July 7, 2008

Progress at Beatons Lake

Work on the new sauna house at Beatons was delayed this month due to heavy flooding in the Midwest, or so our lumber yard told Todd. The Douglas Fir timbers coming from Oregon are expected to arrive sometime around July 12 if the truck can make it.... We hope/plan to get the timber frame built this summer, roofed and closed in before winter comes to the northwoods. Picture above is the back side of what will be the sauna house which is about 50 ft. from the lake shore.
Even without timbers, lots of work did get done last week. With our good friends, Peter and Paul, lots of organization took place in anticipation of the timbers arriving next week. Picture above is Todd showing off one of three new work benches the boys built. Also done was pier building, forest clean-up and power tool organization.

The sauna house will be the first structure built at Beatons. Above, you can see the plumbing that Todd and Peter put in to the ground. Next week, our concrete guys will pour the new floor right over the dirt and plumbing. From there we'll be able to put in the timber to create the building's shell. We'll build the actual house in a couple of years. Last fall, we had the outside foundation and timber post support sections poured. The house sits back further from the lake, as per state of Michigan code. Once the plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems are in place, we have this floor poured as well.

Me being the great house builder, that I am, showed up at beatons about 5 days after everyone else. I did help a little. I planned with Todd and Peter the general layout of the sauna house (where the shower and stove should be..) And I also mowed some nice paths to the lake inlet along our property. That was about it for my work. Otherwise I just enjoyed the beautiful weather, the lake, the woods, friends and walks with Teiko.....

I'll let Todd explain the greatness that is timber framed construction, but I can say, the timbers really show within the building. Timber framed buildings last for 100s of years. And the wood detail is amazing within the house. It will be a labor of love over the next decade to get this baby built. But we'll enjoy doing it.

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