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Treating the timber trusses

The Blanchon oil arrived last week from Peak Oak and I painted a small patch to see what impact it has on the colour of the oak.  Just as planned. It is the natural finish, but it did look dark when I painted it on.  It takes 6 hours to dry.  It hasn’t really lighten up very much as it has dried, so I am in two minds about it.  Even leaving it to dry for 3 days hasn’t made that much difference.

I would like to get the oak sealed before the plasterers start any work.  Otherwise, there is a chance that we will get plaster (and/or paint) on the oak and it will be very difficult to get off.

The architect is on site tomorrow, so I will seek some guidance before doing anything else.

New windows

The weather has been very changeable over the past few days, but nevertheless all but 4 of the 36 windows are installed.  The foam and DPC needs to be trimmed and mastic applied, but we should be done by the end of Wednesday.

We are still deliberating over the window catches, but to be fair this is more of a case of choosing ALL of the hardware (door handles, light switches, power sockets etc) rather than a specific issue relating to window furniture.

The DPC and foam has still to be trimmed and mastic applied.  This photo also shows the colour of the new lime based pointing.

The DPC and foam has still to be trimmed and mastic applied. This photo also shows the colour of the new lime based pointing.

A DPC (damp proof course) has been inserted between the stonework and the windows.  The windows are then strapped to the stonework and foamed in.  This will later be trimmed and a stone coloured mastic applied.

A DPC (damp proof course) has been inserted between the stonework and the windows. The windows are then strapped to the stonework and foamed in. This will later be trimmed and a stone coloured mastic applied.

There is still quite a bit of work to do specifying the finish on the inside of the windows.  However, the architect is well on with this. Most of the windows have an exposed stone surround between the inside of the window and the stone wall.  This will allow us to be angled panels into the recesses (just like they were originally).

There is still quite a bit of work to do specifying the finish on the inside of the windows. However, the architect is well on with this. Most of the windows have an exposed stone surround between the inside of the window and the stone wall. This will allow us to be angled panels into the recesses (just like they were originally).

Most of the windows are now installed in the front of the property.  By the time we get to the end of the week, all of the windows will have been installed.

Most of the windows are now installed in the front of the property. By the time we get to the end of the week, all of the windows will have been installed.

We still have the downstairs rear windows to install, but we are making progress.

We still have the downstairs rear windows to install, but we are making progress.

Progress on the rear of the property

With the windows all installed, our attentions have moved to getting the openings sorted out for two pairs of large doors at the rear of the house.  I always knew that there were big (particularly after having seen the quote for supplying them!), but I hadn’t realised quite how big until I saw the openings – each door is over a metre wide.

The ashlar surrounds for the window at the rear and the two openings for the doors was around £3,000 (just for the materials).

Where openings have been walled up, there are now some stones that need to be sandblasted.  It just mean getting the sandblaster out again, but he is relatively local and doesn’t seem to mind.  It shouldn’t take long to sort out these odd patches.

The gas board have also disconnected the gas supply so that we can move the pipework at the front of the house.  This leaves black marks on the stonework where the sandblaster could get to the stonework as the pipes were in the way.  This can all get picked up when he comes back.

The windows are all in and they are covered on the inside with some lightweight plastic to protect them while the inside of the property is being plastered.

The last of the wagons collected the waste spoil in Friday and the site is starting to look altogether more tidy.

The last of the wagons collected the waste spoil in Friday and the site is starting to look altogether more tidy.

We have now replaced the ashlar above the window to the left.  The window head is now the same thickness as the other windows, but the stones that have been used to wall it up need to be sandblasted.  There are two pairs of doors at the rear and the stone surround for the first of them has gone in.

We have now replaced the ashlar above the window to the left. The window head is now the same thickness as the other windows, but the stones that have been used to wall it up need to be sandblasted. There are two pairs of doors at the rear and the stone surround for the first of them has gone in.

The newly rebuilt extension is looking really great.  Still a bit of tidying up to do and some pointing, but we are definitely getting there.

The newly rebuilt extension is looking really great. Still a bit of tidying up to do and some pointing, but we are definitely getting there.

