Still procrastinating on hammering out the copper for the tub I turn my attention to preparing the finish for the flat walls. Earlier I had made quick work of laying the backer board for the tile floor as described in my previous post but wanted a bit more time before I had to contend with bending the copper. Once that was started there was no turning back and I needed just a little more time to work through the calculations and process in my head.
While trying to seal up the upper walls for the new bath area I had an unexpected visitor. A raccoon had broken through the screen on the porch door attracted by the smell and lure of dry cat food and after not being able to find his way back out again decided to climb the walls seeking a quick escape.
This was the third time in the past two weeks the little #$&! had broken in. The last two times he had managed to get in through a loose screen door on a window. This time he busted the wire screen on the door and destroyed much of the molding around the screen digging through. Before it would be in the wee hours of the night when the little bandit broke in and snarfed down the food- this time the bold little shit came in while I was plastering.
The walls of the existing bathroom are flat and I had textured them and painted them with various tones of rust giving it a warm rustic feel. As I wanted to carry part of that into the new area I decided to do much the same on parts of the existing flat wall area. These areas included around the window as well as the upper area above the tub and door. Above the tub I would be installing slate that would go up to about 8′. Above the slate up to the apex on two sides would be the plaster work.
I also decided that I would change the color from the rust to shades of deep forest, moss and sage greens. If the colors didn’t work I could always change them. My concern for using the rust is that almost the entire bath would then be of that same tone when you consider that I would be installing a great deal of copper in both areas. I needed to have a stark contrast and these deep earthy greens seems to provide the best choice – for now at least.
Finishing the surface of the upper walls I would avoid possibly dripping paint or plaster onto the slate that would be installed below. It seemed to make sense to try to finish from the top down.
With that complete I now had no choice but to begin the process of hammering and bending the copper to shape my new bathtub. The tub would have to be completed and in place before the slate wall could be installed as I would be creating the flashing along the length and foot of the tub that will have to go behind the backboard and tile so as to prevent water from dripping behind. Needless to say the tub would be a permanent fixture and I have one shot to get it right or abandon the plan.
In the next installment I’ll position and install the structural base for the custom copper bathtub.
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