Each week a little more of the later to be hidden infrastructure of the Hazelnut Inn is completed. This past week it was the fire sprinkler crew who wrangled the necessary pipes. threading them through the trusses, beams, vaults and domes. We had a great crew who were up to the challenge. When we finish our theme work they won’t be noticed by our guests.
We regularly get asked about how it could possibly take so long to finish the Hazelnut Inn. The honest answer has everything to do with how the Inn is being constructed. Typically, a building is framed, utilities are installed, insulation is stuffed into place and then the rooms are drywalled prior to paint. Final fit and finish is a relatively simple and quick procedure.
Hazelnut Inn is not conventional by any definition. The main structure was complete a long time ago but that was just the very beginning for this project. We then attached and welded a complete pencil rod frame around the outside of the structure. Galvanized mesh was painstakingly tied to this detailed armature and then our proprietary mix of Fibreglass Reinforced Concrete was troweled on and hand sculpted. After the concrete cured we carefully painted every square inch, with multiple coats of colour, blends and glazes. That work is complete and we are moving on to the interior.
The first order of business is to establish the basic shape of the rooms and built-in features which often has little to do with the structure holding up the building. Only after the project reaches this point can we finally invite the trades to install the venting ducts, sprinkler pipes, electrical conduits, plumbing and more. Each service is terminated to a custom plate in the wall which we hand fabricate and install to our standards. Once the trades finish their rough work including all of the sprinkler heads, air vents, light boxes electrical switches and plugs we will spray in the insulation. Only then can we begin to close things up with our final armature and begin attaching the galvanized mesh which will define the final shape and detail of the room and built-in features. That will allow us to begin the sculpting of the final interior surfaces at long last. Then comes the detailed paint, followed by custom tile work and trim.
The picture below is one small example of the work currently underway in the Copper Crown suite. Pictured is the basic framework for the arched ceiling and one of the air conditioning vents. The ceiling is curved with five smaller arches cut into it. The air-conditioning vent mounting point is custom cut on our plasma machine. We’ll also custom cut the face plate after the ceiling is sculpted.
The good news is that we are making rapid progress. Even so it is still going to take a while before Hazelnut Inn welcomes its first guest. Stay tuned…
In the last couple of weeks we’ve been busy setting the final grades of the driveway and parking areas at the Hazelnut Inn. We’ve also fabricated the armature for the ‘stone’ wall that will screen our residence next door from the parking lot of the Inn. Although it appears lower in the photograph, the wall is actually a little over six feet tall and will do the screening handily. The dug out area in front of the new wall will be filled with soil and lush landscaping. The welded structure is now ready for the sculpted concrete which will happen when it warms up in spring.
It was a real pleasure to install the Copper Crown Suite’s front door this week. This solid fir door stands eight feet tall and features steel filigree bands on the exterior and a beautifully carved inner face. It is a very, very nice finishing touch!
The Copper Crown’s facade is looking good with a fresh coat of paint.
The Copper Crown Suite’s main entrance is nearly finished. Just a few more hours and a little more paint and we will be ready to install the front door.
