tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379856792024-03-07T00:26:55.062-08:00Greengate Ranch RemodelRemodeling a daylight ranch house in OregonTroy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-40267913011672403022010-05-21T17:04:00.000-07:002010-05-21T17:04:39.904-07:00Hall Tree #3 - CompleteThe final thing I needed to do on the hall tree was put on the hardware - hangers and shelf brackets:<div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKAo_F8WdBSnh4nJjhPLsMcQq-kcvYwRJ8PrZ3UCyVP2V4meKFXjAzwiOCyKwaaIj5INWER6koXM9iYmkeRbMdJEUp1PHoXZvsKdLqlEVJ5jjfjrW_1VL5PWBfDyF8QubXvHx/s1600/Image013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKAo_F8WdBSnh4nJjhPLsMcQq-kcvYwRJ8PrZ3UCyVP2V4meKFXjAzwiOCyKwaaIj5INWER6koXM9iYmkeRbMdJEUp1PHoXZvsKdLqlEVJ5jjfjrW_1VL5PWBfDyF8QubXvHx/s400/Image013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The oak-leaf hangers are what inspired us to do the hall tree in the first place. They are cast iron and painted flat black. We bought them at a local <a href="http://www.beavertonvalleytimes.com/features/story.php?story_id=121979343705115800">building materials reuse place</a>, which I am happy to promote. They have wide variety of stuff, prices are great, and they are very friendly.<br />
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For you Oregonians (or those visiting), here is <a href="http://www.pdxrestore.org/ReuseAndRecyclingAlternatives.html">the list of reuse and recycling centers</a>. I try to build as much as I can from materials these centers provide. It's good for the environment, my wallet and the local economy.<br />
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</div>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-45099118345367793892010-05-11T21:02:00.000-07:002010-05-21T16:05:47.146-07:00Hall Tree #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was able to get the hall tree stained, sealed and installed over the weekend. It fit nicely into the alcove...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZsgChtoQ8RiOh2_Rp0B2f2j1Gqtr5Gpmlz6iNTjc2s15N-aN65E863h_Nv_zQDMdktLkO3sEHow9ERy0XRTUkuWIPTEqDVHhizTgzCMTCoomtfvPZYGLGj9uG32ldco4hx9F/s1600/Image003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZsgChtoQ8RiOh2_Rp0B2f2j1Gqtr5Gpmlz6iNTjc2s15N-aN65E863h_Nv_zQDMdktLkO3sEHow9ERy0XRTUkuWIPTEqDVHhizTgzCMTCoomtfvPZYGLGj9uG32ldco4hx9F/s320/Image003.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZsgChtoQ8RiOh2_Rp0B2f2j1Gqtr5Gpmlz6iNTjc2s15N-aN65E863h_Nv_zQDMdktLkO3sEHow9ERy0XRTUkuWIPTEqDVHhizTgzCMTCoomtfvPZYGLGj9uG32ldco4hx9F/s1600/Image003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTTMmyk2GaCdwZRwQFmyM3EOJH7NMSVWUMrPV07Yqb781ApDWWmK7q2zzvUKzqAPKd5BsGBdzQsLG-aBchUqNkivqq6fzqG9rMWB5ki06uHP-cEMDP8YcdOTV7IK0DulhcKaf/s1600/Image005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTTMmyk2GaCdwZRwQFmyM3EOJH7NMSVWUMrPV07Yqb781ApDWWmK7q2zzvUKzqAPKd5BsGBdzQsLG-aBchUqNkivqq6fzqG9rMWB5ki06uHP-cEMDP8YcdOTV7IK0DulhcKaf/s320/Image005.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made it in four pieces: the bottom cabinet, the seat, the middle section, and the top shelf. I kept the bench a bottom cabinet in two pieces, so I could fit the bench in snugly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is alcove before installation. My DW pained the side walls and ceiling the day before installation. I glued and nailed a few 1/2" x 4" OSB strips across the back wall to give a good surface for mounting with 18 gage finish nails.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTTMmyk2GaCdwZRwQFmyM3EOJH7NMSVWUMrPV07Yqb781ApDWWmK7q2zzvUKzqAPKd5BsGBdzQsLG-aBchUqNkivqq6fzqG9rMWB5ki06uHP-cEMDP8YcdOTV7IK0DulhcKaf/s1600/Image005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ygkzoUIwOrwPkDdKahpekjmBfHT6msDh063Uxhem_4mpUXrOAE1NrsbVdRtlS_2PJ98Wew3H00RHwKIPmkfeSLFkcVp5iODEhB_t1wUsLRun1jZcWygheYFxr7tMly7yYjXb/s1600/Image006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ygkzoUIwOrwPkDdKahpekjmBfHT6msDh063Uxhem_4mpUXrOAE1NrsbVdRtlS_2PJ98Wew3H00RHwKIPmkfeSLFkcVp5iODEhB_t1wUsLRun1jZcWygheYFxr7tMly7yYjXb/s320/Image006.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the four main pieces were in place I shimmed them to an exact fit and nailed them off. This made the hall tree look like one single unit. Here are the trim pieces...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ygkzoUIwOrwPkDdKahpekjmBfHT6msDh063Uxhem_4mpUXrOAE1NrsbVdRtlS_2PJ98Wew3H00RHwKIPmkfeSLFkcVp5iODEhB_t1wUsLRun1jZcWygheYFxr7tMly7yYjXb/s1600/Image006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4aQwXQxXSAc1jdHtmzZLJru_lK524QxDnvT1MSXu-m8gISLPpbQBu-2WDxQZ6Py8BKLFkN3K-r6szgblLc3REboHxDpxRryHOPkDxEnWFt-CwRaSe7R1sWhDclSZVOj3cUsw/s1600/Image007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4aQwXQxXSAc1jdHtmzZLJru_lK524QxDnvT1MSXu-m8gISLPpbQBu-2WDxQZ6Py8BKLFkN3K-r6szgblLc3REboHxDpxRryHOPkDxEnWFt-CwRaSe7R1sWhDclSZVOj3cUsw/s320/Image007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made the seat with the best boards I had - a couple of them had knots which I wanted to show for a more rustic look. I sanded the corners along the edges of the boards before assembling them, again to make the bench look more rustic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4aQwXQxXSAc1jdHtmzZLJru_lK524QxDnvT1MSXu-m8gISLPpbQBu-2WDxQZ6Py8BKLFkN3K-r6szgblLc3REboHxDpxRryHOPkDxEnWFt-CwRaSe7R1sWhDclSZVOj3cUsw/s1600/Image007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYXSDNRWdyTWkzFT1C3AaQul5Fq1HCMnnq4a_qDoz10YY1cdBoI9jwwCZtP660y5Dujr7PA2O6N1fsZ2lyPFiGyqmuRhZKexV8VdJANIKtyyNGHmGl0qCLfRBAVOmxbbmKgEM/s1600/Image008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYXSDNRWdyTWkzFT1C3AaQul5Fq1HCMnnq4a_qDoz10YY1cdBoI9jwwCZtP660y5Dujr7PA2O6N1fsZ2lyPFiGyqmuRhZKexV8VdJANIKtyyNGHmGl0qCLfRBAVOmxbbmKgEM/s320/Image008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The middle section took the most work. The 1/4" cherry plywood makes the base, with the battens and trim attached. I put 1/2" OSB on the sides to give them rigidity.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYXSDNRWdyTWkzFT1C3AaQul5Fq1HCMnnq4a_qDoz10YY1cdBoI9jwwCZtP660y5Dujr7PA2O6N1fsZ2lyPFiGyqmuRhZKexV8VdJANIKtyyNGHmGl0qCLfRBAVOmxbbmKgEM/s1600/Image008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uvpzXC8dly6Q8dc2B-x10sHbjLjCB-trP8GyqevdC2-S5vfXFlHbxPnwLpPlNvjg1kFgPM93Qmd_JrMy66G-UuamMBNulLQb6BGcXCNOnAchNvuWaFUgsce1JWc6rpGy4Th7/s1600/Image009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uvpzXC8dly6Q8dc2B-x10sHbjLjCB-trP8GyqevdC2-S5vfXFlHbxPnwLpPlNvjg1kFgPM93Qmd_JrMy66G-UuamMBNulLQb6BGcXCNOnAchNvuWaFUgsce1JWc6rpGy4Th7/s320/Image009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Building the base cabinet for shoes was pretty straightforward, holding two pair of shoes on each shelf.. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uvpzXC8dly6Q8dc2B-x10sHbjLjCB-trP8GyqevdC2-S5vfXFlHbxPnwLpPlNvjg1kFgPM93Qmd_JrMy66G-UuamMBNulLQb6BGcXCNOnAchNvuWaFUgsce1JWc6rpGy4Th7/s1600/Image009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXbha9KRPaBNozgd-Fcdd0GhBZj14AH6epd3vQLJuChUxZHR3FDwW1wI0aM8W5d_UdMBJqf3_Ehg6jH0_G14hL8DLmTFlzoP_rMuewqw5T1Xg4yCnlFti19z6jTudbB8yY9sh/s1600/Image010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXbha9KRPaBNozgd-Fcdd0GhBZj14AH6epd3vQLJuChUxZHR3FDwW1wI0aM8W5d_UdMBJqf3_Ehg6jH0_G14hL8DLmTFlzoP_rMuewqw5T1Xg4yCnlFti19z6jTudbB8yY9sh/s320/Image010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I need to let the finish cure for a day or so, then mount the hardware.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-14624315780673798242010-05-10T22:14:00.000-07:002010-05-21T16:10:15.689-07:00New Living Room Windows #2My DW was able to get the textured paint on the remodeled window wall this week, which I think looks great. I am looking forward to getting these trimmed out, so they look like a single large unit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFB3cNsb7i-ccmM7IyGIklPrLvNaHIFyGJVb0E_RCe3wjBAHgeyMvMfcfC3OZD1GIVqwHmemtxOiudz69AsmomypTBzNpFfsgzZmZQQp0wogQiuMRe7Y0btjN0FWG7jWzyzBZ/s1600/Image002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFB3cNsb7i-ccmM7IyGIklPrLvNaHIFyGJVb0E_RCe3wjBAHgeyMvMfcfC3OZD1GIVqwHmemtxOiudz69AsmomypTBzNpFfsgzZmZQQp0wogQiuMRe7Y0btjN0FWG7jWzyzBZ/s400/Image002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Why did we pick these size windows, as opposed to 4 slightly smaller ones?<br />
<ul><li>If we chose 4 windows, they would have been very close to the end windows, which would have made nice pattern. </li>
<li>We could have done two long windows with a single center post, which would have maximized the glass and cost less. </li>
<li>We chose three because windows are traditionally grouped in odd numbers, so you get a clear center view as a focal point. Five windows would have had too many posts and a broken-up view.</li>
