Mary Ann's Tropical Building Page

Warning: This report is long and has many photographs. Therefore, it is divided into several parts. Remember to Click FINAL PAGE when you get to the end of this segment.

Decorating the Office Porch

Finishing off the columns.

The columns for the downstairs porch of the technology center have been finished off with cornices. They were built up of wood, then epoxied to protect the wood and painted with flat white paint to match the plaster on the railings.

These were designed by Mary Ann and implemented by Kenneth Maynard and his crew.

You can see in the final pictures below, there are arched lattice panels between each column. And a wall of lattice work across the windy eastern end of the porch.

Cornices and Lattice.

A pleasant place to sit.

Continuing The Main Complex

Pouring slabs and foundations.

You probably thought we were done building at this point.

Wrong! We have at least two more buildings to do: the main complex by the waterfront. In 1998 we prepared the site, excavated for the cisterns and pools, and had the cisterns and basic foundations started. In 1999 we plan to close in these structures, although the detailed finish work and decorating could last into 2000.

Here you can see the concrete truck pouring some slab floors and foundation walls.

In this picture, the master bedroom villa is the raised foundation to the right, a second bedroom villa is the foundation to the left (with the gazebo in front of it), and the area where the truck is actually pouring consists of two study/bedrooms, kitchen, and outdoor porches/dining areas. Although not visible in this picture, there is also a hole in the ground for a swimming pool between the secondary villa and the kitchen complex. And we need a garage and laundry room, and ...

Kenneth "Columbus" Maynard has come onto the project to supervise the final phase, as well as supply the finish carpentry. In the picture below you can see him on the left, overseeing the concrete pour.

"Columbus" Supervises.

Concrete Flows Out of the Sky

A New Issue: Wooden Floors

Joists for a wooden floor.

In spite of the problems of termites and warping due to water from hurricanes, we have decided to try a wood floor in the master villa, kitchen and studies of the main complex. Tile is just too hard on the feet and knees.

Here you can see the floor joists, which are then covered by a plywood subfloor and the final tongue and groove teak floor (same wood they use on boat decks, so we hope it works out).

Click here for FINAL PAGE

Site Map: Links, Plans and Other Info

Latest News from our Construction Site

Past and Future Progress Reports

Plans of the Main House

Plans of the Software Center

Plans of the Guest Villa

Tropical Construction Bookstore

Links to Related Sites

Building Material Sources

Beach Shack Contact: