Compression

Lesley and I were home today as it was a "compressed" day. We each work an extra hour every day through the week (actually, Lesley works an extra four hours, but that's another story) and get a day off every other week. Today was that day off. We put the the time to good use and got in a solid eight-and-a-half hours today on the basement. Task one was putting in window two.

Soon to be replaced

This window was much more solid than the last - the frame had no rot in it , so I needed to apply some force to the pry bar to get it out. Out it came though, and before long, I was cutting boards for the new frame. The process was pretty well identical to the last one, except this window will have pvc electrical conduit running through it to accommodate both the cable, and the phone line.

Phone line

Ran into a minor problem with the spray foam while finishing off the window. As I was cutting the shims flush with the frame, I knocked over the can of spray foam, breaking the applicator straw, and sending the can into a froth. Spray foam is super-sticky, and you DO NOT want to get it on your hands because it doesn't come off. In trying to stem the tide of foam, I got it all over me. I imagine it will be a few days before it wears off. Fun. Also, because the applicator straw was busted, it was quite the messy challenge to spray-foam the gap between the window and the frame. Foam got everywhere, and that stuff really makes a mess. Despite the foam-difficulties however, the window did eventually get installed. Feels good to be done with that part, because it means that the framing can continue unfettered.

New window #2

The conduit also got installed, and I'm very happy with the result. The previous window had two holes drilled through the frame to let the cords in - now there is a better and more permanent solution.

Conduit

It took us about six hours to get the window installed. I don't know where all the time went, but chipping out the existing mortar was time consuming, as was mortaring in the new frame. Basement windows are tough - give me regular windows any day.

Unsatisfied with calling it a day after one window, we got back to framing. The next wall to be framed is the first be constructed entirely of Bluwood. The floor is not level for this span of wall, so our approach is to measure the height at each end of the eight foot wall segment, cut cap studs, and frame up the "box". Once complete, and put square, we measured each individual stud, and cut them all to length. This allowed us to build this segment on the floor despite it not being level along the floor. The approach worked well, and in a couple of hours, we had our wall up. It was a perfect fit.

The first blue wall

Tomorrow, Lesley and I are taking a day to enjoy the summer, and are off to Montebello to enjoy the day by the lake with a cooler full of beer, and steaks for the BBQ with Lesley's cousin Carol, and her husband Terry. Should be fun!