Glenn's Underground Cabin Update

[glenn kangiser]

Well, Sassy's gonna be back home tomorrow so I figured I better make a bit more progress.

One of the first things I wanted to do was to make a French drain.  The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain, but in Mariposa it must go down the drain or it will be a real pain when I have to explain to Sassy that she's in pain, cause I didn't make the drain and the ankle she did sprain --then would be my fault.  Hey --I guess I'll never be a rapper. :-/



Stupid --- but thats what came out.

The French drain will make and easy way away from the entrance rather than making it want to go under the floor and into the house.



To make an easy job out of this, stucco lath was stapled over the entire landing, steps and walls.  

The first coat of stucco goes on - it is usually scratched for the second coat to adhere to --



Due to time constraints we rushed the second coat and added color to it --- it will probably get us through the party and who knows how much longer.  Normally you would do the second coat (brown coat) then the color coat.  I don't do a lot of stucco but can get by.  Never time to do it right but always time to do it over.  In this case we don't have to do anything over - just may require a bit more in places later.



It gets easier as you gain experience.  Unfortunately Sassy isn't here to do it so I guess I will have to try.   :-/  We add Fibermesh to greatly increase strength and workability. $6.50 per bag - enough for 1 cubic yard.  We put about 1/2 hand full per 4 shovels of sand.

There will be a few places that want more but that can come later - if too much later, a quick coat of bonder will insure it's sticking.

I usually use a couple of colors to keep from having it look like concrete.  They can be mixed in the top coat in the mixer, or thrown directly on top and worked in with the trowel.

[Sassy]

Wow, I finally got to look at the new stuff today - I liked it in the pictures, but like it even better in person!  It's exactly what I would have wanted, if I could have thought of it myself!  Just knew I wanted more hobbity looking features on the house & this is great!  Good job, Sweetie  

[glenn kangiser]

Quit calling me names,

[glenn kangiser]

I'm working on the door and putting rocks around both sides of the door frame now.  It's best if the rocks are just damp.

I put felt on the side of the frame to meet with the concrete.  The rocks are tied into the wood with old barb wire every foot or so.  A suggestion from Ken Kern's book.  You can see some of the Fibermesh sticking out of the mortar at the top. The rocks should sit in place by themselves.  Mortar is for filling and cementing - not for holding.  

[bizzyPDXgal]

Hello everyone!
Been looking for just the right land (2+yrs), and finally found it! A beautiful spot along the Columbia River halfway between Portland & Astoria OR. I very much appreciate all of your posts/questions/replies here - and especially thank Glenn for his wonderful series of photos... now I can actually show family/friends what I've been wanting to build all along! (got Mike's book).  

[glenn kangiser]

Wow - a true Oregonian -- like me (formerly).

Lincoln City area.  I assumed you were from Oregon - to Me PDX means Portland Airport - never flew into it though.  Usually Salem, McMinnville, Aurora, or Lincoln City.

Glad to see you chose to pop in here on the Underground Cabin.  Check out the RV storage garage for more of my weird thinking and methods also.

[desdawg]

Wow Glenn, that Ever-ready rabbit has nothing on you. You just keep on ticking right along. I noticed your favorite handsaw from the other thread in one of the pictures. Laying right there next to your favorite hammer.   All of that and you still have time to write poetry....or rap music, whatever we are calling it this week. I too have noticed that free material will cause a certain relaxation of otherwise strict standards. That is as it should be. And I like the bent, once broken tree. That was a great find. That just set the mood for the entire project. Very Hobbitty as Sassy says. I wish I could travel to California on 12-16 but I just don't see that happening given the hectic pace of the workload around here. So once again I am grateful for this site and those pictures. This trip through the underground cabin has opened my mind to so many new possibilities. Keep on ticking!  

[glenn kangiser]

You don't have to show up here on any set date, desdawg.  Show up any time you are around and can catch me.

I better get up off of my bum and do some more so I have something else to show you soon. :-/

I can do strict standards, but I like relaxed.

[glenn kangiser]

We gain fame ---

Charmaine Taylor of
dirt cheap builder has made a PDF of our project with a link to CountryPlans to include in her CD on alternative building.

[Amanda_931]

How nice!

