BajaNomad - more Cocina pics...cement poured...tile on

more Cocina pics...cement poured...tile on

shari - 5-24-2007 at 09:06 AM

Whoa nelly, I am one happy camper today...tiling done and water to be hooked up mañana (uh huh)there is something to be said for going uptown! Now we'll really be able to cook up a storm for you visiting Nomads and even Sirenita will want to do the dishes with this new "Awesome View Sink".

While Efrain finished our kitchen, I was hard at work painting our new bathroom...pumpkin!! Iflyfish supplied that nice bathroom stuff rack! and my generous hermano the handpainted sink...gracias amigos

I always wondered how they made those nice cement counters....now I know...with lots of rebar...it is quite a process but is going to be wonderful....termites be gone!

We pour the cement in today and tile it tomorrow. I have dreamed of running water in the kitchen for many years and it will finally be a reality soon. Now I can smile a big sh*t eating grin while in the bathroom AND the kitchen!!! (Jdtrotter is gonna want one just like it!)

It's really getting pretty now with the tile started but sure is a long process.

[img] http://media.pixpond.com/17y06vp.jpg[/img]

[Edited on 5-25-2007 by shari]

[Edited on 5-26-2007 by shari]

[Edited on 5-26-2007 by shari]

[Edited on 5-26-2007 by shari]

[Edited on 5-28-2007 by shari]

KurtG - 5-24-2007 at 10:22 AM

And what a view out that kitchen window while you're working there!
Kurt

DianaT - 5-24-2007 at 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
I always wondered how they made those nice cement counters....now I know...with lots of rebar...it is quite a process but is going to be wonderful....termites be gone!

Good--lots of practice on your's and ours is next. :spingrin:

Curious, what is on top of the blocks? What is the base for the cement? Are you putting tile on top of the cement counter? Are you going to tile much wall? We think we may want most of one wall tiled.

Wait until you see the color we have picked out for part of the kitchen. :yes:

Keep posting the updates

Diane

[Edited on 5-24-2007 by jdtrotter]

Diver - 5-24-2007 at 02:00 PM

WOW !
You guys are really moving up in the world with all these improvements.
Will you still hang out with us "regular" folks !! :lol:

Now if you could just do something about the view !! :lol:

Can't wait to see all your changes !
Hope it doesn't change anything about your cooking though !
Mmmmmm good !

.

BirdDog - 5-24-2007 at 07:36 PM

Awesome Shari. Now you'll have more room to make those OJ and Vodkas I like for breakfast.

Diver - 5-24-2007 at 10:04 PM

Diane,

It looks like the concrete pour will cover the top of the blocks.
The wood formwork will be pulled out from underneath after the concrete cures a bit. This will leave a concrete slab suspended between the rows of blocks. No wood when finished.

Of course, if you planned to add cabinet doors, you would want a wood frame to mount the doors. A course of 4" block laid on it's side would make a "toe kick" if desired to get the cabinet doors and goods off the floor without using a wood shelf.

.

BajaWarrior - 5-24-2007 at 10:52 PM

I built my concrete countertops on top of brick columns. I had purchased pre-assembled cabinets to slide in between the columns. Very handy for cleaning behind.

I then painted the counters with the color of my choice and then coated them with Spar Varnish.

It was a cheap way to do it but they look great after 10 years and they always have a nice shine.

DianaT - 5-25-2007 at 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Diver
Diane,

It looks like the concrete pour will cover the top of the blocks.
The wood formwork will be pulled out from underneath after the concrete cures a bit. This will leave a concrete slab suspended between the rows of blocks. No wood when finished.

Of course, if you planned to add cabinet doors, you would want a wood frame to mount the doors. A course of 4" block laid on it's side would make a "toe kick" if desired to get the cabinet doors and goods off the floor without using a wood shelf.

.

Thanks Diver---the idea of the "toe kick" sounds good. I imagine one would want them cemented to avoid having dirt and bug catching cracks.

Don't know if we want cabinet doors, but would be good to have the fame in order to have the option.

Quote:

I then painted the counters with the color of my choice and then coated them with Spar Varnish.

BajaWarrior, could you easily tile over the cement counter if you wanted? One of our sons has a cement counter and it seems to chip a lot---think we want tile.

Thanks
Diane

shari - 5-25-2007 at 08:08 AM

Oh yeah, Diane, I've already been thinking of the shape of your new counters...today we TILE..I'm so thrilled and it's great learning how as I watch it all happen. tomorrows pics should be fun....we will put cupboards in later...after abalone season.

