Chocolate grout

So the master bath continues with slow daily progress.  The tiling is complete on the floor of the shower so the grout has to be done before any walls go up 

Bathroom chocolate grout, cake anyone

We were worried the colour  wouldn't come out so the tiles were sealed first

Once the tiles were grouted I started finishing the floor. Soon I was on to the stub wall and I decided to go with the tiles at 45 degrees to match the floor joints

Finishing the floor

It turned out fine

The inside of the wall

The inside of the wall was a bit trickier with the shelf extension and it's angle.

A few clamps and voila

The grouted finish

 I then fit and secured the bottom section of backer board as it didn't interfere with any plumbing. We are still waiting for the secondary on off valve from Home Depot.  I guess they decided that we didn't have a real physical address and cancelled our order. Would have been nice had they told us this tidbit of information. Anyway, I am waiting for the valve to test all the piping before I put up the top section.

Lower section secured

Top section cut and fitted.

Bruce asked me if I had any progress on the important part, my shop. I have been spending my weekends starting the big organize and have gotten about half way there.

Still working on tool location, drawers would be helpful

I have placed my office area by the front doors and the window

I intend to close in the office area with a flat roof to accomodate some storage of larger items like the scaffold platforms and maybe some ladders.

Cessna landing gear

I couldn't help opening up a couple of boxes to have a peak.  I overhauled and painted these gear legs back in Kelowna a couple of years ago. They are all ready to go on, nice shiny white, but I digress.

Back to the bathroom

Len

Tiling R' Us

I took Sunday off and started organizing the shop. After a full day of work it still looks like a bomb went off in there but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have decided to build a small room for my shop office to keep all the dust from my books and computer. More on that later. A dump run tomorrow will be helpful as well.

I'm really getting my share of tiling in this master bathroom. The shower base was done with thin set mortar for the tiles.  I did have to cut some tiles and found that they were a shale type of stone that separated as soon as you tried to cut them with the diamond disk. It took a number of cuts and clamps before I got enough for the edges.

Mixing more mortar

I'll have to do some cutting on a 45 degree

Tile trim and specialty tools

Ready for grout

Next task was the wall and since it was going to take 3.14 tiles to go from edge to edge I decided to try  them on a 45 degree.  Worked out fine but I had to cut most of the tiles with the grinder since they wouldn't fit in the tile cutter.

Wall started

Front face finished

Tomorrow I tackle the skirts and the inside of the wall. Still waiting for our other shower volume control before I can put up the concrete board for the shower walls. I want to test the plumbing before I cover it over. My luck has been pretty good so far but I don't want to push it.

Len

Off to Kelowna for supplies

Cathryn had to work out of Kelowna for a couple of days so I went along to pick up some supplies.  We found a vanity at the ReStore in Kamloops on the way down Cath had found some ceiling tiles on line so we will get them as well.  Our bluegrass buddy, Sid picked up the tiles and had a desk for me as well so lots to get in the truck. 

The load ready to go - Sanford & Sons style

Looks pretty well secured

I even swept out Kyla's garage

Get home to find a small drip from our chronic roof leak. I spent some time chopping away a foot (30cm) of ice so there wouldn't be any back-up.

Springtime will be the big fix

Back to bathroom work and some tiles by the hot tub. Tomorrow I will finish the bathroom floor and then we can do all the grout at the same time.

in the bedroom by the doors out to the hot tub

 I finished the pony wall ready for tiling. I couldn't add any plywood as the wall thickness was already at  the tile size.

Shower shelf

Wall ready for tile

Len

More mortar in the master bath

During the week, Len has been preparing the master bath for tiling.  First he had to make some holes through the floor to place the wood support.  Then it was back to mortar.

The post will go through this hole and will be supported  from below

Whoops - that's what you get for mixing mortar with a dollar store spoon

Starting the first layer

Cleverly making sure it is the right height

First layer done, all sloped into the drain

Second layer is a membrane

More mortar on top of the membrane

Final layer done, also appropriately sloping

Posts put into place

Cath

Bathroom progress

I'm getting right into this bathroom thing. Bathrooms seem to have the most complicated challenges for the builder. Plumbing, of course, and how to keep it all from freezing when it's all on an outside wall. You will notice the pink super insulation. I have four inches behind all the piping which should be plenty. There is a wallboard to put up as backing for our tiling and then the tiles.

Plumbing in place

All insulation completed

Curb in place for mortar and shower membrane

We will have a small partition with glass on top for the other wall of the shower. It starts to get tricky at this point, since there will also be a small shelf along the top. We are going to have a nice fir post at each end of the partition which will eventually support the glass. This will be in keeping with the theme of our house, that is, the more wood the better.

A small wall for starters.

Tomorrow I will put the first layer of mortar down as the base for the membrane, then more mortar on top of that as a base fore the floor tiling.

Len

Planning, building, and putting it altogether

This week Len has been scratching his head, mulling over the plans for the master bath.  We are trying to find some very specific parts and here in the Cariboo, it isn't as easy as running to the local specialty store.  SO...

What you can't readily buy, you might just as well make.  He started by making two posts for the frame of the glass, using one big post and cutting it down

One big piece of wood 8x8

Cut using a variety of implements 

The final two pieces

Smoothing them out in the planer

 He also was a good guy and got the toilet in.  He had to do some of the tiling first.  We have our priorities!

First the tiles went in

Its a start

The rest of the bathroom has a way to go before completion

 Len decided to use some aluminum he has to make the clips to hold the 4' X 4' piece of glass that will make up one wall of the shower.  He couldn't  a. wait to have them shipped or b. pay what was being asked.

Finely crafted

Drilling holes to be tapped for screws

Store bought

Made in the Aune machine shop

Loft stairwell to garage room

 The drywall crew was also busy Wed, Thurs and today.  Two coats on already.
The weather is pretty good and so we took time for a couple of skiing outings since the snow is so perfect.  It will be interesting to see if Len actually takes the weekend off.  We hope to do a bit more skiing and will practice music too.

Cath

One last thing to finish the great room

This week the baseboards were completed and the room looks great. Here are some shots of the finished and "long awaited for" great room area.

From the dining room

From the loft

Bird's eye view

Now it's time to finish the ensuite which, of course, is the most complicated room in the house. We have this great plan for a walk-in, walk-out shower with a big chunk of glass on a 45 degree angle to the corner. Hope it works.  First things first, the floor is strengthened for tiles by adding some more plywood.

All the bits are waiting

First the plywood goes down

 Then the sun came out and whoops the snow-stop on the sun side could not hold back 16 inches of snow and with the help of a bit of gravity, down it came.  Too wet and heavy to shovel so, what the heck, get the snow blower.

Quite a pile but it worked

About 20 inches of solid avalanche

It was hard sloggin' as the snow had compacted on impact and froze to the deck. That might have something to do with nursing a sore back today. See the bright blue sky, very nice up here in the sun.

I'm going to tile the front half of the bathroom to set the toilet in place for someone's nocturnal needs and then work on the curb and wall for the shower. Should be interesting.  We are also waiting for the drywall finishers to come next week sometime to get started on finishing the garage loft walls and ceiling.

Kyla is out for a birthday weekend visit, along with Deuce, her chocolate lab.  We have gone for a couple of skis and will go again today, once it warms up a bit.

Len