</ul>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-83833191585788496002010-04-26T22:08:00.000-07:002010-04-27T09:58:10.068-07:00New Living Room Windows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Catching up on the blog: We put new windows into the living room about 3 weekends ago. This involved pulling out out the old 8' wide windows, removing the short wall between the two windows, adding in posts, and filling in the left-side corner. Unfortunately the old windows had broken seals and frames, and were only fit to go to the landfill.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first picture is "before" and the second is "after"...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbr_hpo-kQ4bWNO6PYQ7lFEvHJolIDNfndhSbvDCmQcX9G74nlhUSvttOoe9XX-UZUaFVyCNl3xeBO3DnayqrT3NKbRoxGJgm7078BuEWy4G5CTXGcz_a3TFVWTiDx9JwT2ml/s1600/Image024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbr_hpo-kQ4bWNO6PYQ7lFEvHJolIDNfndhSbvDCmQcX9G74nlhUSvttOoe9XX-UZUaFVyCNl3xeBO3DnayqrT3NKbRoxGJgm7078BuEWy4G5CTXGcz_a3TFVWTiDx9JwT2ml/s400/Image024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
While the original layout was OK, I think the entire wall of windows is better. It brings the full view of the outdoors into living room, except for two posts.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1tKmZ_StifvRWJ5nRe9AdT0oXMS3jZlD6pBlOQ55HpGFeVUbP5Q6iJQshvj0EkcW74RvUkYWA9hUZ1U8c8RTi2Fig-RviDKK9Xpznj04fc7sKrkkP-afcba5x3MRZ6sFoC9S/s1600/Image014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1tKmZ_StifvRWJ5nRe9AdT0oXMS3jZlD6pBlOQ55HpGFeVUbP5Q6iJQshvj0EkcW74RvUkYWA9hUZ1U8c8RTi2Fig-RviDKK9Xpznj04fc7sKrkkP-afcba5x3MRZ6sFoC9S/s400/Image014.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
I cut back the two existing headers, put posts in, and added a third header in the center. The posts are made of three 2x4's glued and nailed together - two jack studs and one king stud. These are sandwiched on the inside and outside with 1/2 plywood that is glued and nailed as well. This makes very strong posts that shouldn't have any problem holding up the headers, trusses and roof.<br />
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The sheetrock is back in place, taped, mudded and textured. Once my DW does the painting, I'll re-trim everything out and call it done.Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-37204091270448880722010-04-26T21:18:00.000-07:002010-05-11T21:03:10.543-07:00Improving our Entry with an Alcove and Hall Tree<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">The entry to our house is fairly small and is typical for a house built in the 1970's. We have a nice covered porch area, but once you are inside the entry is about 4 feet wide and 7 feet long. The location of the stairs and utilities don't allow for much expansion without a major remodel project - which we are not willing to do.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">To help make the area feel larger and more up-to-date - and keep the cost down - we created an alcove to hold a hall tree. This picture shows the progress so far: the alcove is done (needs painting) and the hall tree parts are fabricated (no trim, stain or sealer yet)...</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTy74MBdbnZDnLNBgROO1sfTYVek-7wa5jxNQfMIykgBbWiA7fTNS8AdF_reqZV9phoYpnhlNLvdxThI7N1lEAwy8ySgQJffg8CkIjh8pYGBHLzENC3aq6gFEcask8O7UG_bcV/s1600/Image018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTy74MBdbnZDnLNBgROO1sfTYVek-7wa5jxNQfMIykgBbWiA7fTNS8AdF_reqZV9phoYpnhlNLvdxThI7N1lEAwy8ySgQJffg8CkIjh8pYGBHLzENC3aq6gFEcask8O7UG_bcV/s400/Image018.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><br />
I made the hall tree out of "rustic" cherry (some knots and minor defect), which cost $4 / b.f., which was about 1/2 the cost of regular cherry. It also gave me the the right look for our house, which is not formal.<br />
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Here is a picture of the floor plan changes we made. We "stole" about 8 square feet from my office (read bedroom for my son in college) where the closet used to be, and moved it down as shown.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3N-lFNSN-JkD9ioE7-oguF1u2sZgQcamOpbsP6102SfzgGfxrvvn6ISjA6TasZ57rhDiCQVDUekDCNQoh3qTMnQrcgSGYGyGVgVtesllRNSN0sbhrlDhlj_RXcIdW0-VE-fG/s1600/Image021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3N-lFNSN-JkD9ioE7-oguF1u2sZgQcamOpbsP6102SfzgGfxrvvn6ISjA6TasZ57rhDiCQVDUekDCNQoh3qTMnQrcgSGYGyGVgVtesllRNSN0sbhrlDhlj_RXcIdW0-VE-fG/s400/Image021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I am going to add a set of built-in bookshelves to the office that back up to the alcove (3 ft wide x 7 ft high). I think the room will feel almost a spacious with these installed, instead of just a plane wall. Also, the hall tree does not need to be any deeper than 20" on the entry side to get the effect of more space.<br />
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A few year ago, I read a remodeling / design article that suggested if possible you should select a non-vital room to "steal" space from for improvements. This is what we decided to do with the office. I started out at a 12' x 10' 6" room plus a six-foot closet. We gave part of the room to the guest bath, and now a bit to the entry. This has left us with a 12' x 8' 6" footprint, plus a 4' closet, which is fine for an office / guest room in the long run.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1RGva1qbfDGDJGULf8HumMGmdGllKsvxAVTRr36gOYs3QdpmcKARAjuS5LuPmZy5_itdiV8wQAfrs2xy_Yyp3jstwNBxDS4PCOvJZ8mQNbx-fkrRvH3UI4xHFOkzYoZZNUbX/s1600/Image013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1RGva1qbfDGDJGULf8HumMGmdGllKsvxAVTRr36gOYs3QdpmcKARAjuS5LuPmZy5_itdiV8wQAfrs2xy_Yyp3jstwNBxDS4PCOvJZ8mQNbx-fkrRvH3UI4xHFOkzYoZZNUbX/s400/Image013.jpg" width="332" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hopefully, this weekend I can get the shelves for shoes and face trim done, and have everything stained and sealed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-61759555487539410622010-03-29T19:38:00.000-07:002010-03-29T21:44:53.513-07:00Clerestory WindowsI haven't been blogging - or working on projects - for most of the winter (too much skiing!)<br />
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I bought a couple of boxes of 6" glass block at Home Depot that were on the clearance pile. I have been planning for a while to make clerestory windows for our bedroom wall, and this gave me the boost to do it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO6W9bn0W4XrEddq8Kf6fnePEucQIvnSXPOeD_SF0NIsv7ySuhmeRd07PYeUCQVN7YEOC1ChNuLzABMLjHW-396WOBAnawUt9QjSIvykDYnH9yboCpyK-aaATuS2XWebSda3C/s1600/Image047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO6W9bn0W4XrEddq8Kf6fnePEucQIvnSXPOeD_SF0NIsv7ySuhmeRd07PYeUCQVN7YEOC1ChNuLzABMLjHW-396WOBAnawUt9QjSIvykDYnH9yboCpyK-aaATuS2XWebSda3C/s320/Image047.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I built separate frames for each set of 4 glass blocks, which ended up being 13 1/2" wide. These fit between the 16" O.C. studs with shims and blocking, so no header needed. Once I applied the trim, the set of windows look like a single unit.<br />
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I set the height of the windows so the top trim would be even with both the French doors and maintain clean lines.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3IVkcsxp3AGIFApyJ9j555PSMKm_e-BPtKHan2Xm9wbZ8Old30HCmFA1HN7vb-c5pf1e_SC8PdrjjEb-qd_7j06WhxUgXh2ZNE7YtWAtyRjXBxI6S4j8zmV2mm_coS7Uoc4T7/s1600/Image046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3IVkcsxp3AGIFApyJ9j555PSMKm_e-BPtKHan2Xm9wbZ8Old30HCmFA1HN7vb-c5pf1e_SC8PdrjjEb-qd_7j06WhxUgXh2ZNE7YtWAtyRjXBxI6S4j8zmV2mm_coS7Uoc4T7/s320/Image046.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Since this is a south-facing wall, we are hoping to get a lot of additional light during the winter months when the sun is low.<br />
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Costs:<br />
- Glass block: $60<br />
- Glass block spacer bars: $12<br />
- Grout: $5<br />
- Frame wood and 2x4 supports: $10<br />
- Trim: $15<br />
