Grouting and sealing of family room perimeter design

Again, Red Quarry grout...  Design comprised of glass infused with color 2" X 2" Jewels.

Finished Stairs (Almost)

Well they're almost done!  There is 4 pieces of special trim that I need to make and install, but I'm switching back to the slate floor.  The switching back and forth between materials and projects keeps me focused and sharp.

Getting The Treads Down

I went with an engineered flooring for the treads.  3/8" x 4 3/4" random planks.  The flavor is Maple Sedona and the contrast between the Red Mahogany nosing proved to be excellent to my eye.  I put down an 1/8" foam under-layment, directly stapled to the plywood substrate.  I needed to make up an 1/8" inch to match the height of the nosing so it worked out perfectly.  The stairs feel solid under foot.

Nosing Install

I went with Poplar wood and put two coats of red mahogany stain followed by two coats of polyurethane on it.  Fastened with 1 1/4"Brad nails.

Garage Turned Shop

Get ready for some dust



Stair Project

A break from the slate floor has landed me into the challenging (to a tile guy) discipline of finish wood working.  Form of a finished staircase.  Below are some starting point pics.

Front Detail Puzzle = Set

I went a little intricate with the fireplace detail.  A hint of my other California sets.  It's harder than it looks to cut this stuff and then set it without breaking it before it's down.

Grouted and Sealed.  It went together nicely.  It consisted of - slate, black and red granite, 2  Lightstream Jewel 2x2's and Red Clay Quarry grout.

Detail at the front of the living room

The living room is coming together.  I can see now how I'm going to customize each section.  The front, as you see here, came out nice I think as it gets the contrast benefit of being large pieces in a diagonal pattern.  In addition, I have just created the detail that will go in front of the fireplace.  Check back.

 

Detail going out to the back

My house is pretty cut up in terms of angles generated by the floor plan layout.  But, I'm using it to my creative advantage.  I'm off-setting every transition to a different room with a change of pattern, a unique detail that obtains a center piece, a "Jewel."  Jewels are 2" x 2" glass tiles infused with color.  Below is the transition out the slider to the back yard.  This pattern is just dry-set - not cemented down yet.

Slowly But Wonderfully

At only one day a week progress seems to crawl, but I'm having fun and know it will look great when I'm done - so I continue the march towards ART...

Red Quarry Clay Grout

The grout color is epic in terms of blending with this material.

Sun Jewel

The final days light electrifies the Jewel and the Jewel radiates and harnesses that light into a confident glow for the beholders eyes.

Color Enhancer, Gloss, Sealer

Hand painted the entry with a gloss color enhancer sealer.  I think the natural colors pop richly now.

Family Room Continued

Another day of just setting full pieces.  Well, 4 hours worth anyway...  A 3.5 half hour bike ride in the heat the day before slowed me down!  I've decided on a grout color and a seal finish.  I'll keep it quiet until I get that far.  I'm about to the wall, so I'll have to break out the machine again and do some cuts.  I think I'm going to go trick though and change to a diagonal pattern soon.

 

24 Hours Later

After 24 hours I have removed the spacers from yesterday's setting session.  The floor is stout and ready for walking.  You must walk on a slate floor for a few weeks or longer before you seal it to let it naturally flake.

Good Day With The Trowel

Finally started the family room today.  I picked up speed as there was/is plenty of full pieces to set, so I just mixed mud and set all day.  I changed to a diagonal pattern after the step down exiting the entry and I snapped a line from the point of the jewel accent tile through the living room.  The first piece followed by the day's set is below! 

Good Day On The Saw

Today I finished cutting and dry-setting the rest of the pieces left to complete the entry...  Well, it has been a learning experience in a few ways.  One, I'm remembering how long this kind of work can last when you only get to do it on the weekends.  Two, re-learning the tricks and techniques within both cutting and setting.  Three, remembering how fun and satisfying it is!

The Cutting Machine

This saw is made for slicing through slate tile like through butter. This is an Imer Combi 250V.  Great for 16" X 16"material as I can throw the full pieces up on the deck with no problem.  As you can see it rotates and cuts bevels up to 45 degrees.  It came in to play as I did the detail for the steps' down.  I put a 45 bevel followed by a square cut half way down the bevel to give the tread a bold look.  It is truly a beast & was well worth the investment if you have any desire to work with big slate.   The American flag decal and my stenciled initial were custom touches by me!  My entry was cut in a day & then I spent Sunday setting the cut pieces.  A full weekend of work, but I can see my vision coming to life before my eyes.  Exciting!

Nothin' but Cutting

The entry is cut up...  With the two step downs and walls at 22.5 degree angles, I just cut and dry set everything today, all day long.  It went together nice.  Tomorrow I'll mix mud and attempt to set everything I cut today.

 

The Beginning Starts With The End, Naturally!

I snapped a line from outside the front door, in the center of the front door step patio, through the front door, to the center of the staircase.  This is the line of the diagonal pattern in the entry of the house.  It works perfect with not only the entry of the house, but outside the front door where the custom fractal will be. I think I'm going to be happy with the colors.

A Blank Slate AT LAST...

Finally, the floor base is prepped and ready for a custom slate design to be created & laid over this bare cement. A closeup:

  

A bit farther view...see all the gray as opposed to previous pix?

And a far shot of the kitchen...see that evil tile peeking out from under the fridge? I'll have to deal with that later, but avoided the situation & heavy lifting for now! 

Even Covered, the Electronic Console Took a Little Dust.

Yes indeed, that hammer was the animal the the doctor ordered. It was painful and tedious all at the same time, but from the first pass I got the results I was looking for. The light at the end of the tunnel was there, faint. A solid day and a half on that wrist vibrating, shoulder jerking machine...
I now have a pure substrate for the new slate to rest. Now the post dust deep cleaning begins. Then a trip to an Art festival!

My Newer Best Friend

Here is the promised pic of newest rent-a-tool, a 21 lb. Makita Roto Hammer with a floor scraping bit.  

And, here is the result of my first scrape down the cement. That is what I wanted to see, results!

My New Best Friend

I rented this beast from Home Depot to scrape the thinset from the concrete slab in the kitchen area.

Well, this floor stripper didn't work.  Too wimpy.  As it turns out, the thinset was double thick due to previous owner re-tiling the kitchen without starting fresh.  So, I had to use a 21 lb. Makita Roto Hammer with a floor scraping bit.  It did the trick and did me in after 2 days of operating it.  Pics to follow.

Calm before the Storm

Slowly, but surely, getting there. Did I mention slowly?

Scrape, scrape, scrape. 

See allllllllllllllll that white & those little spots of gray? It's gotta be ALL gray and NO white. *sigh*