20x34 1.5 Story in Alabama

[Sassy]

Looks great!  It will be so nice to be able to sit out on your porch looking out on the lake & having the neat views from inside the house 

[ValleyJ]

Found my new inspiration cabin...  Nice work ellbaker!

Do you have a sketch of the basement layout?

[ellbaker]

All of my ceilings are complete except for trim pieces. I also tiled the bath and prepped the shower for tile. Decided to use a porcelain slate (Ragno Calabria BR).  Finally got a toilet installed!  Oh shovel I will miss thee.  Plan to get the shower tile in this weekend and start trimming out the windows.

[ellbaker]

Got the tile installed in the shower.  Took 1.5 days but ended up looking pretty good for my 2nd tile job.  Just need to grout to finish it up.





Big winter storm raised the level of the lake by 3 feet in a couple of days.  It was a foot above full pool.  All of the trash and mud makes it look bad.  Good thing it hardly ever looks this bad.





My heating and A/C guy installed my outdoor unit on Monday.  Slightly embarrassed myself by covering the floor vent in the bath with tile.  Good thing I have left over tile to replace the 2 tiles I had to pull up.  It is also time to call the wife's bluff about staying the night with me.  I have a toilet and heat (her two demands).  I know she will love the cot!   Isn't there a country western song about sleeping double in a single bed?

If you look closely, you can see the outdoor unit on the right.

[Danfish]

Great build and location.  How's the fishing in the lake?

Appears you used the Schluter-Kerdi water proof membrane in the showers.  I am planning on using this system and wonder if you had  any installation problems or suggestions.  Did you install over Hardi backerboard?  I understand some installers have had problems with cement backer sucking the water out of the thinset and the membrane doesn't adhere properly.

[MountainDon]

I understand some installers have had problems with cement backer sucking the water out of the thinset and the membrane doesn't adhere properly.

This seems odd to me. I've installed more tile than I care to remember, or grout, using thinset over Hardie cement board and have not had any issues. Only one job was using the membrane, but all the tile work, floors and walls, are solid. 

[Sassy]

Beautiful!  Love the tile     and the nice porch overlooking the river...  I would love to be able to look over a creek/river/lake...  but we do have some beautiful views - if Glenn would stop trying to build things in front of them   

[glenn kangiser]

We do overlook a nice year round spring. 

[Sassy]

You can't see it 

[ellbaker]

I followed the Kerdi recommendation to use drywall.  It went against everything I have learned about tile in a wet area but lots of reading on John Bridge forums convinced me to take the leap. 

[Danfish]

Installing over drywall is the approach most recommended, unfortunately I was unable to convince my local building offical.  Local inspectors will only accept a waterproof backer so I decided to go with Dens-Shield.

[ellbaker]

Time flies when you spend every weekend working on a different project.    It has been almost 2 months since my last update.  The inside (main floor) is coming along.  The basement is pretty much untouched.  It will be sheetrocked and painted.  I finished the tile shower, have all of the t&g pine up, decked the porch, put in the front door and have the fireplace 80% complete.  Here are a few pictures of my progress.


Shower niche.


shower floor


Completed shower.


Insert in place.


Sheathed and lathed.


Scratch coat.


Took a break on the fireplace to deck the porch.  2 days for 74 5/4 x 6 boards and one sore right elbow.


Real, thin stone veneer.


2 days of work.  Masonary work is tough work.  Especially when done solo.


New front door.

[oifmarine]

Wow, you are do a FAST build!   looks great!

[ellbaker]

2.5 more days of working on the fire place rock.  I am one tired puppy.   . Started grouting today.  Pre mixed mortar in the bag wouldn't work. I could never get a mix that would flow well through the grout bag.  I almost gave up but tried mixing my own. I used type N mortar will a ratio of 1:1.75 mortar to sand. It flowed really well. I dropped the bag from about 10 ft and that was the end of the grouting. Bag split up the side. I have to take two weekends off for a family vacation. It will be tough to have fun knowing I could be working!


Not thrilled with my hearth.  I may swap it out with a thicker stone.


Grout progress above the walk board.  It will dry to a gray color.

[Danfish]

Your work looks great! 

Sorry to hear the grout bag is giving you fits, all the "how to" articles make it sound so easy.  Since I am planning a similar fireplace with real thin rock veneer...have a few questions:

     1. What did you use for sheathing?
     2. Who made the stone veneer?  I have been looking at a company called Montana Rock.
     3. What type and mix did you use for scratch coat?
     4. Any other tips about working with this stuff?

Enjoy your vacation, you deserve a break!

