Stairway to the third guest bedroom

There’s a lot of work to be done here. The stairs leading to the third floor require handrails before we can even think of having guests stay up there. The existing safety barrier is awful. I looks like we live in a barn.

Without any hesitation, the ugly barrier was removed.

All of the wood was reused. I had some 2x12’s that were leftover from the downstairs remodel. I cut those into stiles using a bandsaw. The sharp edges were rounded with a router. The cross braces were also cut into stiles. I used some recycled 5x5’s (not 4x4’s) for the upper rail posts. Any screws holes were hidden with plugs.

The whole thing will get a coat of primer and white paint. Up next…the upper rail installation, but first...

Also pictured is a piece of hinoki that was given to us from a farmer near Hasama. He gave us many hinoki logs that I’ve used for the legs on my work benches, supports for a wood shed, along with several other things. I must be nearing the end of the remodel because this is the last log. I’ve saved it for 5 years just for this project. It will be used as the post for the base of the stair handrail.

Summer: Time for cooking and baking

Lately, it’s been hot and humid. This is a good time to hang out in the kitchen. Erika made Pad Thai for the first time and it was incredible! I couldn’t believe that something could taste so good AND be healthy. Well, while Erika was in charge of cooking healthy food...

...I baked some unhealthy snacks: my mom’s secret recipe chocolate chip cookies and a new creation, Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies. Both are full of butter and sugar and all kinds of unhealthy stuff.

Fortunately, everything was given away to family and friends for the Obon holiday and I was left with just one cookie. That’s okay, since I have a triple chocolate cake, I made, in the freezer.

Completed new guest bathroom and bedroom

Well, here it is. After dragging my feet for almost three months, it’s done. I'll be adding a mirror and new electrical switch plates later. The toilet is made by Panasonic. It’s made entirely of plastic which makes it difficult to clean. However...

...there is a soap dispenser on the side of the toilet which works each time that it’s flushed. The shape of the toilet seat is almost square. First time I’ve seen a square toilet seat. It’s very comfortable and I think our guests will like it. The sink area has plenty of room for stuff. What kind of stuff? I have no idea. The guest bedroom is complete. Accessories will be added later. Two more bedrooms to go, but first the hallway and the stairway leading to the third floor will be finished next. Stay tuned...

New deck for the dogs

It’s too hot to finish the guest bath and bedroom. I decided it was time to paint the block wall in the backyard and build a deck. The deck is for the dogs to enjoy when it gets a little cooler. Originally I wanted a solarium, but then I decided that would be a pain to keep clean. The deck is made of aluminum and plastic. I figured this would be easy to maintain and not too hard to install. The concrete piers required some digging and leveling. The rest of the assembly was straight forward. Working with metal is a bit different from woodworking. Wood is more forgiving. Fortunately, I could use my chop saw to cut the metal supports. One of the deck panels required some cutting to get it to fit. The reinforced plastic cut like butter with the miter saw…no problem. After drilling a bunch of holes and installing several bags of screws, it was done. Another nice feature of a manufactured deck is that no stain is required. I’ll be making stairs for the manufactured deck and the wood deck at the same time in the near future.

The concrete block wall is painted a light yellow. I think I chose the hottest day of the century to paint. The paint is like a rubber coating for concrete. It dries glossy and is easy to keep clean. Unfortunately, it's time to head back upstairs to finish the guest rooms. Stay tuned...

Tiling is complete

It’s a great time to do tiling since it has been raining everyday. I decided to give a general idea about how we do tiling. Basically, the floor is done first. Next, the trim is installed. I cut a slot in each trim piece (thickness of the tile plus adhesive) which is used to help support the wall trim. The first row of tile is installed. Tape is used to temporarily hold the tile upright. I leave the tile adhesive to cure overnight. This prevents the tiles from sagging under their own weight.

The next day, I remove the tape and install the next row. Again, I wait for the adhesive to cure overnight. The cabinet is temporarily installed and will be removed for the plumbing. The brackets are for an extended cabinet top which will be installed and tiled after the cabinet is permanently installed. The toilet paper holder will attach to the cabinet top. This is a common installation in Japan, but with a touch of Americana added for good measure.

I continue this process until the project is complete.

Next, I grout and seal the tiles.

Finally, the upper trim piece is installed. Again, I cut a slot in the trim to help support the tile and to give the wall a finished look.

Last, but not least, a second coat of paint is applied. This bathroom is ready for a toilet and sink to be installed. The black trim tiles were cut from leftover tile from the front entry. Stay tuned...

The guest bedroom floor is complete and the walls are being primed for paint. Lots to do before the rainy season is done. The laminate flooring (pictured in the middle and purchased in the U.S. almost eight years ago) will be installed in the hallway as soon as the guest bedroom is complete. I'm tired just thinking about it...