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Total: $100 approx.Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-74135885950764101392009-10-18T18:04:00.000-07:002009-10-18T18:17:53.280-07:00The large tree in our backyard is turning yellow. It's one of my favorite sites in fall. I "staged" this picture a little bit with the Adirondack chairs and the fire pit...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTav6xajZGl3zAMoywAXbkLWA_ShSQHLQ-HCKxgZWvywAiZiRhcMG5NjXiEXJjwMfW8aMBgDf7E2Kh45MvimdxeqXjFnPV9WSqAWahPSTR7tNaiVh5-HHWvIofKdfS3KCzd19/s1600-h/Image027.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394110893507970866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 297px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTav6xajZGl3zAMoywAXbkLWA_ShSQHLQ-HCKxgZWvywAiZiRhcMG5NjXiEXJjwMfW8aMBgDf7E2Kh45MvimdxeqXjFnPV9WSqAWahPSTR7tNaiVh5-HHWvIofKdfS3KCzd19/s400/Image027.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I spent part of the weekend replacing the doors in our basement. They were the typical flat-slab 1970's doors. These six-panel doors are nothing special, but they were very cheap, and at least look more up-to-date. I did the work on the back porch, giving me a nice view.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTduH_eofpSID3OkzIk4yU0Y9cN04kqHRKL9T9n5ePs8_pn8-eJoi3dVB55Tlirj3jA0iqaD-7onWIV0K6udUUCdwBO3nTqZ3SMP9tyPO9gJH7NqpiNYZIA8Olk7CroELAleq/s1600-h/Image026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394110901091456306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 227px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTduH_eofpSID3OkzIk4yU0Y9cN04kqHRKL9T9n5ePs8_pn8-eJoi3dVB55Tlirj3jA0iqaD-7onWIV0K6udUUCdwBO3nTqZ3SMP9tyPO9gJH7NqpiNYZIA8Olk7CroELAleq/s400/Image026.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />These doors needed to be cut to size, drilled for the knobs and routed for the hinges. I basically took each old door and used it as a pattern for the new one. The picture shows the stop-blocks clamped in place for routing the hinge pockets.Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-1314542316666583022009-09-27T19:24:00.000-07:002009-09-27T19:58:45.866-07:00Making a $10 BenchI came up with a simple bench design that you can make from a 1x12 pine board that's 8' long - which costs $10 right now (in Oregon). You could also make this from a 2x12. Here is a picture of one that I distressed and stained...<br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJkMvmnhRJEUDrEmMpa0mHZiY0TnD3hBLagfTPu7egNhjETYwLSoLBZ7oaRt1YeKJ0t0hPwSw3m9Brr4OIh3p0k96r7sMPgYr-pVKgSOmJdF5vsmmrwMYnvpIlZGmiO7drevV/s1600-h/Image008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386344028565813314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 327px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJkMvmnhRJEUDrEmMpa0mHZiY0TnD3hBLagfTPu7egNhjETYwLSoLBZ7oaRt1YeKJ0t0hPwSw3m9Brr4OIh3p0k96r7sMPgYr-pVKgSOmJdF5vsmmrwMYnvpIlZGmiO7drevV/s400/Image008.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It needs another coat of stain and then a couple applications of sealer.<br /><br />Here is the simple "cut diagram":<br /><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14DIiJWR3Mlo2YzSfnNwsKFPUtHW595C_eqkrkwmM0uKKxjzIhdBvKZWg23A-FDAivteloQlWE5h4alDqomCu_uaLCSo6v3jG9Dx6Mx4AV4RmMYaR3TKauFLYYvzxPmG0M4nQ/s1600-h/Image010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386344026758243042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 96px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14DIiJWR3Mlo2YzSfnNwsKFPUtHW595C_eqkrkwmM0uKKxjzIhdBvKZWg23A-FDAivteloQlWE5h4alDqomCu_uaLCSo6v3jG9Dx6Mx4AV4RmMYaR3TKauFLYYvzxPmG0M4nQ/s400/Image010.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />- The top is on the left at 32"<br />- The legs in the center at 16"<br />- The apron and bottom stretcher are cut out of the right piece at 29 wide.<br /><br />This design allows for a little bit of scrap, which I use to attach the top.<br /><br />I made 4 of these today to go into our home theater:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AFvp11j-dEUi7X1kd6TZ2PgnkPJo2hGxd9WwOZYC4jO9hDGoMpW92Y66lwbIjRUhqgkH6jZzm9W32gfMlDn6wPS5UX9t_cPnqayItFD1OYKeKkLF64szHoBSRAQbAMEu7Nbh/s1600-h/Image006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386344015041531586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 360px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AFvp11j-dEUi7X1kd6TZ2PgnkPJo2hGxd9WwOZYC4jO9hDGoMpW92Y66lwbIjRUhqgkH6jZzm9W32gfMlDn6wPS5UX9t_cPnqayItFD1OYKeKkLF64szHoBSRAQbAMEu7Nbh/s400/Image006.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Here they are with the first coat of stain.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LEMe7lC1iHfGmmi2qn6b8eG17v1U-BXT2LjYldhpiiUTRlMCgbCd7rUV1BH8edn59y9WefVCy-oWup8RVaDKfGqLpl_kuz_vM59xwn45NPkmyiUi_LPb9oBuEPoNlUcx7OUh/s1600-h/Image007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386344009901619970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 244px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LEMe7lC1iHfGmmi2qn6b8eG17v1U-BXT2LjYldhpiiUTRlMCgbCd7rUV1BH8edn59y9WefVCy-oWup8RVaDKfGqLpl_kuz_vM59xwn45NPkmyiUi_LPb9oBuEPoNlUcx7OUh/s400/Image007.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />These are obviously not fine furniture, but will be great for holding food, books, etc. They can also be used for sitting when we have a bunch of people over.<br /></p>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-72159576835495180472009-09-26T19:31:00.000-07:002009-09-26T20:11:24.535-07:00New Home Theater FurnitureThey delivered the furniture for our home theater today. We bought a very large sectional and ottoman, plus two recliners. These, plus the existing couch and love seat, fill up the room.<br /><br />This sectional seats 6 or 7 people:<br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirLJVxx0zehNljg2WX-3ZlZENiiYyY8Nm6tOe0fp1nXX8LXH8rXdGMGB7fQ3LPx2uvHmBXJgJVnR-07pcf5A9CdH0eew8hwxK98fU-wqkLiA_kaOcVvgnd1JbeIwfiZS1BwGea/s1600-h/Image001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385970426261418450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirLJVxx0zehNljg2WX-3ZlZENiiYyY8Nm6tOe0fp1nXX8LXH8rXdGMGB7fQ3LPx2uvHmBXJgJVnR-07pcf5A9CdH0eew8hwxK98fU-wqkLiA_kaOcVvgnd1JbeIwfiZS1BwGea/s400/Image001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Here are the matching recliners.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3FdZ8BrCNjRMZ1NZJI6gfy-HiBeRdt4DUMEzbf6gEyy2mVb-VeNMA0tojAjTKjmtq-pb_ogQ6kZlN9UHVdaWnsgpPXf5Xp14bC7UfZjmbQXf-W6Jk2XRQqdJEPPe7q06kOJK/s1600-h/Image002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385970438924071826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3FdZ8BrCNjRMZ1NZJI6gfy-HiBeRdt4DUMEzbf6gEyy2mVb-VeNMA0tojAjTKjmtq-pb_ogQ6kZlN9UHVdaWnsgpPXf5Xp14bC7UfZjmbQXf-W6Jk2XRQqdJEPPe7q06kOJK/s400/Image002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This picture shows them from the back of the theater room.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF1AD2_5Nr8GJ1nMkoYUfRm7RNGpHfMYmtO9X9ijpiYTfUguA85ISGwG0ZFaCwCXC9y8RMEA-W3jjqojaAqs_aDc2avIAVKSYRlsCExkrYeKmRqoY75EDhGQWWEM3Ge2Tesz0/s1600-h/Image003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385970445783757250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 246px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF1AD2_5Nr8GJ1nMkoYUfRm7RNGpHfMYmtO9X9ijpiYTfUguA85ISGwG0ZFaCwCXC9y8RMEA-W3jjqojaAqs_aDc2avIAVKSYRlsCExkrYeKmRqoY75EDhGQWWEM3Ge2Tesz0/s400/Image003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />We bought all this from <a href="http://www.pacificlifestylefurniture.com/">Pacific Lifestyle Furniture</a>, and I have nothing but positive comments about them. I felt like we purchased very good quality furniture at a price on par with Costco (about 1/2 the expected cost), and the delivery was right on time. They are obviously a low overhead operation that keeps prices low. I found them on craigslist.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pacificlifestylefurniture.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385971672465414802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 94px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagnX5BQY2DifUYZwmW3cStzC1fFbbEhyLNyvXwXqU9xHRpl1k-Fl-vU-sjNE9bJ3AoyM4SsUsApwGRXsxZu4iTl8cHb-WpATz3WdzG_Q8aDM3yZFvhsbSuOYvjsguZ6svXA92/s400/Image004.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />My disclaimer: I am not paid for advertising for this business. I am giving a positive review for people I was happy to do business with.</p>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-12647160744836914352009-09-14T12:18:00.001-07:002009-09-14T12:23:35.815-07:00My new blog: Hammer and SawI recently started another blog: <a href="http://hammerandsaw.blogspot.com/">Hammer and Saw</a>, focused on woodworking and furniture.<br /><br /><a href="http://hammerandsaw.blogspot.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381404648907474674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 79px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9rX6x6nV3u0bdkPwVSRq4eLvKe6fzQ9Yocs1K-ByxolRKH9gTFOnu5nF6jTrtcYZs40-JBfZWautcFWEvwHAYkeCe5NwQqJnvZfe1JgX8GHH3jrHVzRNj8lN6siuWwMNqXiL/s400/Image001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Up to this point, I have kept my furniture projects in with the remodeling stuff. After reviewing it, I think the content and audience will be somewhat different. Also, this allows me to use tags that are focussed on various woodworking topics.<br /><br />Anyway, if you get the chance, take a look and comment.<br /><br />TTFTroy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-21730695863868333132009-09-13T18:59:00.001-07:002009-09-13T19:08:45.405-07:00Tip: Use contrasting filler on painted trimUntil recently, I always filled the nail holes in trim with filler that was close to the paint color (in our case, white). No matter how systematically I work when sanding, I seem to miss one now and then. Now I use a contrasting color, so there is no problem seeing every one...