Nickw cabin/house build

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Looks like its coming alone nicely. I would like to retire to a place up north, need to warm up the wife to that idea. How far north is the "cabin"?
 
Looks like its coming alone nicely. I would like to retire to a place up north, need to warm up the wife to that idea. How far north is the "cabin"?
Rhinelander. Love it. Minocqua reminds me of The Dells and Door County - too touristy. Rhinelander is redneck but decent. Has a Menards, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Walmart and Aldi. Fleet Farm is going to build too from what I hear. What else is needed?!?!
 
Been up there a couple times. Nice area. Can't get much further north in WI than that!
 
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So I've been drywalling and mudding this week. Kitchen area has 2 coats of mud, bathroom is drywalled no mud, laundry room is about half drywalled. Going to get these 3 areas completely done (textured, primed and painted) and ready for cabinets before touching any other areas. Cabinets should be delivered around Dec 14th. Installing over Christmas break with the family.

Tuesday morning had 4" of snow on the ground but it's half gone now, lots of mud. Guess I'll probably be done siding for a while... More snow in the forecast for Sunday.
 
Been a while since I posted any pics. Kitchen is primed with sanded texture ready for paint, bathroom and laundry room have 2 coats of mud (now, not when I took the pics), working on the stove surround and other miscellaneous things while waiting for mud to dry.
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Kitchen, bathroom and laundry rooms are done and ready for plumbing. Been hanging 5/8" drywall on the ceilings. Ceilings on the main level are hung except 2 closets, started the loft ceiling today. Electrician gave me some lights and some more outlets. Pics are from Friday.

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Plumber has toilets in, but water isn't connected yet. I can use them and flush with a pail of water, so that's better than cleaning out the porta potty when I get home or going outside to find a tree in the middle of the night when it's -10 or -15. Some wrong fixtures came, so they are on re-order along with the kitchen sink. Hounding him to get this done so I can have a shower without having to beg and coordinate with the neighbor.

All ceilings are drywalled now and I've made some really good progress on the walls the last few days.
 
Heading home tomorrow.

All plumbing was 100% functional Friday. I can shower, flush a toilet without a bucket of water, and do dishes instead of taking them home...😁😎👍!

Almost done hanging drywall. Need to pick up 4 more sheets next time up, then back to mudding 😖.

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So I would like anyone with an opinion or suggestion to weigh in...

Above the fireplace there will be a solid cherry mantle on cherry brackets following my clearance to combustibles. Originally I was planning on leaving it unfinished. Now we have decided to build a built in cherry wood storage rack/cabinet on the right of the fireplace between the fireplace surround and a wing wall (wing wall is from the end of the stair wall and 22" long. I can take a better pic when I get back up). If I leave that unfinished I think it will quickly get pretty beat up. I am also concerned with the durability of clear coat. I am considering using an epoxy "float" coat on the wood rack. If I just clear coat the mantle and brackets, do you think it will look OK or should I float coat it all?
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So I would like anyone with an opinion or suggestion to weigh in...

Above the fireplace there will be a solid cherry mantle on cherry brackets following my clearance to combustibles. Originally I was planning on leaving it unfinished. Now we have decided to build a built in cherry wood storage rack/cabinet on the right of the fireplace between the fireplace surround and a wing wall (wing wall is from the end of the stair wall and 22" long. I can take a better pic when I get back up). If I leave that unfinished I think it will quickly get pretty beat up. I am also concerned with the durability of clear coat. I am considering using an epoxy "float" coat on the wood rack. If I just clear coat the mantle and brackets, do you think it will look OK or should I float coat it all?
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Not sure what a "float" coat is? Is the the wood rack going to be all cherry, or are you just doing a cherry frame with something more durable than wood to place the splits on? Have picked your veneer for the face of the fireplace?
It's all looking really good!!
 
A float coat is poured over a surface and self levels. It is thick and durable.

