# The Winehouse



## Kraffty

The Winehouse:
Now that I’ve been at this wine making for almost 1-1/2 years and have been taking over the kitchen a couple of 2 or 3 times a month to practice my hobby I’m ready to make a dedicated wine area. The idea started with my wife Lori and I looking at sheds at home depot and thinking we could turn one into a “spare room” where someone could sleep over if needed. That evolved into more of a guest room / hobby room / wine storage concept. As that evolved I became convinced I could build it myself, bigger, stronger and better for roughly the same as the store bought kit.

Once I made that leap though it became pretty clear that I also needed a foundation and for it to be fully framed and completely insulated. I decided to build it like a house instead of a shed. I’ve planned for electricity, water, insulated windows and doors. It has a working area larger than my kitchen work area and storage for all my equipment and supplies - a small bar and seating area for enjoying wine and wine shelves with about 500 bottle capacity to start out. I’ll still be able to use it for guests by having a loft with a double bed (probably use for more storage than anything). Now for the fun part, I’m trying to spend less then $3000.00 on the entire project. I’ll have to do all the work myself, hopefully get a few friends and Lori to join in from time to time and I’ll have to look for bargains along the way.

This will not be a proper cellar, although I’ll be storing wine in it and plan on keeping it at 70 or below at all times. It also won’t be just a work area so I want to balance the space between counters, bottle racks, carboy and bucket shelfs and a small sitting area. I want to make a “Wine Cave” suited to our tastes and needs, maybe a TV but definitely a nice sound system. In return, the house office and garage closet and other odd areas that now catch my wine stuff can clear out. Lori gets a dedicated knit/hobby/library/office and I don’t have to drag everything out and then put everything away every time I want to work on wine.

My timeframe is pretty loose at this time. I’d like to have it finished next spring but realistically I think the basic shell will be done but I’ll still be working on all the interior finish work through the next summer. I guess I’ll make the final goal to have everything ready to initiate it with a bunch of fresh juice buckets next october. I plan on posting photos of progress regularly and since I’m in So. Cal. I should be able to work almost every weekend through the winter.

I’ve read so many of the threads here and learned so much from everyones comments and experiences that I hope anyone who has suggestions or questions will chime in. The plan is to get going on this seriously after Thanksgiving but I’ll start now by sharing a rough layout of the front of the building and the floor plan. It’s pretty small, 12’x12’, but fairly tall 11’ at the peak. I plan on using that height to make a comfortable loft area and to give me additional storage area without cutting into my floor space. Here’s the basic layout.

Wish Me Luck - I'll be needing it!
Mike


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## the_rayway

Hey Mike, this looks awesome! I wish we had the space to do something similar.

Just wondering: have you happened to do any research into Cob Houses? I'm wondering if that may be an interesting version of this that would cost very little, and be very temperature/moisture stable. 

Keep us posted!


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## pjd

Nice Mike! Just too small. I'm working on plans to convert my Garage. I have out grown my Basement!


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## LoneStarLori

Nice design. But I have to agree about the size. If you're gonna go there, _GO THERE_. It can't be that much to do at least a 15 x 15. Can it?


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## Runningwolf

Mike, The sheds at Home Depot are not worth your investment. Believe me when I tell you this I am familiar with them. The others are correct about the size being too small. It looks big but as soon as you put shelving in there you will have a very difficult time moving around. Please forgive me, as I do not mean to pop your bubble but I'm just trying to save you from an expensive mistake and this is just my opinion. If you have a local shed builder or Amish in your area, you'll get a much better product and they can custom it to your needs. With studded wall you'll be able to insulate it later if you wish to do this, or maybe open the windows and cold stabilize the whole bunch and a few weeks later turn the heat back on. Sorry if I'm rambling as i'm typing as I'm thinking and wishing I could do this. Great idea!


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## Scott

Looks like a great plan but I have to agree with Runningwolf, if at all possible make it larger. A 12x12 would be verrrrrrry cozy. 

Good Luck!


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## novalou

Scott said:


> Looks like a great plan but I have to agree with Runningwolf, if at all possible make it larger. A 12x12 would be verrrrrrry cozy. Good Luck!



