Know thy self. masterbuilder.

Hello I am the Zenbuilder. I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks for all the support you have given me on my website and blog- I mean 30,000 visits a month that's phenomenal! Thank you very much. And now for my next act I will beat the living daylights out of a the custom mantel from yesterdays blog. Don't worry mantels are actually inanimate objects and it's totally legal to give them a severe "Barnaby Jones" style butt-kicking! ( This activity is also known as distressing the wood.)

Home improvement, extreme makeovers.

Hi there! I just came up with a great idea for a reality show, it's called extreme makeover meth-amphetimine addition. It's going to have crazy strung-out speed-heads trying to work together and build something with materials that they find in their travels- night and day? Well back to my reality, the mantel job is just cruising along and looking good, as you can see from the latest photo.

Here is the walnut plank that is the mantel!

Mantel, Fireplace

Hi did you have a nice Memorial day break? I didn't. There was no baseball with my son this weekend- bohoo! Here is a progress photo of the mantel/stone job. I have nothing more to say right now except, "Wow that Three Rivers stone looks great!

Mantel, fireplace, Stone mason.

Hi! We are working on the natural stone part for the fireplace today. You all know that i am a Master-Carpenter- home builder, but I am not a Stone Mason. So I have decided to have a real Stone mason come by the site for a consulting visit. The owner was opposed to the idea, but I assured him that it was well worth it. Being a carpenter to me masonry is like Flintstones carpentry. There is a lot of free form looseness about the process

Side projects. Crucifix board.

Hello we are working on the fireplace job today and I will post a photo soon. In the mean time feast your eyes on this prototype skateboard - it's called a crucifix board and it generates solid energy wherever it goes... all you have to do is believe. You know like Celine Dion.

Mantel building. Custom Fireplaces.

Hello there I just started a mantel job that has grown to include stone veneering of an existing fireplace. Yesterday we did the demo and I got to play the part of the "boy in the bubble" as we had to plastic off the entire area. On this particular jobsite I officially go by the name Mantel Williams. ( I like it better than mickey mantel) A quick background on this job. We are completely renovating this house and the owner has graciously allowed us to do it in phases over a long period of time. Once we finish the interior we will proceed with the exterior. I will photo doc this fireplace - mantel job. Oh yeah when you are a master-builder it's amazing how fast one can demo something. You know there are two types of demolition- first is what we do surgical demo, more thought beforehand and less elbow-grease to actually do it. Then there's day-laborer or inexperienced style- ya know just flail away at it until it's beaten into submission. This technique usually results in other unintended things being demoed, and other mistakes. There's just no substitution for experience!