Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Counter Intelligence

Earlier this year we installed a custom concrete counter top created by Dave Bramer (that's my husband). The creation began in our utility barn and involved the whole family, including our 2 exchange students. Using refrigerator boxes we traced a template and he built a frame/mold out of masonite board, re-rod, wire & lots of welding. We are talking heavy duty! This was built upon a large work table he trailered in from his hydraulics shop. He created multiple sample blocks for us to make our creative decision. This alone was a time consuming process. Each 12" x 12" x 1.5" tile required a frame, the right blend of concrete, stones, colorant, ash, broken & crushed glass. Bubbles were cast out using a hand air gun; think Rosy the Rivetor! Then the correct humidity & balmy temperature needed to be maintained, all while the snow was flying outside. Each tile needed to be ground, sanded& polished with a 'hand' held power tool, using multiple grades of sand paper & buffers. Dave was feeling the 'grind' in his back, arms, legs & feet! He didn't have the hot tub to relax in because for the first time ever, we had drained it to cut down on expenses. The kids & I donned safety glasses & gloves and smashed out any frustrations by breaking medical glass & bottles into large steel bins. Since the counter-top was poured with the top being the bottom of the mold, all the flat pieces of glass were placed by hand, then sprinkled with chunks of glass. The concrete was mixed outside by using buckets, a shovel & a small mixer, then transported by wheel-barrow a few feet into the barn and shoveled into the mold and troweled smooth. Keep in mind the temperature outside was hovering around the freezing point! From our pictures you can see we are wearing winter clothes. Once the concrete was level, Dave made like the rivetor, climbing under the table when necessary to 'air hammer' out the bubbles. He had created a 'curing' tent of tarps wired to the overhead door frame & ceiling. Think of a temporary sauna. It took a week or two to dry to the correct cured state needed to unmold & flip it. Flipping an 800+lb,10' long x 38" across and 60" round on one end and 2" thick, irregular shaped hunk of concrete is no small fete! Straps, pulleys and prayers were required...lol. Before this large piece of concrete art could emerge as a finished counter-top, Dave needed to enter the tent of black dust. There were hours upon hours of tedious grinding, sanding & polishing.

Introducing the new counter-top would require some man power, make that multiple 'man power'! Dave was able to load the structure onto the styrofoam lined yard trailer hauled by the John Deere tractor. Carefully, he maneuvered it as close as he could to the deck. From there it took seven healthy men to inch it off the tractor and onto cardboard to save the polished edges. The plan of action changed a few times. It was difficult to grasp because of the irregular shape. This team needed to maneuver across the brick walk way, up 2 steps leading to the deck, under my 'New York' clothes line which runs by pulley from our deck to the barn, make a 90ยบ turn, missing the hot tub, then squeeze through a 4' space with stairs at the back side, then make the length of the deck and turn through the sliders & into the dining room/kitchen, utilizing 6' of deck space, which is above our walk-out basement one story below. You don't just plop down an 800+lb object onto cabinetry. Dave had already reinforced all of the cabinets when he ripped out the old tile counter. Carefully, these men gently inched this incredibly large piece of artwork onto its final display in our kitchen. Wow, it is so unbelievably awesome! THANK YOU!

There were some discretionary issues of structure that needed to be decided before the final sections could be created. Discussions of changing a raised ledge of the bay window behind the sink, deciding on a new sink & fixtures, which appliances were desired - although we couldn't purchase these just yet & finally the backsplash. We ordered a stainless steel sink & purchased new satin chrome fixtures. With this Dave had a template and went to work creating the next phase of the counter-top. Trial and error did occur with the need to customize around the L shape, the sink, bay window & cooktop. This section needed to be poured in pieces to accommodate everything. One tear-out & re-do did occur. I let Dave make that decision, since it was his hard work! I am ultimately pleased that he did. I picked out a neutral tone of slate tiles using 2" and 1" squares for the backsplash and a trim which hides the joint lines that conjoin the sink portion. We are loving the new look. We did find a great deal on a new microwave that has so many bells & whistles that I have yet to figure out. I think the kids know more about it than I do and our kitchen is pretty much a ONE CHEF kitchen...ME! We still need to replace the double oven and the cook-top, and would like to replace the dishwasher with a quieter one. The fridge is ok, but we could really use this one downstairs. I have an appliance place that has fantastic deals...if they would just get the rest of my preferences in on their 'scratch-n-dent' trailer!. In the meantime we can wait. It's a shame appliances just are not made the same as they used to be. Those harvest gold and avocado appliances lasted FOREVER! Now you can get fashion colors and not worry they'll be out of style...they won't last that long!




more coming...

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