Ready for Drywall

We are ready for the drywall installation, so I took pictures of all the plumbing and wiring in the walls in case we ever need to know where pipes or wires are located. A few are below.

Carrier for the wall-mounted toilet in the master bathroom

Pipes for wall mounted faucet, drains, vents, and wiring in the master bath

Kitchen pipes, drains, and wiring

Also in preparation for drywall, I installed insulation in the shed, partially to keep in the heat (and keep the hot water hot) and also to insulate against sound from the water pump.

This is where the water heat will go, with pipes for the solar system and to supply the house

We also have a shed door now

The drywall was delivered ahead of the installation, which is scheduled to begin in a few days

Breezeway Prep Done

Preparation of the other breezeway for installation of the floor boards is done--the beams are joists are painted and taped and the tape is painted. The floor can now be installed ...

Looking towards (and into) the main house

Side Lanai Floor and Interior Beams

The floor is installed on the small lanai to the side of the master bedroom.

Looking towards the back of the master suite (the bedroom is on the right)

Another view--just a few feet to the left is the rain forest

Looking towards the front

 I've been working on the interior beams.  I used a wood brightener (a kind of wood bleach) to clean them and get them back to their natural color.

Looking towards the bathroom

View towards the kitchen with the ohia posts--the kitchen island and bar will be between the posts.

Lanai Floors and Interior Beams

The front lanai is almost done.

Looking towards the master suite

Looking towards the guest house

Detail of a board scribed around the ohia post

My next task is the exposed beams in the living room. They need to be cleaned (because they were exposed to the rain for a while, they're dirty), sanded, stained, and finished.

Beam between the living room and kitchen

The end of the same beam (straight ahead is the breakfast nook and to the left is the front of the house and the front door)

Beam at the front of the living room

The beam between the living room and the hallway (looking into the bathroom)

Lanai Floors and Interior Ohia Posts

Work has been proceeding on the lanai floors, and the lanai if front of the master suite is nearly done.

View looking towards the master suite from the main house.

View from the other direction

The small lanai next to the master bedroom, ready for floorboards

Work has also started on the lanai in front of the main house. The boards on the edge have to be notched around the railing posts and scribed around the ohia posts.

 While the work on the lanai floors has been going on outside, I've been working on the inside on the ohia posts in the kitchen. The needed to be cleaned and sanded a little, and then finish was applied.

Kitchen post with a coat of finish

Closeup of the grain

Lunar Eclipse

Tonight was the lunar eclipse. It was partly cloudy, but we got to see part of it.

New Stairs Almost Done, Work Starts on Lanai Floors

Construction of the new (in-code) stairs is almost done.

Bottom landing

Top landing

Space cut out at the top for an additional step

Work is also beginning on installing the floor board on the lanais.

Lanai in front of the main house with finished cumaru boards ready to be installed.

In front of the master bedroom.  All of the joists have been painted, tape put on the tops, and the tape is painted.

The first board installed

Blind snake

It is often said that there are no snakes in Hawaii, but this is not entirely accurate -- there is one species of snake found here: the island blind snake or Hawaiian blind snake (Ramphotyphlops braminus).
The blind snake is quite small--about the size of an earthworm--and completely harmless. They can be mistaken for an earthworm, but the color is more gray/silver.  They live in the ground or under leaf piles  and eat small insects and larvae. They have eyes, but the eyes are covered by scales, and the snakes are almost entirely blind.

This one was in the compost pile.

Temporarily placed in a bucket out of harm's way while turning the compost

Stair reconstruction

To rebuild the stairs, the existing stairs had to be completely removed, new landings built, and new stringers will have to be cut.

View of the stair space with all the steps removed and new bottom landing, seen from the back

View from the front, up towards the new landing

The new bottom landing, seen from the front