Mullins Luxy Build

[Mullins]

Hello,

I haven't updated in a couple of weeks. So, my father in law poured the cores when I was at work. He poured all of them instead of every second one (which was what I planned). It is what it is! That was the Tuesday. My other half gave birth to a healthy, bouncing son on the Thursday! That kept me busy over the weekend, and I took a few days off work and off the oven...

Tuesday this week, between rain showers, I cut the corners off the entrance, and today made forms to pour an arch and entrance columns to the wood storage. Plan was to pour that today, and the hearth tomorrow, but I had a busy morning and lost half the day... I may try to form hearth tomorrow, and pour the arch and hearth in a single pour. That may be ambitious though...

Any thoughts on the pics, or any glaring mistakes?

Mullins

[Mullins]

The arch is based on RandyJ's, so a hat tip in his general direction "chapeau"! Cuts are not as clean as I would like, but the were made with an angle grinder, in position in the wall (and my father in law had pored the bottom block core).

Mullins

[Mullins]

Mullins,

I boxed mine in because I was planning on having a pull out box like Gulf and also I really did not want to crawl way back in the corner with all the bugs and critters. Some people have put a wall up in the middle with access from both sides. What ever works for you. I also wanted some support walls around the perimeter of my dome eventhough the hearth is 6" with 12" on center #5 rebar.

Hi Russell,

I was thinking also of copying Gulf, but had seen your pic so was going to do a mish-mash of both... I just couldn't think where I had seen your block cage. In my defence, they do say that copying is the highest form of flattery, no?

I am as yet undecided, but did pick up that Gulf was inspired by Jcg31, whose version is also on my mind... This is one of his pics.

[UtahBeehiver]

Absolutely correct, I copied the taper arch from Karangi Dude and GF, the copper shingles from Larry, the perlcrete template and vent from Gulf, etc, etc. Why reinvent the wheel? I thought I had responded to your integrated arch and CMU. Gulf and I are fans of this type of arch. Are you going to run a horizontal rebar across the arch tying into each vertical rebar? Cheap reinforcement and gives the arch a extra Lagniappe (Gulf should know this term). PS congrats on the new addition. Sleepless nights ahead so you might as well work on the oven.

[Gulf]

Yes, I am also a fan of the concrete arch. It gives a little more headroom than the straight lintels that are in the plans. If the arch is poured monolithic with the hearth, it can easily go up another 4" from what you have shown. I did not, and I am pleased with the final look. But, that option is there if someone needs more headroom for the storage entry.

Russell,

Gulf, should know the term

Have you thought about retiring in God's Country where you can live the "joie de vivre" and "laissez les bons temps rouler" 24-7? .

[UtahBeehiver]

What, trade green jello and fry sauce (Utah's favs) for Voodoo chips and squirrel jumbo? Larry , sorry for hijacking the thread.

[DavidApp]

Hello Mullins

Nice start to your build.

Make sure your forms are strong enough to support the concrete mix and think carefully about how you are going to remove the forms when the concrete sets. I had a hard time getting one of my forms out.

David

[Mullins]

So, it would appear David was quite prescient in his comments about ensuring the forms were strong enough! When I removed the forms, I was disheartened to see I now have a curvy arch. It's not terminal, and I reckon I should be able to get the diamond saw at it, and then patch it up to the original shape I was after. I have to admit that part of me is wondering if I should fix it, or leave the curvy arch as a bit of character! Chances are in this instance, that it was not the weight of the concrete, but the weight of me poking the arch with a large piece of rebar that caused it to collapse. Both bottom corners were sounding empty of concrete and hollow as I tapped the forms with a hammer in an effort to reduce air pockets. Even though I had purposefully mixed the concrete quite wet it appeared not to fill those corners. I poked and prodded both corners with rebar in an effort to fill the corners. I hit the arch a couple of times... Let it be a lesson to others! Mullins

[Gulf]

Ouch!............................................. ...................But, to be honest, the more that I look at it, the more I like it.

[Mullins]

Yeah, my initial reaction was also ouch! I will plough on with the hearth and see how I feel further down the line.

Maybe I will Gaudi the whole build up a bit! Lesson learned on what is a superficial form. Prefer to see it happen here than have the hearth collapse...

Mullins

[Gulf]

The "Gaudi" style doesn't come to my mind when I look at. I'm thinking of a more natural stone look. With the right stone veneer, the right texture of stucco, a stamped vertical concrete etc., it could look pretty impressive.

[purplehaze]

Who wants a plain old arch, way to be Different!!! I like it so does the wife, just go with it.

[UtahBeehiver]

Initially I thought the shape was done on purpose until I looked again at the form pics. I actually think the shape is has a nice southwestern motif to it.

[DavidApp]

This is how I hid my less than perfect stucco. I wanted to do something to finish the outside apart from stucco. I think there is about 200lb of stonein my truck which cost me about $40.00
So far it is looking good but I need to find a way to make the stone stand out like it does when it is wet.

David

[Mullins]

Hi David,

Is there a clear varnish you could use?

Mullins