Who Wood Have Thought?

After many months of production and installation, the wood terrace connecting our two bedrooms is finally complete (okay, maybe it’ll be tomorrow morning because of the rain).

Constructed from tzalam wood, this wood has been sitting in our carpenter’s shop for over a year drying and being processed for use on our terrace.

With a flooring design in place, our carpenters were on site to begin the slow and deliberate process of installing the floor, board by board according to the following pattern.

First, the framing. Essential to creating structure and providing a solid connection point between the concrete foundation and the floor board above, the framing system was spaced out evenly, allowing sufficient gaps for water to flow underneath, but not enough for the boards to sag.

Soon after, our carpenters requisitioned our dining room table and clamped a circular saw to it so they could began cutting the individual boards to size.

While one person cut, another spaced the boards using a few 5mm planks, while yet another person screwed them into place.

Once 95% complete, the floor was laid to rest and settle for nearly three months.

Treated with polyurethane, the idea was to let the sun take its initial toll on the boards, allowing some of them to fade slightly and thus produce some more rustic undertones to the floor.

Being new wood, the three-month holding process also allowed the boards to move and shift until they could settle into a more “permanent” position. The boards that moved too much would eventually be replaced (5 in total).

Finally, a week ago, our carpenters returned to finish laying out the final 5% of the floor, sand down the entire thing and replace all warped boards. Sealant was then applied, and as of yesterday, the first of two coats of UV-resistant polyurethane was applied.

With a round of sanding to go, a second application of polyurethane, and a final touch-up sanding to smooth out any residual glops of finish, a key component of our build will finally be complete. The quiet evenings spent relaxing on our terrace will be made even better as we proudly sit sipping on wine atop a completed wood terrace deck.