on to the inside

I sanded down the countertops and oiled them. They're made of the same old barn floorboards that I used for the stairs. The countertops get mineral oil once a month or so.

outside more or less done

The tin is done on the porch and the wood siding is up and ready to weather.

porch tin

Al and I finished putting up the tin porch ceiling. It's a bit dangerous to work with (buy some bandaids!) It adds almost no weight to the structure and is much cheaper than wood. Also it's recyclable, and looks great. A little more trim work and the exterior is done.

porch railings

I put up the porch railings yesterday. I used 1/2 inch galvanized pipe and slotted it through holes I drilled in the upright posts. The metal pipe varies greatly in price locally. For a 21 foot length it was $52.00 one place and $38.00 another. You can guess which place I got it. Anyway, it looks great without obstructing the view.

house from field, vice versa

more siding done.

stop stairing

I finished the majority of the stairs and painted the wall behind a bronze green. The treads each got 3 coats of tung oil finish as did the LVL stringers. Now I have to start on railings for my porch.

first step

I've been working on refinishing the steps this week. I'm using a tung oil finish, probably 3 coats to start. Also, the loft floor is installed and looks great. Siding is on hold as I wait for my full crew. It really requires at least 3 people to get those 16 foot boards sawn, carried, and attached. More stair pics soon.