Corkscrew shaped skylight tunnel. - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

bob_cntrctr · 05-25-2009, 09:59 AM

Gentlemen,

This will be my first time posting pics. Done mostly in response to this thread:

http://www.contractortalk.com/f49/curved-stairs-58473/

Similar story here - the skylight is the width of one rafter, but the opening in the ceiling is to be two rafters wide. That means that one of the tunnel wals has non-parallel top and bottom, creating a corkscrew surface, like the bottom of the stairs in that thread. I hadn't thought of the metal stud trick, so it's framed in 2x4's but with the same idea - lots of breaks around the curve, fitted pieces, then smoothed with compound.

Note that this is done not in drywall but in Hardiboard. This skylight is directly over a shower in a cold climate - it's going to spend a lot of time covered in moisture, so the Hardi should resist that well.

With the angle between even neighbouring studs changing from top to bottom, the Hardi board had to bend to conform to the corkscrew shape. On these small sections, it bent just fine, so long as I used lots of screws to hold the edges flush. Even with that, though, it was impossible to make the face of the studs do the same without some fancy milling, so some edges did stick up more than I'd like and it required several passes with the compound to get the surface smooth.

Lots of fun figuring the cut angles for the framing.

bob_cntrctr · 05-25-2009, 10:00 AM

Next steps.

bob_cntrctr · 05-25-2009, 10:01 AM

And next again.

bob_cntrctr · 05-25-2009, 10:01 AM

And all done

willworkforbeer · 05-25-2009, 10:12 AM

Why? Because I can, thats why.

Rockhound · 05-25-2009, 10:53 AM

Awesome

. I hope the pay was awesome too!

sparehair · 05-26-2009, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob_cntrctr

And next again.

Very nice work. did you caulk the seams between the hardi before you seamed em? what kind of compound did you cover with, anything besides normal joint compound?

bob_cntrctr · 05-30-2009, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparehair

Very nice work. did you caulk the seams between the hardi before you seamed em?

Nope.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparehair

..what kind of compound did you cover with, anything besides normal joint compound?

And, Nope.

greg24k · 05-31-2009, 08:24 AM

Is this what customer wanted and requested to be done this way?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob_cntrctr

Gentlemen,

This will be my first time posting pics. Done mostly in response to this thread:

http://www.contractortalk.com/f49/curved-stairs-58473/

Similar story here - the skylight is the width of one rafter, but the opening in the ceiling is to be two rafters wide. That means that one of the tunnel wals has non-parallel top and bottom, creating a corkscrew surface, like the bottom of the stairs in that thread. I hadn't thought of the metal stud trick, so it's framed in 2x4's but with the same idea - lots of breaks around the curve, fitted pieces, then smoothed with compound.

Note that this is done not in drywall but in Hardiboard. This skylight is directly over a shower in a cold climate - it's going to spend a lot of time covered in moisture, so the Hardi should resist that well.

With the angle between even neighbouring studs changing from top to bottom, the Hardi board had to bend to conform to the corkscrew shape. On these small sections, it bent just fine, so long as I used lots of screws to hold the edges flush. Even with that, though, it was impossible to make the face of the studs do the same without some fancy milling, so some edges did stick up more than I'd like and it required several passes with the compound to get the surface smooth.

Lots of fun figuring the cut angles for the framing.

curapa · 05-31-2009, 09:51 AM

Ive seen ton of walls like those. The illegals do them like that all the time here.

Jason W · 05-31-2009, 10:17 AM

Why Hardie board and not dens glass? All those seams would have me worried!

greg24k · 05-31-2009, 10:53 AM

In addition, having a skylight above the shower, and the moist air hitting the glass during the cold weather, will turn the air in to a dew which will run down the glass and drip down the walls, the paint will always look like s^%t and most likely the mold will accumulate at the bottom where skylight meets the rock.

I would personally never done that, or explained to the customer and had them sign a waver releasing me from such liability if that happens.

bob_cntrctr · 05-31-2009, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curapa

Ive seen ton of walls like those. The illegals do them like that all the time here.

Fair enough, but how do you do them, if not like this?

Sir Mixalot · 05-31-2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparehair

what kind of compound did you cover with, anything besides normal joint compound?

Setting type compound would be my choice for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason W

Why Hardie board and not dens glass? All those seams would have me worried!

Yes those seams are going to be problematic w/ the hardiboard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg24k

In addition, having a skylight above the shower, and the moist air hitting the glass during the cold weather, will turn the air in to a dew which will run down the glass and drip down the walls, the paint will always look like s^%t.

You are correct. I have a skylight over my shower/tub and the dew just rolls down the walls then sits on the cornerbead where it meets the ceiling. I used a good exterior primer then 3 coats of Sherwin Wiiliams exterior Super paint (semi-gloss). Seams to be holding up pretty good since I repaired, textured and painted it 4 years ago. I gotta tell ya, I really like the natural lighting that I get from it.

willworkforbeer · 05-31-2009, 11:36 AM

I've put in a few of these http://www.solatube.net/ customers were very happy with them. Product seems a cheesy but had no problems out of them.

neolitic · 05-31-2009, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Mixalot

I gotta tell ya, I really like the natural lighting that I get from it.

How often does it drop
below zero down there?

Sir Mixalot · 05-31-2009, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neolitic

How often does it drop
below zero down there?

Never. But I bet it's 150 degrees up in there during the summer. It's like an oven.

neolitic · 05-31-2009, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Mixalot

Never. But I bet it's 150 degrees up in there during the summer. It's like an oven.

It's just that up here,
ib the winter, you get a
cold air shower too!

JamesKB2 · 05-31-2009, 08:51 PM

Moisture and condensation? How about mounting a high CFM vent fan in the tunnel, say 1/2 to 2/3rds up from the bottom. I would think that would solve that problem.

Heat rises, the steam from the shower with it, it makes the perfect vent location IMO.

bob_cntrctr · 06-01-2009, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesKB2

Moisture and condensation? How about mounting a high CFM vent fan in the tunnel, say 1/2 to 2/3rds up from the bottom. I would think that would solve that problem.

Heat rises, the steam from the shower with it, it makes the perfect vent location IMO.

Ya, I'd been thinking that very thing.