[PEG688]

Now your going to attract groupies to the " secret bunker"  

[glenn kangiser]

I do seem to be rather --- shall we say ---  irresistible. :-/  It must be the house.

[PEG688]

I do seem to be rather --- shall we say ---  irresistible. :-/  It must be the house.

Humm I was thinking more , AH irregular or maybe irrefragable    

[glenn kangiser]

Sassy said yeah-- irresistible to her cat.  She has this cat with bad breath and very few teeth and she loves me - it was a one way street as she used to let me pet her then bite me with her worn out fangs.  She's better now but still a brat.

The rush is over -- guests have gone home and Sassy may let me rest a bit.  I'll update some pix pretty soon.  I've been busier than a cat covering up crap during her annual improvement drive so now maybe I can get with posting a few more photos.

[PEG688]

Sassy said yeah-- irresistible to her cat.  She has this cat with bad breath and very few teeth and she loves me - it was a one way street as she used to let me pet her then bite me with her worn out fangs.  She's better now but still a brat.

 Thats no way to talk about Sassy Maybe it's true but hey thats just not nice  

[glenn kangiser]

I think you misunderstood PEG -- now you got me in trouble.

[PEG688]

I think you misunderstood PEG -- now you got me in trouble.

My job here is finshed for the day then  

[Sassy]

PEG, I think you're the one in trouble...  

[PEG688]

PEG, I think you're the one in trouble...  

 Hummm Maybe I betta go reread what Glenn said    Never was a very good reader    

[glenn kangiser]

Aha-- she caught you instigating trouble, PEG.

Well -- she had the whip on me pretty hard leading up to the big party day.  Here are a few of the things I was able to accomplish in spite of the oppressive rule of Queen Sassy the 1st.

My stepson came up and did a lot of stucco on various places that protrude out of the ground.



I got the door made and hung on the frame - it plugged the hole - I want to make some cool mechanism of some sort for a latch.  I put plastic over the unfinished spaces on the sides -- I think I'll put some sort of windows there so that corner is not too dark.

Trimmed up the Sun scoop logs and put a clear vinyl window up there to make the wind and rain stay outside.  It is above the roof from 12 to 14 feet appx and lets light into the central part of the cabin in the afternoon to evening.  It faces west and is also clear windowed on the north and south, joining the roof peak and sloping to the east with garden on top of it.



We (Fred and I) got the corner dug out and compacted - mostly he dug - jack hammered - and I compacted with my Harbor Freight vibratory plate compactor.  It has a Briggs I/C engine so should hold up well.  We did a quick earth carpet floor for now ala Mike Oehler.  Plastic under the carpet.  Not permanent yet.  Worked out pretty good.  

[Amanda_931]

That entrance is wonderful.

[Amanda_931]

Actually what I wanted to know is how horrendously heavy is that door?

[John Raabe]

Glenn:

Nice work. You have sure picked up the ball on the underground house work -- we need to do a compilation of your techniques and photos. Perhaps that is what the PDF file you mentioned will do.

A lot of good stuff there - and you keep adding to the library of techniques and creative ideas.

[glenn kangiser]

The PDF will just send people here.  I'm afraid that I will have to do some actual work to get this stuff all together.

I cheated on the new door, Amanda -- and this fits in with the new techniques John mentioned.  I wanted an easier way to make the door and still have the cool look.  I made a 2x4 frame, biscuit joined and screwed it together and fitted the first cut cedar slabs together and biscuit joined and glued them too.  Estimated weight - 100 lbs.

Think I may have mentioned it earlier, but the tree for the entry was one tree, broken off partially at about 12 feet.  The top fell to the ground but being still partially joined it continued growing making a nice strong "A" frame door opening frame.

[Sassy]

Glenn said:

Well -- she had the whip on me pretty hard leading up to the big party day.  Here are a few of the things I was able to accomplish in spite of the oppressive rule of Queen Sassy the 1st.

Don't tell anyone, but Glenn secretly likes the "whip"   yes, we did get quite a bit done on the cabin - it sorta takes something like this to get a bunch done  :-/ - I was right there helping with everything & Glenn likes to bask in all the attention he gets  8-) when everyone sees the underground command center