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What's Happening Now: Early February

Lots of workers, in a variety of trades, are working hard to get their jobs completed.

Front Deck and Stairway

Shawn Burnett, Eddie Moran, and their coworkers did a beautiful job finishing the deck and front stairway.

They crafted posts, and then cut and screwed the "ipe" (pronounced "e-pay") decking.

This wood -- which some refer to as ironwood -- is so hard and dense that it quickly dulled the teeth on their saw blades. Every hole had to be pre-drilled.

Instead of wooden railing, we chose stainless steel wire, which won't impede our view of the forest.

For each strand, a hole had to be drilled through each post.

Where the wire changed direction, it had to be cut, stretched taut, and a nut afixed to the end. This was very painstaking work.

Along the front stairway, an extra handrail was carefully crafted and then attached.

Walkway Above the Great Room

Grandson Spencer West used his timber-frame skills to craft a railing system along the walkway that overlooks the great room.

Trim

Spencer West, Scott Smith, and Jeff West continued putting wood trim around the interior doors and windows.

We then began applying "Danish finish." This non-toxic finish, which is primarily linseed oil, darkens the alder trim to a beautiful dark honey tone.

Plumbing Fixtures

Faucets and sinks were installed in all of the bathrooms.

All of the bathroom faucets are certified through the US Environmental Protection Agency's "Water Sense" program. The purpose of the WaterSense program is to promote water-efficient products and practices.

Even in the Pacific Northwest, there's no sense in wasting water!

All of the toilets were also installed.

(This means that our old friend the Honey Bucket will soon be gone!)

Specification:

It's also WaterSense-certified. The user can select a 0.8-gallon or 1.6-gallon flush. Even the 0.8-gallon flush occurs with a burst that makes it pretty powerful.

Appliances

The kitchen appliances have been installed.

The refrigerator barely fit underneath the high cabinet, until you got to the hinges. The hinges made it barely too tall to push all the way in.

Shawn Burnett decided that the best way to address this would be to remove the cabinet and raise it an inch. Then he brought the cabinet out from the wall so the front was flush with the refrigerator. He then expertly boxed in the side so the refrigerator has the appearance of being built in.

The kitchen sink and faucet, along with the dishwasher, were installed in the island.

The Wolf gas range also was installed, although we're still awaiting the propane hookup.

Because the cooktop is below a nice big window, we didn't want a typical exhaust fan. Instead we have a downdraft that comes up out of the counter when it's in use, and descends back into it when not in use.

Getting Ready | Well | Milling Wood | Excavation | Concrete
Framing | More Framing | Plumbing | Electrical | Floors | Roofing

What's Happening Now:
Late Oct | Early Nov | Mid-Nov | Late Nov | Early Dec | Late Dec
Early Jan | Late Jan | Early Feb | Late Feb | Early March | Mid-April - Done!