Finally pictures of our 20'x34' 2 story

Started by rdzone, May 03, 2006, 11:49:53 AM

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rdzone

#75
Glenn thanks for the comment, but I actually can't take credit for the walls.  My neighbor did them for me.  Hopefully he will have them completely done this week.  There is approximately 56 tons of rock in them walls.  The biggest rocks are the size of two 55 gallon drums. 

My daughter loves them...she now has her own rock walls to climb, makes my wife extremely nervous. The walls look small in the pictures, but they must be 9+ feet tall.   
Chuck

glenn kangiser

They look to be properly done -- slight lean in - earth backed and well fit.  Raelly great -- rock is avbout 165 lbs per cubic foot.  Your big ones are probably 4 to 6 thousand lbs - rough guess.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

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Sassy

I love the rock retaining walls & the rock steps  [cool]  What type of support & waterproofing did you put in the walls before placing the rocks?  I see that the basement is brick with the bituthane wrap...  just thinking about our place - one of these days we'll be berming a lot of it that sticks out front of the mtn & putting rocks - but our walls aren't real strong yet - I'm sure Glenn will figure it out.  Can't wait until we get back to finishing up some stuff on our place... 
http://glennkathystroglodytecabin.blogspot.com/

You will know the truth & the truth will set you free

rdzone

Sassy,

the block walls have bituthane wrap, a layer of the delta dimple board and then 2 inches of blue board foam.  My neighbor was very careful to make sure the rock wall doesn't lean on the block foundation it only touches the foam.  I need to figure out what to do with the foam that is showing.  I will probably trim it back to the rock face.
Chuck

glenn kangiser

How about cover it with stucco lath then stucco it with colored stucco - maybe a natural color of some sort.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.


rdzone

Glenn I never thought of that.  Is it very hard to do?  I would be willing to give it a try.  Would I tapcon the lathe to the block through the foam?  Any insights would be appreciated!  Love this board learn something new every day. [cool]
Chuck

mvk

I love those walls and steps. I've done a fair amount of cement plaster on stucco lath. I use 2 parts portland 3 or 4 sand 1 lime. It would closly match your stone in color I think but might be a little lighter once you clean up the stone. Maybe if it was too light you could throw in a little dark masonery cement. I use 2 coats, fair amount of work though.

In the old days concrete coloring was a dry powder, We used to use yellow for chalk boxes you could snap a ton of lines with out re-chalking, anyway I don't know if they still make it but I always wanted to try to see if I could get some green and try to copy moss or licken.

Mike


John Raabe

What a great project. Thanks for keeping up posted on this thread.
None of us are as smart as all of us.

ScottA

Great job.  [cool] That's a really tall house btw.


rdzone

#84
thanks for all the positive comments!  I will keep posting until I finish....which may take a while.   ;) 

ScottA - It is pretty tall! Many of my friends refer to it as the tower or something much worse as we carried every piece of lumber, etc. up the hill.   
I haven't actually measured  from the peak to the ground, but I did add an extra course of block to the foundation, the next floor has 10' walls, the top floor is 8' and the roof pitch is 7/12, so some where over 30 feet.   d*  I don't know what I was thinking.  ???
Chuck

rdzone

#85
Well,

We have been busy.  We built an 8'x18' deck on the front of the cabin on Saturday.  Hopefully we can use it as a platform for scaffolding to finish the down hill side (read extremely tall side) of the cabin.  My neighbor has also finished the rock walls and steps.  He even put in a landing at the top. That project definitely grew in scope.  I will be broke paying for all that work, but it will be worth it in the long run.  The amount of rock used even surprised my neighbor.  He had to put in at least 12 steps to get up the slope.  The result is very impressive however. 

My wife and I are taking some extra time off in conjunction with the holiday weekend, so we will start my daughter's mini cabin (i.e. playhouse). It will be 10'x12' with the same 7:12 roof pitch as the cabin and the same steel roofing as we have tons of extra material.  We also hope to get more windows in and start siding the place.  I will post more pictures of the progress as soon as possible. 

Hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th!
Chuck

rdzone

Well we didn't accomplish as much as we wanted on the 4th of July weekend.  We had to make an unscheduled trip to the emergency room.  :(  We thought my daughter might have appendicitis.  Lucky for her she didn't, but she did have a severe case of the intestinal flu with all the associated cramping and pains.   It definately put a damper on things.

We did install our french door in the basement....finally getting rid of that darn OSB, that I have put up and taken down at least a thousand times.  [cool] We also started the siding.  I know we are a little a head of ourselves, but we are trying to juggle window installation, house wrap and siding.  I haven't been able to get all the windows and wrap on as my wife and I can't do the big windows by ourselves we need a third person and all my friends have been busy. (It is salmon fishing season here in Alaska!)  We also started my daughters playhouse...not as far a long as I would like, but we do have a post and pier foundation, and the deck done.  It is probably the only playhouse around with 1 1/8" T&G floor decking.  I had some left over from the cabin build and decided to use it up. 