Now all of the windows are in, we have covered the insides with a lightweight plastic to protect them while the inside is being plastered.  The windows were installed with the final coat of paint already on.

Now all of the windows are in, we have covered the insides with a lightweight plastic to protect them while the inside is being plastered. The windows were installed with the final coat of paint already on.

Extension roof complete

I have been down in London for the past couple of days and it is always great to come back and see the progress on the house.  The builders always seem to make more progress when I am not here!  I wonder why!

Anyway, the roof is finally complete on the rebuilt extension.  We were held up for a few days after the wrong size Velux rooflights were delivered.  Anyway, the correct ones arrived earlier in the week and the roofers returned to finish off the job they had started.

It looks really nice and it very light inside.  We have double the size of the window in the wall and increased the size of the rooflight and then put in two instead of one!  Much of the window sizing was based on what was there previously (although there was never a rooflight).  The problem with this approach is that this part of the building was a coal hole!  There was no point in rebuilding it to have a very modern coal hole.  It was easier enough to increase the window sizes.  Since none of the windows overlook anyone else, or in fact can be seen by anyone, we didn’t need to go back to Planning.

When I get some time, I will take some photos from the inside.

The roof on the newly re-built extension has been completed.  The Velux windows finally arrived a couple of days ago which meant that the roofer could get on and finish the job (despite the rain!).

The roof on the newly re-built extension has been completed. The Velux windows finally arrived a couple of days ago which meant that the roofer could get on and finish the job (despite the rain!).

Treating the oak trusses

The large oak trusses in the existing property have been sandblasted and were treated at the weekend for woodworm and associated problems.

The question now is Do we leave the beams as they are? Or treat them in some way?

We don’t really want to change the colour of them, but it would be good to seal the wood a bit to make it less prone to picking up dust and dirt.  Something that would accentuate the grain with a matt finish would be ideal.

Peak Oak recommended Blanchon Maintenance Oil (http://www.peakoak.co.uk/blanchon-maintenance-oil.html).  I have ordered a tin so that we can try out a small test patch first.

Inside number 9.  You can see the King post truss and the tenon joints (with pegs) that join the purlins to the principal rafters.

Inside number 9. You can see the King post truss and the tenon joints (with pegs) that join the purlins to the principal rafters.

New windows have arrived

The new windows arrived today.  All hardwood and already painted the finished colour – Sandolin Superdec Jungle Green.

We only managed to get two windows in today, but there will be more carpenters onsite tomorrow, so hopefully progress should be a bit quicker.

To be fair, we have had some big thunderstorms today and this has hampered progress.  The weather forecast is improving for the rest of the week.

The windows arrived around mid morning today.  Around 4 in total.  It will probably take the next 3-4 days to fit them all.

The windows arrived around mid morning today. Around 4 in total. It will probably take the next 3-4 days to fit them all.

We only managed to get two windows in today.  It took half a day to get the windows to where they were going.

We only managed to get two windows in today. It took half a day to get the windows to where they were going.

The foam around the window will need to be trimmed.  But this is the first window to go in.....

The foam around the window will need to be trimmed. But this is the first window to go in…..

Outbuildings – sandblasted

With the sandblaster back on site at the weekend to clean the newly rebuilt extension, we have taken the opportunity to get the outbuildings (aka shed) sandblasted too.  This will help it fit in with the main house.  The photos below show the before and after pictures.

The outbuildings before being sandblasted.  I have had to remove the small wall here to make sure that we can get to all of the side wall.

The outbuildings before being sandblasted. I have had to remove the small wall here to make sure that we can get to all of the side wall.

The outbuildings after they had been sandblasted.  They now need to be pointed to make them fit in with the rest of the buildings.

The outbuildings after they had been sandblasted. They now need to be pointed to make them fit in with the rest of the buildings.

More sandblasting….

Now the stonework on newly rebuilt extension is complete, we need to get it sandblasted.  This needs to be done before the new windows are installed on Monday – as part of the sandblasting process we are cleaning the stone window frames removing any signs of the previous windows.

