Update on New Home

[ragswl4]

Just finishing up the framing on the 1st floor and thought I would share some pics of the Glulams that we have been installing. The first pics are of the largest one, 5 1/8" x 22" x 18'. The remaining pics are of some of the other smaller ones. There will be a total of 18 when we finish. All but two of those will be exposed in the ceiling throughout the house.

We are now installing the plywood on the second floolr joists and then begin framing the second floor. We have been working the house for 9 weeks now. Its amazing since we were 5 months building the garage and just hiring a framer has really increased our progress. I have become mostly the guy following the plans to insure we do it right and hauling boards and nails for the framer. Just purchased our 90,000th nail.

[cgallery]

Wow, how much did that weigh?

Looks great. Are you gonna be done in time for the bt3central gathering? It is at your house this year, right?

[pelligrini]

Looks like it is coming along nicely.

Wow, 18 gluelams! It sounds like you've got a bunch of wide open spaces, or the engineer went into overkill mode.

[pelligrini]

Are you gonna be done in time for the bt3central gathering? It is at your house this year, right?

I think the date of the gathering is the same day he's starting on the trim and cabinets. Probably why the invitation says 'bring your BT3'.

[Jim1]

I really enjoy your updates. Lookin good!!!

Jim

[LarryG]

The first pics are of the largest one, 5 1/8" x 22" x 18'.

You should have ordered that one eight feet over-length. The cutoff would've made a bodacious workbench ...

When I lived in Alaska, glulams were commonplace on the projects on which I worked. I'm not sure I've seen one during the last thirty years. Lots of small LVLs, yes, but not those big honkin' glulams like yours.

[footprintsinconc]

its looking great! interesting to see how the lifted it into place.

[ragswl4]

Wow, how much did that weigh?

Looks great. Are you gonna be done in time for the bt3central gathering? It is at your house this year, right?

Best estimate on the weight is 600 lbs, from the lumber guy. Its actually 15 -2x6s 18 feet long, glued together. The big one is rather ratty looking but its not exposed, but in the base of the 2nd floor wall.

I hope the gathering is in November and my house is done by then. Building walls is easy, the devil and the time is in the details. How much time should I allocate to sanding, staining and finishing 16 glulams?

Thank God for HVLP sprayers. I sprayed the 1000 sq ft deck framing including the 9 glulams and posts supporting it with the HF HVLP cheapo sprayer in two days. Worked great. Used Behr Premium Cedar stain and preservative from the BORG.

[footprintsinconc]

are you talking about the gun that rockler and woodcraft sell? if so, then how many times did you have to fill that 1 qt can for 1000 sqft and the glulams?

[ragswl4]

are you talking about the gun that rockler and woodcraft sell? if so, then how many times did you have to fill that 1 qt can for 1000 sqft and the glulams?

The HF gun is the one. I filled it about 20 times, used 4 gallons of stain/preserative. I liked the control that I had with the gun as we had a 5-10 mph wind most of the time I was spraying and I don't think I wasted much material while spraying, except for when I sprayed my hands and legs and shoes, etc... Most of the spraying was done while laying face down on a sheet of plywood. Went better than I expected. Moving the plywood around was the worst part.

[BobSch]

That was one honkin' big gluelam.

Looking at the pic I noticed you're in a wooded area. Are the fires causing you any problems?

[vaking]

Anything about your house is under your control except for one - outside view is not adjustable. That one is the most important part to choose from the very beginning and you certainly did a good job at it. Now all you have to do is keep the quality at the same level as the outside view and you are half-way there already. Keep it up and keep us posted please.

[JR]

Lookin' good, Rags! That's going be an awesome house.

Looking at the pic I noticed you're in a wooded area. Are the fires causing you any problems?

Most all the fires in CA at this time are in the Northern part of the state, far from Rags. I noticed one in the Tehachapie area a couple of days ago, and I wondered about Rags, but I don't think it's any where near Rags' place.

[ragswl4]

Most of the fires are in Northern Ca so not near us. Two years ago the Espranza fire was about 15 miles from our home site but never really threatened it.

Unfortunately 5 firefighters from Idyllwild, Ca where we are building lost there lives in that fire. One was a Captain and he left behind a wife and 4 small children. The community (3000 people) got together and built them a home so the children would have a nice place to grow up in. The other 4 were young men with no immediate family. They lost their lives defending someone's home against the fire set by an arsonist. A real tragedy.

In the 8 months that we have been building I have met and made more friends that in the previous 15 years. It is a great community with real people who take the time to get to know their neighbors.

Thanks for everyone's interest.

[ironhat]

<snip>
One was a Captain and he left behind a wife and 4 small children. The community (3000 people) got together and built them a home so the children would have a nice place to grow up in. The other 4 were young men with no immediate family. They lost their lives defending someone's home against the fire set by an arsonist. A real tragedy.

In the 8 months that we have been building I have met and made more friends that in the previous 15 years. It is a great community with real people who take the time to get to know their neighbors.

Thanks for everyone's interest.

Money can't but *that* (meaning, good hearts)!! You made a good choice!