This past weekend I finally convinced one of my buddies to take a few hours to help out.  We install all but 3 of the cabin windows.  Hopefully next weekend we can finish the house wrap and install the last of the windows.  Then I will be in full siding mode...I can't wait. 


I know post some pictures!!  d* I will!!
Chuck

glenn kangiser

"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

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rdzone

Well went to do some work this weekend, but it rained like crazy so we didn't get any out door work done.  He are some of the pictures that I owe you all.













Chuck


John Raabe

None of us are as smart as all of us.

glenn kangiser

Quote from: rdzone on June 11, 2008, 04:55:55 PM
Glenn I never thought of that.  Is it very hard to do?  I would be willing to give it a try.  Would I tapcon the lathe to the block through the foam?  Any insights would be appreciated!  Love this board learn something new every day. [cool]

Sorry I missed this -

Tapcons could be good but a cheaper alternative would be to drill a 3/16 or 1/4 inch hole in the block as required.  get a proper sized washer - maybe 5/16 and drive 2 or 3  nails through it at the same time through the washer over the lath and into the drilled hole.  This also makes a great temporary or permanent anchor into concrete for wall braces, etc.

I use 16d screw nails peeled off a strip for my nail gun.  Smooth will work also.  A very versatile anchor.  60d's will also go tight into a 1/4 inch hole for bigger stuff or anchoring into rocks etc.  Not approved for code specs.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

rdzone

Thanks Glenn I will have to give it a try after I get farther along.  I am still trying to get the last 3 windows in and the siding on.  We have had a cloudy and rainy summer, even worse than last year when I was worried about getting the roof on.  >:( Hopefully we can get several nice weekends before the snow flies and I can get a lot done.  I am using 4'x10' sheets of t-111 so I should be able to make some progress fast if the weather cooperates.  I just checked on renting scaffolding, which was surprisingly cheap.  I need to be able to touch at least 30', so a single tower 10' wide, with all the outriggers, adjustable feet, hand rails, etc will cost me $195 for a month.  Less than I expected.  I will have to move it around, but I can't afford to put scaffolding around the whole place.  I hope to pick the scaffolding up next week and start working hard. 
Chuck

glenn kangiser

Sounds real reasonable.  We'll be watching.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

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rdzone

Well I rented the scaffolding and the weather finally cooperated a little this weekend.  We got another row of siding on all around the first floor.  Took longer that expected, but it is done.  Cutting out the window and door opening was time consuming.  Looks like I will have another couple of rows to get to the top. (except of course on the TALL side  :o )  I will post pictures once we take some,  of course I forgot the camera  d*
Chuck

glenn kangiser

Cool - I understand I soon get to work on a 5 story parking garage off a scaffold.  That will be like standing on the ground, eh? d*
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.


rdzone

Boy Glenn that sounds like lots of fun.  I am just glad I am not afraid of heights.  The thing I hate the most is climbing all the way to the top and realizing I forgot something, then having to climb back down.   d*
Chuck

TheWire

"The thing I hate the most is climbing all the way to the top and realizing I forgot something, then having to climb back down."

That's what you need a rope, a pail and kids for.  ;D

glenn kangiser

Quote from: rdzone on August 19, 2008, 09:40:26 PM
Boy Glenn that sounds like lots of fun.  I am just glad I am not afraid of heights.  The thing I hate the most is climbing all the way to the top and realizing I forgot something, then having to climb back down.   d*

After about 10 feet it all seems the same.  Hopefully we can carry the steel up the different levels from the inside with a forklift.  We'll see if I actually get the job -- I quit taking recreational jobs  and only take the ones I can make a decent profit on.  If I'm losing money I stay home. d*
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

rdzone

I have used the pail and rope trick when working on the roof.  It works great..when I can get my daughter out to help out!
Chuck

rdzone

#99
Well we made some good progress this week.  [cool]  If you are afraid of heights don't look at the pictures.  I thought I had enough scoffolding to reach the peak, but I guess that will be a project for the spring.  We installed the last 3 windows. I only have one opening to fill a door on the back side on the top floor, my wife wants an elevated deck off our bedroom. I have the door and I will have to install the ledger board, just like I did for the porches, maybe next weekend.  Hopefully this fall we will have decent weather to finish siding.  The scaffolding took probably 75% of our time putting it up and taking it down to move, but it definately beats a ladder.





My friend Chuck and I the only two not afraid of heights.





My daughter and Chuck relaxing a bit.







This is a shot of the last window installed on the top floor on the right.  My wife made me put it in before I could leave.   :)



My work crew...not a bad bunch.... 
Chuck