Progress on Patio Palapa

After several days of forced inactivity because of rain or things being wet because of rain, and just generally waiting for them to dry out, the past two days have seen a lot of activity.

Short Recap - the Old Thatch

In short, our old patio palapa thatch had deteriorated past the point of no return. We liked the way the parking palapa now looked with its new zinc roof and felt that was the way to go with the patio palapa.

We also thought it would be a short (ha, ha) project. A couple of weeks and we would be benefiting from having a quiet little retreat to read, meditate, zone out, or whatever.

So, of course, it has become one of those projects that seems - no, does drag on interminably.

Framing Added

Getting Angles

Mahogany Varnish Going On

Once the framing had been completed Mario's boys, started varnishing all the remaining wood of the palapa, a striking mahogany red varnish. This activity went quickly and was able to be finished before the rains started up again.

At first, we thought that it might be a bit too red, but not only does it grow on you, but the color darkens a bit and seems like the right shade

Varnishing All the Lumber

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Making the Screen Frames

Just like with the pool enclosure, the frames by themselves, look massive. Of course, those get the same varnish treatment as the framing pieces.

Screen Room Doorway

Looking Up to the Center

A lot of Wood to Varnish

Screen Panel Trial Fitting

Like Stretching a Canvas

Applying Varnish

Getting Ready for Screen

Another Can of Varnish

Looking Substantial

Pouring More Varnish

Anchoring the Doorway

Screens Up!

It seemed as though the varnish and the screens were installed simultaneously. They actually wern't, but it was a close thing.

Then suddenly, the zinc was here and they began cutting angles so the pieces would fit on the roof. No other way around it, there was a fair amount of waste, but surprisingly, a lot of scrap pieces were able to be used.

Zinc Has Arrived

And the First Piece

Being Fitted

Make Sure It Fits

Leftover Pieces

Showing Gaposis

Daisy Checking Everything

Checking the Work

Stuffing Foam Gap-Tape

Then we had a momentary distraction. On the front of our house was this huge tarantua. She was about 5-inches, wing-tip to wing-tip. And, she had a bright red behind that didn't really show up all that well in the left photo, but is really bright in the right. After taking a couple of pictures, we left her up to her own devices. As long as she stayed outside, we'd get along fine. They're actually pretty docile creatures.

Momentary Distraction

Nice Red Behind

Filling In the Holes

Endher Filling Ridge Cap

Better Doorway Shot

Fabricating the Palapa Cap

Fastening the Cap

Magnetic Screen Door

Now, we're just waiting for the wood screen door. We got a magnetic screen door from Amazon.com, but we need to have the wood screen door installed to be able to fasten the magnetic door to the wood frame of the wood screen door.