+1 on size, bottle racks will eat up room.

FYI, I just built a 12x12 shed with a concrete floor. It cost me $2000, doing all the work myself. Re-evaluate your budget. Water, electric, insulation will probably put you over your budget.


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## bkisel

What an awesome and ambitious idea! 

If you're limited now to a 12x12 just give some thought NOW to a future expansion. You could think of your 12x12 as phase 1 of a 2 phase project.


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## seth8530

I agree, make it bigger if possible. Overall, it sounds like a really awesome project! Do not forget to insulte that fella up come winter and summer.


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## sour_grapes

On the other hand, 

“The enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan.”
― Carl von Clausewitz


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## JohnT

I have been around construction all of my life. One of the lessons I have learned is that (on a cost per square foot basis) the bigger the building, the cheaper it gets. I would strongly suggest you increase your size. 

I must warn you that 3,000.00 budget is not going to even come close. I am sure that you will need permits for electric and water. This alone (in NJ anyway) can cost a couple hundred dollars, even more when you figure on the customary bribes (Had to say it, I'm from NJ)

Here are a number of suggestions..

1) Rather than a stand alone building, It may be much cheaper to simply put on an addition directly onto your house. This way you don't need to go outside to get to your wine. Hooking up heat, plumbing, and electric also will become much cheaper.

2) *build bigger*. I have 1,200 sqft just for wine making and storage. The remaining 2,400 sqft is my wine cave equipped with a fireplace, TV, wet bar, wine racks, and leather furniture. I spend about 50% of my home-time in my wine cave. 

3) DIG!!! See if it ia at all possible to get as much of that building under ground. This will save a fortune in cooling costs and will also help to regulate the temps in your winery.

4) LARGE DOOR!!! if you plan on having any sizable equipment (press, tanks, destemmer, etc) a nice large door sure make thing easy. 

5) DRY WELL - believe me, a drain or drywell means that you can just hose things down when cleaning up. Think of what will happen if you drop a carboy.

6) Simple Concrete Floors in the winemaking area- much like #5 above, they are much easier to clean and remain "non-slick" when wet.

7) Full insulated partition between wine storage area and living area with separate heat zones. This way, you can keep your bulk wine at 55 degrees while having your living area at a much more comfortable temperature. 

8) Hot water. Sounds dumb, I know, but hot water is soooo nice in the winery. When I first started (in my first house), all I had was an indoor spigot of cold water. Any hot water I needed, I had to bucket from the kitchen.


I hope that the above gives you food for thought. I can't imagine life without a dedicated wine making area and really nice place to do some sipping. All of the above are simply recommendations and I hope that I did not Pooh-Pooh all over you dreams.

Of them all, I would sacrifice everything else in favor of getting the most floor space possible. I would hate to see you go through off of that work, only to have regret just a short time thereafter.

The last I will say about it is this.. If you are going to make the substantial investment anyway, why not do it right the first time?


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## Kraffty

Thanks everyone, I have to agree with all of you about the size of this, evidently size DOES matter with this group. Unfortunetely I am limited to this foot print for a number of reasons that I can’t change for now. The suggestions did remind me that Lori had jokingly suggested she could already see me building an “add-on” once this was finished. I can design in, ahead of time, an area where I could build a 5’x8’ walk in type pantry area on the east wall. I’m also lucky that the family has a cabin where we store wine now and has room for loads and loads more. That means I can leave out most of the wine racks I planned on to give me more floor space. It’ll still be very cozy but a vast improvement over my existing set-up.

I’m so envious of the space many of you have to work with, my 50’s tract house in L.A. county is less that 1000 square feet. My lot is only about 65 x 140 and that’s considered big around here. I’m already gearing up for a Phase 1 (2014) and Phase 2 (2015) to work towards. The idea of adding on to the house would be ideal but I don’t have a good place to build on to. I do already have water and electrical to the slab location. John T, if I ever get to the east coast, can I come by and see your set-up, you could fit 3 of my houses in your “hobby area”, very cool!

So here is the revised concept. Pics of where I’m setting this and it’s slab coming next.


