14x36 in Northwest Arkansas

[MountainDon]

... somebody read it!  Good to hear. 

[jdhen]

OkieJohn- Yeah I did figure it out.  Still not sure what I'm going to do but glad I now understand the issue better.

I'm too distracted with laying floors now!
We bought 6 inch wide ozark mountain red oak t&g planks.  $1.60/ sq ft.  Really good price and very good boards!  I'll have more pictures but we were so beat I only took a few.

I'm using a reconditioned manual bostich nailer that I bought on amazon for $50 bucks and it's working great!

While a friend and I layed floors downstairs, my wife sanded the upstairs deck with a belt sander and put the first coat of linseed oil/turpentine down.



Smells a bit like an artist's studio upstairs but that will fade as the turp evaporates.  So far we're very happy with the results.

[jdhen]

Oh, I read it MD!  Some of it was a little over my head but I read it 

[MountainDon]

The floors look attractive.

[OkieJohn2]

Dang Don, and I thought I had proofread my post then I go and call you MountainDan,  I know I could go back and edit my post, but I would rather say sorry here,  Of course maybe I was talking about your evil twin Dan.

jdhen, while I was typing this you posted the new pics, those are very nice looking floors. good to hear the amazon reconditioned Bostich is working for you, I was wondering about how good the quality was on those.  Just curious, do you belong to amazon Prime,  it costs $79 a year, but gives you fast free (2 day)shipping on nearly everything they sell, and a lot of stuff I buy is shipped from a Coffeyville, KS warehouse so I get it next day.

[jdhen]

MD- Thanks!

OkieJohn-Before I began the build I bought a reconditioned bosch worm saw and I've had no problems with it at all.  Saved a lot over the new ones.  I've used it for everything! It had ever been used. I think the reconditioned ones don't get past the QC desk and need some minor revisions, mostly cosmetic.
I don't order enough from them to warrant the $79 fee but when I do order I go over $25 and get free shipping.  Everything came with in 5 days.  As long as I don't need it right away, I'm ok   

[MountainDon]

Dang Don, and I thought I had proofread my post then I go and call you MountainDan, .....

... been called worse.   

[jdhen]

I was all ready to post some pictures of the new floors and tile work.  I took one photo and the camera's batteries gave out! 
Here's the kitchen tile.  Will grout on Sunday.  Not perfect tile lines but good enough for us!


Guess I'll have to post more pics after I sand and finish the floors early next week.
The finish that we've chosen is a very cool product that I stumbled upon.  It's called Rubio monocoat.  It's a blend of 14 natural plant oils and 6 waxes. Zero VOC's. It's buffed on and into the wood and creates a beautiful finish that's very resistant to stains. It's made in Belgium They've been using it in Europe for a long time and only made it to the states more recently.
The company sent a sample we were very happy with the results.

[jdhen]

We're in!   
It's been a wild past week and a half with tying up various details so that we can live here with some semblance of normal living.  Still have lot's of boxes around and tons of detail work to do but at least we don't have a daily 70 mile round trip or a rent payment anymore   













Getting ready for siding is next on the list...after we stop and take a few deep breaths!

[Redoverfarm]

jdhen you are going to be like TexasJim and work yourself out of a job.  Looks real comfortable.  Thanks for posting.

[jdhen]

Thanks, Red. I'm not too worried about the lack of things to do.  Phase 2 should keep me busy for a year or so and we still have another 6 months or so to finish phase 1.  Always a project to do!

[OkieJohn2]

The floors look really great, if anyone is interested, here is the US website for the Rubio monocoat product:
http://www.monocoat.us/
Some of the specialty finishes look very interesting, like the fumed oak and the black.

[wyliestevens]

  Hey Jesse,

  This is your home-health nurse friend.  I stopped by what seemed like just a few weeks ago......the sheet rock crew was there when I stopped by.  You have really done a great job!  Planning on stopping by for a visit in the not-too-distant future.

