Christo's Cucina

[egalecki]

Re: Christo's Cucina

I didn't use the acrylic stucco, I used the stuff in the bag you have to mix, but it did take some getting used to. If you go too long it's hard to smooth. If you don't wait long enough, you just push it around. I felt like Goldilocks and porridge.

The pale yellow color is really nice. I'd have loved to try a color, but I'm getting used to the big white spaceship in the backyard here. The only colors you can get here are pumpkin, pink, and blah gray.

[staestc]

Re: Christo's Cucina

It looks great Christo. Very nice color! And a lovely improvised shelter, I might add

Travis

[james]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Nice color Christo -- I like the yellow; of course I should like it, as we painted our house yellow.

We went with traditional stucco (two coat not three), without the acrylic additives or the color.

Are you happy with the product?

Maybe we should make a poll around this topic -- modern vs. traditional stucco; color in or painted. There are good trade-offs both ways.

What do you think?
James

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

I think it's a good idea.

I went the acrylic route for a couple reasons:

• I could not find pigments for traditional stucco in my area,
• I saw pictures of cracked stucco on domes and was hoping the stretchy stuff would help.
• I've painted concrete in the past and seen it flake off

Downsides -

• quite expensive vs traditional stucco - 50 dollars for 5 gallons.
• I'm not sure if its really much different than paint with sand in it...
• Don't know if it's going to work better or last long at this point.
• Sunfade may be an issue - I figure it's likely got the same pigments as house paint

Upsides -

• Vairous textures available right out of the bucket - they have different sizes of agregate available so you can get a very smooth texture - or rough and draggy looking -
• Colors - lots and lots of colors
• long working time.

I think a poll on this would be interesting for sure.

Christo

[Bandrasco]

Re: Christo's Cucina

One thought would be to use Sakrete's surface bonding cement for the last structural coat. Its fiberglass reinforced, water resistant, 4000psi strength, and can be pigmented as it comes in both gray and white. After that I'd feel comfortable with any type of final coat that's water proof. It's designed to hold cinder block walls together without mortar and give it more structural strength. I've used it and it's just amazing how strong this stuff really is. I took two scrap pcs of block, butted them together, and then coated each side with just 1/8" of this bonding cement. The next day I broke the blocks apart but the joint stayed in tact! Very strong material and I would think that it would only help reduce/eliminate surface cracks.

I'm going to use this as the final layer on mine just before I finish it with tile.

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

I used the same stuff on my oven as well - I used it to coat the block base as well as the concrete backerboard. I used fiberglass reinforced tape at all edges - between base and board and board to board joints. It's been a year and so far so good!

I wish I had been a little bit better at making a really smooth coat with the surface bonding cement - I would have used less of the expensive acrylic coating....

Christo

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Too wet to do more finish stucco coat. The oven is the only part I was able to finish at this time. I'm hoping to have a few warmer days here in late November/early december to finish off. I'm really liking the look of the oven. Don't look on the inside of my oven - seems to be a convenient place to store tools lately.

Attention turned to smaller tasks. Made the forms for the caps for the columns. Much easier than forms for the seating wall or columns.

This will be a trial run for my concrete countertops. I'm also going to make a
1/4 inch thick plywood shape a bit larger than the column to make a recess in the bottom of the cap - I hope it will make water shed off the top of the cap and not go up and into the column.

Christo.

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Caps are out of the forms - a bit early so I had to be really careful not to chip corners or crack.

Turned out really well. Mixed up a slurry of portland cement, colorant, and water and filled any of the few small pin holes near the edges. I should have vibrated a little more. Overall very pleased and very smooth caps.

I think they will look very much like big chunks of slate when they finish curing and dry.

One more small project complete!!!

There is also a picture of one of the columns with glass block in it. I will use spacers and silicone caulk to permanently attach them.

Christo

[Modthyrth]

Re: Christo's Cucina

The caps look magnificent! I'd be interested in many pictures of and details about the concrete countertops as well, particularly if you decide to embed the fiber optic lights. I've been captivated by the idea ever since you posted pictures of the technique some time ago.

[egalecki]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Those caps are fabulous. You've become the king of forms! I really like the way they look- they do look a lot like slate. The whole project is really coming together well.

[Bandrasco]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Very nice work Christo. I really like the design and look of your outdoor area.

[Frances]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Very very cool!

I love the colours - the Autumn leaves in the background, the reddish pavers, the dark caps and the black iron chairs. Great!

Tell me, is your patio really in the middle of the woods, or does it just look that way?

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Thanks, the patio has been an ever changing work in progress for a long time. We are now far enough along that there is only so much that can be changed. We love Charleston and Savannah and were going for that kind of look. Form work for the concrete countertops start this weekend!!!

We're really lucky to be in this house in the middle of the woods. It was on the market for over a year and it's on ~3 acres. We got much more house and land than we thought we could at a very good price point. There is a small creek (probably more rain drainage) in the back, too.

In the summer, we can't see any of our neighbors. Music does not travel very far through the brush, either... but the smell of cooking pizza does and the neighbors start walking by....

In the fall, we can see some parts of houses but not many. Leaves are almost all gone now.... sigh.

My wife loves the deer when they visit - but, the reason they visit is to munch on my Hostas and other plants!!!

Christo

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Got a bit more done this weekend.

Got out the plasma torch and welder and threw together a gate and matching fence section for either side of the oven.

Made all the seating wall bench tops, too!!! It rained today and the seating wall looks so good when wet. I may have to try some oil or other sealer.

Hope the rest of you are staying dry!

Also - note to self - put the pot belly stove on Craigslist, clean up the back yard, and put the XR4Ti on Craigslist, too!

Christo

[bturton]

Re: Christo's Cucina

It looks beautiful. The whole outdoor area is great! The oven is beautiful, as are the columns and walls. Sounds like we have a similar housing situation. We built our house and have been making additions to it as we went. We have some land, lots of trees, deer, fox, armadillos (my personal least favorite) and Thanksgiving night, a flying squirrel in the house. When the kids found it and poked at it, the little guy jumped from the loft into the baby grand. They then had to take turns on "squirrel watch" cause there was no way we were going to bed with him loose in the house.
Anyway, congratulations on a great project. Many happy pizzas and good baking!

Bonita