And Then Back at it....

After my day off exploring the Trunk Road, I went back to work on the guest cottage on Sunday.  I finished up the aspen paneling to the north gable end.  There's just a small section of horizontal paneling to do beneath the gable, but this has to tie in with the other adjacent walls, so it will be done at a later date.

I have two exhaust vents to cut through the exterior walls... one for the bathroom fan and a second for the range hood.  I have been procrastinating for quite a while and finally decided I'd better get after this.

So, I started on the one for the bathroom fan.  The vent had to be positioned fairly high up on the wall.  I am making the penetration just above the level of the loft, so that I don't have to cut through any bathroom ceiling joists.  This results in the vent hood being located just below the soffit.  It was fairly difficult to cut the opening.  I had to stand on the second highest rung of my 10 foot step ladder, which was positioned rather precariously on the uneven ground.  Even at that the hole was above my head.  It's difficult to drill through this Hardie Board siding as it is made of cement.  Just one or two holes and the hole saw is dull and ruined.  I've already gone through three of them just cutting in vents and electrical boxes.  The larger 4-1/4" diameter hole saws are rather expensive too.  The vent comes through into the loft in a very restricted area.  So, I had to lay on my belly and reach into the corner of the low ceiling just to tie in the insulation and vapor barrier around this.  I managed to get this all completed, but left the second vent for another day.  That one will be a little lower, on the opposite wall, but requires an even larger opening.   It seems more procrastination is in order....

With the bathroom vent cut in I can now complete the paneling to the east wall.  I carried on and installed a few more boards, taking me up to the level of the loft.  Next time I come out I can finish the east wall, which will take the paneling up into the two gable ends.  At that time I hope to tackle the last vent, and the west wall too...!