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohd2NCbFJ7pQvUEfHPaFIBJsu5jnUcYausZTRZ-tUR1BTMRwJFbBlP9Er98KBLdSARR2Xww-TMZsQeT4cb8F_XJUlQ8jFv1RskAeJn6fmwZLtRiQ4_Guuj7k5JBWOaXjbv4tC/s1600-h/Image004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381137163041861922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 223px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohd2NCbFJ7pQvUEfHPaFIBJsu5jnUcYausZTRZ-tUR1BTMRwJFbBlP9Er98KBLdSARR2Xww-TMZsQeT4cb8F_XJUlQ8jFv1RskAeJn6fmwZLtRiQ4_Guuj7k5JBWOaXjbv4tC/s400/Image004.jpg" border="0" /></a>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-10391007645666139232009-09-12T21:48:00.000-07:002009-09-12T22:10:27.264-07:00Built-in Bookshelf for my Son's RoomThe final thing we are adding to our son's room is a two-foot wide built in bookshelf, where his old closet used to be. It's 10" deep, which allows for an 18" deep linen closet backing up to it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfTRileHjueAoUuW68qn16SuikdqQAZGEOYyjQKo_F85HSpkHaZekq1BgnjXS0zWyYXcmJXkENwcnqakCdGUF0cHRh7YknaL1_-XZ-QXFol5PQaUenaTBYVcLZA3gywf_dP8N/s1600-h/Image030.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380809947996447394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 377px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfTRileHjueAoUuW68qn16SuikdqQAZGEOYyjQKo_F85HSpkHaZekq1BgnjXS0zWyYXcmJXkENwcnqakCdGUF0cHRh7YknaL1_-XZ-QXFol5PQaUenaTBYVcLZA3gywf_dP8N/s400/Image030.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Here is the bookshelf unit before it was installed. This is a very simple design: 3/4" plywood sides and shelves; 3/8" bead board plywood for the back; MDF face frame pieces. I sanded, primed and painted all the pieces before assembly, saving a lot of effort.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2o9bJqqeyo1BaUxyyDXzBTjb9n5PJu3k_clC1xuWS6ZY0CFNJnuec-ihHPgey3NGYo3JwDp7Lo_zHHvAg9LlRsw8CooZD-7kQOiKhVJqR6o0TscI-7HJX5orHNUlh0qFNc0w/s1600-h/Image023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380809944368905890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 218px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2o9bJqqeyo1BaUxyyDXzBTjb9n5PJu3k_clC1xuWS6ZY0CFNJnuec-ihHPgey3NGYo3JwDp7Lo_zHHvAg9LlRsw8CooZD-7kQOiKhVJqR6o0TscI-7HJX5orHNUlh0qFNc0w/s400/Image023.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Here is the unit installed in the wall, with side trim applied. It is shimmed solidly in place, with finish nails holding it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzH3ey84-KXTsmSZZHR4Q9J-XuPyCLkKPczNy47cfmXYwJNABxelC-TRkH3AbS-g_NL33cuXXUT6VhlO3Z2ltXct3FqoDqRZHAMitnz2tnzMe5EsKhU78hZbTm1-gKITgAvpl/s1600-h/Image028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380809933662625234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 295px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzH3ey84-KXTsmSZZHR4Q9J-XuPyCLkKPczNy47cfmXYwJNABxelC-TRkH3AbS-g_NL33cuXXUT6VhlO3Z2ltXct3FqoDqRZHAMitnz2tnzMe5EsKhU78hZbTm1-gKITgAvpl/s400/Image028.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This bookshelf matches <a href="http://greengateranchremodel.blogspot.com/2008/07/painting-built-in-bookshelves.html">the other ones we installed </a>in our basement, to give continuity throughout the house.Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-20978079902415890402009-09-12T20:13:00.000-07:002009-09-12T20:25:59.531-07:00Building a Windowseat #3 - Cabinetry CompleteI finished up the cabinetry portion of the window seat project. As shown in the picture, I installed the top, which has a lift up lid. I also put a small lip on the front, which is there to keep the cushion in place.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9R_NQIcCs2y7k5dWcOvVwaAFYSNvfLj9H9nXrGtT0qpuLfZ5Ag8w7TC6wPAves3SefgRFPN4QY0BbFZ8q1kvBv2EEbprnZ1sL9f7Gc5rFfe71Ie4QV7xPc4sOsXjAUkox8DdA/s1600-h/Image025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380785613362358786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9R_NQIcCs2y7k5dWcOvVwaAFYSNvfLj9H9nXrGtT0qpuLfZ5Ag8w7TC6wPAves3SefgRFPN4QY0BbFZ8q1kvBv2EEbprnZ1sL9f7Gc5rFfe71Ie4QV7xPc4sOsXjAUkox8DdA/s400/Image025.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The underside of the lid has 3/4" x 1 1/2" support splines to make sure it stays flat over time.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoXD1URR5QAW_onLnX5yW9P9ri8c-9IHn3XXrHXFT5c-jGN5cjrtvY4bMCiA18FdAbMo_RjiD9HLbLFc2Tn1I3hjVAMbosKjIYwWo6TOU0SpbXsLQE864u2EC_xrCjXuK2qoQ/s1600-h/Image026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380785615381609122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 257px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoXD1URR5QAW_onLnX5yW9P9ri8c-9IHn3XXrHXFT5c-jGN5cjrtvY4bMCiA18FdAbMo_RjiD9HLbLFc2Tn1I3hjVAMbosKjIYwWo6TOU0SpbXsLQE864u2EC_xrCjXuK2qoQ/s400/Image026.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />We need to paint the front with our white trim paint. Hopefully my DW will get the cushion made in the next couple of weeks.Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-91614315843661091942009-08-30T01:01:00.001-07:002009-09-03T06:01:08.668-07:00Finishing up My Son's Walk-in ClosetMy son and I installed the closet organizer we built last week. The diagram below shows the layout...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3vPaMlpMnOOTfRB9ApyMLucdT2dYBrKMiwpEFWXSPdjBNF1gwyUUWt-AzEybm89YeNFlM0j5VhtyOyAHT5yHQTyIgN02Y2g3ebqO-vfN_lX6G8XXPTmGqMNhl0cBTJAW0G9N/s1600-h/Image028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375666776516124450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 270px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3vPaMlpMnOOTfRB9ApyMLucdT2dYBrKMiwpEFWXSPdjBNF1gwyUUWt-AzEybm89YeNFlM0j5VhtyOyAHT5yHQTyIgN02Y2g3ebqO-vfN_lX6G8XXPTmGqMNhl0cBTJAW0G9N/s400/Image028.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As I stated in an earlier post, this is about as small as you can get for any sort of workable walk-in closet. That being said, there is actually a lot of room in there with the cabinetry installed.<br /><br />We did a slightly larger one of these for my daughter (8' x 4'), and I am sold on this design. It seems so much more functional than the standard two feet deep closets. It also takes up significantly less wall space within the room. If I every design another house, there will be walk-ins, at least small ones, in every bedroom.<br /><br />Here are the shelves on the left side, with the hanger bar below. We put the bar out 16" from the wall, instead of the normal 12". This allows for my son to store stuff along that back wall.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFySOjVnKMRPD3BtUVZggl0UavZ5b8iH67YRLQc-bbDd1iCGSDQ_KX-lVVeqJjtUNEdFc6aBUu-ChDlo6RQBEQ7PPGyhobe7Q1v-tdK_kurectd_rRW_2gEnvq1DrC8tlXpJ4/s1600-h/Image023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375664266909815410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 339px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFySOjVnKMRPD3BtUVZggl0UavZ5b8iH67YRLQc-bbDd1iCGSDQ_KX-lVVeqJjtUNEdFc6aBUu-ChDlo6RQBEQ7PPGyhobe7Q1v-tdK_kurectd_rRW_2gEnvq1DrC8tlXpJ4/s400/Image023.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The right side now holds the dresser, and all the slides have been adjusted as needed. The next step is to affix the drawer fronts and hardware.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRxjr8Ydjg9U2N1ftf5gvbLDNkYO2PEDXShcehu5I5CPPMvmB70Lwceyo_UeOKx04eGYhnYBVosbIfBBPFrzCXu5tksmVcN8uGN757tT2fMB64sUEk3MD6T7oi1aK_XrWHQlM/s1600-h/Image021.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375664257438982018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 277px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRxjr8Ydjg9U2N1ftf5gvbLDNkYO2PEDXShcehu5I5CPPMvmB70Lwceyo_UeOKx04eGYhnYBVosbIfBBPFrzCXu5tksmVcN8uGN757tT2fMB64sUEk3MD6T7oi1aK_XrWHQlM/s400/Image021.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />A tip for building your own drawers using drawer slides...<br /><br />You want the drawers to slide in and out without any binding or slipping. Binding comes from the drawer being too tight or not aligned correctly, and slipping comes from the drawer bring too loose.<br /><br />I make the drawer 1/16" to 1/8" narrower than the opening, minus the requirements for the slides. In this case, the openings are 34", and the slides take 1" - so the drawers are 32 7/8" wide. This extra little bit allows me to shim the rails to get them aligned and the correct width. I use washers between the rails and the cabinets for shims.Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-89449763288781917842009-08-29T23:52:00.001-07:002009-08-30T20:12:28.895-07:00Building a Window Seat #2In the following set of pictures, I show how I installed the window seat cabinet I built earlier...