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## Kraffty

Quick thought. John T's suggestions got me thinking that we have a lot of different people here that take their wine making to a lot of different levels. I see myself as comfortable eventually having 8 or 10 6gal carboys going at once. A few 5's 3's and 1's too but that's on the high end. Maybe start a kit every other month and a fruit or juice wine in between. I don't ever see having serious equipment or doing large batches of any kind. I know there are people here that consider that a lot and many more that consider that a very small amount. While all that could and probably will, to some degree, change over time it's what is guiding my design for now.

I guess I'm trying to say thanks, these comments are making me think more about what I need to end up with to fit my needs better. I don't feel off track but I'm already looking at some of my original notions a little differently.
That's a good thing!
Mike


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## DoctorCAD

3 things come to mind as I look at your floor plans.

1. If at all possible, run the plumbing closer to the center of the room, less worry about pipes inside a cold wall bursting.

2. Your "loft" is much too low. I don't think any inspection (you did consider inspections, permits, graft and local government corruption, didn't you?) would ever pass it. And it would make the entrance feel "cave-like". Can you move the sink in-board and put the loft opposite the door?

3. The biggest...your budget is a bit thin, like 3 gallons of juice in a 6 gallon carboy thin. A well made 10 x 16 shed without insulation, finished walls, electrical or plumbing is over $3000.

Hope you can do it as a guide to those of us that wish we could!


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## JohnT

Kraffty said:


> Quick thought. John T's suggestions got me thinking that we have a lot of different people here that take their wine making to a lot of different levels. I see myself as comfortable eventually having 8 or 10 6gal carboys going at once. A few 5's 3's and 1's too but that's on the high end. Maybe start a kit every other month and a fruit or juice wine in between. I don't ever see having serious equipment or doing large batches of any kind. I know there are people here that consider that a lot and many more that consider that a very small amount. While all that could and probably will, to some degree, change over time it's what is guiding my design for now.
> 
> I guess I'm trying to say thanks, these comments are making me think more about what I need to end up with to fit my needs better. I don't feel off track but I'm already looking at some of my original notions a little differently.
> That's a good thing!
> Mike


 


You are correct. We are all different here and operate at different levels. If you took the amount of wine Runningwolf makes (as a professional), it would make what I do look like a 3 gallon carboy.

I never brag about the amount I make and I certainly never look down on those folks that just make a couple of kits a year. I'll have you know that one of the best wines I ever tasted was from a kit that Joeswine made.

We are all winemakers, artists with a true passion, and that is to be respected. 

Never feel bad about making less... Feel bad when a batch of wine goes south!

johnT.


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## iVivid

JohnT said:


> I have 1,200 sqft just for wine making and storage. The remaining 2,400 sqft is my wine cave equipped with a fireplace, TV, wet bar, wine racks, and leather furniture. I spend about 50% of my home-time in my wine cave. area with separate heat zones. This way, you can keep your bulk wine at 55 degrees while having your living area at a much more comfortable temperature. 8) Hot water. Sounds dumb, I know, but hot water is soooo nice in the winery. When I first started (in my first house), all I had was an indoor spigot of cold water. Any hot water I needed, I had to bucket from the kitchen. I hope that the above gives you food for thought. I can't imagine life without a dedicated wine making area and really nice place to do some sipping. All of the above are simply recommendations and I hope that I did not Pooh-Pooh all over you dreams. Of them all, I would sacrifice everything else in favor of getting the most floor space possible. I would hate to see you go through off of that work, only to have regret just a short time thereafter. The last I will say about it is this.. If you are going to make the substantial investment anyway, why not do it right the first time?


OMG you would be my dream man lol


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## Scott

If a 12x12 is what you can do now then so be it, it's more than what you had and maybe all you will need. Might have to pass on the big comfy chairs and go with stools and a high top table to save room. Good luck


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## JohnT

iVivid said:


> OMG you would be my dream man lol


 
I spent a year looking for the right house.. 

The former owner of my house used this space as a wood shop. It has it's own heat zone, is below grade at the back of the room, and has big double doors that open at ground level in the front (NO STEPS!!!!).