Cherry is all currently in slab and rough timber form. I was thinking the cabinet will be plywood sides & back covered with cherry 3/4" boards, 2"+/- thick top and bottom, and hand made face frame.
 
Might be worth reviewing...IME poly is pretty easy to resurface ,but I don't have much experience with epoxy for a wood finish. Wondering if regardless of what finish goes on the wood rack it WILL need touchup repairs. I can say with certainty that poly is an easy touchup product. If you choose a poly I would choose a hybrid product. It's not water-based but does cleanup with water. I use a product by the name of Saman, but I'm not sure if it's available in the USA. Also the osmo products available from Lee Valley are a nice product as well. If your comfortable going the epoxy route then have at it. :)
 
Finished hanging drywall mid last week, pre-filled any cracks over 1/8" with quickset, been taping since. Pressed edges are done, inside corners are more than half done, outside corners and butt joints will be next. Hopefully done taping by the end of the day tomorrow. Ridiculous how a little closet has almost as much lineal footage of inside corners as the bedroom...

Getting much better and faster with practice and a few more tips from my former pro drywaller BIL. I should have the loft, stairwell, foyer, both bedrooms including closets done in just a little more time than the bathroom and laundry room... Stairwell sucks, glad I have scaffolding.

Gotta get this inside stuff done so I can get back to the soffits and siding when the weather gets nicer. Trying to decide if I should or shouldn't order the T&G pine now or wait until fall.
 
Got all of 1st coat of mud done, working on 2nd coat. 2 looks like it will be good with some touch ups after. Hoping to be done mudding other than maybe the touch ups by the time I head home Thursday. Finally hung the last kitchen cabinet and installed the backordered doors. Upper left pantry door is being reordered due to a defect I couldn't fix. Will be home for a couple of weeks after Thursday.

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Got all of 1st coat of mud done, working on 2nd coat. 2 looks like it will be good with some touch ups after. Hoping to be done mudding other than maybe the touch ups by the time I head home Thursday. Finally hung the last kitchen cabinet and installed the backordered doors. Upper left pantry door is being reordered due to a defect I couldn't fix. Will be home for a couple of weeks after Thursday.

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What you planning for the ceiling?
 
What you planning for the ceiling?
Tongue and groove pine. All walls and ceilings in the Great Room/Kitchen will be t&g. Ordered it 2 weeks ago, 6-10 week lead time. Should get it right around when the ground will be dried out enough to work outside...😜. Planning to order custom run S4S trim for base, casings, wall caps and trim (eventually). It costs less finished per sf than unfinished ranch casing at the local big boxes.
 
All the ceiling will be a lot of wood, it darkens with age. just saying. I did red oak floors, there nice.
 
Was home for 2 1/2 weeks again. Did some touch up mudding then spent 3 days outside cutting wood. Sanding now...slow going, but turning out pretty good.

In response to previous comments/suggestions...

Pine walls and ceiling with oil based clear coat will yellow with age. Shouldn't get too dark like hardwoods do. Old samples at the mill have a nice rich yellow tone. Should have a nice contrast in a few years with the cherry.

Think I've decided on a couple coats of 3x poly for the wood rack and mantle. The float coat epoxy would be tough to get consistant on the edges... works best on horizontal surfaces.
 
Varathane brand poly was a great product does add some amber color to wood. It was oil base and pretty tough. I have started using a hybrid product by the name of Saman it is very tough product but also adds a amber color to the wood. If wanting a true clear coat they are generally water base ime. They do leave the natural tones but I find the product not as tough as the others.
 
Finished sanding over the weekend and did some sanded primer yesterday. Today I am going to get the rest of the wood piles cut up and moved as there is rain forecast off and on for the next week and a half. Hoping to be mostly painted by the time the wife and boys come up Memorial weekend. Expecting to not be up much in June due to other "things".

Pine tongue and groove should be here soon but figuring on getting back to siding and soffits before doing much of that.