Main Floor - Habberdashery and .....
"Main Floor - Habberdashery and ... ". Was it ladies underwear? Well, it was something like that which rang out in the lift (elevator for Canadian and US readers) in that ridiculous but amusing British TV programme of 30-40 years ago "Are you being served." As I wrote the initial rather dull title "Main Floor" to this post, the extension sprang out of my mind as a result of a conversation only a couple of days that ended up in laughter about Mollie Sugden and John Inman. May they both rest in peace. Apologies to those who might find it all a bit shocking in this PC modern age where innuendo and double entendres are not understood, and to those younger readers who have absolutely no idea what I am talking about at all in terms of TV or language, but I am still giggling over that discussion.
I ended my last post on Sunday 21st May with pictures of the newly installed floor system above the garage for what will later become a concrete deck area with an open roof above, plus a huge gaping space over the main house awaiting subsequent installation of the main floor system, as you see below.
That weekend was a long one, with Monday 22nd being a statutory holiday (public holiday for my UK readers) - Victoria Day in memory of HM Queen Victoria. For those overseas readers, Victoria is on Vancouver Island and the British Columbia provincial capital, so well over a century later this particular long reigning monarch is still celebrated each year here in Canada, if not in UK. In theory this should have still provided nine working days thereafter in the two weeks since my last post. Well um, yes, maybe! In that context, I had an email a few days ago from an old friend and RN colleague who resides in Edinburgh, who visited me as a diversion from some business he had down in Seattle last October to see what I was planning. His email opened with "Just caught up on your blog - amazing story, and characteristically free of cock ups and diversions." Charming faith in me by an old friend, but maybe not quite the true picture over this last two weeks in terms of scheduling. Progress has continued to be productive but marred by several setbacks. A half a day where heavy rain meant the team packed up and went home early. More critical, one of Jason's two workers, young Donald, went ill a week ago, and prognosis is he will be off site for another two weeks under Doctor's orders. That all meant a planned one day for Jason's team being off site on a quick job at Tie Lake became two days due to his reduced manpower. Followed by this last Friday off as Jason had to take his wife to Lethbridge (Alberta) for her key professional exam, so there was little point in his remaining worker (Todd) being here unsupervised. So six working days achieved out of nine, but work flow reduced by running on ⅔ of the original team. I myself was also focused on another task painting an enormous amount of tongue and groove (T&G) that will go into my roof system (more of that later in this post), so I couldn't supplement Jason's workforce to make up his own staff shortfall. If it's not weather, its something else - and we must just continue to work on within such unforeseen events, "maintain heading" and "make best speed" - and so we have.
The biggest work effort was the construction of the main house floor system and its supporting structures below. Unlike the above garage floor system where much of the weight is taken directly on the top of the rear, one external and the front concrete walls, plus a central LVL beam spanning the width supported in two concrete wall beam pockets and by a central metal column on the 12" reinforced concrete pad, the support of the main house floor system is a little different. Some will recall from my post dated 7th May ("One Pull: Left Bottom") that part of this supporting system was installed more than four weeks ago in the form of a bolting or anchoring system to be embedded into the concrete walls as I showed in these two photos below.
As an initial explanation prior to my providing any photos, this anchoring system consists of a series of ⅝" galvanised threaded steel rod inserted before the concrete pour, either entirely through the 6½" wall, or in some areas to a reduced 4" (dependent on the engineers requirements for each area). The subsequently poured concrete then holds these bolts in place and provides the load bearing support. Each 6½" steel rod has in excess of 12,000 lbs sustained load strength and the actual concrete supports those 6½" or 4" bolts with a load bearing capacity of 3500 per square inch (PSI). You can see that maths equates. There are 65 of these bolts around the main internal house wall. You will note in subsequent photographs that a series of LVL rim boards are then attached to these bolts and the floor joists are then attached to the rims by hangars. In addition many of the joists are also given additional support underneath by two load bearing framed walls that sit on their own concrete reinforced footings, and by one mid span LVL beam supported either end by two columns that then sit on two reinforced concrete pads. The entire support system is designed by the engineer to deal with significantly more than the weight of the floor system (including its planned concrete topping for the underfloor heating) and all the associated dead and live loads of furniture and people above, plus any potential seismic movement (a much lower magnitude risk here than on the west coast but still a possibility).
