Little Moment

Look what I found at the forest yesterday...

finally.. floors

Wow... we have been so busy at the house, so busy in fact that I have not sat myself down to share what we have been doing (sorry about that)!

The good news is that I now have lots of catching up to do, so without further ado, here's the first on my list of things to show you.

The concrete is in!!  6" of solid grey loveliness.

Isn't it pretty?

The decision to do polished concrete for the floors was one of the easiest decisions we have made so far.  We have always wanted radiant floor heating, and as part of our effort to reduce the layers of finishes on the house it only made sense to leave the concrete exposed.  It also acts as a perfect thermal mass to absorb and radiate our passive solar heat.  The fact that I drool over polished concrete photos like this one has nothing to do with it.. really...

photo from desire to inspire

Our concrete finisher Shawn (S. Guidi Concrete Finishing) recommended polishing the concrete with a power trowel, then coating it with wax (later).  We had him look at the floor in the new grocery section of our local Wal Mart as inspiration.  Don't laugh.. that floor is gorgeous.

Two sample pads to experiment with

the finish right now

the right side has been acid etched,
the white marks are the fibres showing through

We are still experimenting with the finish, to get it just right.  Acid etching the concrete takes away the top layer of concrete, removes trowel marks and exposes some sand.  It also, unfortunately, exposes some fibres.  Right now I am leaning toward the un-etched version.  The next step will be to put some wax on it and see what happens.  

For those of you who are interested, here are the technical details... the pad averages 6" thick, and is about 1700 square feet.  Double fibre was added to the mix for extra strength, and the concrete was poured over three inches of foam and one layer of re bar (18" on center).

Bob the Newfie cutting the lines

well done Bob!

The cut lines (by BTN contracting) are in theory going to minimize cracking, but we are well aware that cracking may be inevitable.  We chose a simple over sized grid, with no lines in the bedrooms.   

We will love you, floor.  Cracks and all.

Countertops

One of the many decisions I am faced with right now involves the counter tops.. if any of you have ever looked for new counters, you will know that every material has it's positive and negative qualities.  Adding sustainability to the mix only increases the confusion.  It is my conclusion that there is no truly "green" solution for counters... here is a list of the usual (and some unusual) suspects:

granite

Granite is much loved here in the Okanagan.  It is durable and it is a natural material BUT it is porous, requires frequent sealing (which often includes toxic ingredients), is usually quarried halfway around the world, and can be damaged by acidic and alkali substances.  Any refinishing must be done by a professional.

marble

Marble has similar qualities to granite, with the additional quality of staining easily.  I am OK with a patina developing over time and LOVE the look of marble, but if you want your counter to look the same five years from now as it does today you might want to consider another material.  There are some gorgeous marbles available here that are quarried near Duncan, BC which reduces the carbon footprint somewhat.

tile

Tile... Really?  Grout on your counters?  My inner germophobe is shuddering.

laminate

Laminate is inexpensive, but generally speaking the backing material is full of toxic glues.  Also, it's not that durable and if damaged needs replaced.

corian

Corian is a plastic composite... it has limitless design possibilities, and is non-porous.  It can scorch if it meets extreme heat, and any repairs must be done by a professional.  The DuPont website reads like a science report, and to me the chemicals are a little scary.

stainless steel

Stainless Steel has the advantage of being recyclable and extremely durable.  It is also a non-porous surface, so is easy to keep clean with no special care.  Look for recycled content or reclaimed materials to up the green factor.  If you're worried about fingerprints, a brushed finish helps a lot, and the steel will develop a patina over time that will show marks less and less.

wood

Wood counters are warm and timeless.. look for FSC certified wood, or reclaimed wood.  Also make sure any glues that are used are low-VOC.  Butcher block counters with no added urea-formaldehyde (NAUF) are a good option.  Wood counters can be sealed with a variety of healthy products, but they are porous.  That means germs and staining.  They are however easily sanded down and refinished if it starts looking tired, or if you leave it, a patina will develop over time.  You can also choose to cut directly on your counters if it is butcher block, which will either make you happy or horrify you depending on your point of view.

