Gleaming Counter Top

No castle is complete without counter tops so shiny you could shave in them.

My solution to keep the cost and weight down was to cut square granite tiles to measure to cover the counter.

Plywood base.

Cement board layer so the tiles adhere better.

The castle's granite counter!

How it will look assembled with the stove top and sink in place.

While we are on the subject of the kitchen, I've just installed the collabsible table. Here is a peek at that:

Progress Report III: The Kitchen

I've put my productivity into high gear as I would like to have the motor castle finished and on the road by my birthday, December 5! Last week I stained all of the cabinet boxes. This weekend my brother, Dave, more popularly known as "Hodoka Dave", helped me install a granite counter and build cabinet doors. Hodaka is a multi-talented carpenter/plumber/electrician/know-it-all/kind of guy and I love him to pieces and appreciated every minute with him this weekend. This week we are finishing the cabinet doors.

Meanwhile, here are some progress pictures of my kitchen.
Slide out pantry shelf with rails and varying shelf heights to hold different sized items.

Close up of pantry. This tucks conveniently into the wall for storage.



Curved cabinet above the counter. I curved it so you don't bump your head upon entering the door.

The tile I am going to line the wall with and the stove hood.

Curved counter and slide out cutting board.

I primed all of the wood walls and here is a closer taste of what the eating nook will look like. The benches are hollow and the cushion will be removable so you can use this as a storage space.

Progress Report I: Spray Foam Insulation & Custom Cabinetry

So far I have gutted the motor home, sprayed the inside with closed cell spray foam insulation and have begun building custom cabinetry.

"The advantages of closed-cell foam compared to open-cell foam include its strength, higher R-value, and its greater resistance to the leakage of air or water vapor." (1)

"Closed-cell foam would be a good choice where small framing sizes need the greatest R-value per inch possible." (1)

For more information and to compare closed cell vs. open cell spray foam, please refer to this article on SprayFoam.com

Here are some photos showing my progress.
This is the exterior. I have opted to eliminate the rear door and window to allow for a larger shower and rear bedroom.

This is the opposite side. Here I have opted to remove one of the windows towards the front to allow for a better living room layout and room for more custom cabinetry.

Here I am standing with my back to the dashboard, looking down the center passage of the motor castle. To the left is my custom kitchen. The cabinet is curved for ease of movement. It also has a cutting board that slides out. There will be a sink, a stove top and a microwave. To the right is the eating nook. Down the center to the left is the space for the shower, to the right the toilet and to the back a large master bedroom.

This is a picture of the eating area with built in benches.

(1) Closed Cell vs. Open Cell Foam , available at: http://www.sprayfoam.com/spps/ahpg.cfm?spgid=6 on November 12, 2009.