The first of those two framed load bearing walls sits on one of the two footings that until now has remained fully exposed and runs from the rear wall to front wall. This wall, primarily constructed of 2" x 8" timbers, while providing additional support to the floor system above, will also provide the separation between the daylight basement living spaces on one side (two bedrooms and en suite bathrooms at rear, and family room at front) and on the other side the entrance foyer and the mechanical room behind. The wood is isolated from both the concrete footing and the future concrete slab by a double pressure treated sill for damp preservation. In the photo below you can see the lower piece already bolted to the concrete footing by wedge anchor bolts to mitigate shear, notwithstanding that the wall, in the event of any shear forces, would also be trying to push against the 3" of rebar reinforced slab concrete that will be poured later - would seem to be overkill. The rest of the wall is in initial phase of its construction on its side.
The second of the two load bearing systems under the main floor is a combination system. Readers may recall that there is already a 6'3" ICF buttress wall in place half way along the back wall of the living area space as the engineer insisted on this in order to reduce any risk of flexion from the weight of 8' of external back fill. This buttress wall sits on a footing that then extends beyond it to the reinforced concrete pad that is in place to support a main central column from basement to the main roof ridge beam. Another framed load bearing wall was assembled between the ICF buttress wall and the pad, and between them they add further central support to the floor above. This wall will later separate two bedrooms and en suite bathrooms.
The area forward of that dividing wall is a fully open concept family room, 30' width and 21'4" front to back. In order to provide that open space, the centre of the above floor in this area is to be supported by a huge LVL beam span - made up of 4 individual 2" widths nailed together (8" total) and 18" deep. Of those initial 2" width's, each is made up of 15 glued layers, providing a phenomenal horizontal plane rigid strength that exceeds any standard piece of lumber. You can see in the photo above one end of this beam sitting on the ground a day before it was then lifted into position. Once in place it will be exposed 6" below the 12" deep floor system above, and later on will be dressed to look like a solid wood beam, rather than being left in its current rather "gopping" yellow. This LVL beam is then supported at each end by exposed 8"x8" solid Fir columns, the front one being sited on a small reinforced concrete pad extending back from the front foundation wall, and the other end sitting on the thick reinforced pad just in front of where the basement to roof column will eventually be.
The mammoth task of lifting this beam into place, itself weighing in excess of 1,500 lbs, was undertaken using some rather ingenious scaffolding and block and tackles, all of which perhaps verged on the edge of modern health and safety practises, but worked extremely well - and was safely executed. The whole exercise rather reminded me of the principal leadership exercises (PLT's) that I endured back in 1985 at the start of my naval career at BRNC, but without the intimidating staff officers glaring at nervous trainee Officers while criticising their leadership and briefing qualities.
With the supporting intermediate two load bearing walls and LVL beam structures in place, Jason's team then set to work fitting the joists. The engineer had spec'd the joists at 16" spacing, but I chose to tighten spacing to 12" at the rear half of the house to support a possible two kitchen islands above, and to mitigate the vibration that can transmit from a spinning front load washing machine if off balance, having previously noted how this can transmit through a floor joist system in my previous Ottawa house. As outlined earlier, but now illustrated with photographs below, the joists are anchored by hangars to the LVL rim boards, and the rim boards are attached to the concrete walls by the aforementioned concrete embedded bolting system, and where spanning the family room are attached by hangars to the top part of the 18" deep LVL beam, while elsewhere sitting astride the two load bearing mix of ICF buttress and framed walls. Then, just as in the photographs in my last post describing the build of the over garage floor system, the team screwed down a Fir plywood tongue and groove sub floor system on top of the joists.
