Stair Project Takes Shape
9/12/12 The lawn and the light were installed yesterday and it's almost complete. Have a look at the new pictures from today
9/7/12 Well today was a pretty exciting day for the stair project. The stone cutting of the bluestone treads was completed and I picked up all of the materials that would be required to install them. This included: the EZ drain mat strips, which would go underneath the stone treads (with the ribs down for drainage), the rubber caps that would go over the 1/2" rods welded in place to keep the treads from shifting, a sealant that we've been referring to as "super secret sealant" because it was recommended and purchased at a shop that specializes in sealants (Atlas Supply). So, as I had all of the materials that I needed to install the treads, today I embarked upon the almost surgical process of installing the treads. I carefully cut the rubber to fit over the pins, installed the stoppers, wrapped the edges of each tread with rubber to keep it from scratching the paint, squeezed a bead of super secret sealant onto the rubber, and then very carefully installed each tread. Each one dropped into place absolutely perfectly. It was a very refreshing experience to see that each tread fit so well as I've been worried about small errors for such a precision project. So there you have it, perfect fit, beautiful result, now on to electrical and landscaping next week! Stay tuned and check out the pictures below for a visual treat to the babble above.
9/3/12 Today the stainless steel flashing was finished and ready for install. The flashing is a very important detail because the connection of the stair to the deck is the most vulnerable location on this entire project. Since this is entirely exposed to the weather, this connection must be built like a million dollar yacht, designed and built to last hundreds of years. The connection was carefully measured and a piece of 20 guage stanless steel was bent with a beautiful hemmed edge at the front and turned down legs to direct water away from the joint and down the stair or into the gutter. The mebrane had been cut when the tile was cut back before the steel was installed and the membrane can only extend to the edge of the flashing, so it was important to find the right sealant to make this joint. M1 sealant was reccommended for several properties including non shrinking, durability, ability to stick to stainless steel and its water proofing characteristics. It's also very thick and super sticky, so I was able to use the sealant alone to stick down the mebrane and keep it as flush as possible (as apposed to applying weight to hold it down). This is important so the tile can maintain an adequate slope for drainage. When all was said and done, it resulted in a connection that will be incredibly durable and will ensure a rust and rot free connection. Tomorrow, the sealant should be cured and the tile installer can tile over it.
My latest project, a steel and concrete stair in southwest Portland is really starting to take shape now. The steel was craned in last week, which was an exciting event. Neighbors came out of their homes to watch the event as the twisted staircase was lifted high into the sky and into place. The welder, Todd Littlehales, a very skilled and professional fabricator, spent two days on site connecting the handrails to the existing, bolting it to the concrete and installing the single handrail that follows the curve of the concrete steps. The attention to detail has really paid off as this precision piece of art fit exactly as we planned. Next up are the fine details that will finish this project up Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure
5 Comments
NameJimmy Gueringer
Very nice brother! Hope all is well
31 Aug 2012 05:08 am (@Twitter)
Mandy
Looks Great 🙂
01 Sep 2012 09:09 am (@Twitter)
Pam
Beautiful stairway. So graceful.
08 Sep 2012 07:09 am (@Twitter)
Jacob
It's been an amazing process and there's more to come!
08 Sep 2012 08:09 am (@Thanks!)
Kristeen Cooper
Elegance and grace for many happy years. Nice to come home to I’m sure.
15 Sep 2012 02:09 pm (@Twitter)
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