Ever since I was a little kid I have always been drawn towards buidling things with my hands. I could spend long summer days playing with sticks and trying to create great “cities” in the mud. As I grew older I began to go to work with my father and grandfather, joining them on their construction sites and using their tools any chance I could. Upon graduating high school I knew that architecture was the path for me. Being a junior now I have really grown to love architecture and all the opportunites that come with it, including my time at Greensaw.
The back workshop of Greensaw Design and Build.
Through my background, both growing up and in architecture, I have become quite familiar with construction sites and workshops. But my first day at Greensaw was both really exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. I was excited to be working with one of the big up-and-coming design firms and to really learn from watching and working with them. I was also very nervous, as it was my first time really working and interacting with a ‘big dog’ in the architecture and design field. Right away the guys were friendly and took a chance to introduce themselves and talk with me. They were as curious about myself as I was of them. I worked mostly with Dave. Dave is one of the lead carpenters and designers at Greensaw. Currently he is working on a bathroom renovation for an older home near by. The plan is to use reclaimed material to design and construct new bathroom cabinets. He walked me through the process of working with the wood and then let me work on my own. What I first had to do was sand down the wood samples. As the material was reclaimed much of it is damaged due to the wear and tear of its use throughout the years. Certain spots in the wood become more dense and can leave marks. You must sand these spots out so the wood will not leave dark spots when it is stained.
Sanding down the wood test samples.
After sanding you have to prepare the wood for staining. First you have to use a hose to blow all of the dirt and dust off the wood. Next you take mineral spirits and wipe down the wood good, trying to clean any excess dirt and dust off. Then you take the samples and simply using a brush apply a coat of stain. After 10 minutes you use a dry rag and wipe off any excess stain that did not soak into the wood. Later after it dried we came abck and applied a second coat.
Staining the wood test samples.
The first week their I spent most of my time working with Dave and creating this samples. These samples will then be taken to the client and they will be allowed to discuss with Dave the options regarding the finish of their cabinet. My first week at Greensaw was a great learning experience, one that opened my eyes in regards to not only architecture and design but also with the interaction with clients and other designers. These are lessons that I will be able to take with me in the future.
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