DianaT - 5-25-2007 at 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
Oh yeah, Diane, I've already been thinking of the shape of your new counters...today we TILE..I'm so thrilled and it's great learning how as I watch it all happen. tomorrows pics should be fun....we will put cupboards in later...after abalone season.

Love the "in progress" prictures---very interesting---also can't wait for the final pics---also will be curious later as to the approx. cost.

What did you think of Diver's idea for a toe kick?

Diane

elgatoloco - 5-25-2007 at 08:26 AM

Shari y Juan, looking good! :dudette:

shari - 5-26-2007 at 04:37 PM

Whoa, this is quite a process and facinating to watch and help...almost as cool as elgatoloco's avatar!! Tomorrow depending on the crudo (hangover) my kitchen guru will put the grout on...stay tuned for the final chapter.

Iflyfish - 5-26-2007 at 04:50 PM

Way Coooooooool!

Movin on up, to the eastside.......goin to get my piece of the pie......movin on up......etc.

I too hope you won't look down on us poor peasants.

This should make life much easier.

Iflyfishandmrsfishareimpressed

shari - 5-26-2007 at 04:54 PM

Oh don't worry, were still peasants...but with a nicer kitchen now...Juan wants to know if you are sharpening up your hooks for the August fishing derby?

Ken Bondy - 5-26-2007 at 06:05 PM

shari those are great photos of your new kitchen. I am always dazzled at how good the Baja craftsmen are at this type of work. By the way, and please don't be offended by this, but the material you are calling "cement" is actually concrete. Cement is a white, powdery material sold in 94-lb bags which is one of the three major ingredients in concrete. The other two major ingredients are water and aggregate (fine aggregate - sand, and coarse aggregate - larger rocks up to about 1.5 inches in diameter). As someone who has made a living designing and building concrete buildings for the last 40 years I can't resist offering this up. In Mexican Spanish concrete is called either "concreto" or "hormigon", and cement is "cemento" or "cemento portland".

Al G - 5-26-2007 at 06:28 PM

Hi Shari,
Love your tile color...Wow...Really works well.
I am very impressed with the massiveness of re-bar and thickness. A d-8 Caterpillar could track over it without it collapsing. This much different then some house construction done with 1/4" re-bar...one of the things that is on my list to control if possible. Hope you post finish photos too.

Mexitron - 5-27-2007 at 01:26 PM

jdtrotter--When I've built BBQ counters I used Hardie backerboard for the bottom form and just left it in place--no wood forms to pull out. If you use wood and leave it place it can absorb moisture and help form cracks.

Cypress - 5-27-2007 at 01:39 PM

Neat. Can't beat working with mud and tile. The results are set in stone. :spingrin:

shari - 5-27-2007 at 03:13 PM

Gracias tocayo (Ken) for the lesson. Interesting..maybe you should write the manufacturers as our big bags say "CEMENTO"??? We mix it with sand and water. Yeah, it seemed like overkill on the rebar to me too...but Juan says the counter will help hold up the walls in case of more earthquakes. Well, our kitchen amigo was way too hungover to grout the tile today so the finished photos will have to wait till mañana!

bajalou - 5-27-2007 at 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
Gracias tocayo (Ken) for the lesson. Interesting..maybe you should write the manufacturers as our big bags say "CEMENTO"??? We mix it with sand and water. Yeah, it seemed like overkill on the rebar to me too...but Juan says the counter will help hold up the walls in case of more earthquakes. Well, our kitchen amigo was way too hungover to grout the tile today so the finished photos will have to wait till mañana!

This is what Ken was trying to explain. You mix the "Cemento" with sand and water to make "concreto"

shari - 5-27-2007 at 03:31 PM

Oh...NOW I get it...picky picky Ken! NO really, thanks amigo, I stand corrected or is it concreted. :lol:

Iflyfish - 5-27-2007 at 05:02 PM

Very solid explanation. Set in concrete.

Iflyfish

Ken Bondy - 5-27-2007 at 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
Oh...NOW I get it...picky picky Ken! NO really, thanks amigo, I stand corrected or is it concreted. :lol:

I agree amiga, it is a nitpick

. But I can take it to another level. Technically any mixture of portland cement (cemento), water, and aggregate (sand and/or gravel) is CONCRETE, but most engineers and concrete contractors would probably use the term "grout" or "mortar" for what you are using for your countertops. You are mixing cement (from the big bag) with sand and water. Grout is a common term in the trades for that mixture of cement, sand, and water, without coarse aggregate (rocks). Grout is used, among other things, for filling the cells in block walls, for bedding between masonry units, and for thin slab applications like your countertops. This, I know, is WAY more information than anybody needs but, like I said, I can't resist. It is a genetic flaw. BTW se dice "mortero" en espanol para "grout" o "mortar".

