls in the bedroom, and in the master bathroom. We had all the walls except for a small section in the bathroom finished before we ended up taking off the two weeks.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0ab-I5CtFqM/UBKx2Ef3HAI/AAAAAAAAD1U/bxMsE6ulhHY/s1600-h/020%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="020" border="0" alt="020" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6wtxZJNIC1g/UBKx2sxrEwI/AAAAAAAAD1c/MB6-LHV2EIw/020_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mxD89m9KZFY/UBKx4Of4NwI/AAAAAAAAD1k/bYmZ9r5h3rg/s1600-h/026%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="026" border="0" alt="026" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IgEPkWnixo8/UBKx4pAh80I/AAAAAAAAD1s/UTH55C34QEo/026_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-78176352309832393922012-06-17T20:28:00.001-06:002012-06-17T20:33:37.630-06:00Continuing to put mud on the walls<p>There were several things to do this last week that did not involve the house, but we were still able to mix and apply several batches of plaster.</p> <p>On Monday, the boys and I worked all day plastering the walls in the laundry room. We mixed seven batches of plaster and put them on the walls. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MQQZVrG11IM/T96SEH-NMQI/AAAAAAAADzA/-gB9gZEMJ90/s1600-h/008%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="008" border="0" alt="008" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-V71Qn6bWe5U/T96SEsu887I/AAAAAAAADzI/JWEFqEiHQQw/008_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="229" /></a>Each batch weighs around 240 pounds wet. Once it dries, it’ll lose about 40 pounds per batch (a five-gallon bucket of water). So, that’s 1,400 pounds of thermal mass on just these four walls alone. If we count all the walls we’ve done so far (including the walls we did on Friday that I haven’t mentioned yet), it figures out to about 3,500 pounds of thermal mass, and we’ve only put the first coat on a few of the walls. There is still the second coat on the straw bale walls to be figured and a finish coat on all the walls. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-c4LZIFwRQo0/T96SFgyLjaI/AAAAAAAADzQ/91e_GLqUSbI/s1600-h/009%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="009" border="0" alt="009" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-N5PFVvJG4CI/T96SGOG-X2I/AAAAAAAADzY/rbDrMtgrgSY/009_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>I find it interesting to think about the mass of the plaster that will help moderate temperature and humidity (clay is good for that) when the house is done.</p> <p>I took the photos today of the plaster we applied last week. So, you can see that it is drying nicely. It’ll be cured within the next week, I expect. The places where it is thicker will take longer to dry thoroughly, but there’s not really any hurry. The only concern is mold. If the weather cools off and it is damp, the plaster won’t dry quickly like it does when it is warm with a good breeze blowing through the house. We had a few areas on the <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dIkQKdjbT28/T96SHLSL67I/AAAAAAAADzg/Ji3rNhP8yPA/s1600-h/013%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="013" border="0" alt="013" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MSmFLqo6SGg/T96SH5CfKOI/AAAAAAAADzo/nFdcKRXLeNw/013_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>walls that we packed with slip straw last fall that grew some mold on the surface because the drying conditions deteriorated after we packed them.</p> <p>I’m not really worried about the mold. It seems to originate in some of the straw that is used in the mixes, probably because of the presence of mold spores. It can only survive and grow in moist conditions. I have discovered a safe way to kill it and prevent it from spreading – white distilled vinegar. We sprayed walls that grew mold after packing last year, and it took care of the problem. There have been a few places where some mold appeared on the surface of the plaster when the drying conditions <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-D8tTuMIHMf4/T96SIzHuveI/AAAAAAAADzw/TFKqzt1JfcA/s1600-h/004%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="004" border="0" alt="004" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-C9tFSujunX0/T96SJh5fxMI/AAAAAAAADz4/YtE7Fg7lMLw/004_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>were not ideal recently. A little vinegar kills it quickly. I’m sure if it was a major case, not just a little here or there, that there might be some other remedies needed, but this one is working for us.</p> <p>So, after doing all the walls in the laundry room, we didn’t get back to plastering until Friday. We only had the afternoon, and we worked in the guest room. We were able to get 2 walls done. We’ll finish this room tomorrow if all goes well. And, we’ll do a few more walls, too. It is reasonable for us to finish the first coat on all the downstairs walls this week.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RMsysWNglvQ/T96SMtItUqI/AAAAAAAAD0A/2uBZrNdUwrA/s1600-h/002%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="002" border="0" alt="002" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ry454LNH0mk/T96SNOw1xWI/AAAAAAAAD0I/MwfXxK1DZ_Q/002_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--1Y1veYVOkg/T96SObsXQSI/AAAAAAAAD0Q/02SHoLgrGu0/s1600-h/005%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="005" border="0" alt="005" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xQtDzacW9AI/T96SOzrj4KI/AAAAAAAAD0Y/KxKDSWef3ww/005_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-86307289295514608342012-06-10T16:35:00.001-06:002012-06-10T16:35:37.907-06:00Putting mud on the walls<p>Since we have all the interior walls packed, it was time to focus on plastering. We did a little plastering a few weeks ago – just one batch. The boys both commented that they would rather play in the mud than pack the walls. So, they seemed happy to plaster.</p> <p>We started with the dining area wall on Tuesday after doing some cleaning up on Monday. This was the largest of straw bale walls to be plastered, <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_w7V9QtNBJA/T9Ug8yY7BLI/AAAAAAAADxc/XiHdQQcXw4Q/s1600-h/009%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="009" border="0" alt="009" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KazLhs6cYgA/T9Ug9q0fvJI/AAAAAAAADxk/jb7SsI6HymY/009_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="229" /></a>considering walls as areas between posts or on one side of a specific rooms. This wall is 9 feet tall and 14 feet wide with only one window. The thing with plastering the straw bales is that we have to work the plaster into the straw. The goal is to get it pressed into the bales an inch or two. Also, around the windows where I curved the bales, I really have to work the plaster in. I used chicken wire on the curves. So, I have to press the plaster through the wire and work it into the straw with my fingers. When the ends of the straw face outward, it’s easier to work the mud in, but when the straws lay cross ways, like most do in the curves and on the ends of bales, it takes more effort to work it in.