Concrete is supposed to be ugly, PEG... It's concrete

Al hope you weathered the storm OK.

For sure on that...

...and Al -- I really think your wall looks great --- I just had to give PEG a bad time.

Here are a few update pics ...

Back filling






We got some other work done whilst the machine was here

A pond


and some work on the driveway

Sammy had his first Halloween

Tough Tiger


Maybe not...


We got the floor poured and polished




And last weekend got some bits of kit up

We also got the paper on and door and windows in but I finished with the camera by then as it was snowing.
Next weekend we should have some joists to put a flat roof on it for the rest of the winter.

All the best for now
Al, Anita and Sammy

Thanks for the update, Al, Anita and Sammy.  Things are looking great up there in the great white north.

Are you going to tarp it?  I have a link to used billboard tarps - I will post it here in case you don't already have it covered.

http://www.billboardtarps.com/collections/tarps

While they are dirt cheap the shipping is about the same price as the tarp due to the weight.  They are like reinforced PVC pond liner in 20 mil or about 11 or 12 mil I think.  (2 weights)

I'm pretty sure you already have a plan but thought I would throw that in there just in case.

On another note.... I have been concerned about privacy matters and getting through the TSA if I have to travel.  

I understand that the true Scots have a solution for me.  Do you think I would look good in a Kilt?  ...........

Glenn,
I'm just going to put a flat roof on it for the winter - just waiting on the osb Joists to arrive.

As to the kilt and customs and immigration  -  I did once get frisked whilst wearing it  -

....Decided I'd better censor myself here! The gag was harmless but perhaps too risque for a teacher to have on line ...

Al
Dec 3rd

Ah the old gags still make me laugh ...

Like... stop it , you're killing me....... [ouch]


 


Good one Al...

Some progress pics from today. Wild, wet and windy  but at least no white stuff.











I'm going to wait until the wind dies down before I try and get any plastic on top. It would be pointless trying just now! Once I do I'll put a space heater in for a couple of days and dry the tools and interior out really well - It was so wet today that in the end I gave up trying to keep the tools dry. If some of the pics look a little odd it's because the "roof" is six inches higher at the back - makes some of them look kind of wonky.

That's gruesome weather, Al. 

I censor myself all of the time - but at least I have been able to tell others of your experience.... [ouch]

Lol! It was grusome indeed Glenn!

The wind had eased off this morning so we got the plastic on. Hope it does the trick - We're going to try and get it all dried out now before the big freeze comes and we have to chip ice out to work like Bish. did.







I'm still undecided whether to put battens across the plastic to hold it down. The wind can't get under it and we managed to get it on with only one small puncture. So on the one hand I am loathe to nail through it and make more holes - on the other I have seen the wind "suck" much heavier plastic right off polytunnels.

I think I'll wait and see how it behaves on the next windy day and be standing by with battens and nail gun just in case ...

Sounds like a plan, Al.  Possibly it will snow first and hold it down.  [ouch]

You can probably place the battens on top and not nail them.
I did that last winter and it was all as I left it when I came back in the spring.

On the side where you nailed the batten to hold the plastic down you may need to keep an eye on it.
I had about 5 gallons of water trapped under the plastic at that point. It started to grow a nice crop of mold around the batten.

Looks like a nice job on getting your foundation in and framing started

Well wouldn't you know it - first night and we get 140 km/h winds just up the coast and one of the worst nights since I've been here!  
I had decided to nail the battens on anyway, thinking that if I was on a boat I would have just done it when I thought of it rather than wait and see.
The plastic held OK but one of the battens got popped off and the nails ripped the sheet! I'm just back from taping it back together "Red Green" style in the dark. 
Still, I reckon if it survived the night with only that damage it should hold up for the rest of the winter - there will likely be a few small holes I didn't notice but hopefully it will still keep the worst of the weather out.

I stepped on snow on our plastic this morning...weee! High tech bananna peel. Ours usually gets whipped apart pretty quick. Our winters aren't as bad though, we usually try to keep plugging. I did bury in a drift at the foot of the mountain this morning. Really don't look forward to hiking up 1/4 mile tomorrow with a compressor 

Not sure how much play this got, Mike Cross used to play at a nearby hole in the wall years ago.
http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/thescots.htm

Al had you considered Advantec for your subfloor then cover.  It by itself would have probably repelled 95% + of any water or snow laying on top. 

Very nice basement walls Al. I hope mine turn out half as nice.

Red,

I am big fan of Advantec, it sheds water like no other flooring. I am going to break ground this coming spring on my cabin and was thinking of using 3/4" Advantec for forming the basement walls, then take right up on the subfloor. Have you ever know anyone to do this?

Larry

Quote from: ldrobinett on December 07, 2010, 03:41:50 PM
....Advantec for forming the basement walls, then take right up on the subfloor. Have you ever know anyone to do this?

Just exactly what do you mean by "forming basement walls"? What sort of construction?

My apologies for the brief question, I did not want to take over Al's forum with a lot of questions on my own project.

I am planning to build a 26x38 formed log cabin over a full daylight basement. I have already made the hillside cut and leveled the pad and will dig for the footers in spring. Then I plan to construct concrete forms for 8' x 10" full perimeter basement walls to place the sub-floor and start the log construction from. There will openings for a roll-up garage door, 2 walk-through doors, and a couple of window openings that need to be placed as well.

I was just wondering if anyone had built their own foundation wall forms using Advantec T&G and dimensional reinforcement.

I guess it is possible but I wouldn't guarantee the condition after using for concrete forms.  Form will necessiate alot of fastening therefore there will be a great amount of extra holes not to mention the surface area condition.  If you go this route I would use some type of lubricant to make sure that the concrete will not adhere and release.  Also you may need to buy a couple extra pieces if the Sq Ft is about the same in the forms as the subfloor as always you will need to cut some sheets to make your demensions work.  You might look into using styrofoam forms that you could erect yourself. 

Oh, now I get it!    

We have had a slow start to the summer with regards to our build as we made some changes to our plans which slowed us down initially but should mean we ultimately finish sooner.
We decided to put just a half storey on our basement and to put several gable dormers in it. Any more would simply not fit in the landscape. As we have lived here now for a couple of winters we also know the winds and storms we can get here and will be happier being a little lower!
We had decided a while ago to put a hybrid post and beam section as part of the floor system. We got the specs from the George Nash book: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/articles/building-a-timbered-ceiling.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp

So here are our progress pics ...

planing up the joists


note the cutting edge Canadian technology ...




fitting the joints



the kit ready to go


putting it all together












Started training up the wee man as my assistant too...



He's coming along nicely!

Well we got a bit more done.


Wouldn't you know it - ran out of glue at the last corner!


The countryplans jig...


The view inside


managed to get some plastic on top to keep out the worst of the weather 'til we are dried in. This was no mean feat as it was pretty windy today!


Onto walls tomorrow...

Great Beginning.