Building a pyramid fridge and new Kia problems driving us crazy

November 20. Climate change? Between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius during the day. 

Indeed, Surin in the North-East (Isaan) region in Thailand is a warm place on our earth. Reason why we want to equip our, for Thailand 'strange', buildings with good isolation to keep it a bit cool and to save energy (and our planet) when we have guests to visit and use the aircon. 

So, last week we build our first pyramid fridge with the 'Stay Cool' isolation blankets. A 7.5 cm thick glass fiber isolation. For now we only temporarily fixed it with galvanized metal wires. A warm job wearing gloves, head and nose mouth protection most of the time. 

In a couple of weeks, installing the Shera planks for the ceiling cover, we will fix it permanent to reach the best possible isolation value. 

We also gave the concrete floor a special primer as well as one of the walls. This primer need to support next weeks equalizing of the floor and the gluing of special carpet on the wall to get more comfort (inside sound absorption). 

This afternoon we checked the aircon unit. It creates quickly a nice fresh temperature and the isolation already is working great. 

Last Tuesday evening, after a week, we could pick up our Kia truck again with all the breaks fixed. It caused only short happiness. Wednesday morning, after our first short trip bringing garbage to the nearby recycling center, it was not willing to start anymore. So, at the moment it is still at the garage the second time this month for days. 

Frans Captijn

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

 

First guest pyramid bathroom 90% finished, new materials and new truck repair

Last week we managed to finish the tiling and joint filling of the first guest pyramid bathroom. We also installed the basic equipment. 

I want to use as less as possible silicone. To be sure no smell of the toilet connection enters the bathroom I used a special packing seal. Very hard to find and get but succeeded. Also the toilet shower (a great and hygienic toilet solution in Asia) is installed. 

I needed to produce an extension for the mechanical ventilation unit. Basic building in Thailand is walls of 7.5 till max 10 cm thickness. So the ventilation unit is produced for max 10 cm. We build (Dutch system) cavity walls. 7,5 cm thick isolated and fireproof blocks, 5 cm air and 7,5 cm brick. All together 20 cm thickness. With the selfmade extension it fits and works well and still the mosquito protection inside is working well. 

We have a sliding window in the bathroom with mosquito screen for fresh air connected with the outside of the bathroom and also a ventilation connection with the bedroom itself above the glass door to be installed. Also the thick isolated ceiling with ceiling lights need to be installed. 

The shower boiler and hairdryer/shaving units are installed and working. Also the tap in the shower to separately have the possibility to wash your feet is installed now as well as the washbasin. 

In between we had to buy isolation for the pyramid roof. Strange to see here it's called "Stay Cool", where we, in my country of origin The Netherlands, use it to stay warm ;). We alto bought and transported the ceiling planks.

Last week we also had to go for our yearly truck check in relation to road tax and insurance. It worked out, again, the Kia truck had problems. The back breaks were not working at all anymore so very dangerous to only drive with the front breaks. We immediately went to the garage and they discovered also the front breaks were not totally right working anymore. So, at the moment, the truck is already five days in repair again. We hope next week we will have it back. All 'unforseen' costs. It's the way it is. 

Frans Captijn

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

 

U-Ditch slope with ant delay and tiling

End of the rainy season on its way now. Still several times lots of rain but the weather is getting better slowly. The temperatures are much more nice to work. 

Last period we made the slope in the u-ditches of the second pyramid. Preparing to make the mortar in our machine, we discovered the rain caused hundreds of ants finding a dry place in the electric engine of the mixer. So... it did not function anymore. It took around one and a half hour to clean and fix the machine again. Just in time to finish the work. The next day, just after enough basic strength of the mortar we poured, rain again. Great for the cement to harden. 

We decided to concentrate on finishing guest pyramid 1 now first. So we finished the outside last layers of brick gluing and started, after putting a layer of primer to dry, tiling. This afternoon we finished wall and floor tiling, hoping the slopes we made are right. Just waiting now for about two days to fill the joints.  

Frans Captijn

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Block gluing finished and finally U-Ditches in progress

Last week we finished placing the lintels in both guest pyramids bathrooms and finish the brick laying of the first pyramid. We also completed the block gluing of the second bathroom. 

With a special primer we prepared the first bathroom walls for tiling. 

Finally the weather was dry enough to start placing the U-ditches for guest pyramid 2. 

Blocks glued for bathroom Pyramid 2

Walls primed and ready to start tiling in guestroom 1

Frans Captijn

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Garden lights and garden work.

After a couple of days dry but extreme humid weather rain is fully back and will last for at least another week. We thought the end of the rainy season arrived but, cheered a bit too early. Sometimes not even strong rain anymore but the feeling of nearly swimming under water.

During the dry days we decided, because the soil at the moment still is soft, to dig an around 50 meters long 45 cm deep ditch for the special covered electricity line to connect the garden lights. Already we checked at several places and online garden lights. Still did not find the type and quality we wanted. The ones with solar cells, we discovered after one and a half year, do not satisfy us. So, having some steel leftovers from the roof construction, I decided, at least for now, to create our own lanterns. Everything is installed now and working. It brings a cozy atmosphere in the evening.

The doorframe for the entrance of the second guest pyramid is in place. 

Phatsamon worked a lot in the garden and did a great job. So far we have several plants of three different kind of bananas on our land growing now. Also the self raised teak trees, coconuts, date palms and other palms are doing well. She crops avocados, lychees, mangos, papayas, and durian all from seeds and much more. Last but not least she planted a giant leopard orchid in a diameter 80 cm concrete ring filled with all kind of special fertilizes this plant needs.

Because of the rain it's a bit hard to go on working on the inside of the two structures we already have because most of our construction tools and machinery we need to work with outside. So, also time to do some architecture for the main house to create end of next year. 

We discovered several new places for toads and frogs to hide and... new yellow birds (Olive-backed Sunbird and Black-naped Oriole) in the garden and trees next to our site. 

Frans Captijn

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com