Design-build addition to residence, Ithaca, NY
[Addition homepage]Weeks 29-32: December 20, 2004 - January 16, 2005
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John from Pleasant Valley Electric completes the electrical work. The existing panel box (left) is extended with a new box (right) for the new electric power in the addition.
Outlets and lighting fixtures are installed: a plastic (imitation porcelain) fixture is put in place in the studio (left); Rab cast aluminum fixtures are used for the stairs (right).
We install approximately 600 square feet of porcelain tile in the studio and mezzanine spaces. The process has three distinct parts: installing cement board ("Wonderboard") underlayment, placing the tile, and grouting. In these images, thin-set mortar is mixed with an acrylic additive using a 1/2" drill with a special "paddle" attachment.
The cement board panels are adhered with thin-set mortar and then screwed into the plywood subfloor (left); when the entire floor is covered (right), the tile can be placed.
The tile is set using a 3/8" x 1/4" notched trowel.
Guidelines are drawn on the Wonderboard undelayment to keep the lines straight (left); plastic 1/8" spacers are inserted between tiles to keep the joint width consistent (right).
After I use a rubber float to place the grout within the tile joints, Susan cleans the surface with a moderately dry sponge. After two hours, the tile is then rubbed down with a dry cloth to remove any remaining haze.
Two views from the mezzanine show the finished tile.
Nothing new on the exterior: when the snow melts and the weather improves, we'll finish the siding.
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last updated: 17 January 2005
Copyright 2004-2005 J. Ochshorn. All rights reserved. Republishing material on this web site, whether in print or on another web site, in whole or in part, is not permitted without advance permission of the author.