Today I finally finished framing out for and assembling the bulkhead door. Wood used was yellow pine (mostly scraps and salvage, with the exception of one 2x4 stud) and some surplus cypress tongue in groove. Most of the wood had been sitting around in a shed for over a decade, so a bit of restoration was required. This is to say I burned the snot out of it with a blowtorch, gave it a quick pass with the palm sander, and rubbed it down with oil.
Finishing wood with fire and oil is called Shou Sugi Ban, and is a traditional Japanese method of treating and preserving wood. I’ve got no idea if I’m doing it according to tradition, but I do know that it is the single quickest and most effective (not to mention satisfying) method I’ve found for going from rough lumber to a finished surface.
The door itself is made from cypress tongue in groove- leftovers from the room addition we did back in the mid 2000’s. It was a bit dusty and had some surface mildew, but fire sorted that right out.
Still to do:
- Install diagonal brace
- Fabricate and install door stop (door contacts the ceiling in the last few degrees of travel when opened)
- Install some sort of latch
And of course, I still need to finish out the bulkhead and do a LOT of cabinetry work under the counters.