I got into a bidding war over this house and ended up paying $2,000.00 more than the seller's asking price.

The only way they will get me out of that house is in a pine box!


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## iVivid

JohnT said:


> I spent a year looking for the right house.. The former owner of my house used this space as a wood shop. It has it's own heat zone, is below grade at the back of the room, and has big double doors that open at ground level in the front (NO STEPS!!!!). I got into a bidding war over this house and ended up paying $2,000.00 more than the seller's asking price. The only way they will get me out of that house is in a pine box!



Hope not anytime soon!


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## Kraffty

Here is a pic of where the winehouse will end up (to the left of the orangre tree facing me) and one of the new slab. Foundation is in place. No changing my mind about placement or size or where the electrical or water come into the slab at this point. My concrete guy was looking for work and discounted a few hundred dollars if I could have him do it a little earlier than originally planned. I saved about $250.00 by doing this part ahead of schedule, besides, the slab will have plenty of time to completely dry before I start building on it. With the holidays upcoming I’m not sure if I’ll be able to start framing before the end of year or not. So Far I've found a very heavy old french door for 50.00 and am keeping my eyes open for bargains on windows, maybe returned or wrong sized orders from the builder supply stores. Guess I'll throw an airlock on this project until January then jump back on it at full speed in 2014.
Mike


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## Scott

Nice start and nice yard! Keep us updated and enjoy the warm weather dangit, 4 degrees here this morning.


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## Jericurl

What a great start. Thanks for the pictures and keep us updated.
It will be nice to put all of your materials together and out of your kitchen.


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## jamesngalveston

here is my take...I have been in construction for 30 years...a 12 x 12 space is ok for a wine making area, but thats it.

If you are limited to that space, forget the loft idea all together.
You can buy a self contained air condionted wall in cooler that is 12 x 12 x 8 very cheap....
put it in place and your done...it assemble in about 2 hours.
then finish the way you want.
inside and outside.
floors, ceiling, ac, compressor, walls, everything include..
you buy u assemble and yuour done.
max time 5 hours.


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## Putterrr

consider moving your window over the sink area to the other wall. that way when you expand, you can go the whole 12 feet and gain lots of storage shelf space.

cheers


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## Kraffty

It’s finally time to start building... my first batch of materials came to $790.00 but that covers the frame, roof and sheathing and siding for both. Including the slab the total is up to $1,590 and I have a long way to go yet. I did get lucky enough to have my son and one of his friends volunteer to help pick-up and bring the lumber into my yard but after that I was on my own. It took me 3 straight 8 hour days to get this far but considering my lack of construction experience I think I made good progress and it looks pretty professional.

Now I have 5 days to get over being sore and stiff let all the blisters and scratches and bruises heal then back at it again on Saturday. I’m hoping to finish the roof, sheathing and shingles plus install windows and siding over the next weekend. Go Weekend Warriors!


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## sour_grapes

Looks great. For the soreness/stiffness, I *heartily* recommend what I call "the remodeler's cocktail" (or "the builder's cocktail," in this case): two Aleves washed down by a large glass of red wine. It works wonders.


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## the_rayway

sour_grapes said:


> Looks great. For the soreness/stiffness, I *heartily* recommend what I call "the remodeler's cocktail" (or "the builder's cocktail," in this case): two Aleves washed down by a large glass of red wine. It works wonders.



And a spin in the jacuzzi.


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## sour_grapes

the_rayway said:


> And a spin in the jacuzzi.



Absolutely! Or, in my case, the sauna.


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## derunner

Looks like a great project and you are well on your way.

I am not a builder so I don't know what is required, but I have done some construction and passed inspections. I am not sure if your windows are adequately framed. Did you get a design that showed them that way, or did you pass inspection? Normally you would have a header, probably 2 2x6 with 1/2 plywood between to make the whole thing 3.5 inches thick to match your wall thickness. You would have jack studs between the sill and the header, and you would have additional studs on the outside. 

Like the one shown as you scroll down this page.

http://housecraft.ca/2013/01/27/open-up-creating-interior-windows-in-load-bearing-walls/

Again, I am not a builder so perhaps I would be over building what is required.


