Going Green

Green is the right colour this month, the grass is showing signs of greening up and we went to Green Diamond and got a John Deere 25 hp tractor, more like a compact tractor but the right size for our place. It has come in handy already as I started to build a hoop green house, as I needed gravel for the base. After looking at the site ReBecca wants the green house I made 8 trips Monday to our gravel pit for stone and after leveling the base of the green house I needed 4 more so back to the pit I went. Once it was all leveled out I started with the frame work. This is it for now until it gets a coat of paint to protect the wood, I'll then start on the hoops and plastic, door and vents.

Our new tool, no need for a mower deck, just a bucket and loader.

The base put down on Monday.

The base frame and more gravel this morning.



The frame work this afternoon.

Can You Picture It?

Here are the upper kitchen cabinets in the rough, can you picture them on the wall? The two on the left will be side by side left of the kitchen window. Next the small one will be on the right side of the window, a space for the range hood and the last one at the far right end. I cleaned up the outside a bit, sanded, filled a few problem areas, primed them and then I'll be putting on the grey paint. I still have doors to make and hinges to install. A slow process, especially since spring is trying to break through and we have a bit of gardening to get prepared, and golfing has started so lots to do.

They are about 16 inches taller than the average upper cabinets.

Attic Hatch

We need access to the attic to get the heating installed and run electrical later on. We don't want to have a large opening from the other so I constructed this on yesterday and installed it today. The inner box is 8 inches deep with two layers of rigid Styrofoam on the bottom, two layers of Bat insulation and closed off with two more layers of foam, all sealed, this should be enough. It fits nice and tight and has a low profile. I just have to be careful pushing it up strait so it doesn't jam.



An insulated box inside a large frame.

Fits like a glove.

Have to keep the opeing air tight, seal the vapor barrier.

Anohter angle.

Early Stages Of Kitchen Cabinet Construction

It has been a while since I have posted anything as some of you have made very clear, so here are a few pictures of the kitchen cabinets in the early stages of construction. But first to let you know what has been going on lately. After going over our plans I made up a cut plan to get the most of each sheet of plywood, I made the cuts needed and decided to put the poly on that goes on the inside of the cabinets, it's easier at this stage. The only thing is that it takes time for it to dry, three coats of time. As well I have been painting the inside of the upper cabinets that go in either side of the kitchen window. Again primer and three coats takes time and I only have so much room to lay things out in the shop. I am hoping this week I'll be at a point to put them together and start installing, but again it takes time. Note the pattern here, we too can't wait.

Here is the kitchen layout I did a while ago.

Here are base cabinet bottoms and backs.

The upper cabinets parts.

 

More base cabinet panels.

The upper cabinets by the window, painted white.

Two bins of scarp and a garbage can of cut offs.

Doors And Knobs

The doors and knobs are on, along with the upper side panels. There is a little more tweaking to do that you can't see in the pictures but trust me it's there. After the room is done I'll be putting up the crown molding and a lower trim line to finish it off. I still have doors for the side built-ins to make but we need to find the right hinges first.

The cabinet finished and installed.

Just add a couple of doors.

Put on the knobs.

Match the side panels to the pull outs.

Put on the top side boards for the finish.

Door pulls.

Pull-out pulls.

Upper Cabinet

I have been busy the past couple of days applying Poly to the plywood for the upper cabinets, it is easier to do this before cutting the sheets of plywood and before assembly. Yesterday I made all the cuts needed, this morning I cut the dado's for the shelves and assembled it this afternoon. I still have to paint the face of it and build the doors but you get the idea of what it looks like from these pictures. I will also have to made a couple of side panels to match the lower ones. A good day's work.

Using all the space.

Nice to have 8 foot 6 inch ceilings.

It just finishes the space off.

Getting A Handle On Things

We picked up "cup" pulls for the drawers the other day, they look good. The strange thing about looking for drawer pulls is how they advetise the size, for example these are 3 inch pulls, but if you look at them they are bigger, actully they are 5 inches. The size that describes the pulls is the spacing for the screws and not the overall size of the pull. This is strange because I would look for the size for the opening an not worry about the spacing of the screws, afterall they are located withing the width of the pull. My thoughts on this subject, back to the job at hand, they look great.

Coming Right Along

It's amazing what a couple pieces of wood and some paint can do, with the panels on the pull-outs it gives that finished look to the space. And it will look better once the upper cabinet is in, the built-in doors are on, the floors laid and the cover pieces at the bottom kick plate. Not a problem.

It blends in nicely.

Spices, foil wrap and such.

Trays, pizza pan, white board and calendar.

No More Room

 This isn't any more room on this wall to cupboards, except the space above the over of course. The left side slide out is in, now to put edge banding on both and make the front panels. This side will be for a cork board and trays on the bottom.

No more room.

For the cork board and trays.

Kitchen Cupboards

Well I'm back, I understand some followers just can't wait until we finish the kitchen to see what's going on so ReBecca has let me start up again with posting our progress. Here is some work done to the the oven wall area. Drawer fronts added, front panels put up around the built-ins, and by the way they are one piece, a tricky job. And the end panel by the left built-in, with a fake cupboard look. I'll get to the space beside it later. I am working on the pull outs beside the oven, there is only 4 inches of room and the pullouts are tall. They rest on a sturdy base and two 100 lb capacity full extension drawer slides. The left one is in place for now, and it needs a little more work, like edge banding and a front panel, it will hold spices and wax paper, and such. The right will be for a cork board, a box for paper and pens for notes while on the phone and the bottom to hold some trays. So far so good, and the best part, she likes it.

New drawer panels.

End panel in place.

Built-in face panels installed.

The left pull out.

Lots of room for what ever she needs.