With mid day temperatures hovering around 97 degrees (the metric conversion is "damn hot"), I work in the mornings and then set up lights to work in the evening when the temperatures drop to a balmy 80 degrees. Notice the interior walls employ the dry stack construction method, too. These walls will help support the roof span in this corner when finished.
We have a group of friends coming this weekend to help raise the roof. To prepare for this influx of hustle and muscle, I need to get the main joists cut and placed. Getting the main joists up will simplify the cutting and placing of the shorter connecting joists for the Krewe of Brew when they show up on Saturday. Organizing a cutting area next to the work bench consolidates the number of steps I have to take - an important economy for a DIY homebuilder.
One of the members of project management surveys the south wing (our master bedroom) where we've gotten main joists over 75% of this side. The toilet closet is on the left, the raised tub and a shower stall will be along the wall in back. The area adjacent to the photographer will be the library. We'll basically be living in this wing and the courtyard.
We nail 2x6's together with 3 inch spiral thread decking nails to make these main joists, then place joist hangers along each side to hold the smaller connecting joists. The cedar beam at left is not load-bearing (cedar is too brittle) and is just there for decorative purposes.
This photo shows the compound plane design of the roof, something that would be too complex for us if not for the courtyard design and the dry stack block construction. Notice the incline of the roof changes as it slopes towards the corner of the house, then angles off toward the right? One of the roof drainholes (called a sepa in the Southwest) through the parapet is just off the right edge of this photo. Rainwater flows towards the outer parapet walls, towards the corner and then out the sepa into the downspout.
Want to see a rough floor plan? Want to be notified when we post new pictures? Just e-mail us! Want to see the rest of the story? Click on Gimme Shelter Home Page.
Next week's installment: Bail, Bail, The Gang's All Here Click HERE

All music and data on this site ©2001 and 2003 TexasMusicForge.com. Any unauthorized usage of music and/or data from this site is strictly prohibited and will get you tied up and dragged behind my horse.
E.M. Kliman, Proprietor.