The pavilion gets the last of the countertops installed before its first debut

Our work on the timber frame pavilion at the Clear Creek Festival grounds has come to a happy ending. We have fulfilled our responsibilities and commitments, now that the frame is raised, the roof decked and metal roofing installed, and the countertops and sinks put in. I’ve gotta say, it’s so nice to be done…

Check out some of the latest photos here.

Decking the Timber Frame Pavilion

Immediately after the frame was raised and the purlins put in place, we began with installing the decking. We were fortunate to use some lovely air dried white oak 1x boards. Originally, we had planned to plane the visible side, but due to time restraints, we decided against it. I’ve got to say, though, that I don’t really mind. The band-sawn boards look pretty darn good as-is. A nice coat of raw linseed oil and turpentine brought out the natural color nicely. Planing all of that wood may have been a bit overkill anyway, given the outdoor nature of things here.

A look up at the white oak decking from inside

A solid pair of pipe clamps made installing the boards nice and flush much smoother, and the metal roofing itself went up without a hitch. We decided to put down a layer of ice & water shield underneath as an extra layer of protection for the decking and frame.

Gotta love that white oak…

It’s lovely to walk into the pavilion and see nothing but oak, mmhmm.

Installing Counters and Sinks

Jacob did a fine job taking care of the countertops and sink installation. He used leftover white oak for the counters, and Bob and Carrie had some really nice blue tile for areas around the sink. The sinks themselves are big ol’ cast iron farmhouse-style basins, nice and durable and definitely up to the task of an outdoor kitchen setting. On a side note… the water for the sinks comes directly from the spring on the property. They are gravity-fed, no pump necessary here. Gotta love that.

Nice sink and tile detail here

One of the two heavy duty cast iron sinks

Some nice grain patterns in this oak countertop

This pavilion will serve as an outdoor kitchen during the annual Clear Creek Festival, and various other events that property owners Bob and Carrie throw during the year. In fact, the kitchen was used a mere day after the countertops and sinks were installed. A meal for a 140 people was prepared and cooked in the kitchen  for a big community theater piece. It was a whole lot of fun… the culmination of weeks of work and energy from a host of many, many people, including a big group from New Orleans (who performed their CryYouOne piece the two nights prior). What an awesome weekend.

It will be really fun to see how the timber frame kitchen evolves and continues to have a life of its own. There are but a few finishing touches remaining, namely a floor (likely paving stones), some more permanent lighting, and shelving and hanging space for cooking tools have yet to be implemented.

Corner braces detail in the kitchen pavilion

Looking at the braces from the outside of the frame

Having now finished this timber frame project, it’s hard to resist thinking about the next one… oh boy.