Of interest below is that this wall, while also 8" thick, is framed deliberately as a 2"x 4" offset double wall as this improves the options for sound insulation between the two bedrooms.
Here is the other side of the 8" single wall between the living spaces and the foyer and stairwell. The gaping hole with a thickened LVL joist front and back, is where the timber stair system will later go.
While all the above was the main work for the last two weeks, there were other ongoing concurrent Ops! Perhaps the quickest but most pleasing, some two weeks after digging in the trenches for water and hydro (electric) utilities, was BC Hydro turning up to do their connection into their terminal. Quality of life improved on site no end, as we dispensed with the noise and fumes from a gasoline powered generator.
What I was less impressed about was that BC Hydro announced to me last mid March that their charge for this connection was increasing from $850 to $1275 as of 1st April, a 50% increase. Time lines meant I had absolutely no chance of having the infrastructure in place until long after that date. Galling enough that a utility company with a monopoly is allowed to get away with so efficiently gouging its new customers, the actual work to do the connection took less than 90 minutes. When I have a minute to spare on this project, I will be writing letters to BC Hydro, my provincial MEP and federal MP, and the major papers.
Other concurrent activity was the drain rock truck returning in much dryer conditions to shoot the drain rock along my back wall. You'll recall last time weather conditions were wet and slippery and the driver could not get a full load up my steep drive, and had absolutely no chance of getting up the side of the building on soft ground. Much to my dismay, the truck struggled once again and had to drop part of his load at the side of my drive (which I shall wheel barrow in later for use in my rear inside bedroom egress well window). With what remained, the driver shot some more to the back of my garage wall for manual wheel borrowing along that wall ...
... and then drove up the left hand side of the house (as face lake) ...
... and shot sufficient rock along much of the back wall to complete the job. You'll note one of Jason's team (Todd) clearly has absolute faith in the aggregate contractors ability to shoot the drain rock along the back wall and miss him, even while working in a haze of dust.
I subsequently completed the manual shift of drain rock and covered it in filter cloth, ready for later backfill.
Further short Ops was finishing the prep work for the footing for the rear internal egress well window. Jason is anticipating a small amount of concrete to be spared on the end of another friend in the trade doing a concrete slab pour at Tie Lake on Monday - maybe!
While helping out for much of the first of the last two weeks, from the Friday and much of this last week I had another focus. That said, as his team were only on site for two days of this last week, my attention elsewhere made little difference to them. On Friday 26th May I took delivery of 3 full and two partial pallets of white pine tongue and groove (T&G), and set up for painting and drying racks for the work the following week. This T&G is part of the future roof system, 16' lengths x 5¼" wide x 1¾" thick, that will stretch over 4 solid Fir rafters each at 4' spacing, to provide both the underside finish and a support system for the spray foam insulation above. The square footage of my roof system, allowing for the foot print of the house and garage, roofs that extend 11' at front beyond the prow, 4' at rear from my loft master bedroom, and 3' beyond side walls, as well as allowing for the 8:12 slope, is 4,400 sq ft, getting on for double the 1,668 and 864 sq ft of the house and garage. On top of that 4,400 sq ft we allow for 15% wastage in trimming to fit in the valley beams and any poor quality pieces. In lineal feet, this comes to 12,000 lineal foot. At least it only needed painting on one side in a single clear coat to protect it from the elements and particularly UV, the other being permanently sealed and airtight.
Painting is quite frankly one manual job I have always particularly detested. I neither have the manual dexterity or patience to maintain focus. I had as a result, long before agreed with somebody living nearby, who came with a good reputation and whose excellent work I had seen, to offer up this work at an agreed rate. Then a month ago her circumstances changed and she moved at short notice! While putting up the roof is still probably 3-4 weeks away, it was a case of finding the best time, along with the very kind assistance of Chris Walch (my mentor and landlord - see first post) prior to him going on an ocean holiday and then having his daughter visit from UK. Without his assistance, and far better skill in painting than me, I fear I would have made a mess due to rapid onset of boredom, and been completely against a back stop that might have delayed progress when that contractor comes on site to build the timber roof system. Thank you Chris.
