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!

The final parts of the framing with wrapping up in our lower level today.  As well, we started the furring under the hollow core concrete panels.

Furring the Ceiling

We designed the basement ceiling to reuse the Redwood decking from the original house, which has been ripped in two and remilled by Jackel Enterprises in Watsonville.

The 5/8-inch Redwood tongue and groove material must be fastened to the hollow core concrete panels so we need 2×4 furring to be attached to the hollow core concrete panels.  Since the hollow core concrete panels have a slight camber, the 2×4 furring strips need to be shimmed so they are level.  We are attaching the pressure-treated furring with GRK Caliburn screws, or equivalent.

The bearing wall under the W14x43 steel beam has been strengthened by sistering in additional 2x6 studs and then adding horizontal blocking.

We are dropping the ceiling in the Wine Dining so we can insulate the ceiling and have this room be seen as a very different space from the rest of the lower level.

The ceiling is dropped in the West Mechanical room so we can insulate it as Kate's bedroom is above it. The West Mechanical room will house our electric pumps, which are part of our geothermal heat exchange.

Caliburn concrete screws, from GRK.

Titen Masonry screws, from Simpson Strong Tie.

Pressure treated 2x4 furring in the Play Area. Note the cedar shims.

Furring and soffits in the Snack Area.

Scott Andersen’s Design in Panama

Our good friend, Scott Andersen, has been working with an architect in Panama to design a house.  As background, Scott worked with us on the conceptual design for our house and he has over 20 years of designing contempory homes in Toronto, Canada.  The rendering of the house shows plenty of concrete, glass and steel, with an infinity edge pool and spectacular views.  Definitely an ‘adult’ house.

The question is, ‘How fast can this house be built?’ with the follow on question, ‘Will the house in Panama be completed before our house in completed?’.

Rendering of a house in Panama.