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## Kraffty

Derunner, I see what you mean. I guess I'm going to live with the 2 - 2x4's as my header but maybe add another couple of studs on each side. I think it'll still be more than adequate for this "storage shed". I'm was trying to build to code as much as possible but I'm not pulling permits for the project. I'm kind of more worried about forgetting the header above the door, think I'll have to tear that part out and add back to it. Appreciate the info, thanks.

That's what happens when you let a Graphic Artist play with power tools and wood.
Mike


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## DaveL

The door appears to be on a non load bearing wall. Theoretically the ridge boards in held up by the rafters once in place. However you require straps, 2x4s,between opposing rafters under the ridge. This will eliminate head space in your loft. If you are not going to do this the post supporting your ridge board needs to extend down to baseplate. Therefore over the door you definetely need a 2x6 header with double jack studs. 
The header in the window as described above should be supported by jack studs which run down to the base plate. usually at least 2x6s are used for a header spanning that distance. 
Also your double top plate should interlace at the corner, tieing the walls together.
The end stud on the wall to the left in the picture should be tripled up to allow for it to protrude inside the attached wall to allow for proper nailing and drywall backing in the corner.
In the future if you sheet your walls prior to standing them up it is always much easier. 
Good luck.


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## Kraffty

I was up on the roof finishing up the rafters 3 weeks ago and thought the building felt really wobbly. Got on the internet and soon realized that a framed building with no diagonal supports or shear sheathing is not a very steady building, in fact, high winds or earthquakes could possibly take it down. So, last weekend, I added 1x4 let-in bracing to all 4 walls and the whole structure instantly became rock solid. After that I was able to get back up on the roof, lay down all the OSB board sheathing and then get the felt paper stapled down. Based on suggestions here I tied the rafters together and added to the framing around the window. I also sealed the openings left above the wall plate and rafters with 2x4s and 2x6s and am adding an extra 2x4 to allow attaching the drywall in that one corner (Thanks DaveL). I’m still not sure about how to fix the doorway. Can I just knock out the four short studs, put in a double header and shorter studs above it? I’ll have to figure something out on that. That’s weekends 3 and 4 so I’ve got about 64 hours actual work into this now. Update on weekend 5 “the dreaded shingles” next.
Mike


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## Kraffty

Weekend 5 - I was really dreading this task, it seemed to me that working in the sun on top of black paper on your hands and knees while intermittently climbing a 12 foot ladder every 5 minutes would really do an excellent job of remining me just how old 56 really is in dog years. BUT, the toughest or most physical part (I hope) of my building is now behind me. I so dreaded the roof and it wasn't as bad as I expected. It took me about 8 hours on sat and another 6 on sunday to completely shingle it and I think it came out looking great.


According to the weather people it'll get a serious testing this week, we're expecting from 2 to 4 inches of very badly needed rain from wed through sunday. It’ll be a great excuse to take a weekend off, relax, drink a few beers and watch for any leaks. The next steps should be more fun and rewarding. Once I start adding windows and exterior wall siding it'll really start looking like building.


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## the_rayway

Lookin' GOOD Kraffty!


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## Kraffty

YES! about 3/4" rain overnight, completely day slab this morning even with just the framed walls. Now I have roofing as a trade to fall back on!
Mike


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## jswordy

> Can I just knock out the four short studs, put in a double header and shorter studs above it?



Yes. You can use two 2x4s nailed together and turned on their side (so the crack between them is up and down). But I typically use at least two 2x6s together and turned on their side.

You need these type headers over each door and window, or the wall may sag there over the years and that is how you get wavy rooflines and out of square doors and windows.

Not a hard fix at all.


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## sour_grapes

What Jim said, and, as derunner said, put a piece of 1/2" plywood between the headers to make the whole package 3.5" wide.


