The house construction has reached three months since ground-breaking, and we are in the final stages of interior work at this writing. I try to keep each blog posting to about 12- or- so photos maximum - - the early postings had to be more like 6 because of technical problems I hadn't learned how to solve (photos would not stay where I put them). Everything here seems to be make-from-scratch handwork, as shown in earlier blogs (e.g. lumber chainsawn per order; concrete "ready, mix"), so it amazes me how far we have gotten in so short a time. The last construction photos showed the interior just before the floor-slab was poured (two LONG days of work for a five-man crew), and with this posting I hope to show the methods used for wall-finishing and interior partitions. Very little happens here in just the same way that it would happen in the USA.
This piece of tree-trunk with handles was used to compact the sand/ gravel
mix under the floor slab, before concrete was poured. I didn't have a photo
to post before. A couple of the workers got a good upper-body conditioning
for about a day. There was no unauthorized tampering - - - -
For wall-surfacing we needed finely-screened sand, readily available here
provided we would first shovel it through this hand-made sieve. The ropes
are tied to the roof-overhang rafters shown in previous blog- post; the
process is simple - just keep shovelin' and shakin'.
Inside AND outside, surface-finishing began with string-lines set to the correct
thickness for the finish-cement to be troweled. This wall also shows that the
"smooth" poured-in-place wall post has been chiseled with a concrete nail to
roughen it so cement-mix will stick to it better.
One worker would daub and trowel "mud" to string-line depth; a second
worker checked the result with a straightedge about 30-inches long; later,
a 5-foot straightedge was used to check for evenness; finally, the finisher
would add extra cement powder to the wall surface and use a water spray-
bottle to polish it into the surface for a smooth, hard "perfect" finish.
This window-opening will be enlarged; the unfinished blocks to be removed
show "before" and "after" pretty clearly. Four people working hard, with
a fifth person often "ready, mixing" took more than a week to achieve the
finished walls.
As the walls were nearly finished, the doors were being built from rough
lumber, sawn and planed to the needed shape and smoothness for door-
frames. All joints were hand-cut; each piece carefully fitted as they were
assembled. Wooden hand-planes were used for much of the work, but a
rotary-electric plane helped cut "rabbet joints" the door-face was set into.
The two planes (top and right) were made while the construction job
was in progress. Older planes had worn out around the "mouth" where
the blade comes out the bottom. Orange item is a piece of plastic PVC
pipe, slit lengthwise to form a clamp for the blade. The third item is a 30-
inch concrete "float" used to finish the walls. A Stanley jack-plane I saw
in a tool-supplier's shop was priced at a month's wages for a carpenter.
was in progress. Older planes had worn out around the "mouth" where
the blade comes out the bottom. Orange item is a piece of plastic PVC
pipe, slit lengthwise to form a clamp for the blade. The third item is a 30-
inch concrete "float" used to finish the walls. A Stanley jack-plane I saw
in a tool-supplier's shop was priced at a month's wages for a carpenter.
The shop-door from previous photo has had its front face applied, and
is hung in place. The interior face will be added later. All doors for the
house, except a "pre-fab" bathroom door, were made similarly.
Door-jamb frames for the interior had a mitre-joint with a fingerlap cut
done by our master-carpenter with handsaw, pencil and a pocket-square.
As the doors neared completion, other workers began hanging the ceiling
framework. Ceiling and walls are all framed with chainsawn 2 x 2- inch
lumber. Ceiling is "hung" with 2 x 2s nailed to roof- rafters and purlins.
String-lines, careful measuring, and a "knack" for straightening curved wood -
all these were constantly in use. I did not climb on the ceiling frame.
Here, the ceiling is mostly paneled and wall- framing is in progress. All
ceiling- and wall-frame is 24 x 24- inch squares, to support the interior
panels which are marine-grade 1/4 inch plywood, the standard here.
Drywall ("sheetrock") and plaster are unheard of. I did the electrical
wiring except for overhead "runs" which a lighter-weight helper installed.
The workshop interior mostly completed (10 x 21 foot space). My
favorite electric appliance is on the right; I'm a great fan of fans.
Shelves in-progress are already in use even though the cabinet is not
completed. What a blessing! after weeks of working with stuff in piles
everywhere. Narrow room behind the workshop is all storage shelves.
Even the incomplete bookshelf, moved outside for floor-painting, is in
constant use as short term storage in a vain attempt to avoid clutter.
The workshop, seen on floor-paint day, will never be this clear again!
It forms an "L"-room with the small parlor to the right. Storage cabinet
at the rear now has doors and primer paint; to be colored soon. This
view is from the 8- foot wide front doorway.
Shifting view to the right from previous, shows the small parlor and "front"
door which is actually at the right side of the house. Interior door visible
goes into the bedroom and bathroom.
Walking around the corner to the right from above vantage point, gives
framework. Ceiling and walls are all framed with chainsawn 2 x 2- inch
lumber. Ceiling is "hung" with 2 x 2s nailed to roof- rafters and purlins.
String-lines, careful measuring, and a "knack" for straightening curved wood -
all these were constantly in use. I did not climb on the ceiling frame.
Here, the ceiling is mostly paneled and wall- framing is in progress. All
ceiling- and wall-frame is 24 x 24- inch squares, to support the interior
panels which are marine-grade 1/4 inch plywood, the standard here.
Drywall ("sheetrock") and plaster are unheard of. I did the electrical
wiring except for overhead "runs" which a lighter-weight helper installed.
The workshop interior mostly completed (10 x 21 foot space). My
favorite electric appliance is on the right; I'm a great fan of fans.
Shelves in-progress are already in use even though the cabinet is not
completed. What a blessing! after weeks of working with stuff in piles
everywhere. Narrow room behind the workshop is all storage shelves.
Even the incomplete bookshelf, moved outside for floor-painting, is in
constant use as short term storage in a vain attempt to avoid clutter.
The workshop, seen on floor-paint day, will never be this clear again!
It forms an "L"-room with the small parlor to the right. Storage cabinet
at the rear now has doors and primer paint; to be colored soon. This
view is from the 8- foot wide front doorway.
Shifting view to the right from previous, shows the small parlor and "front"
door which is actually at the right side of the house. Interior door visible
goes into the bedroom and bathroom.
Walking around the corner to the right from above vantage point, gives
the view as seen from the "front" door looking inside.
Workers enjoy their "mirienda," the local word for "breaktime." I have
made the occasional wisecrack about "mirienda rights."
Well, the "or so" of 12- or so photos, above, turned out to be 18 photos this time. I think that's the most I've ever posted in one blog issue. There are some details I'll back-track to later on, but this posting has you almost up-to-today's-date with the house building project. I'm planning to give my readers a look at lots of other things I've seen meanwhile, in the next few issues. Also, our farming project, located about a mile away from our houses in town (a couple photos in the earliest blogs), is just about to get started in earnest. The plowing season for "second crop" which will grow during the rainy season, is just beginning. We have scheduled clearing and plowing for next week, plus the building of a bamboo house for a caretaker, and I'm sure there will be lots to "show and tell" from that experience.
We hope you all had a blessed Easter season and are enjoying a prosperous year 2013.
Tim and Bernadette Larson, Philippines
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