Joist system

This is the access system I referred to. Note the 9.25" space that will now exist between the ceiling of the first floor and the floor of the second.

Moving on up

The crane has gone home until Thursday, when it will come back to finish the frame and start to float the SIPs onto it.

Todd's crew is today installing the second story joist system; on top of the horizontal beams you see here, there is a space where pipes, wires and ducts can be hidden between the first floor ceiling and the second story subfloor.

Post & beam fans know that one of their chief drawbacks is What To Do with Systems. Today should see the completion of this joist system, which I will then post for your information.

Upsa-daisy

The crane went up at 8. By 10, we were at the first picture. By 11, at the second. Now, it's noon; Eva is home with a fever so we had to tuck her up in front of one of her volcano documentaries. We'll go up again soon, and again, and each time there is a new array of viewers lining the hillside and the drive, standing by the barn, or squatting on the timbers.

The foundation looked small. Now, the frame looks gigantic. Hopefully, it will end up somewhere in the middle.

One story

Here sits the second story of the house; the walls are lying down on the subfloor already assembled.

On Monday, each wall will be picked up and slotted into holes into the cellar that were precut. Then, this giant unit will be lifted at once and inserted into the space where the second floor goes. I'm not sure of the order of events, but SCPB sure is. They have it all staged so the sections won't get tangled up.

Anyone coming to watch, please park at the high school and hike up... parking is at a premium this week!

Shiver me timbers...

... and blow me down, looks like the douglas fir posts and beams have been cut. Ken at SCPB tells me they are going in for "prefitting and detail," whatever that means, and we're on schedule for 2/16. They may even show up a day or two early; who knows.

So in about two weeks, things get Really Exciting. Stay tuned!