The T&G painting task was also meant to be undertaken, as per my contract with the timber roof contractor, in his yard. A certain amount of moaning on his part about too many jobs on at the same time, and a realisation on my part that sawdust flying off his saw machines, daily travel, and scuffing damage on then moving the T&G to my site, led me to the conclusion his persuasion was valid, so I set up to try and temporarily waterproof the exposed floor system above the garage by buying a $200 tarp, and turn that into a painting and drying work space. The consequence of this is I have delayed plans for roughing in the slab plumbing and subsequent slab insulation and concrete pour, as I have no intention of moving this stuff out until it is used in the roof build late this or early next month. The volume of wood is immense, it's dry in there, and a week of painting and stacking has done me no good in terms of repetitive stress injuries in my shoulders and elbows.
Here is the initial load (minus half the first uncovered and already in the garage, either being painted or on the drying rack) and my temporary waterproofing tarp on the floor system above the garage.
Two saw-horse work stations set up for painting as of Monday 29th.
My saviour on this task, Chris Walch.
The drying racks where we'd leave that days painting work overnight. A water based clear stain protection suitable for indoor (low volatile emissions) and outdoors, rather than an oil based system, it actually was touch dry within 30 minutes, but had to be left overnight in by then quite warm temperatures ...
... as on stacking next morning (normally a two hour task) we would want to be quite sure everything was absolutely dry, otherwise the result would be a subsequent glued mess.
With one morning in town, as both Chris and I had other things we needed to do, the photo below shows the results of 4½ days painting by end of work Friday PM. One stacked pile at maximum height to the right, one growing pile at the rear, and a days work to the left of the drying rack.
And outside a half pile of the remaining mixed 16', 12', 8' and 4' pieces to be used primarily where the rafters join two valley beams at the intersection of the two roofs over the house and garage. There is the equivalent of just under a day of work left there between us, which will be split over a couple of days this next week.
So, at the end of another two weeks, I have the main house floor system and its underside supporting systems in place, and a huge gaping hole for a stair system ...
... and a temporary waterproof tarp covering the above garage floor system in order to provide a dry painting workshop.
Mid afternoon Thursday 1 June with thunder clouds rolling in after a hot 28-30 deg C week, standing on the main floor where my dining room will eventually be, and imagining looking through the prow glass window walls into the distance ...
... and looking from the laundry room towards dining room and kitchen at rear, ...
... and from mid front of the great room back to diner and kitchen area. You can just see the sill lip where there will be a rear kitchen door. Imagine middle of that space the central 12"x12" Fir column from roof down through the floor to the basement.
We also had the next floors worth of ICF turn up early last week and then the rebar. About a third of the volume previously required for the build of the walk out basement living and garage, as the next floor is effectively just the rear and two side walls of the house, the front being lots of glass and wood framing.
So what do I hope will be achieved in the next two weeks. Main floor ICF walls and rebar assembly, then the concrete pour into the ICF, the well window construction, final back fill of that rear below grade basement wall, and maybe, just maybe, the loft floor system. Much of that pace is dependent on young Donald being fit for work or Jason finding a temporary stand-in. Already about 2 weeks behind where I had hoped to be by now, and that was after a late start with the extended winer, there is no point in getting worried. Just have to manage the issues and adapt the plan.
Tally Ho!
Other concurrent activity was the drain rock truck returning in much dryer conditions to shoot the drain rock along my back wall. You'll recall last time weather conditions were wet and slippery and the driver could not get a full load up my steep drive, and had absolutely no chance of getting up the side of the building on soft ground. Much to my dismay, the truck struggled once again and had to drop part of his load at the side of my drive (which I shall wheel barrow in later for use in my rear inside bedroom egress well window). With what remained, the driver shot some more to the back of my garage wall for manual wheel borrowing along that wall ...
Further short Ops was finishing the prep work for the footing for the rear internal egress well window. Jason is anticipating a small amount of concrete to be spared on the end of another friend in the trade doing a concrete slab pour at Tie Lake on Monday - maybe!
