Just The Plane Facts

NOTE:  This blog and photos may not be shared or reproduced without the express written consent of A Building We Shall Go!

Copyright 2013 A Building We Shall Go!

All rights reserved

Yesterday, we told you about preparing the sub-floor for the pallet wood we reclaimed.

Today, we will tell you how much time and effort it has taken to make

these undesirable things

look slick!

Finer than a frog hair split 4 ways!!!

(Flower Boy's words)

To tell you this was an easy task would be a fable.

After the pallets were torn apart and all the nails, staples, rocks and other metal were removed,

the planks were ran through the planer

Planing the wood makes all the planks the same thickness, as well as, restoring the wood to it's natural state.

This took several passes.

As you can see from the photo above, after going through the first pass, the wood is still quite weathered.

In this photo, you can see the plank going through the planer, looks better after more passes.

I got so good at 'catching' the wood, Drewman was sending them through 2 boards at a time.

Not all the planks were taken to their natural wood. 

Some have only a bit of the weathered removed.

Ailey loved playing in the wood shavings.

We gave the shavings to our neighbors to use as bedding for their sheep.

The pallet planks then had to be ran through a jointer.

The jointer squares up one edge so the plank can be cut down to size.

The next process was to run each plank across the table saw.

We have five widths of planks.

2", 3", 4" and 5"

Next, the plank ends were cut to make them square.

The finished product!

KUDOS has to be given to Drewman.

He collected every pallet.

He has taken every pallet apart, with our help.

He has done all the planing, jointing and cutting on every single board.

The things a boy does for his momma!

That is Just The Plane Facts!

Copyright 2013 A Building We Shall Go!

All rights reserved

Prep Time

NOTE:  This blog and photos may not be shared or reproduced without the express written consent of A Building We Shall Go!

Copyright 2013 A Building We Shall Go!

All rights reserved

Do you know the amount of prep time that goes into a project?

It is a ton of work, but in the end it is the best time spent.

Over the past several weeks, we have been preparing pallet wood for our living room floor.

Drewman completed half the wood in wood shop.

The other half was completed last week at home.

I will blog more about that later.

I only thought taking the pallets apart was hard!

This past weekend we prepared the sub-floor.

It all started with a trip to Lowes.

Flower Boy measured and measured again.

He made his list and checked it twice.

I am a list person so if it isn't on the list, it doesn't get purchased.

We found things that weren't on the list.

Needless to say, Drewman had to return to Lowes.

We looked at a tool that we thought would make the process of laying the sub-floor easier, but we didn't purchase it.

It wasn't on the list...

The Lowes workers loaded the truck and we scurried home to start laying the sub-floor.

Flower Boy starts by making the cuts for the first piece of plywood.

Then adhesive designed to adhere the plywood to concrete is applied.

Sliding the plywood into place without touching the concrete.

About this time is when Drewman got to make the second trip to Lowes.

We picked up some widget type nails that were suppose to be EASY to drive into the concrete.

Somebody lied!

Every one Flower Boy would attempt to drive would bend over and not go into the concrete.

The decision was made to send Drewman to get that tool we looked at.

The one that wasn't on the list...

This little gem shoots a nail with a .22 bullet!

(Minus the lead.)

So much easier and faster!

While preparing the final full sheet of plywood,

Flower Boy tells me to get my phone ready to take a picture.

It all starts with the Brand.

Then he adds our initials.

JL

BS

DA

To finish it off, he adds 2013.

I do love this man!

He always does something special to show his love for us.

The guys are making the final cut of the day/night.

TA DAH!!!

The subfloor is complete!

Anyone care to dance before the pallet wood goes down?

Copyright 2013 A Building We Shall Go!

All rights reserved

Let There Be Light

It's been busy around the house.

Here are a few pictures of the lighting installed this week.

Outside the side garage door.

Both sides of the roll up garage door.

Our vanity lighting.  There is a matching one over my makeup area (or wakeup area).

Our closet light.

Ceiling fans in the bedrooms.

Drewman's vanity light.

The living room!

We even have a doorbell!

These little things need no explanation!

They are hard wired in each bedroom!

Switches and plates have also been installed.

As well as, electric outlets and plates.

There is no story behind this post.

I just went to work, returned and did a happy dance.

I do think, Flower Boy's stress level is lowering.

Only a few weeks till he will be setting in his chair enjoying the view!

Our dining and island chandeliers have not been installed yet.

They should be installed early next week when the electrician returns to hook up POWER!



Approach

The rock for the approach, to the concrete drive, was delivered.

Brandan backed the truck down the drive.

Lifted the lever to raise the trailer

and dumped

several tons of rock!

Brandan is checking to see if all the rock is out of the trailer



Flower Boy gets on the tractor.

Scoops a bucket load,

backs up,

and spreads it on the approach.

After leveling out the rock,

the Rogue now has a new parking spot!

YAY!!!

(Photos provided by Drewman)

Brandan will be delivering more rock, for the drive, soon.

OH!

The shutters and porch posts got a coat of lacquer yesterday.

The lacquer will preserve the natural look of the cedar.

If you look really close, you can see the living room ceiling fan...

Maybe tomorrow, we will give you a better look at the lighting.

Hardware Installation

This has been a week of installation.

Monday and Tuesday, these installations occurred.

The closet hardware has been installed.

The door knobs have been installed.

Towel racks have been installed.

Even the toilet paper holders have been installed.

The porch posts have been installed.

The best part of this installation...

The shutters!

AND

The front door!

I told you, we won't show off the front door until the final house reveal.

You will have to come visit, if you want to see before then.

Today, the electrician is there installing switches, outlets and lighting fixtures!

I'm going home early!

Clean Slate!

Tile Guy arrived last Thursday to work on Flower Boy's shower.

We were a little sceptical of the type of work Tile Guy would preform.

He had taken quite a bit of time with Drewman's shower and things got a little rocky.

Thursday evening, there were only two rows of slate tile on the walls of Flower Boy's shower.

We were thinking, we could have the same issues as before.

Friday evening, we arrive home to this!

Spacers and everything!

Clean with no mess!

The entire shower was tiled!

No chipped tiles!

Tiles all level and straight!

Saturday, Tile Guy came to seal the slate.

Because slate in a natural stone, it must be sealed to prevent moisture from wicking into the slate, to prevent dirt from absorbing into the slate and due to the mineral content of the slate, without sealing it will rust.

Yesterday, the shower was grouted.

We chose a light gray grout.

We think it brings out the gray in the slate and blends well with the tumbled stone, in the feature strip.

Tile Guy redeemed himself and now has a Clean Slate to move on to the backsplash.

We had this tile on hand. 

I purchased it when my bathroom, in the old house, was under construction.

If you remember, that bathroom was never completed because My Daddy became ill.

The dimensions of Flower Boy's shower are the same as the dimensions of the shower I was going to put in that bathroom.

Can you say "COST SAVINGS"?

We CAN!

This evening, we meet with the builder to place the order for the shower fixtures.

Flower Boy's shower will have three (YES THREE) shower heads.

One rain head, one regular shower head and one extension shower head.

Heads Up!

This shower still needs a floor.