Jeremy/Bonnie Hellman on tue 15 jul 03
Not so in my experience! Clogged drains have not been a problem in my
studio.
We put 2 drains in my cement studio floor, and they drain to the outside
(same as my studio sink). We have an end cap with a grid of about 1/4" at
the end of the drain pipe, which allows water out, and keeps critters from
getting in. This type of end cap is available at most hardware stores.
Periodically we remove the end cap and clean out the clay pieces that
accumulate to keep the water flowing.
The drain in the sink and the ones in the cement slab make it possible to
clean whatever in the sink (nothing toxic, of course) and to clean the
studio floor using a hose and squeegee.
Having 2 drains in a 550 square foot studio means that the sloped floor
isn't too severe. Depending on the size and shape of your studio, you could
have 3 or 4 drains, all connected to the one drain pipe.
BTW since this studio is at 8800 feet in Colorado, we also put a lot of
insulation under the cement floor, AND I have in-floor heating. When my feet
are cold in the winter, I take off my shoes. When it gets warm in the
studio in the summer, I open all the windows for good ventilation, using
"natural" air conditioning.
I also put a lot of electrical outlets 3 feet off the floor, so I don't have
to worry when I use water to clean the studio floor. I even have a few in
the ceiling above the center of the studio, above a work table, just in
case.
Steve Branfman included my basic layout in his book, although I made a few
changes since then. I second the idea of having windows, particularly if you
have a nice view. I also think that putting wheels on as many things as
possible is another great idea. Vince Pitelka and others have often said
that whatever size you make your studio, you'll grow to fill the space and
wish you had more, which I find to be true.
When I need something to be completely level, I use shims and a level to
make the surface 100% level.
When I thought I had my studio plan complete, a number of generous
clayarters reviewed my plans and commented. This was excellent, as I made
several changes, and was again forced to consider how I planned to work.
One other thought. If you can possibly put a toilet in the studio, it's
really convenient to not have to clean off clay when nature calls.
Also, be sure you allow enough storage space for clay and glaze ingredients.
Enough is probably more than you think.
Bonnie
----- Original Message -----
From: "Snail Scott"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 5:54 PM
Subject: Re: Planning a Studio
> At 05:34 PM 7/15/03 -0400, you wrote:
> >Other than that, if you can manage a floor drain, you will be that much
more
> >ahead of the game...
>
>
> Not for me, thanks! They are just begging to get clogged
> up, especially if imbedded in a concrete slab. And I
> would never again have a sloping floor. Not a problem for
> throwing, maybe, but a real pain in the ass when building
> large sculpture that needs to look vertical when finished.
> I've tried working from all directions (I use lazy-susan
> work pedestals), but it still wreaks havoc with my sense
> of 'up'.
>
> I second your preferences for natural light, though, along
> with white walls, lots of electrical service, and climate-
> appropriate heat or cooling. And for new construction,
> insulation is worth every penny - use lots!
>
> -Snail
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
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> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
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>
Snail Scott on wed 16 jul 03
At 09:51 PM 7/15/03 -0600, you wrote:
>We put 2 drains in my cement studio floor, and they drain to the outside
>(same as my studio sink)...
>Periodically we remove the end cap and clean out the clay pieces that
>accumulate to keep the water flowing.
Bonnie-
Hoe long is your pipe, from drain to outlet, and
what is its slope?
My experience with floor drains is mainly in
institutional buildings, where they cease to work
almost immediately, and thereafter serve mainly
as a source of noxious smells.
I'm willing to believe, though, that a short,
straight run of pipe with an adequate slope and
an accessible outlet might be viable thing.
-Snail
Jeremy/Bonnie Hellman on wed 16 jul 03
Snail,
You've probably described the "how-to-do-it-right" when you ask about the
length of my studio drain pipe and its slope. We told our very excellent
plumber what we wanted and got it done right. I'd guess the pipe is no more
than 20 feet long and the slope is enough to keep the water running downhill
and out the pipe with none left in the pipe to fester or breed mosquitoes.
