Glass and Interior Walls
Well FINALLY we've started to make progress
again. The mess with the framer really set us
back, and then it took about a month to get the
glass ordered and installed. I don't know what
took them so long....but it did! In this picture we
have 10 out of 15 windows installed. Each
window is double-paned tempered glass. All of the
glass measures 46" by 90" except for the pieces
over the operable windows, which were custom
cut to fit. Each full sheet of glass weighs about
200 pounds, so I'm told. I had the glass guy do
the installing. You can easily see the part in the
middle of the building
again. The mess with the framer really set us
back, and then it took about a month to get the
glass ordered and installed. I don't know what
took them so long....but it did! In this picture we
have 10 out of 15 windows installed. Each
window is double-paned tempered glass. All of the
glass measures 46" by 90" except for the pieces
over the operable windows, which were custom
cut to fit. Each full sheet of glass weighs about
200 pounds, so I'm told. I had the glass guy do
the installing. You can easily see the part in the
middle of the building
This space is for a solar hot water heater and also makes up the roof for the utility room. Some how the
framer screwed this up too. The drawings show it to be 8 ft. wide. The yahoo made it 9' wide, causing a
few difficulties with the kitcher -- like suddenly it was 1 ft. narrower. THEN the operables were put in.
The first ones were WAY wrong. I was very, very, very specific in what these windows needed to be,
what size, how they needed to open, etc. Once the correct windows were installed, it was MUCH nicer to
work inside. The wind was much less of an issue. We installed the doors and temporarily covered all of the
large holes with plastic, and it suddenly seemed
framer screwed this up too. The drawings show it to be 8 ft. wide. The yahoo made it 9' wide, causing a
few difficulties with the kitcher -- like suddenly it was 1 ft. narrower. THEN the operables were put in.
The first ones were WAY wrong. I was very, very, very specific in what these windows needed to be,
what size, how they needed to open, etc. Once the correct windows were installed, it was MUCH nicer to
work inside. The wind was much less of an issue. We installed the doors and temporarily covered all of the
large holes with plastic, and it suddenly seemed
like a house. We bought this door at a
building material salvage yard. We paid a lot
for this one, but it is a very nice door. It was
unfinished and required some work, but that
was fun stuff. The other door we found in
the clearance pile at the local Home Depot. I
wanted to build the doors out of pallets, as
shown in the Earthship books,but I didn't have
the time right now.
So, with the wind mostly out of the house
and the weather warming up, we figured that
we could start mixing cement again, and get
started on the interior walls.
First we finished (almost) the east planter
building material salvage yard. We paid a lot
for this one, but it is a very nice door. It was
unfinished and required some work, but that
was fun stuff. The other door we found in
the clearance pile at the local Home Depot. I
wanted to build the doors out of pallets, as
shown in the Earthship books,but I didn't have
the time right now.
So, with the wind mostly out of the house
and the weather warming up, we figured that
we could start mixing cement again, and get
started on the interior walls.
First we finished (almost) the east planter
wall. This picture doesn't show the best part
very well... we put those blue bottles in, right
along the top. You can see them poking out on
each side of the wall. Building can walls seems
just about idiot proof. As long and you mix the
cement correctly, and make the wall plumb, it's
hard to mess up. I was a little concened about
the way we used the wood blocks instead of
cans, but now I think they'll work just fine.
Some of them apparently swelled in the wet
cement and then shrank in the dry cement, and
are now a little bit loose, but I think that the
cement plaster that we will apply will make
very well... we put those blue bottles in, right
along the top. You can see them poking out on
each side of the wall. Building can walls seems
just about idiot proof. As long and you mix the
cement correctly, and make the wall plumb, it's
hard to mess up. I was a little concened about
the way we used the wood blocks instead of
cans, but now I think they'll work just fine.
Some of them apparently swelled in the wet
cement and then shrank in the dry cement, and
are now a little bit loose, but I think that the
cement plaster that we will apply will make
everything hold together just fine. We decided to have another work party, since the weather was getting
nicer and we were feeling motivated. Of course, nothing can ever go as planned. A couple of days before
the party a huge snowstorm moved through. It was nice enough on the day of the party but...the effects
of the storm were certainly felt.
nicer and we were feeling motivated. Of course, nothing can ever go as planned. A couple of days before
the party a huge snowstorm moved through. It was nice enough on the day of the party but...the effects
of the storm were certainly felt.
The middle U has that egress window which has not been
installed yet. I covered the hole with a piece of plywood,
but there were a few crevices and BAM snowdrift in the
bedroom! This picture shows about half of the snow.
The worst part, though...
installed yet. I covered the hole with a piece of plywood,
but there were a few crevices and BAM snowdrift in the
bedroom! This picture shows about half of the snow.
The worst part, though...
was that the porta-potty was blown over. Not
just blown over, either. The whole thing was
completely filled with snow. We had to dig it
out before we could right it!
So far, this work party was business as usual
for the Crow's!
just blown over, either. The whole thing was
completely filled with snow. We had to dig it
out before we could right it!
So far, this work party was business as usual
for the Crow's!
Our primary objective (after digging out the
bedroom and the porta-potty) for the day was to
get the first layer of void-filling done. In this we
were successful. Essentially, we are trying to
make the walls smooth. You have to go one
layer at a time so that everything drys correctly
and it doesn't just dry up and fall out of the void.
We've chosen to do this first layer with cement
and cans. Often plain old mud with some straw
mixed in is used. We chose cement because:
1. we already know how to mix large quantities,
so there is no experimentation needed and
bedroom and the porta-potty) for the day was to
get the first layer of void-filling done. In this we
were successful. Essentially, we are trying to
make the walls smooth. You have to go one
layer at a time so that everything drys correctly
and it doesn't just dry up and fall out of the void.
We've chosen to do this first layer with cement
and cans. Often plain old mud with some straw
mixed in is used. We chose cement because:
1. we already know how to mix large quantities,
so there is no experimentation needed and
2. it just seems like a good idea to have any exterior
walls filled with the most impervious material that we
have. Since we were already doing the exterior walls
this way, there wasn't much more to do for the interior
walls.
walls filled with the most impervious material that we
have. Since we were already doing the exterior walls
this way, there wasn't much more to do for the interior
walls.
With a bunch of volunteers, we got the first layer
up in a few hours. Everyone wants to know why
do we use the cans. They are there mostly to
take up space, which makes the pack-out go more
quickly. The also give a little grip to the next layer
and, since the layers don't have to be as thick,
make the whole thing dry more quickly.
up in a few hours. Everyone wants to know why
do we use the cans. They are there mostly to
take up space, which makes the pack-out go more
quickly. The also give a little grip to the next layer
and, since the layers don't have to be as thick,
make the whole thing dry more quickly.
(Melissa, the recovering tire pounder!)
So, in a matter of weeks we have gotten glass,
operable windows, doors, our rough plumbing,
one planter wall, and the initial pack-out
finished. Finally forward progress.
Although it is MUCH nicer inside with the glass
and doors, there isn't any insulation, so it still
will get cold inside. Before we can insulate, we
have to finish the electrical rough-in and do the
interior gas plumbing. Once those are
completed we can have our framing inspection
and start working on our finishes.
operable windows, doors, our rough plumbing,
one planter wall, and the initial pack-out
finished. Finally forward progress.
Although it is MUCH nicer inside with the glass
and doors, there isn't any insulation, so it still
will get cold inside. Before we can insulate, we
have to finish the electrical rough-in and do the
interior gas plumbing. Once those are
completed we can have our framing inspection
and start working on our finishes.
After such a long winter lull we are
motivated and inspired once again!
motivated and inspired once again!
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