As promised, I have an update on my house build. The trusses have been up and braced and done for a little while, I’ve added the overhangs for the gable ends, and I’ve framed in the top frame for the skylights, though not the channels down to the ceiling below.

I’m thinking I may hire a crew to do the sheeting of the trusses rather than do it myself, and maybe I’ll even have them put on the metal roofing. That’s hard work and if I can bring in a whole crew and they can do it in a week or two, that gets me toward the finish line.

Meanwhile, I’ve been working on some other jobs. I am using semi-transparent stain to stain and seal the wood frames for the trombe walls, the posts and beams for the porch and entrance, and the inside beam.

For the trombe walls, I added inset frames to mount the trombe wall glass, and I colored the inside wall areas behind where the glass will mount. I think the general idea that people do there is to buy foil like flat Relflectix, paint the outside black, and glue it to the wall in that spot.

Rather than do that, I bought some black concrete/mortar pigment and coated the inset wall areas with black mortar/stucco base. I didn’t trust the idea of using foil that’s meant to insulate since the idea of the black tint is to pull in heat, and the block wall will store the heat and radiate it very effectively. Also, the trombe wall glass is 1" thick double pane patio replacement window glass, so it should help keep the heat inside from radiating back out again.

I’m planning to mount the windows with a flexible construction adhesive meant for exterior windows. Depending on how that mounting goes, I might add a small frame on top of the whole thing using 1x3 or 1x4 to help keep the frames in place and prevent the adhesive from taking too much direct sunlight.

I’m still waiting on the last of the windows, and I need to order a rear door. Once those things are in and the roof is on, I can have the plumber and electrician come and finish their work. I’d like to get all of that done in July, then I can stucco the outside and start finishing the inside. I could be close to being done by the end of July.