A one-of-a-kind treasure from Mercer Island’s Coval House is now available for purchase from Earthwise Salvage. Read on to learn all about the story of this remarkable roof system.
History of the Coval House & the Pool House Roof
The Coval House swimming pool wing was built with a commitment to unparalleled craftsmanship and the finest materials available. It took 5 years to complete. This room was designed by Robert Davey, AIA, inspired by a crayon sketch from one of the Coval children. The truss system is a traditional Japanese roof structure known as Shinzuka and is crafted in solid Bubinga, with decking in Afromosia. Yoshikuni Shimoi, a master craftsman from Japan, adapted this ancient system to the pool room. The wood was acquired in South Africa, processed in Germany, and then kiln dried in Los Angeles. A rag-tag hippie crew of 10 woodworkers labored for over 18 months to create and install the trusses, which were joined and assembled one piece at a time on site. The joinery systems are designed by Curtis Erpelding, a furniture maker with the Northwest Woodworker’s Gallery. Each Bubinga member was hand sanded and polished to a furniture grade finish. Watch this 4 minute YouTube video to learn more about the roof’s construction and salvaging.
Before the Coval House was demolished 10 years ago, this massive roof structure was saved and moved to a local church parking lot with the hope of future reuse as part of the Mercer Island Art Museum. Plans changed and now this breathtaking roof system is available for purchase from Earthwise Salvage.
Dimensions and Stats
- 4,283 Board Feet of bubinga
- Components: Truss, Beams, End Beams, Stringers, Rafter Beams, and Ridge Beam
- Dimensions as it currently sits: 26.5′ wide x 68′ long x 5.5′ tall
- Each truss is 9.5′ apart on center
What is Bubinga?
Bubinga is an immensely popular hardwood that is only grown Equatorial Africa and Western Africa. It’s known for its incredible strength and density. It is a very heavy wood product with a stunningly beautiful reddish brown appearance, often with dark purple or black streaks. It has a fine to medium texture and popularly used for premium wood veneer, fine furniture, cabinetry, decorative flooring, and tabletops.
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Contact us for more info and pricing!
Nate Janeczek
Director of Sales
Nate@ewsalvage.com
Roof system will likely have to be deconstructed for transportation.
More history and videos:
- Local coverage from the Mercer Island Reporter on the move and background. Mercer Island Reporter
- A 4-minute film by the late John Hill (MICA founder/filmmaker) about the Coval roof. YouTube
- Coval House Roof, a historical context: Coval House
