# fireplace and pergolas



## funfool (Oct 5, 2012)

Couple more photos, is a pretty poor picture of the front, problem is the dust wall is built 32" away from the exterior wall, simply cant stand far enough away to get a full picture.
We can get an idea why it is so tall. The glass door has weights and pulleys on each side, slides up into the wall out of the way, also has a screen and slides up also.

Next photo the framing is started. Was a slow morning reading the installation manual, connecting the weights for the door, double checking all the finished heights for tile and such. Satisfied we have everything where we want, time to close it up.
This wall hight gets us under the soffit and another 7' will be added to the chimney, a cricket to tie it into the existing roof. See how far we get tomorrow on it.
It is Friday, and would hate to have penetrations open in the roof over the weekend.

next two photos are the shade structure at finished column hight, now ready for the roof.
This was the bosses idea to dry stack them without mortar joints. There is 5/8" rebar anchored into the footings, was about 5 block a day on each column and filled with concrete to dry overnight. More bar added and more block and again let sit overnight.

Honestly, I have not even looked at the plans for the roof yet. I know there were some changes.
We dug the footings according to the approved plans.
I found the home owner sitting in the swing, looking and shaking her head, said would not do. :no:
Over the weekend the family, Husband, wife, two teenage daughters took turns standing in the holes for the footings and arms stretched to the sky. They took a family vote and we moved the columns over to where they wanted them. :thumbup:
Is no issue in the front. In the back they were 19' apart and the metal comes in 20' pieces.
Now is 22' apart and will take some on sight welding and fabricating.


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## funfool (Oct 5, 2012)

not much done today, is as far as we can go without a inspection.
Just a funny gray area where we need to close it up to continue but we need a inspection but they cant come out every 5 min to look at it so we can continue.
We talked to them and we have the bottom section drywalled with 5/8 firecode rock, is insulated and sheathed.
The second section, is just framed but the inspector can see what and how we are doing things with the side section off, he can see all the way to the foundation and sign off on the awkward situation.

we need to close up this area and then get a typical framing, electrical, insulation and drywall inspection.
But is awkward and the inspector is working with us and will take a visual and sign off ont he chimney so we can move forward .... or he may not like what he sees and make us work harder .... We will know Monday.
I basically built the banco today inside and using metal studs for fire protection, I have not used metal studs in 6 years. Will also use them to drop the ceiling over the banco ... maybe I can get pics of my crappy metal stud work on Monday :huh:


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## funfool (Oct 5, 2012)

Last week was a awkward week, On Monday we had to wait around for a framing inspection on the chimney so we can close it up. Then let the electrician come in and run his lights and get his inspection. Then we could get our framing and insulation inspection. I already had the metal stud framing done. And I have not worked with metal for a few years, glad it was just a little project. Sooo, I took tues - Fri off to work on other things. :thumbup:
Only inspection left is the final so things will move forward from here.
Was also one issue which I am sure everyone has run into before. While waiting for the Monday inspection, We built a 1/2 wall on the porch which is on the plans.
The client was so happy with the porch open after we demo'ed the glass walls, she no longer wanted the new wall. We get paid time and material and was a expensive day for the client.
So Tuesday we just stopped working until was a meeting with both husband and wife, to go through the rest of the job and create a new schedule before getting back at it.
It is a very comfortable situation and a long time client, she is very creative and always has made changes as the job progressed. 

The roof design for pergola was changed but also in a more simple way that works for every one and metal is ordered.

In these photo's, is not much to see, just everything in front of stove needs to be non combustible, so metal studs and covered with hardibacker, although the banco will be metal studs, plywood, hardibacker and inspector is fine with that. The last photo is to show how we framed out the glass block for 2" foam before stucco. And for the finished aesthetics and wanting both sides of the block flush, is actually 2 blocks thick so is 24 block total on 2 sides of fireplace.


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## funfool (Oct 5, 2012)

Ok another slow week on it, were not going like gang busters exactly. We got it all covered, taped and then first 3 bags of hot mud on it by Wednesday.
It took me by myself after lunch on Monday, and before lunch on Tuesday just to cut and install all 75 pieces of hardibacker around the glass block and fireplace. Then toss in the 1/2 nose around the glass block and full nose on the corners.
Here is how it is looking by the end of Wednesday. We will give her a long weekend to decide how she wants it finished, we know it is plaster finish, just so many options and no definitive answer yet.

