Staining Siding Boards for the Shop

Last week I posted about all the siding we bought that will eventually go onto the outside of the shop and the house.

Yesterday I saw my Dad while we were on the Coast and he asked again about the colour of the stain we are using. So, here's some pictures so that he and you can all see what I've been up to.

Stained board on the left, plain board on the right.

See those pieces of wood on the floor? This is where the wood will be stack after it is stained and dry.

I took this one right as I started the job. At this point, all those long boards on top are finished and are stacked on the other side of the shop.

Sigh...there are a LOT of boards to be stained.

I can do 11 boards in one session. I have only so many places to set the boards as they are drying. I have been trying to do 2 sessions of staining a day, so I can get 22 done. One day I managed to get 33 done.

Here's the finished boards. I'm now taking a few days off from staining as we are doing other things around the homestead. The Gman is going to drag the tiller out of the Greenhouse where it has sat all Winter. After a tune up, he's going to get started on tilling the garden.

I have peppers to transplant now into pots. We came home to find another 4 pepper plants sending up flowers. The living room is inundated with transplants. We have had to move one more table and one long bench up in front of the windows, in order to have enough room to place all the transplants. The tables downstairs in the seedling room are full as well.

I am hoping the evening temperatures start warming up a bit so that we can start moving things into the Greenhouse.

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Another Project & It's Going to be a BIG one

A little bit of history here, so you can all see just how I got myself in this new predicament.

When we moved here to our Cariboo Valley in 2006, one thing we Really disliked about our new place was....

Yes, all that white vinyl siding. Uggg, we both cannot stand vinyl siding and the fact that it is white just pains us even more. It looks like a big white elephant, don't you think?

We've always said, "Oh one day maybe we will reside the place. Wouldn't it look good with some wood siding with a nice stain on it??"

Can you tell already where I am going with this post? As you good folks who read this blog already know, a couple of years ago we started building a shop for the Gman. Last year, with the help of our 2 sons, we got it built to lockup. This Winter, the Gman has started running the wiring for the electricity and he hooked up a woodstove in there.

Now this year, we are going to put the exterior siding on. So we hemmed and we hawwed and then we hemmed some more. We were leaning towards using HardiPlank, and Gman calculated that would cost around $1.65 a foot or so.

So, two weeks ago, we're standing in the local building supply store. I don't even remember what we went for. Oh, that's right, we had to pick up three hinges to do some gate repair down at the barn.

The Gman spots this TV screen above the service desk. It displays various things the store has on sale at that time.

He looks at it and says...."Oh wow, look at that. Bevelled pine siding for .39 cent a foot."

I'm like "Uh huh" (not even paying attention, but He didn't have to know that!)

So, several minutes go by and he keeps making these remarks, like "You know, that is really inexpensive" and "What do you think the shop would look like with bevelled siding on it?"

I'm thinking things like "Dooo, dooo, dah, dah...." not even really paying attention. So, he caught my attention. He says "Really Annie, that is a GREAT deal. Do you realize how much it would cost us to put siding on BOTH the shop and the house if we bought that siding?"

"No, no I don't" I told him. So he told me. He's a lot better at doing Math in his head, and when he told me the total price, I said "That can't be right"

"Uh yes, that is right". It was around the $3300.00 mark.

We went back and forth a bit, me wondering if he was right and him insisting he was right. We went and took a look at it, and it looked really good.

So, we did what any frugal Homesteaders (and Dutch girls) would do. We BOUGHT it.

On the way home, he casually reminded me that he would be away for a bit, working. And then....the light came on! I was going to have to stain boards, a LOT of them.

The next day, the store delivered the siding.

Two lifts of siding. That is a lot of siding.

Looks quite nice, doesn't it?

The Gman was happy.

The photographer was not too happy. I will be, when the house and shop look fantastic, but at the moment, No, not too happy.

Here's one sample board with one sample trim board. Keep in mind that we have dark green metal roofs on both the shop and the house. What do you think?

This is my friend Marion in the picture. She is trying to help me out by holding the trim up as high as possible, so I can see if the black trim will look OK with the green roof. Yes, that is a Canada Goose standing alongside her.

