As a birthday gift for this author’s notable birthday, the resident woodsman saw a beautiful pattern for a gazebo–a lovely outbuilding with eight sides and infinite possibilities–and started the project well in advance of the celebration in July with all of the near and dears in the family.
Before the first board was cut, it was decided that a stamped concrete floor would keep bugs out, if the gazebo were ever converted to a screened-in refuge from biting, stinging, swooping, pterodactyl-like bugs, instead of having a wooden deck-like floor.
The magical cement contractor who did a wonderful job on the foundation, cement walls, floors, and the stamped front porch when we first built our house was consulted in the fall before the gazebo would be built the following spring. Several ideas were discussed, and a stone-like surface with rock-like colors was chosen for the pattern.
On a blustery April day, the affable, joking, cheerful, lollipop-eating cement contractor arrived, quickly confirming the spot for the gazebo, deftly cutting the lawn, expertly building forms, and making sure everything ready was for the next day’s pour. Due to a lot of rain, cement wasn’t poured until a couple of days later.
Finally, a sunny day with brisk wind arrived, along with the contractor–again–affable and joking. However, when the cement truck entered our driveway, he turned into a barking, snarling, snapping, curmudgeon of a man–only satisfied after all of the cement had filled the forms–precisely, and smoothed to a lovely glassy finish. He waited a couple of hours until the surface was perfect for stamping, which is his specialty. He created a beautiful stone surface by laying and over-laying his stamping patterns on the concrete, carefully arranging the patterns, to make everything look random and natural. The surface was perfect, bringing to mind a large, flat rock at a favorite fishing spot in Colorado.
After the concrete cured, each of the constructed walls were attached to the floor. Fortunately, a neighbor came by with his ladder, when we attached the rafters to the King post, and the installed rafters defined the skeleton of the roof. Jubilation ensued. And. . .
. . .Two years rolled by as various roofing materials were considered and, ultimately, discarded for covering the roof. Finally, blue shingles were chosen to match the house’s roof. The roof plan was formed. Plywood would be used with tacked-down tar paper for under-laying the shingles. Easy Peasy! Problem Solved! Cut the plywood into easily handled sheets, fit onto the rafters, install the fascia, install the drip cap, tack the tar paper, and install the shingles. . .
. . .Gusts, Geometry, and Gravity. . .
