foam insulation, continued

Spent some quality time Sunday with the family at the site, trimming back the expanding foam insulation that we've use to seal the gap between the wall panels and the roof panels. The foam cuts fairly easily, and the ladders help give us better leverage for peeling off the remaining plastic protective layer on the wall panels.

foam insulation

We spent much of Thursday and today spraying foam insulation into the gap between the wall panels and the roof decking. Normally, the insulated steel panel system completes the weather seal (and insulated envelope) with a boxed-out soffit detail at the roof, but we thought this configuration would make the roof look too thick and clunky, so we decided to use expanding foam  insulation to provide the moisture and thermal barrier between the wall and roof. So what is this stuff made of?

digital precision

Over the next week we'll fabricate trim pieces to cover the rough openings between the panels and the structural members. We're using the CNC milling machine at the FIU School of Architecture, with the guidance and extraordinary expertise of my colleague, Eric Peterson. The process is more complex when cutting through steel sheets than when we carved the construction sign. Here is a sample piece fit around one of the W10 beams in the courtyard (the final version will have the same silver paint finish as the wall panels). The fit is pretty precise, and we'll complete the weather seal with a bead of sealant.

varnishing

At the risk of running afoul of child labor laws, we also put Lydia to work varnishing the new construction site sign. The sign is made of MDF (medium density fiberboard), which cuts very smoothly on the CNC milling machine, but which swells and disintegrates when exposed to water. We don't expect the sign to last long (it doesn't have to) but we thought we'd try extending its life with a coat of marine spar varnish. We were also just curious what varnished MDF looked like...

peeling

The insulated wall panels have a layer of plastic on the exterior side that protects the finish. Peeling it off is somewhat addictive, and makes for a fun, Saturday afternoon family activity.