Some of our readers already know about Tobias, the Canada Goose, who should be leaving soon. We're all hoping he flies off with the geese that are now starting to hang around the Valley again.

If you don't know about Tobias, head over here and read. Make sure you click on the links in that post, and you will see how our friends had to teach Tobias how to fly!

So, the plan is that this summer we will get the siding on the shop. That will give me a break before I have to stain all the house boards, and maybe we can get that job done next year.

We're thinking of putting shingles up in the gable ends like you see on Victorian houses.  I think I would like the shingles to be curved on the bottom.

I'm looking for feedback. Leave a comment and let us know what you think of the colours!

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The Woodstove Is In!

Late yesterday afternoon, the Gman got the woodstove in place....here it is on that stand he made for it.

The Inspector said the stove has to be 18 inches off the ground,

This is because it is in a Shop - they want it that high to keep it away from any gas fumes.

Sounds like a good idea to me!

The stovepipe and box Gman made up in the trusses....insulated where it goes thru the wood.

And....here we have liftoff! It works!

And do another job done and crossed off the list!

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The Shop is Almost Done for the Year

Things are happening fast now up at the shop...Gman has several things he wants

to get done up there before the snow comes....and it could come any day.

You wouldn't know that tho from the weather we are Still having up here.

It's absolutely gorgeous outside, with the sun shining every afternoon.

Very comfortable temperatures for working outside....

Back to the shop. The windows are all in now. The Typar has almost completely been wrapped...

Gman built some doors for the front of the shop. We still need to put Typar on those.

Using the quad to try and get the woodstove into place.

He built this woodstove stand out of steel....he's handy that way!

We got the woodstove for a couple dozen eggs from people down the Valley.

It's CSA approved so there won't be any problem getting insurance....

That's pretty much the end of the work at the Shop for this year. 

It's at least up to lock-up and Gman has someplace out of the weather

to work on the truck.

We're so glad it is this far!!! 

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Putting on the Typar

We started putting on the Typar up at the shop.....the stuff is 9 feet wide.

The first one is easy....now comes all the cutting and fitting for those gable ends.

And....finally a picture of the finished slab inside the shop.

The ole Green Ford is already settling in to its new home.

No more winters spent in the meat bird room for the ole girl.....

Over time, Gman wants to restore her. She is in really good shape tho!

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Pouring the Slab at the Shop

Last week, we had some guys come out to pour the concrete slab in Gman's shop. But first....

rebar had to be laid down....and tied....this resulted in sore knees, believe me!

The orange tubing is Pex.....the Gman wanted it put in,

in case we end up getting a boiler.

Having a boiler outside means we wouldn't have to use the woodstove inside for heat....

just throw a few long logs in the boiler twice a day, and it will heat everything thru the water

that would run in this tubing.

Here you can see the cement being poured....it's a nice thick layer of concrete

so that Gman can eventually have big machinery (think his excavator

or logging trucks) inside to work on them. Having the thick

slab and lots of heavy rebar should mean the floor won't crack!

Here's hoping!

The concrete guys did a beautiful job of placing and finishing....

then Gman put two coats of sealer on the concrete. He did this so future clean ups of oil spills, etc

will be much easier. He is sooo happy with the way the shop is turning out!!!

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A Very Cool Homemade Levelling Tool

The other day, I posted about our neighbour coming over with his bulldozer and levelling the area around the shop.

I thought he did such a great job, we wouldn't even need to do any raking out.

He thought I was wrong......

and he brought over this little contraption....how cool!

You just pull it behind an ATV or even an SUV for that matter, anything with a hitch. So the Gman climbed on and started going around and around and around and around....you get the picture.

Looks nice eh?

Da Wolf lays up by the road to watch the traffic go by....ha!

Traffic?  What traffic??? We are out in the boonies

Here is a close up.....can you see that it is made of Tposts?

He welded 3 of them together (for a total of 15) then he ran chain thru them.

And that is it! And it levels the ground so nicely and easily!

A close up so you can really see the Tposts....yet another use for versatile Tposts! Luv it!!!

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Starting to Wrap Things Up

We've had a lot of rain the last week or so.....it has certainly brought the temperatures down!

