Jo-Anne and Nik came to the site today to review our progress (Jo-Anne wanted to verify the actual progress herself, as noted yesterday).  Everything looked fine to them, especially in the sunshine.

Reviewing Kate’s Bathroom

After reviewing the progress, Jo-Anne made a change to Kate’s bathroom as she would prefer Kate to have a pony wall with a full frosted glass window.

She believes that Kate’s bathroom will appear larger with fewer walls and, given there is a skylight that will provide natural light, a single frosted glass window is preferable to having a full wall with split glass (frosted glass on one side of the wall and clear glass on the other side).

The framing on the ground floor has progressed nicely.

The cabinet wall between the Kitchen and Dining room needs the post that will support the ridge beam.

Nik is pleased with how his bedroom is looking.

Jo-Anne, standing in the Wine Dining, inspected the Wine Cellar and thought it looked fine.

Bryan returned to Bonny Doon and picked up the beams that he wasn’t able to deliver yesterday.  We need to have the beams milled and on site at Via Sereno for grading on Friday, February 19.  Then, the beams can be installed and we will be able to put the SIP roof on.

We’re looking forward to being weather tight after the winter rains have passed.

Site Visits by Jerry Ditto and Howard Bell

After returning to the job site, Jerry Ditto dropped by to review our progress and to discuss how to finish the exposed exterior beams that continue inside the house. 

While Jerry was on site, Howard Bell (Building Official from the City of Monte Sereno), came to review our framing.  We requested that Howard review the framing so we can anticipate any issues as we are framing the house.  Howard looked at the framing on the ground floor and lower level, and identified the following issues to address:

• The code requires ‘fire blocking’ every 10 linear feet behind framed walls, to prevent fires from spreading behind walls between rooms.
• The same fire blocking is required in soffits, to prevent fires from using soffits to spread between rooms.
• All electrical and plumbing penetrations need to be caulked with fireproof caulking to prevent fires from spreading.

As he was leaving the site, Howard noted that the drag straps that will connect our beams and the tops of the shear walls will be covered by our roof SIPs.  This may be an appropriate time for Shane Lothrop (Innovative Structural Engineering), our Engineer of Record, to visit our site and review our progress. 

Dave Merchant (Out of the Woods) has designated the two stacks of Madrone that are air-drying for our project. This wood will be going into Dave

Loading two more beams for delivery to Watsonville.

Jackel Enterprises has several buildings in Watsonville.

There are four more reclaimed Douglas Fir beams that Jackel Enterprises will be milling for our project. The beams on the right are ours, too.

While in the warehouse, Bryan had our original beams moved so he could take a full inventory of them and measure the dimensions of each beam.

Back at our job site, our framing continues. Note the FSC stamps.

Jackel Enterprises in Watsonville is milling our reclaimed Douglas Fir beams.  Bryan delivered a couple more beams from Bonny Doon and reviewed the milling work to date.

The 25 ft 6 inch 6×14 has been cut and milled into two 6×6 beams that will be used to support the upper flat SIP roof over the Atrium.  As well, the 6×14 beams were cut vertically into two 1-3/4 inch wide planks for our insulated headers.

Back at the job site, our framing continues with excellent progress in the Kitchen and on the existinug wall on the West side of the house.

Way cool.

Dave Merchant trims the end of a beam that Bryan will deliver to Watsonville.

The grain of the log is visible in the end of this beam.

Tim shows Bryan the beams that he milled earlier today.

Two pairs of 1-3/4 inch planks on the left for insulated headers, and the full 25 ft 6 inch 6x6 reclaimed Douglas Fir beams that will support the upper SIP roof over the Atrium.

The existing West wall has new 2x6 studs sistered so the house will have more insulation and be much more energy efficient.

The 'cabinet wall' between the Kitchen and Dining Room is starting to take shape. Much easier to describe now - looks great!

Although we have already bought 10 6x beams, we decided to buy a couple more.

More Beams, Please

After reflecting on our needs, we could use two more 6x beams.  Bryan noticed that Ken had not sold the beams and we have a window to transport the beams over to Watsonville for milling.

After identifying which beams that we’re going to use throughout the house, and assigning individual beams to those requirements, we could use a couple more beams.  First, we need a 6×12 beam that will be exposed and ‘connect’ the lower flat roof on the East side of the house to the cabinet wall between the Kitchen and Dining room.  This is a short beam, only 8 feet long, of which only a couple feet will be exposed.

Also, we would like to make some ‘insulated headers’, which will have higher R-values than solid wood.  These insulated headers are required on the East side of the house over the main kitchen door and on the West side of the house over the windows in the Master bathroom and in Kate’s bathroom.  Having insulated headers in these locations will reduce condensation on cold days when we are having hot showers.

The insulated headers will be made by having two 1-3/4 inch wide boards that are 10 inches tall sandwiching a 2 inch piece of rigid styrofoam.  This composite material will have sufficient structural strength and a much higher R-value than a solid wooden beam.

Using a smaller steel rod and mallet, we quickly removed the reinforcing steel (rebar) from the reclaimed wooden beams.

Rebar removed from reclaimed wooden beam. Done.

Two 6x14 beams loaded safely and securely on the truck, for delivery to Watsonville tomorrow.

The site was looking good in the sunshine. We remembered the evening when Nik put his name in the concrete in Kate's bedroom.

And, of course, here is Kate's writing in the concrete.

Progress on framing the west side of the house.

It is satisfying to see our walls going up on the ground floor (finally).

Richard Holman, an instructor in the Environmental Studies Department at De Anza College, visited our site today.  He teaches energy courses, such as design of solar thermal systems.  Once we install our geothermal and other systems, Richard may bring his students for a site visit.

Also, Bryan bought a number of Simpson Strong Tie products that will be used for our framing on the ground floor.

Richard Holman arrives at our job site.

Richard, not familiar with SIPs (structural insulated panels), peeked under the protective tarps.

Richard spotted, and liked, the FSC-certified wood that we are using in our project.

At the back of the house, we will hang the Paralam beam to other beams, which will require Simpson hangers.

Stack of Simpson 6x hangers.

Simpson SDS fasteners and galvanized nuts for anchor bolts.

Reclaimed beams are unique.  Each beam has different characteristics, including the location in the tree that the beam is from, changes to date (e.g., bends and warps), and holes from fasteners (e.g., reinforcing steel) and notches.

As well, only certain parts of beams will be visible in our house.  For example, only the first 4 feet of the 12-foot beam in the garage will be visible (visible on three sides and exposed to the weather).  As well, certain beams have different structural loads, such as the drop beam in the garage that sits on the garage header (these beams carry significant structual loads).

So … we had to review the characteristics of each beam and the various requirements for beams througout the house, and then assign the individual beams to each beam location.

Back to the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Driving up Highway 1 towards the turnoff to Bonny Doon (just south of Davenport).

Our beams, uncovered so they can be reviewed, evaluated and assigned to specific locations in the house.

While the beams do not look good here, once the outside wood is removed they will be spectacular.

Bryan wrote the location on the top of each beam with red pen.

The 6x14 beam on the right is 25 ft 6 inches long, and will be cut in two so we will have two 6x6 wooden beams for the East and West drop beams supporting the upper flat roof in the atrium.

After assigning each beam to a specific location, we wrapped up the beams and tucked them in for the night.

Bryan standing by the first lift of Madrone hardwood, which has been air drying for several months (photo - David Merchant).

Bryan standing by the second lift of Madrone hardwood. This wood will go into a kiln, where it will continue to be dried slowly (photo - David Merchant).