Bob’s house abounds with walls under construction. Probably the most exciting one is the wall at the top of the stairs. To really drive home the rustic aesthetic, Bob intends to build a sliding barn door for the upstairs bathroom. The door will hang from tracks on a salvaged timber beam which doubles as the header, and which in turn is supported by a salvaged timber column on one end. We aim to expose as much old wood as possible.

Hans built this wall on an angle to maximize floor area in the bathroom (which will house a washer and dryer, in addition to a sink, toilet, and shower) while maintaining adequate turnaround space at the top of the stairs. He installed studs left of the door opening, which Mark and I later clad in plywood.

Inside this bathroom, a host of other walls are in progress. Mark took charge of building a nook for the shower. Hans and I measured and cut plywood for the walls surrounding the sink, adding a few new nailers to enable its proper installation. Similarly, the walk-in closet next door received plywood wall cladding on all sides, after I shimmed out a few studs to make the walls run true.

Detail of the shower surround.

Inside the walk-in closet.

Why all the plywood? Bob wants to use various styles of barnboard for the finish walls, and the plywood provides a better nailing surface than studs alone for these heavy finishes. As an extra perk, we’ll be able to hang things from the walls – mirrors, cabinets, closet shelves – anywhere we want. No need to compromise to the nearest stud or use those dreaded toggle bolts.

Mark makes lunch.