Down so much, in fact that we have been lighting the woodstove.

We build a fire in the morning just to take the chill off....

The Main garden is a MESS!

Yesterday, Gman and I pulled all the chickweed we could find....we filled 7 old feed bags!

That is a LOT of chick weed!

Dayummm, I hate that stuff!

I can't compost it, can't feed it to the animals (as they don't digest it well enough to keep it from coming back....if ya know what I mean)

So, I put it all in old feed bags and take it to the dump!

Queen Ginger says...."do NOT disturb me when I am napping.

I will let you know when you may take my picture."

Just like a cat, isn't it?

Looking down the Valley....look at that Asparagus! What a hot mess!

There are a lot of weeds in there...sigh....

Neighbours down the Valley had their fields hayed this year....

you can still see some round bales sitting in the field.

Yesterday we picked up the Tyvec for putting on the outside of the shop....

last week we had another load of road base brought out....so today

Gman will be doing the tamping thing again.

He'll also pick up rebar and Pex line when he goes to town later today...

He has scheduled the slab concrete pour for the inside of the shop for Sept 16th.

Me? I'll be in the garden!

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Levelling the Land up at the Shop

The other day, a neighbour came over.

 He has a bulldozer...and he is pretty much a miracle maker with it.

I have Never seen someone do such a good job at grading and levelling as he does....it is simply amazing!

Here's some pics of his handiwork.....

The Gman and I went around and picked up the larger sticks and rocks, threw them in the lil trailer of the John Deere....

Oh and by the way, that man door at the shop still needs to be cut out fully...the door opening is not really that small!

Look at what a smooth job he did!

There is almost ZERO raking that needs to be done after the neighbour comes in!

That's awfully nice, I'll tell ya!

The long term plan here is for us to throw down pasture grass.....

and then since it is so nice and smooth....

I can just bring the John Deere up here a couple times a year....

and give it all a good mowing.

 By doing this, it should keep the number of newly sprouted aspens to a minimum as well...

which is another bonus....cuz nuttin grows faster here than the lil alder saplings.....

on the left side of this last pic is our driveway.

For family and friends who have been here,

 they will be able to see the "bank" has been taken out.

All the lil hills and valleys are gone too....no more losing the belt off the mower deck! Yeahhhh!

And a nice low maintenance front yard is going to be great.

We will let any Saskatoon bush that wants to sprout to go right ahead and do so....

and maybe a few new pines or spruce that poke up.

Other than that, I'll just run right over everything else!

We have our framing inspection this Friday...we think we are ready!

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Up at the Shop - Sheathing and a Roof!

The walls are pretty much sheathed....there are a few places Gman needs to finish with. Yesterday he started on putting the metal roofing on, with help from a friend.

Getting the sheets up there is harder than it looks....they used ropes, vice grips and plenty of muscle!

Gman screwing in the last sheet of roofing!!

You can see the gable ends that still need to be enclosed...

Dinner last night! Totally homegrown meal yet again, that is happening pretty much every meal here now!

Homegrown pork from last year, grilled fingerling potatoes, grilled onions and steamed broccoli and cauliflower with a bit of grated cheese on top!

Delicious!

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More Shop Progress

In the days after the boys left, the Gman got all the strapping put on the shop roof.

 Next up is the building paper, then the tin roofing.

It's really starting to come together now!!

"Measure twice, cut once.....Measure twice, cut once..."

I got the lesson in Table Saw 101. The Gman built a guide for me to cut all the pieces for blocking.

You can see that I just set them in between each of the studs.

Later, the Gman came along and started putting the blocking at the 4 and the 8 foot level between the studs.

This will sturdy up the building even more, plus give something to nail the sheathing to.

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The Trusses Are Up

On Saturday, the fellows started setting up the trusses......I think there are 18 in total.

The Nman happily helping out.....

And here is the end result! The trusses are all up, yeahhhh! The Gman now has to do some more bracing for the trusses, put in blocking in the walls, and lots of other detail things.

Then we can put up the sheathing on the outside walls and call for the framing inspection.

We are so glad it is as far as it is. We're thankful that the boys were so willing to come and help out with this project!!

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