Monday, August 29, 2011

Fair Weather Fun... sort of

G & I got most of the wiring run through the joists and the two interior walls while it was raining. You'd think that would be a fairly easy task, just pulling some Romex, but noooooo... not when you take into consideration that we're trying to run the maximum outlets/lights on the minimum amount of wire, without overloading any of our few circuits or potentially leaving ourselves in the dark if we turn something on a pop the breaker, and not drill too many holes in the same stud/joist, and keep the wires as hidden as possible... all while being two of the most OCD and contrary planners in recorded history. There are times where we just do not communicate and work well together. Of course, the freaky differences between US and UK standards doesn't make things easier since G got his EE degree over there in the land of 220v wiring ;)

Anyway, we were going to start on the flooring so we could move in by Labor Day (Sept 5 for you non-Americans LOL); but had to take advantage of a fortuitous break in the rain to do a little work on the roof which has been suffering under an infamous Alaskan Blue Tarp since December. Needless to say, a few wind storms and a lot of UV exposure later, it's protective coverage was patchy at best. So, when the glorious sun finally peaked back out of the clouds, we scrambled up the ladders to yank the poor shredded thing off!

Then it was a matter of trying to install the self-adhesive rubberized ice shield on the rake, ridge and pitch breaks. Yeah, if only it were that simple. Seriously, this stuff sticks to everything except the roof, and it especially likes to stick to itself. And that "easy" release paper... yeah, uh-huh... kept shredding instead of peeling, and of course it had to shred right in the middle so we'd have to fight with it the whole time while it tried to adhere to us and itself. All while balancing precariously on a 7:12 pitch in the wind. We're talking some serious feats of Peter Parker Prowess.

And poor G-man... found yet another building material he's allergic to. Poor bugger was breaking out in hives before we'd even finished the rakes, so it was quickly back to the tent to wash him up and pop some extra-strength Benadryl. Needless to say, it took us 4 days to lay down 7 strips.  We also nearly created the world's largest glue-trap when a piece flipped over, stuck to itself and then blew off the roof... almost snagging poor Ripley who was anxiously pacing at the foot of the ladder below.

But the membrane is down, with the minimum amount of weird wrinkles that we could manage, so it should keep those joints from leaking again. Now all we have to do is drag the new Ultra-Duty White Tarp up there and get it spread out evenly and tacked down so we can protect the rest of the roof this winter since we couldn't get the porches on and, therefore, couldn't actually get the tarpaper and shingles on. At least this tarp is much thicker, covers the entire roof (and then some!), and is UV stablized... but it also weighs about 100 lbs. Since I'm better at hauling materials up and down on the ladder, I'm going to have to figure out how to wrestle some bulky thing that weighs almost as much as I do up there. Joy!! Let's hope it's not windy THAT day!!

But, we can hold off on that tarp for a couple of days and (hopefully) get back to the floors so we aren't delaying our move in date too awfully much ;)

And, I promise promise promise, as soon as I recover the fugitive card-reader from it's hiding place at the cabin, I will post pics of all our progress!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Careful up there, you guys! Thank goodness for Benadryl. May you have sunshine and light breezes.

Jennifer in western NC

Dan Lynch said...

Thanks for the update, PC.

Another winter with a tarp roof, eh ? Sounds about like my construction projects. :)

Good luck, and take care when you're on the roof.

Plickety Cat said...

Ah, but not just any tarp, the Uber Ultra-Mega tarp :D

If it hadn't rained so much, we might have been able to get the porches built and then would have been able to get the proper roof done. But, since the porch roofs extend from the gambrel main roof, we can't do one without the other.

Looks like we're going to spend another chink of early winter doing construction when it's below freezing but before the snow is too deep and it gets too darned cold to work ;)

Anonymous said...

Just a thought why don't you figure out where the porch roof is going to hit the main roof and start shingling a little above that and then you will have a lot of it shingled. The first row that you nail on nail at the very top of the shingle then you can slide the porch shingles under that when you build the porch.

Marybeth said...

I hope you're getting moved in as I type this :) I would really hate to think of you spending another winter in the tent.

Good Luck
MJ

Marybeth said...

I hope you're getting settled into your cabin.

Anonymous said...

Wish you well getting settled in the new cabin. Seems this is a very stressful time, and it shouldn't be in the long run.

Anonymous said...

Hope that you have been able to get a lot of work done in the past few weeks. Having worked many renovation projects with my husband, I know it can be very time consuming and frustrating when things don't go the way you hoped!

wannabe1 said...

Hi you two,

I have not commented in quite sometime but I hope you all are well. We know you are fighting the elements and miss hearing from you. It has been over 28 days and we really hope you two are in your new cabin:)
Take care,
Iwannabe1

Anonymous said...

Hoping the silence from the far North is for the good, and getting snuggled into the cabin and out of the tent.