While helping out for much of the first of the last two weeks, from the Friday and much of this last week I had another focus. That said, as his team were only on site for two days of this last week, my attention elsewhere made little difference to them. On Friday 26th May I took delivery of 3 full and two partial pallets of white pine tongue and groove (T&G), and set up for painting and drying racks for the work the following week. This T&G is part of the future roof system, 16' lengths x 5¼" wide x 1¾" thick, that will stretch over 4 solid Fir rafters each at 4' spacing, to provide both the underside finish and a support system for the spray foam insulation above. The square footage of my roof system, allowing for the foot print of the house and garage, roofs that extend 11' at front beyond the prow, 4' at rear from my loft master bedroom, and 3' beyond side walls, as well as allowing for the 8:12 slope, is 4,400 sq ft, getting on for double the 1,668 and 864 sq ft of the house and garage. On top of that 4,400 sq ft we allow for 15% wastage in trimming to fit in the valley beams and any poor quality pieces. In lineal feet, this comes to 12,000 lineal foot. At least it only needed painting on one side in a single clear coat to protect it from the elements and particularly UV, the other being permanently sealed and airtight.
Painting is quite frankly one manual job I have always particularly detested. I neither have the manual dexterity or patience to maintain focus. I had as a result, long before agreed with somebody living nearby, who came with a good reputation and whose excellent work I had seen, to offer up this work at an agreed rate. Then a month ago her circumstances changed and she moved at short notice! While putting up the roof is still probably 3-4 weeks away, it was a case of finding the best time, along with the very kind assistance of Chris Walch (my mentor and landlord - see first post) prior to him going on an ocean holiday and then having his daughter visit from UK. Without his assistance, and far better skill in painting than me, I fear I would have made a mess due to rapid onset of boredom, and been completely against a back stop that might have delayed progress when that contractor comes on site to build the timber roof system. Thank you Chris.
The T&G painting task was also meant to be undertaken, as per my contract with the timber roof contractor, in his yard. A certain amount of moaning on his part about too many jobs on at the same time, and a realisation on my part that sawdust flying off his saw machines, daily travel, and scuffing damage on then moving the T&G to my site, led me to the conclusion his persuasion was valid, so I set up to try and temporarily waterproof the exposed floor system above the garage by buying a $200 tarp, and turn that into a painting and drying work space. The consequence of this is I have delayed plans for roughing in the slab plumbing and subsequent slab insulation and concrete pour, as I have no intention of moving this stuff out until it is used in the roof build late this or early next month. The volume of wood is immense, it's dry in there, and a week of painting and stacking has done me no good in terms of repetitive stress injuries in my shoulders and elbows.
Here is the initial load (minus half the first uncovered and already in the garage, either being painted or on the drying rack) and my temporary waterproofing tarp on the floor system above the garage.
With one morning in town, as both Chris and I had other things we needed to do, the photo below shows the results of 4½ days painting by end of work Friday PM. One stacked pile at maximum height to the right, one growing pile at the rear, and a days work to the left of the drying rack.
So, at the end of another two weeks, I have the main house floor system and its underside supporting systems in place, and a huge gaping hole for a stair system ...
Mid afternoon Thursday 1 June with thunder clouds rolling in after a hot 28-30 deg C week, standing on the main floor where my dining room will eventually be, and imagining looking through the prow glass window walls into the distance ...
So what do I hope will be achieved in the next two weeks. Main floor ICF walls and rebar assembly, then the concrete pour into the ICF, the well window construction, final back fill of that rear below grade basement wall, and maybe, just maybe, the loft floor system. Much of that pace is dependent on young Donald being fit for work or Jason finding a temporary stand-in. Already about 2 weeks behind where I had hoped to be by now, and that was after a late start with the extended winer, there is no point in getting worried. Just have to manage the issues and adapt the plan.
Tally Ho!
Nice looking flight deck there shippers, shame to put walls up and parcel up the space! 😜
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