Posts Tagged ‘T & J Construction’

We are very excited to be among the first projects in RI to use Nu-Cedar Siding.   Made of recycled PVC Nu-Cedar is beautiful, well engineered, and maintenance free.  We are using three different siding profiles – a panel system (pictured below), board and batten, and traditional clapboards.  Special thanks to Tim, Breck, Ezra, and Jimmy from T & J Construction for taking the time to learn how to use this product and for doing such a thoughtful and careful job! And check out the standing seam metal roof – a tip of the hat to JC, Glen, and the crew from Bradford Standing Seam!

We are also in the midst of installing a denitrification septic system – sized to handle the Charlestown Package Store and a future building that will go up on the site of the old store.   This system is essentially a miniature sewage treatement plant that filters and treats the waste water to make it safe for the environment.

Tim Van Wormer applying silicone to the plywood backer board.

We are using Eagle HarborMaster Windows – special thanks to Chris Burgess of Eagle Windows for helping us with our order!  The construction and glazing of these windows is designed to stand up to a hurricane.   Testing  includes firing a 2×4 into the glass (the wood is shot out of a canon at 50 feet per second) and repeated pressure changes (up to 9,000 cycles) to simulate hurricane conditions. Needless to say – we want to put them in right.

First we use a laser level to establish a line that runs all around the building.   Next, we build out around the windows with 1/2 plywood to allow the siding to properly align with the trim.   Then two beads of silicone caulk are applied to the plywood and the window is set and fastened through the nailing flanges.

Window fastened through nailing flanges

After the window is nailed to the wall the entire nailing flange and backer board is covered with Vycor – a thick piece of rubber backed with adhesive.  While the window is being installed from the outside Breck Tully makes sure that everything is square and true on the inside.

Finally the window is fastened to the  framing with metal straps that are visible in the inside photograph.  The straps are to prevent the windows from blowing out of the building due to the severe low pressure that accompanies a hurricane.

Breck Tully centering the window

Vycor over the window flange

Tommy (LT) and Ryan finishing the tower

The project is about to turn the corner as we finish setting the last of the Climate-Block panels.  But first we have to construct the tower and stairwell that will serve the mezzanine areas. Tricky angles, tough cuts, and a fair amount of head scratching, but we got it right.

We constantlly make adjustments in the field and architect Megan Moynihan is often on site (in this case on the roof) working with the team and figuring out the best way to take what is on paper and bring it to life.

Tim Van Wormer and Megan Moynihan

The entire building will be slab on grade with the exception of the wine storage room which has a full basement that will house the geothermal and electrical equipment.   The wine storage room will hold up to 900 cases of wine and the floor system had to be designed to carry all the weight.  Our structural engineer, Ernie George, consulted old design manuals for ships carrying rum (he also calculated the weight of the wine) and figured on a floor load of 200 lbs per square foot.

Two 7″ x 14″ beams support 12″ I-joists on 16″ centers.   To the right Tim Van Wormer and Breck Tully, of T and J Construction, are finishing the floor and laying out the basement stairs.

In the background Ca-Gin Concrete gets ready to pour the footing for the bearing wall in the beer cooler.

The walls and roof of the wine storage room, beer cooler, stair tower, and service entrance will be built entirely of Climate-Block panels and structural beams made of engineered lumber.  Below Ryan Gallant, Ed Joanis, and Traves Ogilvie meet with architect Megan Moynihan and engineer Ernie George to go over the details.