Darkroom Construction

[Troy Hamon]

It occurred to me that the most important recent development hasn't been explained...the copystand. Now nothing is new about the copy stand, but as can be seen in the darkroom portraits thread, there are little purple chairs in front of it. There is a purple tote next to it which doesn't show up in the pictures. The copystand, chairs, and tote represent the place for the little people. My kids come out and set up all sorts of dragons and castles on the copystand and have wars, rescue princesses, and all sorts of entertaining things. They have their very own red LED safelight on the copystand where the camera goes for real work. They can spend a long time out there during a printing session and all is well. Which is fun for me. We took a whole set of toys out there that they only get to play with in the darkroom, so they look forward to a chance to play with them and so far it hasn't worn off...

[Troy Hamon]

Fall is nearly upon us...it has been a year since the grand project started in earnest and construction is largely over, as reported above. But just yesterday I started staining the exterior to provide some protection for the wood. I should have done it sooner, but kept putting it off while I started developing film and prints... Now I realize I'd better get going on the final exterior projects or else I will have some major problems with weather. As in freezing weather.

I got two exterior walls stained yesterday and will try to get the other two done today. Then, still need to insulate the floor. After that, skirting is the final piece of the current puzzle. I'd also like to put a lean-to on either end for yard equipment storage, but that is a lower priority and may happen next summer...

[Troy Hamon]

Seeing fall bounding past outside the window...certainly time to finish insulation projects...so I'm starting on the floor. So far I have two sheets of 4x8 foam screwed onto the bottom of the floor. It was a lot easier to write that than accomplish it.

The stuff is...foam. Meaning, pretty soft...doesn't take insults well...so how do you attach it to the floor? My intention was to use long screws with big plastic washers to spread the pressure from the screw heads. The local store doesn't have the washers...and their shipment is late arriving. To further complicate matters, they are getting the kind that are paired with nails...meaning I'd have to hammer.

Well, I've been down under the darkroom, and there isn't much room there. Almost none, actually. It feels as if I might get stuck if I try to roll over. I need the plastic washers, but not the nails, as there is no way I'm swinging a hammer in that tiny space. So, no washers, none coming at present. Instead, I went out and found some thin pieces of cast-off wood from the construction project. I propped the sheet of insulation in place and then used the wood as a long strip washer, and put the screws through the wood into the floor joists.

It worked fine, eventually, but the wood is a lot thicker than the washers, and the screws I had intended to use were just the right length before. So now, they are a bit short unless I countersink, so I've had to do that in some of the thicker pieces of wood. Along the edges of the big floor beams, I've just put retainers that don't go through the foam.

Hopefully I'll learn from these experiences and the rest of the project will go faster. One thing I've learned...it is a lot better to insulate under the floor before you put the floor boards on. When you have easy, standing-up work access to the area in question. Oh well, got to get the insulation done, and flat on my back is how it is going to happen at this point. After I get all the insulation on sometime this month, I'm going to seal the cracks with spray foam. Then...skirting? Maybe. Maybe that can wait too...

[glbeas]

Have you thought of using construction adhesive on the foam?

[Troy Hamon]

Hi Gary,

Since I'm learning by Braille, and the occasional input from somebody knowledgeable...no, I hadn't thought about construciton adhesive. Haven't ever heard of it, to be honest. Somebody had mentioned using the insulating foam that comes in the spray-paint-sized cans for that purpose, but I had elected to go with that to fill cracks afterward because I can't envision working with the foam sheet while it has that stuff on it in such a confined space. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as I fear. I can get some before I'll have a chance to work on it again anyway.

Is construction adhesive lots different than the sprayfoam? Is it common enough that I could just ask at the hardware store and they'd know what I was talking about?

[Monophoto]

Troy -

Construction adhesive is a paste-like material that is packaged in a tube like caulking compount. It is used in addition (or instead of) traditional fasteners in construction. Around here, for example, construction adhesive is commonly used in addition to nails in installing floor underlayment because it literally glues the underlayment to joists, thereby eliminating squeaking.

I used construction adhesive iextensively in building my darkroom. My facility is in the basement, and the most important use was to fasten the sole plates to the cement floor - I didn't want to take the risk that a masonry nail into the floor might penetrate through the concrete and create an opening that would later present a problem with water leakage.

Frankly, construction adhesive sounds like an ideal way to install underfloor insulating foam.

[Steve Smith]

Originally Posted by Monophoto

Frankly, construction adhesive sounds like an ideal way to install underfloor insulating foam.

In the UK we have a construction adhesive called Gripfill. If you have that too, that is the one to use. It is used to stick practically everything to everything else. Ideal for sticking your skirting boards on with.

Steve.

[jstraw]

Originally Posted by Monophoto

Troy -

Construction adhesive is a paste-like material that is packaged in a tube like caulking compount. It is used in addition (or instead of) traditional fasteners in construction. Around here, for example, construction adhesive is commonly used in addition to nails in installing floor underlayment because it literally glues the underlayment to joists, thereby eliminating squeaking.

I used construction adhesive iextensively in building my darkroom. My facility is in the basement, and the most important use was to fasten the sole plates to the cement floor - I didn't want to take the risk that a masonry nail into the floor might penetrate through the concrete and create an opening that would later present a problem with water leakage.

Frankly, construction adhesive sounds like an ideal way to install underfloor insulating foam.

Sole plates and firring strips are exactly what I want to use construction adhesive for. What brand did you use?

[Monophoto]

Originally Posted by jstraw

Sole plates and firring strips are exactly what I want to use construction adhesive for. What brand did you use?

Don't remember - but it was the least expensive stuff that had at either Home Despot or Lowes.

[jstraw]

Originally Posted by Monophoto

Don't remember - but it was the least expensive stuff that had at either Home Despot or Lowes.

Cheap is good!