<br /><br />Here is the bump-out we added for the window seat. It has a concrete floor and foundation (same as the rest of the basement) and standard framed walls.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzzHYNcoSqV6hzfpLuAZ_rXLDdSjnWP5KBysdf0lPm1v9mxeHODoXjGgmBqSPc9NsBeOdzDh5vZrZ4CKvaDw_eRtT6vaSJBnpR8YGvMkhNO3B-wDBfhTfMLCpCnhAL9qDKDzQ/s1600-h/Image015.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375646767061739490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 277px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzzHYNcoSqV6hzfpLuAZ_rXLDdSjnWP5KBysdf0lPm1v9mxeHODoXjGgmBqSPc9NsBeOdzDh5vZrZ4CKvaDw_eRtT6vaSJBnpR8YGvMkhNO3B-wDBfhTfMLCpCnhAL9qDKDzQ/s400/Image015.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The cabinet will be hung by the walls in the back and on the sides, and sit on the floor in the front. Here I attached 3/4" plywood pieces to the bottom to bring the cabinet up to the correct height.<br /><br />Also note that I ran 3/4" boards across the bottom in the center. This was probably not needed - there won't be anything too heavy stored in this. Adding the scrap pieces took no time or cost, and it ensures there will never be sag in the bottom.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVACzmT2-8JSBdeuHB8_TVoLf_Mx5Fof9Nvx7w8iUIZwTjQYyXoctO30cj_7NWO29nh6fMOWvzOmgvjZpbBqPWsAGzWhCvglISS2u2nEBmrEa1KrNDfxC3ZGhX9NwEwgNA_8tn/s1600-h/Image016.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375646517050638642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 257px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVACzmT2-8JSBdeuHB8_TVoLf_Mx5Fof9Nvx7w8iUIZwTjQYyXoctO30cj_7NWO29nh6fMOWvzOmgvjZpbBqPWsAGzWhCvglISS2u2nEBmrEa1KrNDfxC3ZGhX9NwEwgNA_8tn/s400/Image016.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Because the wood supports will sit on the concrete, I added a layer of asphalt shingle (poly glued and stapled) to block any moisture that would migrate up into the wood over time. These get poly glued to the concrete once in place.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQQDz6VFLD4jqg1D25hXa1db5ZZiikNDkXNJTQwBWi3ctQBhiGxc5GSP1IZ0podq822qOtDwPWRQqYBBbVCqSeWd-P8rF9QpukIoxrgTv-LGFncJqwUt7u-lNzIVzIhojzF9c/s1600-h/Image017.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375646513119575250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 206px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQQDz6VFLD4jqg1D25hXa1db5ZZiikNDkXNJTQwBWi3ctQBhiGxc5GSP1IZ0podq822qOtDwPWRQqYBBbVCqSeWd-P8rF9QpukIoxrgTv-LGFncJqwUt7u-lNzIVzIhojzF9c/s400/Image017.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I build the cabinet approximately 1/2" less deep and 3/4" narrower than the opening. Just like a door, you need the rough-in dimensions to allow for some room to adjust everything. Here I added 1/2" plywood pads across the back and 3/8" ones on the right side. After marking the level-line around the walls, I quickly stapled these in place, and then firmly attached them with 2" screws into the studs.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhariicfIsjIkTDmGwhhIwEJ_ApTi1DWCbaoSAew8CCQnEFn_Fer60AUp4FDgpCVopkmkIKe2AxDL3oIZ8hs2Xdf_geQciSHnZF6hBOPaAu6712DCPYThf8RHt36Sl4kSyC2IAd/s1600-h/Image018.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375646502906834098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 228px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhariicfIsjIkTDmGwhhIwEJ_ApTi1DWCbaoSAew8CCQnEFn_Fer60AUp4FDgpCVopkmkIKe2AxDL3oIZ8hs2Xdf_geQciSHnZF6hBOPaAu6712DCPYThf8RHt36Sl4kSyC2IAd/s400/Image018.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I set the cabinet in place, pushing it against the back and right side. Once it was level and tight, I quickly shot in 3 finish nails to hold it in place. After that I drilled and secured it with 3" screws into the surrounding studs. Finally, I slid a shim in the left side and put screws in.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8LRLY-jpsDbnsW63JIRTwqhyPkqlqmw3pm3gI9030qjCmh5CvtsFEnrSPzU7cetMYSZ7JDhRTl62emCDUEkfKIY0pBUvtDi2ckbhyphenhyphenlQ3qlwe3KhSsFTZ2ZhA88Ut2zB7RsCg/s1600-h/Image019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375646500843654994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 252px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8LRLY-jpsDbnsW63JIRTwqhyPkqlqmw3pm3gI9030qjCmh5CvtsFEnrSPzU7cetMYSZ7JDhRTl62emCDUEkfKIY0pBUvtDi2ckbhyphenhyphenlQ3qlwe3KhSsFTZ2ZhA88Ut2zB7RsCg/s400/Image019.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Here is the final photo of the cabinet in place. Note that I did not put any insulation between the bottom of the cabinet and the concrete floor. My main reason is to not allow any moisture to get trapped in there and cause problems later. I figure with the cabinet (most likely filled with blankets) and a 4" cushion on top, there will be plenty of insulation.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3YIZX6hQXrp8bFKFWnyPq0DUU4HJlhMmSPaHbGWK5WVNTh0CTgkzBuDFQF5C-VMnIpfT-mieNdijyY17J-a-gDLebo_-8iEceoq4hh4S6eFUvI0vCmab52Xce8IpM_DiVF_X/s1600-h/Image020.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375646496018207778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 367px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3YIZX6hQXrp8bFKFWnyPq0DUU4HJlhMmSPaHbGWK5WVNTh0CTgkzBuDFQF5C-VMnIpfT-mieNdijyY17J-a-gDLebo_-8iEceoq4hh4S6eFUvI0vCmab52Xce8IpM_DiVF_X/s400/Image020.jpg" border="0" /></a> The next steps are to trim the cabinet to the wall and fit the lid in place. Before I do that, my DW will paint the walls, so she doesn't need to cut it in later.Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-52593147393412839782009-08-22T22:03:00.001-07:002009-08-28T19:24:31.186-07:00Building a Window Seat #1While I have been working on my son's room, I also got the widow seat area ready to go. I am working on building the seat cabinet as well...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHvqJAP0ZMtF0TAZulodXGA31IrSHUntTnLOBaViS4X5S6YPYXjM50onA67NvOmPKedGgJ01nfL6bMuKF9lAFszXCw-8vuEcH8Fmgz5QorOQVC-7CHV2ANuxbBYbrxRhciepX/s1600-h/Image003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373020766028886418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHvqJAP0ZMtF0TAZulodXGA31IrSHUntTnLOBaViS4X5S6YPYXjM50onA67NvOmPKedGgJ01nfL6bMuKF9lAFszXCw-8vuEcH8Fmgz5QorOQVC-7CHV2ANuxbBYbrxRhciepX/s400/Image003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here is an in-progress picture of the seat cabinet. The main structure is made from pre-finished plywood. I put pine battens on the ends to create something I could screw the panels to. I also put scrap peices of 3/4" plywood across the bottom panel to reinforce it (this is good reason to keep those 2 foot cut-off scraps). Finally, you can see where I am adding the front pieces (rails, stiles, beadboard) using brads and poly glue.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4TzeunAJdOFaLKUzEuJIewrX-yI_hPhxV8_3NxUkQzIDPeK-yURsrDKDX1U37BG5KFc5hN0ac2XoDmHUNpyLHRWYQDD7SQAvMEzRdc6K_zt0qoLnnCU6mmKP-zuY8DXminfh/s1600-h/Image004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373020753472331650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4TzeunAJdOFaLKUzEuJIewrX-yI_hPhxV8_3NxUkQzIDPeK-yURsrDKDX1U37BG5KFc5hN0ac2XoDmHUNpyLHRWYQDD7SQAvMEzRdc6K_zt0qoLnnCU6mmKP-zuY8DXminfh/s400/Image004.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Here is a quick picture of the 1/2" pre-finished plywood. I bought these 4x8 sheets for $25 each at Shurway building supply.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XnvT8VsSCpB1GsOLiHUg2E0gcXuK5hTdM6a0QexnVISu-WU7_C5v6V4whO7_aFDD_tZat0UWEBK1Fr0dsmvZGJLXI3eh9WeQvc0BazJNm-Xb1N76mkGx933WDPLxQ1Agz6hl/s1600-h/Image002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373020756591647202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 303px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XnvT8VsSCpB1GsOLiHUg2E0gcXuK5hTdM6a0QexnVISu-WU7_C5v6V4whO7_aFDD_tZat0UWEBK1Fr0dsmvZGJLXI3eh9WeQvc0BazJNm-Xb1N76mkGx933WDPLxQ1Agz6hl/s400/Image002.jpg" border="0" /></a>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-27791980393563646852009-08-22T21:42:00.000-07:002009-09-03T06:01:49.252-07:00Small Walk-in Closet for my Son's RoomWe completed the sheetrock, texturing and painting in my son's room today. As part of the remodel work we are doing, we converted part of a former hallway into a walk-in closet for the room. The old closet is going to become an alcove for the adjacent bathroom. Sometimes I think I like to play musical chairs with the floor plan...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4rxQpsy6bvc5LJG_gooFXM7b1iOed5LQMMAsvpN8yVVCtLlxT59i-FridG57PQZ5YtM9QtZ4-0HnlKXaUuLqlTtkpBmFCn7mC9845NQl7YQ6ZAylXCV51qaVbWGc2NUTpmJv/s1600-h/Image006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373016718198360466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 346px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4rxQpsy6bvc5LJG_gooFXM7b1iOed5LQMMAsvpN8yVVCtLlxT59i-FridG57PQZ5YtM9QtZ4-0HnlKXaUuLqlTtkpBmFCn7mC9845NQl7YQ6ZAylXCV51qaVbWGc2NUTpmJv/s400/Image006.