Built-ins and trim

Our finishing carpenter A.J also worked on our last condo project.  This project features more elaborate closets and entries with custom fitted lockers at both rear entries.

As we progress through the finishing stages we also try and identify drywall blemishes that need to be repaired before the final paint is applied.  Fortunately with a taper working in the garage we are able to make a few corner bead repairs without holding up other work in the kitchen and bar area, and at minimal cost.

A new corner bead is applied here to improve the squareness of the post that sits on top of the bar ledge.  Fixing these now is much better than waiting until the house is finished.

The locker is mostly complete except for the door to cover the tall cabinet.  It is paint grade material so will receive a durable coat of hard lacquer spray paint.

Cabinetry installation

The kitchen install is well underway in the first house.  It features a flat front walnut grain with thickened gables.  The design is somewhat unique compared to the current trend in kitchens that tend to feature wood base cabinets with a white or lighter upper cabinets.  We believe the monotone look will better highlight the rich wood grain of the walnut.  Note the book matched grain in many of the door fronts.  By the end of the week the cabinets should be installed on all levels and the basement floor concrete polishing complete.

Concrete grind and pigment

With the basement cleaned out from the debris of the drywall phase we were finally able to book our crew to arrive on site for the slab finish we have selected.  Similar to what you would see in a commercial building, but tweaked for a residential application, we will be grinding, pigmenting, treating and finally polishing the sealed slab.  At this stage of the process the slab has been ground to flatten it, first with a 40 grit metal blade, and on to a 100 grid diamond bit sander.  The large grinding machine and vacuum system have been extremely effective at keeping the dust down.  The finished surface should be much more pleasant for walking on in winter when we have the heating system operational than a cold slab.

the grinding machine with a coarse grit sanding element

considerable dust is generated and collected by the grinding of the top surface of the slab

edging is necessary for areas the large grinder cannot access

the grinding surface as it is changed to a finer grit

the pigment has been sprayed on the slab and been absorbed by the porous concrete.  It will be ready now for the sealant and polishing steps to produce the end product

Cabinet delivery

With the priming done and having pre-booked the cabinets for delivery on August 11th, we are now moving into some of the more interesting finishing elements of the project.  The cabinets selected are a flat panel black walnut veneer and combine a north american style of carpentry with a european model of appliance.  Installation begins tomorrow and is planned to take up to three days for each house.

The factory has wrapped the boxes carefully to protect them during the long trip over from Washington state

Ready to be installed and a trip to the recycling depot is going to be needed for sure

The plan for the main kitchen wall with the built in appliances

Interior priming

Immediately after the completion of the drywall taping, ceiling texture and sanding, we were able to have our painter (Larry) and his crew arrive to do the priming application in both houses.  Without having to mask off finished areas, flooring installed, or cabinets and trim, the painters could quickly prime the walls of both houses.  With the priming complete, we can having the finishing package (doors and trim) delivered and the cabinets are the next product to be installed

Here is larry in the stair well applying the primer

The interior of the main floor also features painted ceilings.  Here is the main floor with primer and sanding dust everywhere ready for cleanup

Stucco scratch coat

With the paper and wire complete and flashing and membrane installed around the window our crew arrives with the sand and cement mixture that forms the mixture of the stucco scratch coat.  Once they finish the house they will complete the garage, and allow the cement to cure for a couple weeks before they return to apply the acrylic coloured coating.

Our crew is working hard to get the scratch coat applied to all faces of the house and garage

Garage slab completion, insulation and drywall

With the garage inspections complete and the slab poured we were able to move on to the advanced stages of the garage interior work.  During the hot summer weather we attempted to moisten the slab for a few days in order to slow the curing process and hopefully reduce shrinkage cracking.  The primary defence we have against shrinkage cracking is also to saw cut the slab, and this was also done.

We insulated the garage and brought back the framers to hang the drywall.  With drywall up we can now tape the joints and eventually sand the compound into a good enough surface for paint.  All of this is done in advance of the garage door install, so that the ceiling is free from obstructions and we get a really clean finish.

adding moisture to the curing slab with the garden hose

garage is insulated and vapour barrier complete

garage apron with extra gravel to grade apron to the alley

slab is now saw cut

Drywall is hung in the garage