Day Twelve | Cabinet

Today we began exploration with means of cabinet construction and finish. We practiced butt joints and rabbit joints, as well as ways of cutting and sanding the Wheatboard to achieve the desired look and quality necessary. We look forward to meeting with Common Ground to learn more about means of finishing Wheatboard, as well as other possible green products for the house.

Day Ten and Eleven | Roadtrip

Thanks to the kind support and generosity of Common Ground Green Building Supply, we were able to obtain enough Wheatboard to replace MDF in the construction of our cabinets. Wheatboard is manufactured within 500 miles of our site, formaldehyde free, and made of rapidly renewable resources (wheat), therefore a perfectly compliant with a number of LEED credits. More information about Wheatboard can be found on the Environ website; we are using Microstrand.

After talking with Common Ground, we arranged for myself and another student to pick up Wheatboard, enabling us to begin construction on the cabinet units.

Day Nine| Countertop

Today I helped pick up on continued contertop construction. We used a new system to prevent the pieces from falling or bowing while drying. It utilizes a system of fences and pressure from clamps and 2x4s to compress the slabs.

Day Eight | Product

As of today I've switched gears and began working on product construction. This takes place in a shop in the UNCG Gateway Research Park, which is an off-site location to aid with ASHRAE standards in our LEED certification. We are constructing counter tops of reclaimed Baltic birch and preparing for construction of cabinets for the suites and kitchen.

Day Seven | Blocking and Rafters

I've used today to jump into the project wherever necessary, which has landed me with a number of different tasks. Not only did I help finish installation of critter mesh, but I found myself helping with more blocking in the suites, stringing lights to aid in construction, and helping with rafter construction.

Day Five and Six | Furring and Critter Mesh

Our group has finally reached completion of furring in the matron's suite. I also assisted with furring in the kitchen, which I considered far more enjoyable. While the higher ceilings were intimidating, using a full length of a furring strip is much less complicated than cutting and mounting small lengths. In tandem with furring, I was assigned the daunting task of climbing the rafters to install critter mesh. One layer of stiff, large mesh is layered with thin, small mesh and stapled over openings where the roof meets the rafters. This prevents unwanted tenants, such as squirrels and birds. We also spent time framing windows in the Matron's suite; we hope to begin window installation in the next couple of weeks.

Day Three and Four| Furring and Blocking

My group continues to mount furring in the matron's suite. We've had to focus on each of the bathroom, bedroom, living, and closet areas separately, so while it's a slow process, we're nearing completion. Taking a break from furring, I helped begin blocking in one of the mother's suites. Because we must comply with ADA, it was vital that we allow room to mount bathroom hardware at appropriate heights.

Day Two| Furring

Today was spent mounting furring throughout the house. My group continued to work in the matron's suite, which posed challenges through its many small rooms. We were forced to work with different measurements and spacing in each room, while maintaining furring 16" on center at minimum in order to maintain code.