</p> <p>So, I worked the plaster in on the window curves while the boys worked on the sides and below. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-t4iSjUoMATs/T9Ug-juln6I/AAAAAAAADxs/jdbwxjH3ju0/s1600-h/017%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 5px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="017" border="0" alt="017" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IkOQGp8UYjc/T9Ug_Xuzk0I/AAAAAAAADx0/ZDZWmR8XCCI/017_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="229" /></a>Once I got the curves done, I helped finish up the rest of the wall and make sure it was all pressed in to the bales as desired.</p> <p>On Wednesday, we decided to plaster some of the slip straw walls. Having done a little of this previously, we knew that it goes on much easier than the straw bale walls. You don’t have to work it in the same way. Our process involved the boys smearing the plaster on the walls with their hands. I would follow with a trowel to smooth and even out the plaster. We were able to finish the wall below the stairs, the wall along the stairway, and almost all of the walls in the hallway, <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YcFWlUkKg6Q/T9UhAImJfyI/AAAAAAAADx8/cpg-OnU81HY/s1600-h/007%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 5px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="007" border="0" alt="007" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sGzW9vhwQPg/T9UhBRAugfI/AAAAAAAADyE/mOznHQuZW-g/007_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rDya2OfDErk/T9UhCNEBOXI/AAAAAAAADyM/jJkXANAe33A/s1600-h/006%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="006" border="0" alt="006" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-S5rf5WaTjRM/T9UhCuxDhrI/AAAAAAAADyU/tNM0lEN1fLk/006_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>including in the linen closet but not the cabinet above.</p> <p>We actually finished these walls in the morning and then spent time in the afternoon sifting some more clay dirt. We’re using clay that we excavated when digging the root cellar. I ran the tiller through the clay pile to loosen things up and then we screened it through 1/4” hardware cloth to remove rocks and larger clods of clay. This makes a nicer mix of plaster. We screened it into half of a 275 gallon tote – <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QlyaXyzPoUk/T9UhDqwDVUI/AAAAAAAADyc/Te4jsp1JAPo/s1600-h/013%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="013" border="0" alt="013" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ubjt-WO2tPQ/T9UhEEEutnI/AAAAAAAADyk/oOkTx0MeueU/013_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="229" /></a>the same thing we mixed the slip straw in, only we put the metal frame around it to give it some rigidity.</p> <p>On Friday, we plastered in the mudroom. We were able to get all of the walls plastered in there except for a small section above the interior door. We had two walls of straw bale and two of slip straw. There were curves around and above one window and the exterior door.</p> <p>I calculated that in the three days of plastering that we mixed and applied 1,500 pounds of plaster. Once the water dries out of it, that is 1,200 pounds of plaster. This is only the first coat, too. <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BlD7C_y_ggM/T9UhE4h2csI/AAAAAAAADys/Z3c_-GoiWKA/s1600-h/011%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 5px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="011" border="0" alt="011" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-K4C_fV_ZSDI/T9UhFBjTc-I/AAAAAAAADy0/nShLgSJ7WTo/011_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="229" height="304" /></a>The straw bale walls will require a second heavier coat to fill in the irregularities, maybe even a third coat. The slip straw walls will only require one more coat. At this rate, we will have several tons of thermal mass on the walls which should help moderate the interior temperature during the summer and winter.</p> <p>Each batch of plaster consisted of 2 buckets of sand, 1.5 buckets of clay-rich dirt, one bucket of water, and half a bucket of chopped straw. I mixed it in the concrete mixer, using my hand to help ensure that the sand was mixed through properly. It made a nice easy to apply plaster.</p> <p>We’ll be mixing up a lot more in the coming weeks.</p> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529045882145916711.post-88633860962222397192012-06-01T16:09:00.001-06:002012-06-01T16:09:52.883-06:00Straw in the wall: an instructional video on slip straw<p>I’ve been thinking about and intending to put together a video on using light straw clay, also known as slip straw, in interior walls. The boys and I have packed 1,100 square feet of walls now. So, we have a little experience. I figure that I really was learning how to do it by the time we finished this week, but I’m not going to go back and start over!</p> <p>Anyway, I figured it would be best to shoot some video on the process before we got it all done. As we worked on the final walls, I videoed different parts of the process, and then I spent some time over a couple of days to put together an instructional video called <em>Straw in the wall: using light straw clay (slip straw) as interior wall fill</em>. </p> <p> </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:db915c02-e203-4f73-95e3-2657952f81c9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="b80bdf5f-00bc-44ec-9fa4-f83e5a35de70" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSApSrd8VwY" target="_new"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SBNIa0-Hv8Q/T8k9sA4HgAI/AAAAAAAADxQ/S9nMwpoTGRQ/video4d212ffc7d78%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('b80bdf5f-00bc-44ec-9fa4-f83e5a35de70'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"537\" height=\"302\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/iSApSrd8VwY?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/iSApSrd8VwY?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"537\" height=\"302\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> dphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16205051256917210078noreply@blogger.com3