[Redoverfarm]

Ellbaker I find that working from the bottom to the top works better .  You can end on a verticle joint at the top of the horizontal stone (keep the next horizontal joint from sagging when bridging that joint) and it will set well enough in 15-20 minutes to tuck point.  After that time I tuck point.  Then repeat the process going up in manageable amounts ( 1-groute bag  2/3-3/4 full).  Then while that next layer sets (same time) you can brush the previous layer that you tuck pointed to give it a clean look. If you can find a "horsehair" brush is best.   I use a 2:1 mix of Type s mortar.  You mix it a little wet so that it will flow out of the bag better (Just increases the set time by 5 min or so) .  Less stress and hand cramping.  With the bag filled only 3/4 full I fold the top edge like you were making a paper airplane and then roll that top toward the tip to give me a good handle.  I think I wore out 2-3 bags in about 1400 sq ft.

Good Job on the stone.  Now if I can be just a little criticle.  Fireplace openings to look authentic need a "key stone" .  I had incorporated one into each of my fireplaces but had to do some modification to one and lost that authentic look more or less.

[ellbaker]

     1. What did you use for sheathing?
     2. Who made the stone veneer?  I have been looking at a company called Montana Rock.
     3. What type and mix did you use for scratch coat?
     4. Any other tips about working with this stuff?

Grout bag is not nearly as easy as it looks. Getting your mixture just right is key.  Even then get ready for some sore forearms.

1.  7/16" OSB with 30# felt.  For the lath, I found conflicting guidance on which direction to put the rough side. Some said the lath should feel rough when you move your hand up vs down and others said rough when moving down. I placed it with the rough texture as you moved your hand down.  I thought that would provide better holding power against gravity.

2.  Real Rock Veneer in Oneonta, AL.  They are part of Lamb Stone.  I went with their cottage stack with about 20% mosaic for the shiners.  It is a little more expensive than average grade of manufactured stone but was actually less expensive than Cultured Stone which I believe is one of the better manufactured stone.  If you go with a manufactured stone on the exterior, make sure you incorporate a rain screen or drainage plane behind the scratch coat.  Several mold and moisture problems are being found behind manufactured stone over OSB. 

3.  I used Quickcrete Type S dry premix for the scratch coat.  It has an additive to keep it workable longer. I could not get the stone to stick well with it.  I swapped to Sakcrete Type S and it worked great.  I mxed my own for the grout.

4. I used a 4" grinder with a diamond blade to cut the stone part way through.  I then used a brick hammer to do the final shaping to keep a rough edge.  I then used a small tile wet saw to cut the final pieces that had to fit in specific spots. 

Have fun!

[ellbaker]

Fireplace openings to look authentic need a "key stone" .

Now you tell me!  I see what you mean. I looked at lots of pictures but now realize they were not trying to simulate a real fireplace.  A keystone would definetly make it look more realistic.  It doubt I try to change it now.  I will do it right on the next one 

I started at the top to practice where it won't be so noticeable. I will likely do the remainder from the bottom up.  My joints are rough looking but that fits in with the rustic look.  I have a brush from Lowes but will look for a horsehair because it is not as smooth as I would like.

Thanks for the advice.  Others will benefit from our lessons learned.

[Redoverfarm]

Now you tell me!  I see what you mean. I looked at lots of pictures but now realize they were not trying to simulate a real fireplace.  A keystone would definetly make it look more realistic.  It doubt I try to change it now.  I will do it right on the next one 

I started at the top to practice where it won't be so noticeable. I will likely do the remainder from the bottom up.  My joints are rough looking but that fits in with the rustic look.  I have a brush from Lowes but will look for a horsehair because it is not as smooth as I would like.

Thanks for the advice.  Others will benefit from our lessons learned.

That was sort of my intention.  Many may look later for guidance.   Good job never the less.

[Alan Gage]

I have to take two weekends off for a family vacation. It will be tough to have fun knowing I could be working!

I hear you there! Who would have ever thought work could be so much fun and fun could be so much work.

Looking great!

Oh, and BTW, the county music lyrics you referenced above...you had them backwards. It's "sleeping single in a double bed.

Alan

[ellbaker]

Finished grouting the fireplace last weekend and got the mantle up this weekend.  Also finished siding the rear of the house and the dormer on the back.  Waiting for my 8" pine for the floor.

[Redoverfarm]

Nice job on the fireplace.   

[ellbaker]

Nice job on the fireplace.   

Thanks! It was a tough job but I am looking forward to doing it again.  I need an outdoor fireplace.  Thanks for the tips on grouting. If I only had the keystone   

[Redoverfarm]

Thanks! It was a tough job but I am looking forward to doing it again.  I need an outdoor fireplace.  Thanks for the tips on grouting. If I only had the keystone   

Don't lose any sleep over it.  It will soon take second place to something else.     I had a few " Oh S#$%" but it has long been forgotten.  I doubt that it will even be noticed.  Again good job.

[oifmarine]

Looks great!  I love the look of the stone!