Furring Strip Installation Continues

Day #134

June 19, 2020 – I finished up the installation of the 1×3 furring strips in the first section (“Brenda’s Deck”) of the new porch. As you can see in the image below I have a stack of aluminum ceiling panels laying on the deck ready to be installed.

Furring Strips
Furring strips section 1 completed, section 2 started.

There is a dividing wall between section 1, “Brenda’s Deck”, and the rest of the porch. I framed in the top plate of this wall and continued the furring strip installation in section 2.

In the image below, the plywood you see on the wall covers the rough opening for the new living room picture window . My Enola PA crew is coming tomorrow to help me set this window in place. Pretty exciting.

New Picture Window
Plywood covering the picture window opening.

This afternoon we had a visit from Spouting Unlimited. We invited them to provide us with a proposal to furnish and install seamless gutters and downspouts. As it turned out, their price was great so we hired them to do the job. We picked out a color from one of their sample rings and they were off. They will be back in a couple of weeks to do the installation. Easy as that.

Furring Strips - Section 2
Furring strip installation in section 2.

It’s funny how things go in the Land Before Time. A short time after Spouting Unlimited left the skies opened up and it poured buckets! Maybe it was a quick reminder to us, from the heavens, to expedite the gutter and downspout installation. Who knows?

This is the puddle that formed just before the railroad crossing.

Puddle
Large puddle before the RR track crossing.

New Picture Window is on the way!

Day #133

June 15, 2020 – Not working at the cottage today, but I made a trip to the Mechanicsburg Home Depot to pick up our new picture window. This window goes in the living room, on the porch side of the cottage.

I made a carrier for the back of the truck so that I can safely transport the window. Here is a picture of the window in the truck ready to go to the Land Before Time.

New Picture Window
New picture window ready to transport.

There is a story about this window that I will relate in a later post. As I write this blog it is funny now, but it was not funny at all when it happened. Stay tuned…

A First Look at the Aluminum Ceiling Panels

Day #132

June 13, 2020 – Just a short blog today. I continued the electric rough in above the porch ceiling for the overhead light in section one, and the three ceiling fans further on down the porch. I was able to get a good start on the aluminum ceiling panels too.

Porch Ceiling Aluminum Panels
Aluminum panels and electric rough in.
Aluminum Ceiling Panels
The start of the ceiling panel installation.
Aluminum Ceiling Panels
New aluminum porch ceiling panels.

PS: I was reviewing my photos and notes from this day and I realized that I forgot to mention that my New Jersey Crew removed the old siding from the west end of the cottage and covered it with Tyvek. Obviously, they are making a “Artistic” statement by installing the building warp upside down. LOL!

West End Tyvek
Existing siding removed and Tyvek installed on the west end wall.

Porch Ceiling Panel Installation Begins!

Day #131

June 12, 2020 – Yesterday the roofing contractor finished up the metal roof. Today marks the beginning of the installation of the porch ceiling. We choose an aluminum panel similar to the soffit material already installed. There is not much difference between the two panels. The soffit panel is fully vented (lots of tiny vent holes) and the ceiling panel is solid. Both are white in color.

We planned an overhead light in the first porch section so I installed a ceiling heavy duty fan brace and fixture box. Next I fastened 1″×3″ furring strips perpendicular to the ceiling joists. These will serve as nailers for the aluminum ceiling panels.

Fan Brace
Overhead light brace installed.
Furring Strips - Porch Ceiling
Furring strips, overhead light brace and fixture box.
IMG_5440
Furring strips for the porch ceiling section one.

As the furring strip installation proceeds, I drop back to cover the porch beams with a pvc board. The J channel for the porch ceiling panels will attach directly to the pvc board making for a clean finish.

PVC Beam Cover - Porch Ceiling
PVC beam cover, furring strips and light rough in.

At the end of the day I have the first porch section ready for the aluminum panels. I hope to get those started tomorrow morning. It feels great to have things finally starting to close in.