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The hall was just over 3 feet wide (37 inches), and I placed the wall so the closet width would be 7'6". This is about the smallest walk-in closet possibe. He should have ample space in at the door to walk-in an turn around. One side has a dresser and shelves, while the other side has closet rods and shelves. You could get the same functional space with a 6" wide 2" deep closet, but the wide opening would take up a lot more wall space. Also, the back wall of the walk-in will have hooks to hang things.<br /><br />My son desgined the closet organizer, and we both worked on building it. Here are a couple of pictures...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-HHRdyRtxOoghpy_DnEncFdkIHUxY2IAFoS704BIj5mgScBfmynX9yqi24uwCiMDY-HA6DU_fOWm6qxN67ezOOgWkaJdEInFMGN2PRQ3tk4dh57jt7GjeCP1SGXKJDKiXVZ2/s1600-h/Image005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373016709259481490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 259px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-HHRdyRtxOoghpy_DnEncFdkIHUxY2IAFoS704BIj5mgScBfmynX9yqi24uwCiMDY-HA6DU_fOWm6qxN67ezOOgWkaJdEInFMGN2PRQ3tk4dh57jt7GjeCP1SGXKJDKiXVZ2/s400/Image005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />He decided on a black ebony stain, which my daughter also did in <a href="http://greengateranchremodel.blogspot.com/2007/11/walk-in-closet-3.html">her room</a>. It looks good on the pine face frames.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvvphPhweaFcZDRG3Wm3zdNowgrHNu4KS4UZ4CXpb84rwQKH_9fr_VqwTsovP317g0QUlaagvRM6OqG6Cqr7zelUmgsMNXoBjpIaMBpHXPK0A-pfbivNTY3No4QDK6n_8uCZc/s1600-h/Image001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373016703757815106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 278px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvvphPhweaFcZDRG3Wm3zdNowgrHNu4KS4UZ4CXpb84rwQKH_9fr_VqwTsovP317g0QUlaagvRM6OqG6Cqr7zelUmgsMNXoBjpIaMBpHXPK0A-pfbivNTY3No4QDK6n_8uCZc/s400/Image001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I am hoping to get these installed tomorrow so we can start carpeting.Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-43947557515801018602009-08-12T07:26:00.000-07:002009-08-12T08:12:24.969-07:00Installing Carpet Tiles #3 - DoneMy DW finished installing all the carpet tiles in the main areas of our basement - about 1400 sq. ft. in all. In summary, we are really happy with the quality of the product and the results.<br /><br />The additional tiles arrived for the kids rooms. As with the other order, we received what we ordered on time and delivered into our garage for about 1.90 a square foot. These tiles are also the Mowhawk Ecoflex - but they were only available in small lots, so the price was a bit lower.<br /><br />After walking on this carpet for a couple of weeks, we have decided it's noticeably more comfortable than the "cheap" carpet we had before with a low-budget pad. The lightweight pad was thicker, but compressed down to almost nothing with stepped on.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.carpetbuyershandbook.com/carpet-basics/carpet-padding/">Carpet Padding Info</a>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-88975578224895634052009-08-06T18:48:00.000-07:002009-08-07T14:50:23.480-07:00A Good Resource for Understanding Stimulus Money for RemodelingI found a very comprehensive site for understanding how I can take advantage of the stimulus / tax rebate offers in 2009: <a href="http://www.remodeling.hw.net/table-of-contents/Remodeling%20Magazine/2009/June.aspx">Remodeling Magazine - June 2009</a>. The best information on the site is summed up in: <a href="http://www.remodeling.hw.net/green-policy/the-stimulus-at-a-glance.aspx">The Stimulus at a Glance Chart</a>.<br /><br />Here is an example for windows, doors, etc.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6LkvPSdCsLfQgRHl7Rz0HS84TSM6yirX5PG719vpnuNLam5H59wlTIh3Ux4OeeXArIovvCfBFhAIPAtMM2YMQew0xhFZ1DxI7M6s1o_V_YvserlHWaMllTR8Q7krleeXkUqJ/s1600-h/Image003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367035399280581474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 245px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6LkvPSdCsLfQgRHl7Rz0HS84TSM6yirX5PG719vpnuNLam5H59wlTIh3Ux4OeeXArIovvCfBFhAIPAtMM2YMQew0xhFZ1DxI7M6s1o_V_YvserlHWaMllTR8Q7krleeXkUqJ/s400/Image003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTa0Sb_oynfxTg2MZKAytSWBMRRoNOriZzO45C78emcY6apX5e2Q8_HvInNBD3ziUruPXaXjZ6u8sk9aFyEKXVnkf7oSFktyAehyv7YAV2aAJlo0hSC81sQpztrpPMMaeQqXE6/s1600-h/Image003.jpg"></a><br /><br />So, what does this mean for me:<br /><br /><li>I am planning my budget to get the maximum $1500 rebate for various windows and an exterior french door for our dinning room. To get this, I need to spend $5000 - and after the 30% rebate it will net out to $3500.<br /><br /><li>I am planning on buying a pellet stove for my shop I am going to build. I need to purchase it in 2010, so I can take advantage of the rebate next year. The current plan only provides for this through then (who knows, it may change).<br /><br /><li>I want to add solar electric to the house. The programs for that extend out for quite a while, and I think could possibly get better.</li><br /><br />Finally, here is where the stimulus money - and possible rebates to those of use who remodel - are going over the next few years. Click on the graph to go the site.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.recovery.gov/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367039148880689586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 337px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 185px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipj__WCev_cN2sMdcjyXrKH9PIlI0VAk4YncsmBq1H55GGgSCQ97Oyv6oIAUTcbnM2rQoeHgrPsl3QF_he9g3zHXnkitVq2jZ7D3UvBj8kgEa_Wj8QPSZG7-aJyTcTO84iucga/s400/Image004.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-90037203950604572312009-08-01T07:47:00.000-07:002009-08-01T08:42:06.966-07:00Sherwood, Oregon Named a Top-10 City in America for Families<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365010067943051906" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 215px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 143px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntO6Mo6rB5NtNacQ8-SZhiYpnDI7j-UtiymXtDYpKyXhO25_LnFR0yf3raspGIAqErLpzoBFjhQQl2lGG6NqUpByAGld0hMtInh8B0uXxkGtEWP6vTWu36Eduzo4TPUGwROH0/s400/Image016.jpg" border="0" />I am an unwavering fan of Oregon. I know that I am biased, having always lived here, but we really do have just about everything: forest, ocean, mountains, desert, rivers, cities and small towns. I travel a lot of places, and I haven't found anywhere I would rather live.<br /><br />Our town, Sherwood, is one of the great places in Oregon. It was just named one of the best cities in America to raise a family. Here is a link to the <a href="http://www.sherwoodgazette.com/news/story.php?story_id=124645431099102100">article</a>. We are close to Portland, and all it offers, but we adjacent to the country and still have a small town atmosphere.<br /><br />Here are a few pictures from around town...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih05jAw_fAzeVtqedgUlZEk3d7yETPwWo9kf_Ngi76H3eK1H4k_fidVotWOm8r4y1kCIcozJgM_lzZngAXbb08GpS9fXh0Zc55EXrO8ShFdVhepvAQf1PSfncyDH4XCAoygnxD/s1600-h/Image011.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365007533576482674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 290px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih05jAw_fAzeVtqedgUlZEk3d7yETPwWo9kf_Ngi76H3eK1H4k_fidVotWOm8r4y1kCIcozJgM_lzZngAXbb08GpS9fXh0Zc55EXrO8ShFdVhepvAQf1PSfncyDH4XCAoygnxD/s400/Image011.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCBMb7VIes6Iqg5vBMLQ6TnWSDYZvi9cvWLSvHZbEIEx78onWKUbKKaorRry-u2rHA9tPXDtyvWgYb_WIQxFOje5M9W_vTUZAUoNAHkzjdUHNMffimXtCDUq23mtmlG72zlYK/s1600-h/Image013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365007552877522226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 279px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCBMb7VIes6Iqg5vBMLQ6TnWSDYZvi9cvWLSvHZbEIEx78onWKUbKKaorRry-u2rHA9tPXDtyvWgYb_WIQxFOje5M9W_vTUZAUoNAHkzjdUHNMffimXtCDUq23mtmlG72zlYK/s400/Image013.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoy5U1Fr4UUkQ5xU5v_W_zw_RA_6_85Wc2UUSAEXwcMzSPR1YuRMgNN5AvMS1RgNJ7NHEpjAiKCJW9VNYCRnhPkf8N1aAGkTUWlfnHyQtoCn2vSZa76aU390r3_2sdrknOlC-/s1600-h/Image012.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365007547006752594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 258px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoy5U1Fr4UUkQ5xU5v_W_zw_RA_6_85Wc2UUSAEXwcMzSPR1YuRMgNN5AvMS1RgNJ7NHEpjAiKCJW9VNYCRnhPkf8N1aAGkTUWlfnHyQtoCn2vSZa76aU390r3_2sdrknOlC-/s400/Image012.