89) Electric Studio

by Gail on August 10, 2010

There hasn’t been much progress in the “green” department. We’re just painting and cleaning forever, and D has installed the T&G bedroom ceiling.

But, this week, John the electrician has been wiring the studio building, which readers will recall has been formed with Logix insulated concrete forms. There are 3 inches of styrofoam on the outside and on the inside walls.

So, the usual installation methods don’t work. Rather, John has become a styrofoam sculptor, carving out the shapes of the fixtures, affixing the wires somehow, then covering up the work with new styrofoam.

100 amp panel just for the studio

100 amp panel just for the studio

carved styrofoam channel for wire

carved styrofoam channel for wire

Single or double wires just sit there. More wires in a channel need to be affixed to wood.

Single or double wires just sit there. More wires in a channel need to be affixed to wood.

Then a new styrofoam strip packs the cavity to keep the wires out of harm's way (wall finish)

Then a new styrofoam strip packs the cavity to keep the wires out of harm's way (wall finish)

{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

Tess August 10, 2010 at 2:04 pm

Can you comment on the massive big beam in the top photo? Also, any advances on the rooftop garden?
-t

Gail August 10, 2010 at 3:06 pm

The massive beam is required to support the heavy roof with 17″ or so of wet soil on top. I’m saving the rooftop garden structure until all the layers have been completed. Then, I’ll do a photo essay posting.
It’s interesting that neither I nor the engineer could find specs for a rooftop garden. He figured out the weight load, and I did research as best I could for waterproofing/drainage/landscape cloth. But most green roofs are designed to accommodate 3 or 4″ of soil, just enough to grow xeriscape (grasses and drought-resistant ground cover). A kitchen garden on the roof is quite a different story.
I hope to be able to report soon.

Joy August 10, 2010 at 4:50 pm

Are you going to have raised garden beds with walkways large enough for a gardening stool (thinking ahead a decade or so…) on your roof garden. Easier to reach, cuts out kneeling in later years. Looking forward to that particular photo journal.

Gail August 10, 2010 at 4:55 pm

Yes, Joy, raised garden beds about 4′ wide with 2′ wide pathways between. No kneeling in our plans!

Joy August 11, 2010 at 11:44 am

Good planning. Kneeling is tough – but the getting up again – ha! Takes planning. Never would have thought about this when I was ‘younger’.

Vancouver Doug August 11, 2010 at 12:26 pm

No kneeling except to pray for good weather for the garden and that it doesn’t all collapse under, say, a snow load.

Joy August 11, 2010 at 4:34 pm

Shoveling flat surfaces in your future D.

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: