So once again I've put off a blog update as things have progressed. Today was a hallmark day, but more on that in a minute.
Since my last update there has been a lot of tedious work completed. I ended up with 74 separate pieces that were needed to fill the corrugation gaps on top of all the openings. This was no simple job! All were then tack-welded in and sealed up with roof sealant. The water is no longer pouring in and I'm thankful that part is over. I still have some minor sealing to do around the two opening windows and the giant door....but nothing a little creative design can't solve.
I also built window sill/surrounds around the inside edges of each window. This again was no small task and took some careful measuring to get right. These follow the design cues of the door and it should all be quite cohesive and look consistent with the rest of the project. All the bare metal of the windows and door are now scrubbed, cleaned and clear-coated. The matte-finish clear coat allows the color and patina of the metal to be seen in all its glory and I really like the affect. I have a feeling that the punishing weather will have the outside metal needing some maintenance as the years go by. No worries though.....it seems unlikely that rust will cause any real issues.
Today was great because the spray-in insulation was finally laid in. I decided to use a soy-based bio foam that is biodegradable and will offer a much better seal and R factor than standard use fiberglass. It took about 5 hours and wasn't cheap, but the affect is dramatic. It's SO quiet inside now and it's starting to look more like a real room. Pics on Flickr give a better idea of what I mean. I even posted a video to show the process.
Next week I'm picking up the wall material which will be part finish plywood, part recycled paper fiber board called Homasote and part flat metal. The metal will be installed along the bottom kick panel to house the power outlets and generally protect the wall from damage. My plan is to cover the Homasote with burlap and to seal the plywood for a very tough surface that is still warm and useable.
My favorite part left to build is the lighting fixtures. Those that know me will realize that I'm sort of a lighting snob. I typically focus on lighting and how it shapes everything in a space. Very few rooms seem to have what I consider to be appropriate fixtures and light levels. I'm finally taking a stab at building my own fixtures and getting it 'just right' on this project. Dimmers will of course be standard and my neighbor Bill donated some vintage porcelain-covered lamps that I plan to refit for the project. They will be perhaps the ONLY pre-fab part of this project, but will be rebuilt and fashioned in a way that makes them consistent with the recycled, clean and modern theme I've applied to the everything else.
I intend to work on the walls, power, air conditioning and door finish-work in the next two weeks. Wish me luck.....I'll need it! I'm pushing for a May 17th move in!
