Visitor Lodge Construction Plan for 2010
Last Update: August 2, 2010
This is to give a very general overview of the different tasks I would like to get done this year and my best guess at dates when things will be happening. Instead of laying out my exact plans like I did at the beginning on last year. I ambitiously planned to be able to have the place winter-liveable last year, but really probably only got done with a little over half. There's still a lot of labor left, but I believe the majority of the heavy-lifting is done.
The different phases will often overlap, and there are a host of smaller projects that need to be done around the land; including maintaining the garden, building a solar food dehydrator, clearing trees from the dam on the lake, etc. I've been extra generous with my estimates this year, and there are 2 months of slack because the tasks don't have to be done before the weather gets cold. I also have a lot more people coming and helping than I did last year, and I can always use more volunteers, so it's hard to guess very accurately when I'll be working on certain things. Basically, these dates will change, but I'll try to update it regularly as well as add pictures and comments as I go.
I will be holding multiple work parties to mix and apply the earthen plasters and to pour the earthen floor. I'm hoping they'll turn into fun camping weekends. I'll post details when I know more, but you can also get notified via the mailing list.
- Roof Insulation
- Wiring
- Earthen Plaster: Clay Slip and Scratch Coat
- Earthen Plaster: Infill Coat
- Granite Footing
- Earthen Plaster: Finish Coat
- Rocket Stove/Thermal Cob Bench
- Earthen Floor
- Doors & Windows
- Porch Framing and Roof Postponed until 2011
Roof Insulation Completed
2 Weeks (May 1-15)
The roof will be insulated with scrap alapaca fiber cellulose and held in place by used billboard tarps. The tarps will be secured with wooden battens attach along the inside of the rafters.
Wiring Completed
1 Week (May 15 - May 21)
Electrical outlets, switches, and wiring will be run between the bales to the off-grid battery bank/charge controller/inverter area. The outlets will be installed by attaching them to playwood spikes and wedging them into cut-outs in the bales.
Plaster: Clay Slip and Scratch Coat Completed
3 Weeks (May 21 - July 15)
The plaster will be applied to the interior and exterior of the lodge. The bales will need to be sprayed or coated with a screened clay and water mix called clay slip. The next real coat of plaster will attach to this coat and adhere much better because of the clay slip adhesion coat. After the clay slip has been applied it is wetted down and the scratch coat consisting of a clay/sand/straw mix will is added on top of it. The scratch coat will have horizontal scratches so that the following infill coat will attach better.
Plaster: Infill Coat On schedule
4 Weeks (July 15 - August 15)
The infill coat levels out the wall and is attached by wetting the scratch coat and applying a clay/sand/straw mix. This coat varies from about 1"-4" in depth, with most of it being around an inch. This is the labor intensive part of plastering where large amounts of material need to be prepared, specifically sifting clay and hauling sand.
Granite Footing
2 Weeks (August 16 - August 31)
Before applying the finish coat, chunks of junk granite counter top will be mortared over the earth bag stem wall. A custom counter top maker has already agreed to sell the pieces for $1/sq. ft., and roughly 300 square feet will be needed. The mortar will be made with a simple lime putty mixed with sand. The footing protects the earth bags from UV deterioration, as well as from rain splatter. It also creates a moisture break so that no moisture can wick into the plaster or the bales.
Plaster: Finish Coat
2 Weeks (September 1 - September 15)
The finish coat will only be about 1/4" thick and will be made using lime putty, sand, and alpaca finger. It will be troweled on and after it has set up it will have an earthen pigment known as burnt sienna applied as a kind of water color to the white plaster mixture. When the lime dries it bonds with the pigment and becomes what would otherwise be known as a fesco. The plaster will mainly be applied by trowel and will blend in the edge of the granite with the rest of the wall.
At this point there may be enough work exchangers to split up and do two tasks simultaneously.
Rocket Stove/Thermal Cob Bench
4 Weeks (September 16 - October 15)
A rocket stove will be constructed out of fire bricks and a 55-gallon drum among other easily obtained items. The flue will run through a cob bench with broken concrete rubble inside of it for added thermal mass. The heat will be absorbed by the bench and re-radiate it out slowly over hours. The gas leaving the flue can often be under 100 degrees, and the wood is burned at such intense temperatures that it is extremely efficient and doesn't create creosote.
Earthen Floor
4 Weeks (September 16 - October 15)
The earthen floor will be made of very similar materials in a similar way and much of the plastering equipment will be used in the process. This will be the first of two main earthen layers followed by a number of thin coats made of linseed oil and beeswax in varying ratios to seal the surface and make it tough and water resistant. It is likely we will only do the floor up to the rocket stone/bench since it will still be under construction. There will be a minor amount of plumbing and woodworking to get the floor ready to have interior walls installed on it.
Door & Windows
2 Weeks (October 15 - November 1)
Double-glazed windows will be installed in the four gable-end windows. These will consist of 2 panes of custom-cut glass being installed so that they have a half-inch gap between them for extra insulation. These windows will be fixed and will not open. The south-facing kitchen window will be able to be swung open. The doors will also likely be custom-made, both because the door bucks are not standard sizes and again, I think it'll look nice.
Porch Framing and Roof
Postponed until 2011
The porch will be on the north side of the lodge and will use cedar trunks as the main supports. The roof will continue be a metal sheeting like the rest of the lodge. The porch roof is needed to protect the bales fully on the northern wall, otherwise it will likely need to have a tarp for extra protection next winter. The floor can be leveled and compacted next spring as well as adding metal screen and a screen door.
Last Update: August 2, 2010
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