Ready to start with the roof and first floor meditation space preparation

Yesterday we managed to finish the blockwork for the load bearing walls of the main house up till a height of 3 meters.

Next step is to do the preparations for the steel roof and first floor balcony structures. For that, on top of the 3 meters level blocks, I need to install a 19 cm high reinforced structucture in a way the walls can deal with the expanding and contracting of the steel (because of the weather / temperature conditions here) without being damaged. 

Around the first floor balcony the roof beams will be fixed (welded and anchored) on a steel framework that also will carry the balcony/meditation-space floor. 

The same roof beams will be 'floating' (sliding support) on the East, South and West outside walls. 

An ingenious system that will bring the roof weight and forces without problems for the walls to the foundation. On the other hand anchored in a way expansion and contracting is possible and stable enough to deal with storms. 

Some pictures of the progress of last two weeks. 

  

Frans Captijn

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Lintels finished

This morning we succeeded to finish bringin in all the inside and outside lintels. Starting this afternoon we went on block glueing and bringing the construction up. 

Our 'home pigeons' in an early stage already checked the strength. 

All lintels are 'free' laying to give the possibility to expand and extract a bit. After pouring the concrete and taking the formwork off, we packed the lintels into tarpoulins for about four days to protect them from too quick 'drying'. The water inside need to be in for a while to keep the chemical binding process of the cement going. 

 

At the back side we brought in an expansion joint (dilatation) to give the 12.2 meter long wall a possibility to get rid of internal tension caused by temperature differences and so to try not to get cracks in the outside wall at unwanted places in the future. 

We also installed some temple bells around our pyramid guest rooms. During strong winds they give a calming and meditative sound. 

Frans Captijn

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com