The last, but not least, section of ceiling is the flat area (about 99” x 69”) that has been worrying me for the past 2 1/2 years. It wasn’t supposed to exist; the original plan was for a simple cathedral ceiling. Responsibility falls back on the lousy framing contractor again.
Back to making lemonade… I had been planning to turn this flat area into a “feature” with a star quilt pattern up there. That was back when the rest of the ceiling was going to be conventional horizontal boards. As it turned out when David got up there measuring things, it was as out of whack as the rest of the room. With the sides being unequal, my star pattern would look unbalanced.
We went back into design mode again. Sketching different stars, half stars, maybe a sun, maybe just horizontal T&G. I ultimately came up with this modified compass rose design.
David showed me a neat trick to make a jig so I could easily cut all the triangles for the points. Maybe he’ll do a blog on that as well.
Here it is from the side view on the easel/ramp David engineered to get up to the ceiling.
The easier answer turned out to be cutting the pattern panels into quarters and David could manipulate them up by himself.
Meanwhile, I did the final sanding and soaked in a coat of BLO before it went up. Wow, does that grain pop!!! It’s going to look amazing when all the walls and the rest of the ceiling get the oil treatment.
Here it is in place:
A happy David:
And a happy Mary Anne behind the camera!
The room isn’t as big as it looks. There is a lot of size distortion because of the extreme wide angle lens I used to get everything in the picture. The room only about 400 sq. ft., mostly taken up by my big ol’ hot tub.
There are still a few more things to be done to trim out and finish the room. But now, thanks to David, all the big interior jobs are finished. I can look forward to enjoying the room and my spa while I work on the rest at my leisure. I’ll keep y’all posted as it gets done.
22 comments so far
BarbS
home | projects | blog
2434 posts in 5101 days
#1 posted 08-14-2011 06:39 PM
Wow! I hope he somehow ‘signed’ his work for you. But I know you’ll think of him every time your in that hot tub! It is beautiful, Mary Anne. Definitely keep us up to date on all the finishing touches.
I think Kelly is going to be jealous there isn’t something like that on the ceiling of her garage.
-- http://barbsid.blogspot.com/
lanwater
home | projects | blog
3113 posts in 3949 days
#2 posted 08-14-2011 06:43 PM
Wow!
It looks terrific. Great job to both of you.
-- Abbas, Castro Valley, CA
grizzman
home | projects | blog
7836 posts in 4319 days
#3 posted 08-14-2011 07:03 PM
holy kamoley..im gob smacked…...im in a daze…....im…...im….....that room is incredible marry ann….i would get in that tub and stay forever…...the room is so beautiful….....and the ceiling…...you guys did an amazing job..David did his magical work and it shines!!!!!!!!!......so my next question…what dates are available for a lets say a month stay…i should be as wrinkled as i can get , soaking in the tub…lol…well this was worth the wait…you must be one happy camper…...congrats to you both….grizz
-- GRIZZMAN ...[''''']
grizzman
home | projects | blog
7836 posts in 4319 days
#4 posted 08-14-2011 07:09 PM
just another side note, man , when you get the rest of the wood sprayed with the BLO, its going to be incredible…....when do you plan on getting the BLO on there…i will mark my calendar..grizz
-- GRIZZMAN ...[''''']
matt garcia
home | projects | blog
1927 posts in 4687 days
#5 posted 08-14-2011 07:52 PM
WOW!!! That is AWESOME!!!
-- Matt Garcia Wannabe Period Furniture Maker, Houston TX
rance
home | projects | blog
4277 posts in 4176 days
#6 posted 08-14-2011 08:04 PM
Its one thing doing that gorgeous work. Its a whole nuther deal doing it on the ceiling. Nice job to both of you.
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
patron
home | projects | blog
13716 posts in 4356 days
#7 posted 08-14-2011 08:22 PM
getting that heavy panel up to the ceiling
was going to be a major event
on rickety planks and ladders and scaffolding
over the 8’ square hot tub
something Mary Anne and i talked about doing
but in the end cutting it in 4 parts was the best
as i could manage them alone
it started by making a template of the ceiling section to be filled

ripped 2×4 to 1/4” strips
and glued and tacked to itself
and reinforced (the white part in picture)
then laminating two layers of 1/8” masonite (contact cement)

(it was all they had at lowes)
remember this is bigger than a sheet of plywood
and gluing the compass rose parts to it

then cutting it into 4 parts

and finally up with 2 tubes of liquid nails per panel

and finish nails to hold it to the plywood that was in place already
-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle
grizzman
home | projects | blog
7836 posts in 4319 days
#8 posted 08-14-2011 08:49 PM
wow, as i already mentioned, you guys did a magnificent job, your work david is incredible..hope you made it home safely…....
-- GRIZZMAN ...[''''']
ellen35
home | projects | blog
2749 posts in 4448 days
#9 posted 08-14-2011 08:55 PM
What a wonderful room! That ceiling is the crowning glory of the whole room.
Great work David and Mary Anne.
Ellen
-- "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." Voltaire
degoose
home | projects | blog
7281 posts in 4370 days
#10 posted 08-14-2011 10:19 PM
Nothing more to say than, ENJOY!!!
-- Don't drink and use power tools @ lasercreationsbylarry.com.au
moonls
home | projects | blog
412 posts in 4002 days
#11 posted 08-14-2011 10:57 PM
You 2 make a great woodworking combo. Great job from every angle!
-- Lorna, Cape Cod
mtnwild
home | projects | blog
3761 posts in 4543 days
#12 posted 08-15-2011 01:00 AM
Wow Patron, really spreading the talent around to great results. That’s some P.R.. Priceless….............
-- mtnwild (Jack), It's not what you see, it's how you see it.
Bob Kollman
home | projects | blog
1798 posts in 4206 days
#13 posted 08-15-2011 01:33 AM
The extra effort shows….It is always the details large or small, that make a great project.
Great project guys!!!!!!
-- Bob Kenosha Wi.
Bob Kollman
home | projects | blog
1798 posts in 4206 days
#14 posted 08-15-2011 01:35 AM
Looks like a tired David…AND A HAPPY MARY ANN BEHIND THE CAMERA!!!! :)
-- Bob Kenosha Wi.
TopamaxSurvivor
home | projects | blog
20286 posts in 4691 days
#15 posted 08-15-2011 02:18 AM
Looks good from here!!
-- Bob in WW ~ "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence
View all comments »
showing 1 through 15 of 22 comments
Have your say...