Sometimes I’m somewhat frustrated by the glacial pace of our progress. I have to remind myself that for the most part, it’s just the two of us. Kathryn’s mom has been helping us by painting the backs of the rainscreen panels – which saves us a lot of time because we can just prime/paint the cuts we make to fit around windows and such.
But it’s taken us 3 days to get the front and the north side (not even including the gable) done.
Part of this is because we care about the finish and so spend quite a lot of time debating and tweaking and trying to get the lines right.
Part of it is learning – most rainscreens are made with far higher quality stuff than we can afford. This is shop-grade T1-11. So although it’s made the same as the APA rated sheathing it’s failed quality control. To try and get it such that it won’t fall apart we want to protect it and fix it firmly, while still allowing it to function as a rainscreen.
It’s fiddly – to try and reduce insect ingress we’ve got this mesh that needs to be fixed between the screen and the housewrap; getting than in place while getting the furring strips that hold the rainscreen out from the building on and lined up right is tricky.
But the final result is pretty pleasing.
There are many sins that will need to be covered with the trim strips. We’d much prefer to have much better quality materials, with joints that actually fit together really well, and have this section be flat (and actually, we love the colour of the ply). But none of those things are remotely within budget.
Still, it – like many things – is a good learning experience.
We’ve also been gradually picking at the final list of wiring jobs (which is mainly runs to / from lights from switches).
I know we’ll get there, it’s just when that’s bothering me.
Oh, in good news, after 3 attempts the toilet we ordered from Wayfair has arrived…. intact! :)