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYrn60yA4dJ1XcssnKsWNP_3E-BxO-EKu2CRnFdja5VEjBAvB5rPCytazvkKHF021yPGn-dJ6VLNnTbdPjMAHnpsRWxQi2W_M9__txAS43wHyaKR4wVt5QTUOOho3OxCSK2YX/s1600-h/Image014.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365007539697870578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 230px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYrn60yA4dJ1XcssnKsWNP_3E-BxO-EKu2CRnFdja5VEjBAvB5rPCytazvkKHF021yPGn-dJ6VLNnTbdPjMAHnpsRWxQi2W_M9__txAS43wHyaKR4wVt5QTUOOho3OxCSK2YX/s400/Image014.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Every place has its pros and cons, and I think we have more than our share of the pros here. I am thankful to be able to invest ourselves in a place like Sherwood.Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-44282412272256978892009-07-26T19:29:00.001-07:002009-07-26T19:57:55.115-07:00Installing Carpet Tiles #2We installed another 500 sq ft of the carpet tiles this afternoon. Here are a few pictures showing the results...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YK3PTxPnP5FF4tbJkHS23cknAiIJq4otXY6j85JVHobLl439PL_VV5BCmKXpRl3UnlS8MYaAObjDIa2YfUIX_044D6P8Ff0wQwNPZKWaSwS_q-OLorFkbjwCl1RMz09OHGTV/s1600-h/Image001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362961838754084722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 271px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YK3PTxPnP5FF4tbJkHS23cknAiIJq4otXY6j85JVHobLl439PL_VV5BCmKXpRl3UnlS8MYaAObjDIa2YfUIX_044D6P8Ff0wQwNPZKWaSwS_q-OLorFkbjwCl1RMz09OHGTV/s400/Image001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjjtQcfoKk2ezQWFLQrFPWohqtJp7qnuQNBpww1RdGkV5QdqCHcrNn2sampTjdd10oGJgQbzEoBrqlmWvsr2LcJbTg1r-D5Hg0Z7hyRbR-6BxpBDclyRrVVmEOyPeKuWM4Bzo/s1600-h/Image002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362961832621613906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 294px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjjtQcfoKk2ezQWFLQrFPWohqtJp7qnuQNBpww1RdGkV5QdqCHcrNn2sampTjdd10oGJgQbzEoBrqlmWvsr2LcJbTg1r-D5Hg0Z7hyRbR-6BxpBDclyRrVVmEOyPeKuWM4Bzo/s400/Image002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgbsBmf0y4shlyTg6lAV07O152JJqZ4nCtx6apy7fel0_tJFiXkLi3qGvCPLvrWbHDLz_UG4CL-wyo7DttMp-OJn27VpaXuubxuImIli7oFBnvG8KnvmnI9XDq4ZAzDpBHPEr/s1600-h/Image003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362961829385145618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 293px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgbsBmf0y4shlyTg6lAV07O152JJqZ4nCtx6apy7fel0_tJFiXkLi3qGvCPLvrWbHDLz_UG4CL-wyo7DttMp-OJn27VpaXuubxuImIli7oFBnvG8KnvmnI9XDq4ZAzDpBHPEr/s400/Image003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You can still see the seams between most of the tiles - the camera flash fades them out - but these should disappear after some use.<br /><br />All in all, the tiles are pretty easy to install. Here are some things we figured out (or already knew to do from similar projects):<br /><br /><li>We spent a couple of hours getting the layout right. We made sure that there would be no small strips of carpet by the walls, which took some balancing of the rooms. We also double checked our main chalk lines to ensure they were square.<br /><li>A one pound rubber mallet allows you to set the tiles solidly into the double-sided carpet tape. You can also use the mallet to align the tiles.<br /><li>Get a bulk package of razor blade for your knife. You go through a lot of them - and dull ones are a pain.<br /><li>Lay all the whole tiles then come back and do all the cuts.<br /><li>Sweep the bare floor, vacuum, then vacuum again. Get rid of as much dust a possible before starting.<br /><li>If you cut for a tight fit, you can butt the tiles right up to tile without any metal strips.<br /></li><br /><br />We have about 400 feet more to go to finish the family room and small hallway. Once we are done there, the additional tiles should arrive so we can do all the kids beadrooms.Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-31732861111374130942009-07-25T20:20:00.000-07:002009-07-26T19:20:38.199-07:00Installing Carpet Tiles #1As part of our basement remodel, we have been planning on putting in new carpet for quite a while. At about 1800 sq. ft. of carpet, it is not a small investment. After doing a bunch of research, we decided to go with commercial grade carpet tiles.<br /><br />We ordered the tiles from <a href="http://www.icarpetiles.com/">iCarpettiles.com</a>, and we were not disappointed.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.icarpetiles.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362603718063141730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 109px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0qMYl3YBtGSt9APedd_vPHDwztjbZB395c3k-OZvkGUxFDL8BBpAMl6hsz-R21qVevSWW3wXSdLVo4X2uzWNf6pFmTfyRlFajMHWUnEqp5RLv8NyqnqrgfRzCjrumERWqaRE/s400/Image007.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />For about $2.30 a square foot (delivered), we bought pad-backed carpet tiles rated for extreme wear conditions: <a href="http://www.mohawkgroup.com/pages/PDFs/ecoflex%20modular%20sheet.pdf">Mohawk Ecoflex</a>. They are also a green product and LEED rated for recycled content. The service from iCarpettiles was excellent: good phone support, quick delivery, and based on our order size, they found a cheaper alternative for delivery. They are definitely on my "good supplier" list.<br /><br />Here are the cases of carpet tiles...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqdb8d-nFoSJZGWtD4Lv6MVRiBweEQEsZ81LCTKeoFOpL7b34TOh8l6Q_1KEN5Rr1LjgEIJ-bpE49rDSZhsWGdSee8XNjW5oOng7NbHQDB4GZNF3BtUMrwI0LC8Pvjl4wmt6b/s1600-h/Image008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362614095129833186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 323px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqdb8d-nFoSJZGWtD4Lv6MVRiBweEQEsZ81LCTKeoFOpL7b34TOh8l6Q_1KEN5Rr1LjgEIJ-bpE49rDSZhsWGdSee8XNjW5oOng7NbHQDB4GZNF3BtUMrwI0LC8Pvjl4wmt6b/s400/Image008.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This picture shows the first few tiles installed. They go in fairly easily with double-sided carpet tape. We decided to run long strips of tape on the main layout lines, and also at each of the corner of the tiles - similar to the Flor tiles installation method.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8eOCQgam8ejhKi1zUVUHPLkYyIRgtKD2PJyCLjvLX1xiJaNtMNXqHPsrXrboYbz0x-hpfr1Fe7TV2Y8GP6dg-zKAGBCLkcA9PTr3bReKq6fItve6pxie2M9e4A2TYjC6OBj_/s1600-h/Image009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362614094406974066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 261px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8eOCQgam8ejhKi1zUVUHPLkYyIRgtKD2PJyCLjvLX1xiJaNtMNXqHPsrXrboYbz0x-hpfr1Fe7TV2Y8GP6dg-zKAGBCLkcA9PTr3bReKq6fItve6pxie2M9e4A2TYjC6OBj_/s400/Image009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />We go started and installed about 200 sq. ft. in a couple of hours, which wasn't bad. This included closets and a lot of detailed cutting.<br /><br />The hardest part of the installation was removing the old clumps of glue and carpet pad from the concrete floor. After tying a scraper and heat gun (lots of work), I found that my 4" grinder with a wire brush attachment did the trick with almost no effort.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYcZD5IXF-6IQTJRPkdr_7oHyOYuRPHhwZFklGlPIlpvbHKv8Md3rE2mNmJJO_RAvpYK2upz1Y0St5KVQmkhvtrseNZZz61BZlQ7c4rfDkzHMZgNczXzehphOWf6p-ixF_Fvh/s1600-h/Image010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362614087814532482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 253px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYcZD5IXF-6IQTJRPkdr_7oHyOYuRPHhwZFklGlPIlpvbHKv8Md3rE2mNmJJO_RAvpYK2upz1Y0St5KVQmkhvtrseNZZz61BZlQ7c4rfDkzHMZgNczXzehphOWf6p-ixF_Fvh/s400/Image010.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p>Hopefully, we can get the rest of the main basement area done tomorrow. </p><p>My normal disclaimer: When I feature a supplier, service or product, it's based on my own experience. I don't take payment to place anything on my blog.</p><p> </p><p> </p>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-29233854633606995792009-07-25T19:38:00.000-07:002009-07-25T20:16:04.773-07:00Back from NicaraguaMy daughter and I spent a couple of weeks on a mission trip with our church to Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. We had the chance to help build some modest houses and finish a medical clinic. The highlight of the trip was getting to know the local people and spend a good deal of time at an orphanage run by the <a href="http://www.verbonicaragua.com/">Verbo Church</a>. It's basically impossible not to fall in love with the kids there.