We worked thru odds and ends of the deck this weekend — applied copper-green wood preservative to help shield cuts from the elements and termites. this stuff is nasty nasty nasty. After much research, debate and time, we’ve pulled the trigger on redwood for the decking surface. Hardwoods such as mangaris or IPE simply doesn’t jive with our budget — composite, well, it’s composite. I’ve checked out various sites, including the america’s cup harbor project that miller hull completed a few years back. I like how they used composite, it’s just not for us.
So, we’ll seal the underside of each board for termite prevention, but allow the decking to naturally grey before applying a penetrating oil to avoid further deterioration.
Continue reading ‘weathered wood’
Finally! The structure for each deck is just about sorted. It’s nice to see very little waste leftover given the 20′ lengths for the layout. Each deck is freestanding with a 2′ cantilever to avoid potential waterproof issues with a traditional ledger.
Continue reading ‘house beyond walls’
With the help of Dustin, irrigation is stubbed out for the many zones. Now that irrigation is sorted, we began to layout the deck. Lines are pulled from each end of the house to make sure all is square. We laid out the structure, 18 piers in total. The deck itself is roughly 700 sq ft.
Continue reading ‘lets go outside’
Green vinyl out, welcome swedfurn blue. and a little ikea too. more pics coming soon.
The punch list for the house is growing: pour a concrete swale, irrigation, caulk the tub, figure out the smokey glass dishwasher issue (any suggestions?), sort out the nursery (x2!) … so why not add another structure to it?
uh, money, of course. nonetheless, my weekend procrastination kicks in and I go into *what-if* mode. looking within the constraints of our existing site conditions… this 10′x40′ structure would be a dream to build…
Continue reading ‘Tower 32: officially dreamin’’
happy new year! this movie captures aspects of one-year in the making, specifically, the multiple uses of both upstairs and downstairs *cube*. you’ve seen all this before, but I put together a small preso for work to talk simplicity. simplicity is… not easy. but a few guiding principles might just help you achieve what you’re after: simple, appropriate, functional, and economical (via val casey) — SAFE.
our goal: reuse the existing non-habitable structure (economical and sustainable!) and create a simple, efficient, poetic living space that allows for multiple-uses wherever possible, utilizing forms, methods and materials that minimize cost.
big thanks to the über talented steve sanders for putting this video together on crazy short notice… we’ll update this as we accomplish major milestones with the house.