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## Kraffty

Weekends 6 and 7
I really want to thank you guys who patiently (repetedly) suggested I correct the headers, the insistance was finally enough to get me to stop being lazy about it and make it right. Most of the stuff I did weekend 6 was either structural or boring. Drilling and installing some extra anchors for the base plates, re-doing the headers over the door and windows and drilling holes for all electrical wiring - stuff that I didn't do correctly the first time and prepwork for upcoming stuff, it's a learning experience. I also installed the windows and 4 of the exterior siding panels. Last weekend I had planned on finishing up the siding but we went into a serious hot spell, around 100 degrees both sat. and sun. so I slowed my pace a bit and only finished the lower 8’ sections of walls. The air conditioner is supposed to arrive tomorrow so this coming weekend I should be able to get that installed and then finish the siding on the highest parts of the walls. After that, all that’s left outside is trim and paint.


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## Putterrr

Nice. Glad you took the advice about the headers. A job worth doing and all that.

Always look forward to seeing your pictorial updates

cheers


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## JohnT

Seriously? 100 degrees??? Send some of that warm weather my way!


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## Kraffty

Besides the building construction part of this I’m trying to make a lot of what goes inside too. I’ve been collecting ideas and some materials but so far I’ve only made progress on my counter for my work-area/bartop. It’s going to be the focal point of the room so probably a good place to start. A friend found some 30 or 40 year old 3/4” oak flooring in his garage attic that I’ve been able to rescue to turn into what I hope is a really beautiful and solid counter. We go to Lake Havasu in Arizona every couple of months so I enlisted the help of my Father-in-law on our last visit to rip the 8’ boards down to 1” strips then glue and clamp them into a 16” x 8’ block. Leaning on his skills and using his tools we cut off 2’ and re-attached to make a 6’x3’+ “L” shaped top. It’s rough sanded now and I still have to add the 1”x2” “Mystery Wood” edging all around on our next trip to the river but it’s really looking nice. So far I’ve only got about $10.00 in titebond ultra glue tied up in this and lots of labor.

I’m thinking of a light coat of Golden Oak stain to bring out the grain and color then 6-8 coats of gloss varnish. Any suggestions on brands or coatings would be appreciated, the only thing I don’t want is that thick urathane epoxy stuff, I want the wood to really stand out. Any Ideas on what that Mystery wood is? It’s really heavy and dense like walnut but the colors are like redwood and poplar.


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## sour_grapes

Nice work!

Perhaps the mystery wood is hickory?


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## jswordy

JohnT said:


> Seriously? 100 degrees??? Send some of that warm weather my way!



It's coming. Probability is for a hot summer long-range forecast. The warmth actually has been bad for California, which is in one of its worst droughts on record (or THE worst, depending on location in the state).

Great job, Kraffty! That will be a deluxe workroom when you are done!


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## Winenoob66

Hi Krafty
I was a professional house painter for 25 yrs, Minwax is what I would suggest you use. If there is a lot of differences in the natural colors of the woods that you are using I suggest using what they call a wash coat which is 1 part Sand and Sealer to 2 parts paint thinner, brush it on evenly and let dry. then when you do stain the countertop it will all be the same color (thats how the pros make 10 different woods all the same color in staining) after it has dried lightly sand it. then on the stain DO NOT SHAKE IT UP as this will incorporate air bubbles into the stain only stir it with paint sticks you cab apply it either by using a brush or by using a rag personally I always liked running 2 rags one for applying and one for wiping off the extra. it is a messy job so be prepared. 
After your done staining wait a minium of 24 hrs before doing anything else to it it might feel dry to the touch but soon as something wet touches it the stain will want to move around on you. so be sure to wait on that 24 hrs. after thats completed and dried for the 24 hrs, I would personally use about 3 or 4 coats of sand and sealer on it to really smooth it out like glass it super easy to use just brush it on trying to run with the grains in the wood. It drys super quick and can be sanded in an hour lightly and repeated all over again. Note your gonna want a gallon of sand and sealer, after you have 3 or 4 coats of it on wait until the next day and come in and apply polyurethane it isn't epoxy but does take 24 hours to dry between each coat the only step in the process that you do not sand in between coats it the stain lightly sand til smooth in between all other coats. Sand and sealer sands very easy a 2 yr old has enough elbow greese to make it super slick so don't over sand and take it off completely. adding more coats of poly will do 2 things, 1 make it last longer, and make it much smoother. 