The answer is that having drains to the outside is a good idea that has to
be done right, like everything else in this world. Not only should it
"look good" but it has to be fully functional for its intended purpose. This
means the pipe must continuously run downhill for all the water to drain
out.
I'm sure it helps that my studio is not at the lowest point on the land. I
don't know that this would work if you couldn't easily drain the water above
ground. Remember that clay is used to line toxic waste ponds because it
forms a non-porous liner. Perhaps you would want need to raise your studio
level a bit above ground. However, this is just a thought since my
architectural degree has not yet arrived in the mail ; do consult a
professional.
IMHO it's the same thing with sliding glass doors. Yes, I'm sure that some
sliding glass doors are cheaper than some windows. But if you've every
fought with poor quality sliding glass doors or windows that either don't
open or don't stay open, I think you'd choose to economize in other ways
when you're building. When we built my studio from scratch, we put a lot
of money into the foundation, to give maximum insulation (since cold cement
is tough on the legs and body), and a lot of money into the roof with
insulation (since I didn't want my heat in winter to go through the roof),
and a lot on windows because I wanted a lot of well-insulated windows. It
was all money well spent IMHO.
As a friend commented to me, it's a lot easier to design your second studio,
after you've designed and lived in your first studio and know what works for
you. This is why I really appreciate the excellent advice I received on
clayart (search the archives!) and from clayarters off linen when I was
designing my first and only studio.
Bonnie
----- Original Message -----
From: "Snail Scott"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 10:22 AM
Subject: Re: Planning a Studio-floor drain
> At 09:51 PM 7/15/03 -0600, you wrote:
> >We put 2 drains in my cement studio floor, and they drain to the outside
> >(same as my studio sink)...
> >Periodically we remove the end cap and clean out the clay pieces that
> >accumulate to keep the water flowing.
>
>
> Bonnie-
>
> Hoe long is your pipe, from drain to outlet, and
> what is its slope?
>
> My experience with floor drains is mainly in
> institutional buildings, where they cease to work
> almost immediately, and thereafter serve mainly
> as a source of noxious smells.
>
> I'm willing to believe, though, that a short,
> straight run of pipe with an adequate slope and
> an accessible outlet might be viable thing.
>
> -Snail
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
psci_kw on wed 16 jul 03
----- Original Message -----
From: "Snail Scott"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 12:22 PM
Subject: Re: Planning a Studio-floor drain
> At 09:51 PM 7/15/03 -0600, you wrote:
> >We put 2 drains in my cement studio floor, and they drain to the outside
> >(same as my studio sink)...
> >Periodically we remove the end cap and clean out the clay pieces that
> >accumulate to keep the water flowing.
>
>
> Bonnie-
>
> Hoe long is your pipe, from drain to outlet, and
> what is its slope?
>
> My experience with floor drains is mainly in
> institutional buildings, where they cease to work
> almost immediately, and thereafter serve mainly
> as a source of noxious smells.
>
> I'm willing to believe, though, that a short,
> straight run of pipe with an adequate slope and
> an accessible outlet might be viable thing.
>
> -Snail
>
One thing I forgot to mention in suggesting a floor drain (interesting the
conversation it has sparked though :>)
is that if your drains (trapped or not ) are connected to a septic system
(as opposed to a city sewer system), one should
NEVER, I repeat NEVER put clay or clay muddied water into them. It clogs
the leach field, and pretty soon, what you flush from WHATEVER fixture will
be bubbling back up onto your lawn!! Nothing quite like the smell of raw
sewage at 4 AM in July, trust me on this...
The idea of having a clay bucket for pre-rinsing first is an excellent idea.
I wish I had thought of it years ago, instead of having to spend $7K having
the leach field tiles replaced. This is how we learn (sigh).
Wayne in Key West
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