Recent content by Deezler

The best product for filling expansion joints is called sikaflex. It's self leveling caulk, so it can get kinda messy if your slab isn't flat (work backwards uphill with it). How deep are your cut joints? I bought some 3/8" or 1/2" insulating foam backer rod first, and stuffed it into the...

Awesome! Subscribing on this one for my fellow Michigander. Thanks for all the detail and organized post format.

Um, wat? That is way too much leftover material. The only thing I can figure is that you were supposed to run another course of the treated wood around the bottom perimeter, and maybe run headers around the eave end wall tops (even though its completely unnecessary and your builders look to...

Nice shop~! Sorry for all the hassles, good luck getting the permit stuff resolved. Did you use joist hangars on the near side of the loft also? Whatever those long screws you used are, they may not be rated for much load in shear (side loading). I'd get some hangars under those sides also...

"integrated nicely into the homes design" ? Looks like an industrial building with some nice siding, and a house tacked onto the back as an afterthought.

Cost? A lot, lol. Building into a hill like that requires custom design and carpentry, typically. Other options for your foundation wall going in the dirt could include a fully poured concrete wall, or superior-wall panels. Another option is to bulldoze the **** out of your hill to make a...

Pardon my ignorance, but no break in between concrete that will live outside, and the slab for inside? I know winters in VA aren't super horrible, but do you plan to heat the building?

I presume you mean your wife's family's cottage if you can't control the temporary-ness. Is it on Platte lake?

Sick building! Congrats. I love the honor/frankfort area. We come up to camp at platte river (sleeping bear dunes) just about every summer. You get to live there every day... lucky sob.

Ha. Let it go, you have more important things to worry about now. It turned it just fine. The reality is that no one who visits your house will ever notice or comment on it. Spend an hour cuddling your family instead of doing it over again. :)

No pics for me, FYI.

Awesome project. Could it be at all possible to open the left end of the kitchen into the hallway? Would it ruin the kitchen? That would really drive me insane having to carry groceries all the way around the living and dining spaces just to get to the kitchen. Or grabbing a beer from the...

Re: Casa de Frijolee - a Gear Head's 2-car garage Wow! Thanks for sharing. What an exhausting ordeal (packing/moving) and emotional tale of leaving all that behind. A truly exciting adventure ahead though! Hope the protests settle down soon for all you 'stronomers.

Any updates? Hope we didn't scare you off from posting here. Rare is a garage build that doesn't encounter at least one or two unpleasant steps in the process.

The LVL might not need to traverse the full span (width) though. You'll have stairs going up one side, right? Boom, there can be a post right there at 3 or 4 feet in from the wall. And if you have work benches or anything like that on the other side under the mezz, you could have another post...