Genetics

Just so you all know, my son will probably some day be tinkering just like his Dad.  Some recent drawings of his machines.  It's like Dr Suess meets Waldo...

Tile floors and lighting

Wow, I guess it's been a while since I posted an entry.  I figured I would throw some pictures out before I lost the last few people that actually look at this...

The busy factor just keeps growing.  For the last week we have had two major contractors, plus the tile roof guys and stucco guys all working.  At times there may be close to 20 people working. 

In general, we are very close to being finished.  All our friends ask when we will move it, which is kind of funny, because we haven't put 10 brain cells together yet trying to figure that out.  Our goal is to get the house in a condition where we can close permanent financing.  The move is more of a "sort" that it will be a move.  If it doesn't work in this house, we don't need it, so.... 

Another problem is the Christmas tree, decorations, and where should Santa come??  We don't know....  My best guess is that it will be messy in both locations. 

Ok, enough with the yakking... 

This is the travertine.  Turkish quarry, thank you Turks for having great quality travertine.  It's usually described as a walnut type color.  Natural stone varies quite a bit, and ours is darker than we thought it would be, but we love it.  This is a little over 2600 feet in pallets.

Closer up view.  The pits all get filled with grout, which, if you have never picked out grout before, there are too many colors to pick from...  Our tile guy was invaluable in so many ways, but pretty much steered us in terms of color selection.

They laid the open fields first, and you can't walk on them for about a day while the thin set dries.  The thin set is "polymer modified" so that it can allow things to move around a bit without cracking tiles as easily.  Once the fields are set and cured, then they come back and start making cuts around everything.  I think we had about 6 guys doing this, and it has taken about a week. 

To keep everything straight and uniform, they use a laser square and long chalk lines to layout a center line, then they start in those locations and move out. 

They have a pattern they use for "Versailles" and this is it.  You would think they would just stick to the pattern, but they don't because sometimes they get into rooms that aren't big enough to support this pattern, so they modify it.  How??? I have no idea, and I can't tell the difference.

A = 12 x 24

B = 18 x 18

C = 6 x 12

D = 6 x 6

Dont' quote me on these sizes, perhaps the little ones work out to 8 inches square?? 

So, the entire perimeter is "cut" to shape.  So they are constantly measuring and making a map of what they need, then they go outside to the tile saws they have set up and make cuts, then come back to test and set.  The round cuts around the columns and floor outlets are made with a hand grinder fitted with a stone blade.

So, the canterra color is "Cafe II" or Cafe dos, as they say.  The floor is more of a walnut.  I was shocked there was this much room between the column and the wall.  If you remember back, the column locations were changed "on the fly" to account for this problem.  Of course, this is an outside corner, the inside corners are MUCH tighter.

The main hall is awesome.  The tile here is a little wet because it's freshly grouted.  It is a lot of work to get everything all clean.  They still have to wipe all this down several times more tomorrow.  Anybody willing to clean anything is my friend, and thrills my wife.

Sorry, out of order... But the lights are up outside.  Entryway is looking good, and the stucco is all finished here with the color washing they are doing.

There is a lot more light with the door glass and door finished.  More wet tile and grout here.  You have two choices when you "seal" the travertine... Color enhancing, and regular.  With the darker travertine than we had expected, we are going with the regular. 

Still some color to go on the trims around the doors.  Everything else is done.  We are really happy with the garage doors color as well.  I asked the paint guys if they could make them look like cedar.  No problem, they said. 

Love these lights.  Are you ready for this,  something like 250 each at the store, about half that online, BUT... shop around and google shop, and viola...  18 dollars per... And we had 8 of them to buy. 

Front door from the outside.  The glass is actually on separate doors, and can be opened and hinged inside the house.  Notice the handles...  No latch.  The only latch is a friction latch, and then the deadbolt, which is all mounted in steel.  These things are heavy heavy heavy, and yet they open smooth as butter.

Courtyard wall.  Probably won't keep out the critters ;-)  Sure is cute.  They even put drain holes in the bottom so the courtyard won't hold water.

From the other direction.

Can't remember if I've put a pic in like this before, but shows the stained pine ceiling in the rear porch.  The stone helps to break things up back there. 

This is the sills color.  They have been using the darker "magic juice" to spruce these up.  I like them.

Ok, that is it for now.  Send me a comment if you like....