quartz composite - silestone

Quartz Composite uses waste stone chips and glass (although sometimes it's as little as 11% if you can believe that).  It can also use toxic binders to hold them together.  All quartz is not created equally.. check out eco by consentino, and vetrazzo.  Keep in mind that the greener it is, the more it will cost you.

paperstone

Paperstone has some serious eco-cred.  It's made of recycled paper fibres and non-toxic resins.  You can sand out any scratches yourself, and treat it with any hardwood product.  It is non-porous and stain resistant.  It has a beautiful soft feel, and the only reason I am not sold on it is that I question the durability for something like a kitchen counter.  It seems to scratch very easily, and although the website claims a "beautiful, soft patina" occurs over time, I would think that with no pattern to distract the eye, areas of heavy wear would be glaringly apparent.  That said, it is beautiful and has potential for many different uses besides counters.

concrete in my old kitchen by Versatile concrete

Concrete is a favorite of mine.  The green factor is debatable.  Some say concrete is green because Limestone is the most abundant mineral on earth, and it is usually available locally.  It is also highly durable (which is one reason why we are using it for our flooring)but is not recyclable if it gets removed.  However the carbon footprint is high due to the quarrying process, and toxic sealers are needed when using it as a counter top.  Concrete is a hot topic online, here is an example of a site that does not think it's green.

soapstone

Soapstone is a natural stone like marble or granite, but is has the advantage of being non-porous and inert.  It is finished with a mineral oil, and any scratches (because, yes it is soft) can be smoothed out with sandpaper.  It is beautiful, easily maintained and durable.  It also has an incredible soft feel.  The downside is that although there is Canadian soapstone available, it is extremely soft.  The majority of soapstone seems to be imported from South America.

Here are some of the options we are considering...

the small blocks are Marble from Vancouver Island

two varieties of soapstone

For the Island(s) I am undecided as yet.. maybe wood to keep it light (they will be on casters) and warm (for the kids to sit and craft at).  We'll see..  writing this post has inspired me to do a little more research.

Check out this article on the sunset blog for some other new innovations in eco counter tops.. Just remember to check out the binders and sealers that are used for each material, as that is a place where hidden toxins can be, and that info is not always easy to find.  As a general rule of thumb, I have found in my research that if a company is not proudly informative about the material used and where it is manufactured, it is because they don't really want you to know... but that's just my opinion.

Septic Field

the septic holding tank

Trusses

so as you can tell...

I got a little excited...

that the trusses went up!

Here you can see the plumbing roughed into the ground..

and the wall where the polycarbonate panels will go...

and the beam which will hold the roof which will keep the snow off my car...

Today I am thankful for a roof over our heads...

Happy Thanksgiving

This and That

cored hole for hood fan

block filled with concrete

south face of trusses

Green Guilt

Ok, so I don't know if you've picked up on this yet, but I am feeling frequent angst about the choices we make that are not green.  In life as well as in our house project.  I don't want to give all of you the wrong impression about our eco-lifestyle... I am constantly guilty of anti-green choices.  For example, I never remember to bring along my stainless steel coffee mug, so I use the paper cups at Starbucks.  I drive a gas-guzzling SUV.  I don't compost.  Sometimes I (gasp!) forget my reusable grocery bags at home and have to use plastic.  This niggles at the back of my brain saying "hey - you're spending all this time greening your house and yet you're using plastic bags?".  So I feel GUILT while packing food to feed my family.  Oh, and by the way the food's not all organic either.

And so I got a little chuckle when I read this article from the New York Times today.  Give it a read when you have a minute.. apparently I am in good company.

I'll sit here and in my non-organic cotton clothing, at my electrically powered computer, on my desk which is not made from FSC certified wood and console myself with the thought that doing anything is better than doing nothing...  Right?