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The Log Workshop - Part 3 |
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The 5"x 9", 22' wooden ceiling joist spans
were unsupported, which allowed the second floor to
bounce like a trampoline. To reduce the spring in the
floor, I erected a wooden support column straddling
two joists on the main floor. I buried a strong metal
I-beam in the straddling portion of the column to
provide strength without sacrificing aesthetics. Because
I wanted to add further reinforcement to the second
floor, but didn't want another support column on the
main floor, I hung one of the joists from the main roof
girder using an eyebolt, large cable and a turnbuckle
to tighten the cable. To match the aesthetics of the
log walls, the support cable on the second floor was
shrouded with an old hand-hewn beam that hid the cable
and provided a hollow channel to route wiring.
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Adding a support column on the main floor reduced
the spring felt while walking on the second floor. |
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The plate and ring bolt support this joist, hung from the main roof girder. |
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The author hand-carved a quotation into the risers
to serve as a permanent reminder to herself.
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After years of accessing the second floor by ladder (usually
while carrying armloads of building materials), Dad and
I considered ourselves worthy candidates for the next
Cirque du Soleil casting call. This situation may have
persisted for years, but the dog did not seem to tolerate
our mid-air gymnastic maneuvers. I hunted far and wide
for 15' white oak planks to serve as stair stringers and
for someone to mill the wood that was too long to manage
in my shop. It was not difficult to construct the solid,
wood-housed stringer stairs, but the rush to assemble
them before the glue set was unnerving. As a final touch,
I hand-carved a quote in the stair risers to give Antoine de
Saint-Exupéry the last word, "Perfection is
achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when
there is nothing left to take away." A much-needed
reminder for someone who never knows when enough is enough. |
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Other
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