Wylie

[bigcozy]

jdhen,

I saw your place yesterday, was headed down from Prarie Grove.  Recognized it immediately, couldn't believe it, million to one shot I even saw it, much less recognized it. 

Looks great, great lot.  Thanks for sharing your info, planning to do something similar a little north of you.

Cozy

[ScottA]

Congratulations!

[speedfunk]

Looks great jessie!

WTG!   

The whole place looks very comfortable.

[jdhen]

Big Cozy- Thanks for noticing! You shoulda stopped by and said hello!  Feel free to do so anytime.

I haven't done much lately since we moved in.  The siding was delivered but I started a new job last month and the orientation is kicking my butt!  Up by 4:30 to get to work at 5:30am then work a ten hour shift :-(  Keeps me pretty tired when I have a day off.
I should settle in to my regular schedule in a few weeks and I'll post some pics as I return to the tasks at hand!

[bigcozy]

I wouldn't have just walked up without an invitation, but next time I go through there I would like to stop and say hi.  I would offer my expertise if I had any.  I can dig ditches, and glad to help!

[Shawn B]

jdhen,


How did you route the wires for the lights and ceiling fans on the exposed beam ceiling? Did you cut a small channel then drill through the beam? I'm planning on doing an exposed beam ceiling too, and thought I would ask someone who has already been there.

Thanks, Shawn

[Alasdair]

Great job on the whole build it looks great!
Al

[Redoverfarm]

jdhen,


How did you route the wires for the lights and ceiling fans on the exposed beam ceiling? Did you cut a small channel then drill through the beam? I'm planning on doing an exposed beam ceiling too, and thought I would ask someone who has already been there.

Thanks, Shawn

Shawn not trying to step on Jdhen's toes but here is a link to a conversation with him regarding hanging lights and fans from the ceiling side of the T&G. There are some pictures that I included as well that might give you some ideas.

http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=8270.msg107003#msg107003

And some tips for laying the 2X6 T&G

http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=7442.msg103361#msg103361

In regards to running the wiring I also discussed with him how I did mine but it is far back in the thread and I am lazy to look for it right now. Basicly I cut a kerf say 3/4" wide by maybe 1" deep mid-center of my beam from my feed side to the rooms center with a circular saw with multiple passes.  You could use a router but you would have to be very careful that it didn't get away from you (ruin your beam face). I found I had more control over the circular saw.  If you are going to hang a fan/light from the beam you can just use a wood bit 5/8" to center bore the beam where you want to drop the light.  The only problem with mounting the fixture fromthe beam and that is headroom downstairs and the fact that you cannot hide the junction box or mouting plates.  That's why I opt to hang mine from the T&G ceiling.  After the kerf I just cut a 5/8" block from the side of the beam to run the wire out to the ceiling area.  After mounting the light I just made a piece of molding to cover the wire fromt he beam tothe fixture.

[Shawn B]

Thanks Redover!, the links and description will be very helpful. After thinking about it, most if not all of the fixtures will go on the T&G not the beam anyway. I plan on using southern yellow pine.

[jdhen]

Hi Shawn- Although I liked the idea of routing along the beams like Red did, I was too nervous to lay wire and then work around it as I screwed down the T&G flooring.  All of my fixtures hang from the T&G with the wires running along an adjacent beam then turning 90 degrees to the fixture.  I will eventually trim them out as Red has done with the wire molding.  When I turned the wire I made sure, as Red did, to use the v-groove to create a slight recess for the wire to sit in.
Hope that helps!

[jdhen]

Great job on the whole build it looks great!
Al

Thanks, Alasdair!  I've been admiring your house as well!

[Shawn B]

Thanks Jdhen. 

A few more questions, did you leave the t&g exposed in the bathroom, or did you box it in? If exposed is there any "special" varnish required for a high moisture area? How long is the first section of your stair case before it starts winding?

Shawn