Because of the pan head screws holding up the hardibacker, really was a lot of packing going on to build it up. We could have done something different, we are happy with our selection and is going to be a mudfest no matter what.


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## funfool (Oct 5, 2012)

Another week goes by, does not look like much happened. We finally got the last 10"x1' extension piece to complete the chimney,were able to complete the roofing.

The metal was delayed a week by a snow storm in Denver, it showed up and we can start installing it next week. Tomorrow a welder will install end caps on the large beams and Monday We can put them in the air. Monday he will be cutting the smaller 3"x5"x20' to length and install end caps on them.


We took the dust wall down, nothing has changed since the last post. Problem is, we are waiting for decisions. We did get a decision that we will use American clay plaster.
Now if we could just get a color choice. :whistling2:
Our schedule shows tile this past week, of course this is after we do plaster. 
We have been asking for a tile decision for 3 weeks, politely reminding her it usually takes about 10 days for delivery.
We got the official decision Monday afternoon, ordered it Tuesday, received e-mail this morning that that particular tile is no longer available, need to make another choice 
How nice, she also moved furniture in on us that we have to move to work.



We also changed 3 entryways, they were wood trimmed, we made them smaller for more wall space, got rid of the trim with corner bead.
Here is a pic of one of them, it is texture but still wet when photo was taken at end of today. I just need to wipe with a moist sponge to soften the edges of the texture to better match the old texture that is there.
Ready for paint tomorrow, oh wait, 3 doors affects 4 rooms, and is no paint color decisions made yet. :huh:

We also built a couple walls. They were identical on the plans, who am I kidding, take the plans and toss them out the window .... everything has been moved extended or changed at some point.
Very simple, 16"x16" footing with 12" of concrete poured in the trench, 4 blocks high x 2 to make it 12" wide and a 2"x12" cap on top. Will be covered with stucco and the top will be tiled and is just for sitting on.
One wall gets a course of brick removed after built ... other wall gets the 2" cap removed and is now going to be 16" wide. will just be 2" foam on either side to make up the difference.
Oh well, we get paid by time and material. our goal is a satisfied customer. We are scheduled to be there until June 1rst, not sure we will be done by then ... just depends on what happens between now and then.


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## csmonte (Apr 25, 2013)

impressed with your progress, looks like its going to be awesome, what transformation it will be with that new area in the house.


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## funfool (Oct 5, 2012)

Little more progress, the steel is up and welded in place. The electricians were in yesterday and we channeled into the concrete columns and wall at knee hight for down lighting.
The process to finish the steel, will be to wash it down with muriatic acid and then wipe it with hydrogen peroxide. This should cause it to give a instant even brown rust, which is the look we are shooting for, then will brush on a clear sealer.

A couple thoughts on this style of a free standing pergola.
I have built many out of wood before, you always need to include some bracing in between columns, or to some structure to reduce sway. We had no idea what sway would be like, but is what the architecture drew and what the city approved.
There are steel plates anchored into the concrete, and the 5"x8" are welded to these plates.
At this stage, when we were dragging the 3"x5" beams across to put in place, was no movement or sway while walking on the bigger beams dragging the heavy steel across them. I really am impressed with how sturdy these columns are.
Total weight for all the steel delivered was 4300 pounds, am sure at least 1800 of it is on this smaller one.
I can see how one could build with these columns, and put a wood roof on them.
Even use anchors to attach 2"x4" to the columns and wrap them in wood, get rid of the industrial look.
Bags of concrete, blocks and rebar are cheap, thumbs up for strength. :thumbsup:

We got the tile on the porch finished. Was a little tricky. Is a combination of 8"x8" and 8"x16" . When you put the 2 8x8 together they are exactly the same as a 8x16, then you add a grout line to the 8x8 and is bigger then the 8x16.
Toss away the 3/16" spacers and all set randomly by eye. By breaking up the grout lines, the issue can be hidden. I was inside replacing trim in 4 rooms all week, all caulked and mostly painted. I think the boss did a great job in hiding the grout line issue.

I am happy that we got some decisions today, we will use American clay for the plaster finish. We can do the base coat, and will be for the whole room and the fireplace, we do not have a final on the color yet. We also may or may not do the dining room in same plaster, we need a decision. Plaster or give us a paint color.
The concrete sidewalk we busted up and removed, plan was to build various sizes of concrete pads with 1 1/2" exposed dirt with vegetation growing between .... I made up some mock ups of the forms, she decided on flagstone.
So we can roll forward.


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