This is an interior window opening that has been wrapped with metal lath and then coated with Cob (clay sand and chopped straw).
This is a detail shot of the cob.
The master bedroom fireplace is ready for a cement-based base coat. The final coats will be earth plaster.
Ramon with Quintanos Stucco is applying the exterior scratch coat around the garage windows. The coat will be left to dry completly before applying the brown coat. The color coat is last.
Ramon with Quintanos Stucco is applying the exterior scratch coat around the garage windows. The coat will be left to dry completly before applying the brown coat. The color coat is last.
With the stucco scratch coat, the house is now all one uniform surface material and we can get a better feel for what it will finally look like.
Raider has been working on some pretty demeaning stupid pet tricks and wanted to share one with you. For a guy who perpetually thinks he is starving, this trick takes a lot of discipline.
Interior Detailing before plaster
Griffin, Chet, and Kris have been applying metal lath to interior wall corners and any locations where materials change or where there are surfaces that need leveling out. They then apply a clay, sand, and straw mixture called Cob to the lath making sure to work it into, and behind, the metal lath. This process will make the brown coat plaster easier and prevent cracks where dissimilar materials join together. The Cob is the first layer, followed by a brown coat, followed by a finish coat (with color) similar to the exterior process.
John has been setting interior doors in the guest bedrooms and bath and getting this area ready for the earth plaster brown coat. Once the door jambs are in place he will remove the doors from the jambs and put them in a safe place while we plaster the walls. The door jambs are narrower than the wall thickness to allow the plaster to roll into the face of the jamb.
I have spent most of my time watching over the Stucco crew as they prep the exterior. There are a lot of decisions to be made at this stage. They arrived about a week earlier than I would have liked. The stone masons are still working on the exterior flagstone details and I have copper flashing to attach to the top of the vigas and the entry portal.
The Water Treatment System is Installed
The mechanical room just got a little more cozy this week with the addition of 5 more pieces of equipment. Mark Quesenbery with Hague Quality Water installed our water treatment system. The water in rural Durango is very hard and will eat hot water tanks and copper plumbing in short order. The mechanical room could have easily been twice its current the size. With Dave Himes' (Southwest Geothermal) CAD layouts, we made the best of the small space. With the addition of this new equipment, it is apparent I will need to fabricate another metal rack to mount to the ceiling for a second pressure tank.
The master bedroom fireplace takes shape
In my spare time, I have been fabricating the small master bedroom fireplace. This one has gone much smoother than the great room fireplace and has inspired me to redo parts of that one. I hope to apply the base coat to the metal lath next week.
It has been another busy week with lots of folks on the site. Even though we are making great progress, it will be nice when we can get back to a small crew again.
5 comments:
Looks great! Thanks for the update and I'm glad Raider is learning some new tricks.
Things are looking good guys and March isn't even half over. Very thoughtful attention to detail on a very complex building project. When you're ready to go riding in Moab look me up over here though I plan on being back in Durango come November.
Keep up mthe good work!
Hey Andy, you are amazing. Inventing and fabricating fireplaces in your spare time! The place looks great and has amazing details. GREAT BLOG and pictures!
Love,
Peggy
I found your blog through Nora Hallock. What a neat lady! Your home is AMAZING!!! I am in awe. Thank you for pouring so much energy into this incredible blog. I am now following you <3
Raider is impressive. I am going to teach that one to Atari eventually. She is moving along in her training..... soon to start agility with Rocky Mountain Agility.
Awesome - thanks for sending the updates. Must be a fun project. What is the flooring in the bathroom? I love it.
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