[Edited on 5-28-2007 by Ken Bondy]

Iflyfish - 5-28-2007 at 12:50 AM

Ken,

You simply amaze me.

Iflyfish

Bob H - 5-28-2007 at 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Iflyfish
Ken,

You simply amaze me.

Iflyfish

Ditto! Amazing information, huh?
Bob H

Ken Bondy - 5-28-2007 at 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob H

Quote:

Originally posted by Iflyfish
Ken,

You simply amaze me.

Iflyfish

Ditto! Amazing information, huh?
Bob H

Thanks guys, I think

. I know, I am a fountain of trivial information.

++Ken++

Iflyfish - 5-28-2007 at 08:46 AM

Ken, you are a fountain indeed, just didn't say of what.

Iflyfish

Ken Bondy - 5-28-2007 at 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Iflyfish
Ken, you are a fountain indeed, just didn't say of what.

Iflyfish

I resemble that!!

Mexitron - 5-28-2007 at 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Bondy Cement is a white, powdery material sold in 94-lb bags which is one of the three major ingredients in concrete.

Okay, I'll point another non-essential technicality!

Ken--only "white cement" is white in color; Portland, Type N, plastic, etc. are grayish...some batches are even dark gray. If you add color to "white cement" you get a much different result than with the others...

DianaT - 5-28-2007 at 04:26 PM

Only on the Nomad board could pictures of the building of Shari's new kitchen bring out such a discussion of technical differences between, concrete, mortar, cement, etc. :yes:

Actually I do enjoy reading and learning about building materials and styles since I know so little.

However, right now I just hope the work at Shari's is progressing, comes out really well for a reasonable price-----all, of course for very selfish reasons. :tumble:

How is it going, Shari?

Diane

shari - 5-28-2007 at 04:44 PM

You asked for it Mr.bondy (sounds weird like I'm talking to my dad who is quite a famous Mr.Bondy in many parts) Yes our cement is gray...and the grout is called boquilla and the mortar is cemequin and the tiles are loseta and guys that do it are loseteros..or azulejos....so there! I find it hilarious that you couldn't resist...you sure are a Bondy! We are a rare breed indeed (just ask any Nomads who know me!) endangered I think....and ever so willing to share our abundant knowledge. Anyway, I'm happier than a cochi en mierda about my new cocina no matter what the crap is called. Oh yeah, Jdtrotters...the grand total for such a masterpiece is about $500 for the labour and the tiles and cement and grout were about $50. Now I'm gonna show the carpenter here the pics of that funky kitchen in Mulege and see if he can build me something similar..he's an excellent carpenter but usually makes gringo style stuff...real nice but not funky enough for my taste. Now I'm gonna make myself ANOTHER piña colada to celebrate my new cocina.

DianaT - 5-28-2007 at 04:52 PM

The new pictures are GREAT---looks really nice. :yes:

The color you painted your bathroom is close to the color we plan on painting our kitchen.

See ya soon
Diane

shari - 5-28-2007 at 04:58 PM

Juan wanted to paint the kitchen this peachy pumpkin also but I like the blue...tomorrow we're onto a new project...a new fosa design( septic) for Bird Dog.

BirdDog - 5-29-2007 at 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
Juan wanted to paint the kitchen this peachy pumpkin also but I like the blue...tomorrow we're onto a new project...a new fosa design( septic) for Bird Dog.

COOL!

Iflyfish - 5-29-2007 at 02:50 PM

Man, both of those projects turned out well. Beautiful, love the colors. Congrats.

Iflyfish

Iflyfish - 5-29-2007 at 05:47 PM

morgaine7

Go back to the original post.

Iflyfish

oladulce - 5-29-2007 at 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Bondy
... By the way, and please don't be offended by this, but the material you are calling "cement" is actually concrete. Cement is a white, powdery material sold in 94-lb bags which is one of the three major ingredients in concrete....

I didn't realize it was such a major faux paus until Ken pointed it out a couple of years ago. Concrete vs cement

I've made a conscious effort to use the correct term ever since and even though I still look like a dummy, I'm a dummy who knows the correct lingo so please share your knowledge anytime.

shari - 5-30-2007 at 05:43 PM

OMG....I just can't believe I'm washing dishes with running water in MY kitchen!! It is just too good to be true so to celebrate I cracked that lovely blue bottle (which matches my kitchen) of tequila and am enjoying it with OJ right NOW! Now even Sirenita will want to do dishes here...and I can let all our visitors do all the dishes they want while gazing out to the Island. I'm one very happy camper.