This is our journal of what we pray is our sojourn of life (Hebrews 11:8-10) along the narrow way (Matthew 7:14), even the old paths (Jeremiah 6:16), submitting to the Bible as a light unto both (Psalms 119:105). It is our prayer that these documented moments in our earthly time benefit whom God might choose to edify, but ultimately that God glorifies Himself through them.

Summer Kitchen – Update II – Insulation & Final Cross Wall

Little by little, I’ve been slowly working away at the summer kitchen in between everything else going on. The next step was the insulation, and here is a little pictorial of the process…

First, I wanted to cut in roof vents into the cross pieces that were in between the rafters on top of the walls. I drilled 1″ holes and then used a reciprocating saw to cut from the top of one hole to the other, and then the same from bottom to bottom. Here is what it looked like from the inside:

Summer Kitchen Roof Vent Inside

And then on the outside I stapled and glued aluminum screening to keep the bugs out:

.Summer Kitchen Roof Vent Outside

Then, I began insulating, starting with the roof:

Summer Kitchen Beginning Ceiling Insulation

With the 2×8 rafters, I used R19, which is for 2×6 wood; this allowed for an air gap above the insulation to allow for the air to flow in the lower roof vent out the upper one. This gap is also recommended for proper effect of the solar board:

Summer Kitchen Ceiling Insulation Showing Air Space for Venting

Before installing the wall insulation, I put diatomaceous earth on the bottom of the frame to perhaps help with termites:

Summer Kitchen Diatomaceous Earth in Walls Before Insulating

And here is the main area completed:

Summer Kitchen Main Area Insulated

And the pantry:

Summer Kitchen Pantry Insulated

Due to my lack of construction knowledge when building the wall frames, I hadn’t done a header over the doorway between the main area and pantry; and it was beginning to sag. And so, I decided to insert one.

I began by cutting the door frame cripple studs:

Summer Kitchen Cutting Door Frame Cripple to Add Header

Here it is with all of the cuts made:

Summer Kitchen Cutting Door Frame Studs to Add Header

And then with the cutout removed:

Summer Kitchen Door Frame Studs and Cripples Cut and Removed to Add Header

Here, the header is in place. I simply used three 2x6s:

Summer Kitchen New Door Header in Place

And then shimmed them to fit up against the cripple studs above them:

Summer Kitchen Shimming Above New Door Header

After the header was in place, I was able to insulate the main cross wall. Here it is completed, viewing from the piano room:

Summer Kitchen Main cross wall Insulated--View from Piano Room

And here it is from the main room:

Summer Kitchen Main cross wall Insulated--View from Main Room

As I noted above, part of the plan for the summer kitchen building was to have about 1/4 of it partitioned off to be a piano room; and so, I added a cross wall from the south wall to the main cross wall using 2×4 wood. And here is a picture of it after it being insulated:

Summer Kitchen New cross wall Added and Insulated--View from Piano Room

And here is the wall as viewed from the pantry:

Summer Kitchen New cross wall Added and Insulated--View from Pantry

Finally, here are a couple of other views, one of the piano room from the main room:

Summer Kitchen Piano Room--View from Main Room

And the other of the pantry from the main room:

Summer Kitchen Pantry--View from Main Room

The Lord has been gracious and merciful in allowing resources to be able to continue this project, some from the sale of His providential provisions of animal offspring. We thank Him, and we pray for continued help, wisdom and guidance in further homestead development, according to His will.

— David

5 Comments

  1. Anonymous

    David,

    Great job! What is the total size of the building?

    Judy

  2. Zachary Bruno

    I really like your house design! Are you following your own floor plan design?

    Thanks,
    Zachary

  3. David and Susan Sifford

    Hi Judy,

    Thank you. We're thankful to the Lord for the resources. It's about 20'x20'; it sits on top of our root cellar — makes a good insulator for it! (which was the plan 🙂 )

    Hi Zachary,

    Are you referring to this summer kitchen or the house we're building? Either way I guess, it's our own design for the floor plan. With the house, hopefully that will become more evident when we get to the inner walls, Lord willing.

    Thank you both for saying hi.

    — David

  4. Kevin

    Looks great 🙂 I love the fact that you have a 'piano room'.

  5. David and Susan Sifford

    Hi Kevin,

    Thanks much, and we're grateful to the Lord for His provisions.

    — David

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