Completion and Rest
Trussed Up
Two dropped end trusses and 11 regular trusses were delivered. We got the first end truss up (with a 2 x 4 brace on the outside) and discovered that it didn’t sit flat! Steven will need to do some adjusting on the truss so it will connect on the ends. A disappointing beginning.
Walls Closing In on Us
We have finished framing and almost finished securing the OSB to those walls.
Laying Them Down
Our latest delivery of materials included 3 pallets of flagstone pavers. We are still waiting MNDOT approval for the driveway portion so I am laying the pavers where I can, including extending the sidewalk from the kitchen door to the main door.
Closing In
It has seemed like things are going so slowly for so long and then today it feels like we are really moving forward. Steven framed in the door and one window. We have only 4
full sheets of sheathing left to install! The trusses are being delivered tomorrow.
Pavering & Sheathing
Steven put on the rest of the top plates and we started closing in the garage with sheathing. Through trial and error we discovered a way to install the awkward 4 x 8 OSB and installed 8 sheets before we wore out and a light rain began.
Steven put screws in the sheathing to hold it and I used the air hammer to put nails at (mostly) appropriate distances.
The sheathing on the right side of the garage door needed extra nails. I put them 4″ apart. They needed to be 3″ apart, so now they are 2″ apart!
Moral: read the directions first!
All the pavers have been laid from the 4 pallets (642 pavers). I need to measure and decide if we still need the 489 pavers that are scheduled to be delivered with the trusses. We need to extend the driveway (to the left) 15′ to the street. (We are still waiting for MNDOT approval.) I also want to curve the lower section more and I need to add to the area in front of the shed (which will be removed). We also want to extend the sidewalk to the doorway to the left.
Header Up/Sidewalk Down
Steven finished the header – 2 x 12s glued and nailed together and in place.
I pulled up the bricks that were the sidewalk previously and laid the pavers to the steps. The sidewalk is now wider and cleaner.
We can drive on the pavers now.
Fourth Wall and Driveway Start
It felt great to have the 4th wall (mostly) in place. Because the right side of the 7′ x 10′ doorway is only 2′ wide, we had to very specific detail work. The header has to be 2″ x 12″ and extend to the wall on the right.
It also had to have two special metal supports as seen extending from the cement floor. The sheathing (to come) has to have a special close nailing pattern.
We still need to glue 1/2″ spacing to the second 2″ x 12″ header. This will then be glued and nailed to the header that is already in place. It would have been too heavy for us to raise if it had been all put into place right away.
We have chosen to have a driveway made of pavers. We chose Autumn Red to coordinate with the rose palate of the house. We can’t continue the driveway to the street because the street is a Minnesota State highway and we need a permit from MNDOT. We’ve been waiting several weeks. Two pallets of pavers have been installed.
We’ve received 4 pallets and will have more delivered with the trusses (1180 pavers)
Going Up
We are so excited! The first wall is up and half of the second is ready to assemble. We are making progress!
Last form board removed with a jack
Steven was concerned that it might rain and get the last 2 x 12 wet, making it very difficult to remove. It was difficult anyway. He had to use a jack on one side and then the other. That board did not want to come out!
