One of the key missing pieces in our home has been a dining table. We designed a dining nook based on a specific table size, and I took it upon myself to find the perfect table. For some reason my wife gave me carte blanche on this one design element, so I made the most of it. Last night we assembled the finished product, and I am pretty excited, check it out:

There are three main elements: a reclaimed Maple bowling lane top, a maple beam, and hot-rolled steel legs. Further details are below, and a full gallery with assembly pics is at the bottom of the post.

Background:

Reclaimed Bowling Lane Table Top

My main inspiration for the top was seeing the Brooklyn Bowl preview photos last summer, like this one:

Flickr Photo by Adam Macchia

I located a carpenter selling reclaimed lanes through many hours of googling and several phonecalls. There are sources in Texas as well as further away.

Metal Support Design & Fabrication

Jonathan at Austin Outdoor Studio really came through for me here. I gave him the following problem statement: “I need table legs to support a 200 lb table that allow for people to scoot in to a banquette without bumping their knees. They also must look really cool.” This is what he came back with. The legs are actually two pieces that bolt together around the cross beam. It’s amazing what they can do with a CNC Plasma table and a welder:

Here is a sketchup model I put together (primarily for spousal approval) of the table based on Jonathan’s design for the legs:



Jonathan’s design was inspired by Brander Design’s truss table.

Maple Beam Finishing

I chose a Maple beam to connect the steel legs as it matches the Maple top. My first phonecall was to Austin carpenter Evan McArthur. Evan is meticulous in his finish work and has a good eye for design. We purchased the milled beam from Austin Fine Lumber. Evan then took care of the final cuts and routing as well as the clearcoat. This was the first complete piece of the puzzle, and it looked beautiful.

Table Assembly Gallery

This is the seventh post about my modern remodel in Austin, Texas. Click here for all ‘My Remodel’ posts.

With a new slab we are now ready to start framing.  This is one of the most exciting parts of building a new home because dramatic changes occur very quickly.  One day you have a bare slab, the next day most of the walls are up.  Framers are fast!  Here is a photo from our first week of framing:

At this point you can start to get a feel for the spaces you are creating – the size and shape, the window and door locations, etc. Of course, there was also a large pile of scrap lumber in the front yard. Instead of sending it to the landfill, we hired Construction Waste Recycler of Texas to shred the wood (while removing nails, etc.) and spread the resulting mulch across the lot. This worked very well to keep our lot from turning in to a mud pit.

After the structure was complete, the framers moved on to installing the sheathing, and then the windows and doors. This process takes a bit longer, but it is critical as there are many essential waterproofing steps. During this process we also made the final siding decisions – choosing to use Douglas Fir siding (see below) as our builder found a great deal on the material (excess from a very large project). Here is a photo of the pre-finished result, gallery below.

Framing Photos

No, it’s not for sale.  See all photos and details at the Bercy Chen Studio website.

   

via Contemporist

If my builder pulled up in a ‘Site Commander’, or rode around the jobsite on a heavy-duty Segway, I might have some questions about his fee. Watch the video for all of the features of this builder concept vehicle:

Full details are here: thesitecommander.com (the video text is wrong)

The main features are must-haves for most builders today – internet access and a generator. My builder could have used that coffee maker too.  I think a detachable moped may be more useful than a Segway – for those daily runs to the hardware store for odds and ends.

I’m interested to hear from a few builders – What’s do you think is the best/worst feature on the ‘Site Commander’?  Or what is missing that would be on your dream truck?

This is the fifth post about my modern remodel in Austin, Texas. Click here for all ‘My Remodel’ posts.

Note – I’m way behind on ‘My Remodel’ posting.  Bear with me as I catch up.  If you have a specific question or interest feel free to send me a note – ryan at inspiredaustin.com.

Also – I’m going to gloss over the financing and permitting aspects of the process.  While these are critical and can take a lot of time, I don’t think it makes for exciting reading.  My general advice in this area – work with architects/lenders who are very familiar with the process.

Phase 1: Free/Paid Demolition via Craigslist

Prior to construction, we lived in our house for over a year.  While it wasn’t it great shape, we knew there were many items that could be reused.  Craigslist to the rescue.  We quickly sold our appliances and several light fixtures along with some of our furniture.  Great!  But we still had several items that could be reused and would be expensive to demo – like concrete pavers, wire fence panels, and our old garage:

The answer – list them on Craigslist for free.  But be warned – this will result in an onslaught of calls and emails.  We got rid of the pavers and fence within a few hours of the posting.  People were happy to dig them out and take them away.  Several people came by to look at the garage but found that the trees on our lot would prevent extraction.  In any case – materials removed free of charge that won’t end up in a landfill.

Phase 2: Selective Demolition and Extraction

Next we started true, messy demolition.  While we considered going with Habitat for Humanity’s DeConstruction service, our builder had a strong relationship with another contractor who’s price couldn’t be beat.  He also sorted and recycled materials so it was an easy choice.  The crew first went through the house and removed all materials that could be re-used.  These ended up at habitat for humanity mostly – some I think the men may have detoured to a local flea market.  In any case – not a landfill:

If anyone is interested in the mustard-swirl colored cultured marble countertop with inset shell sink it may still be available at the Re-Store.

We were also able to sell our 50 yr old wood windows on Craigslist to a man restoring a similar home in East Austin – he was pretty excited so I probably didn’t charge enough for them.  I was just glad to find them a new home:

Phase 3: Structural Demolition

And then the walls came down.  It was neat to see them sort the lumber they had removed – some of it we reused on site (50 yr old lumber is stronger and straighter than today’s 2×4, or so I’m told), and smaller pieces are taken to be re-used as concrete form stakes.

   

The rest of the materials were taken away in dumpsters – which you can sort for recycling as well.  They can even recycle busted up concrete.  Finally we were left with the shell of our home, ready for a new addition.  Here are some photos:

Stay tuned for another exciting post on ‘My Remodel’ – A New Foundation.