Now with all that being said, I am on the east coast our environmental laws are different from Cali so I am not sure if you can even get oil based stains and sealers there but if you can go with the oil based stuff. the latex stuff is water soluble and that's not good if there's a chance it will get wet.

1 Quart Stain
1 Gallon Sand and sealer
1 Gallon Polyurethane
old rags for stainging ( Old tea shirt works great)
a few 3 inch paint brushes
Paint thinner to clean up with


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## JohnT

I would first wet condition the top before I apply any finish. Take a wet rag (water) and apply a coat of water to the surface to raise the grain or the wood. Allow to dry and sand until glassy smooth. Repeat this step 2 or 3 times.

My vote would be to use antique oil. This is a VERY thin varnish. You apply 1 coat, then lightly sand, then apply another. I like the antique look when finished. In the past, I have applied 10 or 15 coats to arrive at a finish that would put Ethan Allen to shame.

Of course all of this is a lot of time and work. I figured that since you have this much time already invested, why cut corners now?


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## Kraffty

Winenoob - Thanks, you explained that clearly enough that it sounds like I can handle it with a little patience. You're right about California, almost everything here is water based now but Arizona is only a few hours away and they don't seem to care about ozones or health dangers or nuthin! 

How fine of sandpaper are you talking about and how many coats of the poly?


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## Scott

I agree with the Minwax poly, great stuff use either clear gloss or satin finish. Sanding in between coats ( at the very minimum of 3) us at least 400 grit and go lightly. That will make a wonderful counter, lookin good!


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## Winenoob66

I would use a 220 but be careful, and as for coats of poly its really up to you on how smooth ya want it I redone a coffee table and dropped 15 coats of poly on mostly for boredom and it was so smooth that when you sat a glass of water on it it would move as the glass sweated but I would do at least 2


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## Kraffty

It's been 11 weeks since I started this and I have to admit to being over optimistic every single weekend on how much I think I can accomplish. That's not a bad thing, I've just had to accept it's going to take time and I might as well enjoy the processes and It'll get done at some point. I've worked about 18 total days at maybe 6 hours a day average so far, it's slow but I'm having a lot of fun. Might be ready to start actually making wine in there in a month or 2.

I've concentrated on the exterior for the last few weeks and have just about finished. The only thing left is to paint under the eaves and then I'm onto the interior. I figure that should work out pretty well since I can run the AC in there as the weather starts warming up. This weekend I got lazy and only worked on it on Sunday but I finished painting the trim and installing the door. I might have mentioned this before but I found the windows on Craigslist and bought the french door from a friend and got those 3 items for under $200.00. I love the extra window space and view I got from the door.

I'm hoping to run all the electrical wiring and put in the outlets and light switches next weekend. After that's done I'm down to insulation, drywall and paint (the one part of this project where I have some experience, finally!). Making progress one weekend at a time.
Mike


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## JohnT

Thanks for the update. It looks very nice.


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## Scott

Looks great indeed, and warm there too!


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## Winenoob66

Looking real good, you have gotten a lot done.


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## Kraffty

Week 16 has come and gone and while it now looks like I've made myself a padded cell I've really made some good progress. I forgot that I had to dig trenches and get the electrical to the building before I could wire the building. It now has 8 electrical outlets, two switches for overhead celling fan and lighting in a couple of places. I also installed my 6000 BTU AC and just this weekend finished all the insulation. The insulation is R-19 for the roof and sunny walls and R-13 for the shaded walls. We had temps in the 90's and the AC keep it in the low 70's very easily all day long. Lori has invited family and friends over for the 4th of July so I now have a deadline to have a functioning wine/bar room up and running for the get-together. 6 weekends left to drywall, paint, install sink and counter/bar and lighting. I was going to leave the floor concrete but now leaning towards putting in a wood laminate.

Oh, and yeah, I was way off on my cost estimates, been saving every receipt and will have a total at the end, until then I keep stashing them in an envelope and NOT ADDING it all up till it's finished.


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## ibglowin

Coming along nicely indeed. Looking forward to seeing it get finished up!