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xgw8n1bYJJcOSuLmX0mF6FCO7eNQ85tjNF66I1NHSwsaAErEgOJI1WoBUX4Cfa7M9vh6c5awynU219rhBPGrFiScut4B93IJEEcM-78h5KGHVZ3e29-sBnaY2j20PJeTM-dJ/s1600-h/Image002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362597641689207570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 258px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xgw8n1bYJJcOSuLmX0mF6FCO7eNQ85tjNF66I1NHSwsaAErEgOJI1WoBUX4Cfa7M9vh6c5awynU219rhBPGrFiScut4B93IJEEcM-78h5KGHVZ3e29-sBnaY2j20PJeTM-dJ/s400/Image002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The man shown in this picture is Pastor Earl. He is the leader of the church that gives so much to help the local people. The area is burdened with extreme poverty, but the people I met there where rich in love and compassion for each other and their community. They are involved in getting people homes, developing small businesses and providing clean water. We saw God working there daily, and I feel like I got much more out of the experience than I gave.<br /><br />I encourage all who read this, regardless of your belief system, to take the time to get out and help others as you have the opportunity.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.orphanetwork.org/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362600761804067970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 265px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 39px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5aAFMqjgS_28omPlQVEVHQmpGkbme92Ko4x5_PFps1YejDnSMq2Yg6XrWmqWsPLVW8vi31lQCgyqWyprvDncYINaCwZ59tKHCwmPy8VTK9i4u3q_YWj6_H_nlxd4c5sxIYpm/s400/Image003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.habitat.org/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362601152094554530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 367px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 59px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5CGmHvkzzOqmFRWkTxGS_vhDY639Di3y44SzY6Rm2VxQ5sWDjiAFWsSPGffhULm5uUcNkb3D57wIJc3vGn-V0h5P8-_Oo4IAz46k7Qc84kHHrnohyphenhyphenWGFoiAs02XAo6ymt7Cc/s400/Image004.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.forwardedge.org/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362601929805632066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 158px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 63px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WfR4QzVTfCGmG7g5c1CyHh7NuvdODChIRBMyt6WSRoVVAOuQeQU3t9uMCrO4dWoCGkvhZWbfzBU8LtCVkPRV2CU0zC8smjD52hjSiyiAHOYmgthsc90wvFEnQjO0WJJ-O2Tw/s400/Image005.jpg" border="0" /></a>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-68219889184109033742009-07-03T20:51:00.000-07:002009-07-03T21:44:03.002-07:00New stone fireplace hearthAs long as I have been laying stone in the back yard, I decided to go ahead and add a raised hearth to our upstairs fireplace. When we originally built the fireplace, I decided to put the hearth on the floor, as shown in this picture...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5skZjU8IGc-CemvjbGsKZSA6wMDPsyvPHoN9ZutVI4T-j9aY03qrgpbnm9pN5DBDhxW1bwNLSkzx6WhWfgjhBFYa3p5v75AGpoAm34hB76oKtknDpSgkNlamOszDvlrYVO2L/s1600-h/Image003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354450739727427682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 387px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5skZjU8IGc-CemvjbGsKZSA6wMDPsyvPHoN9ZutVI4T-j9aY03qrgpbnm9pN5DBDhxW1bwNLSkzx6WhWfgjhBFYa3p5v75AGpoAm34hB76oKtknDpSgkNlamOszDvlrYVO2L/s400/Image003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It looked fine, but ended up being too modern looking for our taste. We wanted something that was more traditional / rustic.<br /><br />Here is a picture with the new hearth added:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92C_L-HFvBQb55ISAOUi6R4Z2VNg6T22xnodKul-hUX4M0DSO9cYn6mxlxcDjB4DC4IGf6yJtc5IyyDIYpVN2xLjRhAJGiaF4Xr3I2ECjtyt3ZKNt6-7XdzaYnKEZ5RiWrOy9/s1600-h/Image002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354447761293892930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 389px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92C_L-HFvBQb55ISAOUi6R4Z2VNg6T22xnodKul-hUX4M0DSO9cYn6mxlxcDjB4DC4IGf6yJtc5IyyDIYpVN2xLjRhAJGiaF4Xr3I2ECjtyt3ZKNt6-7XdzaYnKEZ5RiWrOy9/s400/Image002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The mud is still wet, so it's dark. Once it dries it will be the same color as the rest of the stone. I took my DW and I about 2 hours put in the structure and hearth stones, then about 4 hours to lay and finish the rest, including cleanup.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxa1aKN9MjYtZXKx2WH0us2Rbq9Ibzg2SQagf8oEa-vGR-bUlFMyiuM-IX_zeC-onGFWH5NrxV1R82rVW_J3LRndhZ_9_PrkSAlyhJQdjAxcogFmF-6qf6t7lAtYrL0GCdpCNH/s1600-h/Image001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354447905140520050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 307px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxa1aKN9MjYtZXKx2WH0us2Rbq9Ibzg2SQagf8oEa-vGR-bUlFMyiuM-IX_zeC-onGFWH5NrxV1R82rVW_J3LRndhZ_9_PrkSAlyhJQdjAxcogFmF-6qf6t7lAtYrL0GCdpCNH/s400/Image001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I am hoping to design and fabricate glass doors before winter, so we can effectively burn wood this winter.Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37985679.post-4476916262803676272009-06-27T14:29:00.000-07:002009-06-27T15:07:54.358-07:00Backyard #10 - Adirondack Chairs & CreekThis post isn't on anything specific - I just took a break from yard work to take some pictures.<br /><br />I built a couple of adirondack chairs a few years ago, and I moved them down by the fire pit earlier this week. They have weathered to a silver gray and are actually fairly comfortable. We have been spending a lot evenings out here since the weather warmed up.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMDMbuL4GDUkSwcjWzwt7vyIptzzFTQMqzpKCY2H6w8Rh9t-YZ7ncP3WHKN175tm2I1m8TuvziLDr3ApCUQfkrOzwBJAdpxL950u7jiw1ythvYKn7t3WrZ_uxeSrTQPA_6w5W/s1600-h/Image001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352123452025854882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 191px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMDMbuL4GDUkSwcjWzwt7vyIptzzFTQMqzpKCY2H6w8Rh9t-YZ7ncP3WHKN175tm2I1m8TuvziLDr3ApCUQfkrOzwBJAdpxL950u7jiw1ythvYKn7t3WrZ_uxeSrTQPA_6w5W/s400/Image001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I took some pictures of the creek this morning, while I was mowing the adjacent field. This sits below our house, about 40 yards away. The kids spend quite a bit of time down here in the summers. I put a big rope swing in a tree that allows them to swing out over the water.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzqWS6m7c9tuvuQ7HdzIEACD2G7EqNsT7nvbrv1NoW7xpQFGxWfeevnGTgnDb_EJObFegMi-IjPObbqTRvByWdN_LLrJaMSBJR2B2L2HS7kGOzsSkc-xnCOXV_ofdmP45ps0K/s1600-h/Image002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352123446992883346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 231px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzqWS6m7c9tuvuQ7HdzIEACD2G7EqNsT7nvbrv1NoW7xpQFGxWfeevnGTgnDb_EJObFegMi-IjPObbqTRvByWdN_LLrJaMSBJR2B2L2HS7kGOzsSkc-xnCOXV_ofdmP45ps0K/s400/Image002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This picture was take from the creek looking back up at the house. One of our challenges is to do something with the hill besides letting the weeds and grass grow. I am thinking English Ivy, is it chokes out everything in its path, but it can get hard to control.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGiCMQgPArKxRY9QyQSaF25mlqVrklnyL9KdtxgW8xmRpE4EZdfkjlfcjE3FZ2D1YWOrOnMP90inzmvpKiR5TS9htudOdq7yjhHwJVRN4GVZAQI5ToDZS4SCu_brzMOfKDori/s1600-h/Image003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352123447724313058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGiCMQgPArKxRY9QyQSaF25mlqVrklnyL9KdtxgW8xmRpE4EZdfkjlfcjE3FZ2D1YWOrOnMP90inzmvpKiR5TS9htudOdq7yjhHwJVRN4GVZAQI5ToDZS4SCu_brzMOfKDori/s400/Image003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I like the way the new patio cover fits between the two decks.<br /><br />The deck on the left, our main one, will get a also cover next summer. It's going to come out as a gable-end and cover about 200 square feet (half the deck area). Unlike the one I am working on now, this one is going to require formal drawings and permits, since it's on a second story and cuts into the existing roof. The building department told me I could draw these myself, and I am looking forward to figuring out all the details and requirements.<br /><br />This is conceptually what it will look like...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUbYVPHm8ElUzxAcHG5Wn3nWfPB1gTipoqZUOTnercH3W_lpPCCmMzfWwn7mX3cOcxQiTTGOGnP6UxiTQegMoJpnDGVTX136Z0CdruYIYXkLsGxWCMg0bUqjZl5_hrZhT-6BH/s1600-h/Image004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352131302123868626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 186px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUbYVPHm8ElUzxAcHG5Wn3nWfPB1gTipoqZUOTnercH3W_lpPCCmMzfWwn7mX3cOcxQiTTGOGnP6UxiTQegMoJpnDGVTX136Z0CdruYIYXkLsGxWCMg0bUqjZl5_hrZhT-6BH/s400/Image004.jpg" border="0" /></a>Troy Farwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06858094235645144334noreply@blogger.com0