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## Runningwolf

Looks like it's going to be awesome. I ended up installing track on my ceiling for plenty of low voltage lighting. This allows be to point it on objects, bottles or anything else I want to highlight. I can also attach a hanging light on it over a table if I wish to put one in it.


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## Kraffty

Just a quickie update, weekends 17 and 18 were spent drywalling and mudding and taping. The ceiling was a real chore, I had to cut the pieces into small enough sections that I could hold them up and screw them in by myself. Lori did jump in and help with the two largest pieces though. It meant some extra work finishing but worked out pretty well. The walls need final sanding and some touch ups but the plan is to sand for an hour or so each night this week then paint on Saturday. I picked up a nice laminate floor on sale and hopefully can do that on Sunday. 4 weekends left before the 4th of July, going to be close but I'll be functional one way or the other.
Mike


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## LittleBearGameFarm

Kraffty, looking great! I love the arched look on the ceiling drywall, very unique. This is going to be an awesome area when you are finished. That counter top will definitely be a focal point. Nice work!


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## the_rayway

I've got winehouse envy...


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## Kraffty

The work is getting kind of cool now because after 19 weeks of working on it every weekend, the stuff I've got left to do is all finishing work instead of all that stuff that takes forever but you never really see. This weekend I primed and painted, hung my fan/light and then built my bases for my sink and countertop. At the last minute I opted for Redwood because it seemed to fit best with the "Mystery Wood" I used to edge around the countertop. If I sand and add one coat of urethane to the countertops each night this week then Saturday and Sunday I can install the laminate wood floor, level and anchor the counter and sink to the wall and then final trim for the door, windows and floorboards. 3 Weekends left and I just realized I probably need that last one to clean up the yard and patio which definitely look like construction zones. Hopefully next monday's pics will look very much like a finished room.
Mike


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## sour_grapes

Wow, it is really looking great!


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## ColemanM

Wow!!! That's it... Wow!!


Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making


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## JohnT

Man, you seem to be really moving along with it. 

My question is ..what are you going to do with all of your free time once this is finished?? 



{smack on forehead} It's a winehouse!!!!!


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## Kraffty

This is probably my last post on this project. It’s taken 21 weekends but I'm done, I have a workable winemaking room. All of my supplies and equipment are in place as are all of my wines in progress. Art, decorations, a couple of chairs, blinds - instead of sheets on the windows etc. will all be done in the next few weeks but the actual room is finished.

I want to thank all of you for your contributions in the form of constructive criticism, suggestions or encouragement. I’ve enjoyed sharing this and it’s added to the fun of the whole project. It has been much more work than I anticipated. It cost more than I expected but I ended up with exactly the space I wanted.

I think my mix of new and recycled materials worked. Door, windows, trim and wood for the counters all used. Flooring, fan, air conditioner, electrical all new. I did splurge (even though cheaply) on a new flat screen and surround sound receiver. I already had the speakers so it wasn't too bad and they look and sound awesome. Got to have that background music when making or drinking wine.

Lori is excited to have the home office and garage closet cleared of my wine stuff and I’m so looking forward to being able to work on my wine with everything right there at hand. I think that this Friday night I’ll break the winehouse in by starting my first batch of DD’s Dragon Blood - maybe two batches, there is a contest happening and I’ll have some spare time now.

Thanks,
Mike


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## LittleBearGameFarm

That is awesome, Mike! Well Done!!


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## Boatboy24

Outstanding work Mike! It really looks nice.


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## franki1926

great work, I wish I had the room


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## sour_grapes

Wonderful job, Mike. However, I'm a little confused. I read your post twice, and I did not see the date of the opening WMT party, nor did I see your address. Or are you going to send the invites out by PM?


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## ou8amaus

Wow, well done my good man!


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## JohnT

There is only one thing missing from your pictures... You in the middle of the room, sippin on something great, and enjoying the "fruits" of your labor!!!!!


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## Kraffty

Good idea, think I'll take some pics on the 4th with some friends and family in there and put one up along with the final cost of the whole project. My wife thinks it's about 5,000, I'm guessing slightly less, we'll total the receipts this weekend and see.
Mike


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## TheGoodLife

Beautiful Mike! ...Thanks for sharing the pics


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