As well as sandblasting the new extension, we have also taken the opportunity to remove any marks where the scaffolding had been.  Due to the scaffolding poles being so close to the building, there were patches where we couldn’t clean the building until the scaffolding had been removed.  We also sandblasted the old outbuilding.  This had some of the darkest stone on site and no longer looked as if it were part of the same set of buildings anymore.

This was a long day – from lunchtime through to 8:30pm. I was glad when it was all over.  But the end result looks great.

You can see the stonework on the newly rebuilt extension that has been cleaned.  We are now giving the outbuildings a clean so that they fit it with the rest of the property.

You can see the stonework on the newly rebuilt extension that has been cleaned. We are now giving the outbuildings a clean so that they fit it with the rest of the property.

This is a noisy and messy job.  Hence doing it on a Saturday afternoon while none of the builders are on site.

This is a noisy and messy job. Hence doing it on a Saturday afternoon while none of the builders are on site.

This ashlar window surround was originally upstairs in the front of the building and we have "repurposed" it for a set of windows in the rebuilt extension. The stone work has already been cleaned, but we are now taking off the remanants of the sealant used for the original windows.

This ashlar window surround was originally upstairs in the front of the building and we have “repurposed” it for a set of windows in the rebuilt extension. The stone work has already been cleaned, but we are now taking off the remanants of the sealant used for the original windows.

The newly rebuilt extension and the outbuildings have been sandblasted to get them to "fit together".

The newly rebuilt extension and the outbuildings have been sandblasted to get them to “fit together”.

The first door in the outbuilding (the one that is higher than the rest) is the original toilet for the property.  This dates back to around the 1700's.  The large green plastic toilet dates back to 2012.  By the way, it is purely coincendental that the green toilet doors - old and new - are the same colour.

The first door in the outbuilding (the one that is higher than the rest) is the original toilet for the property. This dates back to around the 1700’s. The large green plastic toilet dates back to 2012. By the way, it is purely coincendental that the green toilet doors – old and new – are the same colour.

Faulty ashlar

We are using stone surrounds for all of the window openings.  Just as it would have been in the original cottage.  We have removed some of the newer “Artstone” window surrounds and replaced them with ashlar.  Artstone is a man-made aggregate product (a posh name for concrete!).

Unfortunately, one of the window surrounds at the rear of the property seems to have developed a very blotchy appearance.  We have decided to return it to the quarry and not pay for it.  It will be replaced with new stone from a different quarry (the same one we have used for the other ashlar windows that have not developed a fault).

While the ashlar has been removed, the masonry above is held in place using 3 acrows with “strong boys” (metal platforms) attached.  It doesn’t look great, but the new ashlar should be back in place on Monday.  Just in time for the new windows to be fitted.

This looks a bit precarious with 3 acrows holding up the masonry above, but I am told it is quite safe.  All the faulty ashlar has been removed and the new cill has been fitted.  We need to let the mortar set on the new cill before fitting the rest of the ashlar.

This looks a bit precarious with 3 acrows holding up the masonry above, but I am told it is quite safe. All the faulty ashlar has been removed and the new cill has been fitted. We need to let the mortar set on the new cill before fitting the rest of the ashlar.

This was fitted about 3 weeks ago and in the last week or so has turned all blotchy. It is going back to the quarry and the replacement ashlar has already (from a different quarry).

This was fitted about 3 weeks ago and in the last week or so has turned all blotchy. It is going back to the quarry and the replacement ashlar has already (from a different quarry).

We have replaced a number of the ashlar window surrounds and this is the first to go "blotchy".  It wasn't like this when we put it in, but it looks as if there is something in the stone that has oxidised over time.

We have replaced a number of the ashlar window surrounds and this is the first to go “blotchy”. It wasn’t like this when we put it in, but it looks as if there is something in the stone that has oxidised over time.

The scaffolding is gone

And the house looks very different.  The rebuilt extension is going to be sandblasted tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon.  We are doing the sandblasting at the weekend since it isn’t really possible for anyone to work on site while the sandblaster is working.

The new windows are being installed on Monday, so there is quite a bit of work to be done this weekend in preparation.

The scaffolding was removed today to reveal the front of the property.  There will be a new porch built to the left, hence, this part of the building has not been sandblasted.

The scaffolding was removed today to reveal the front of the property. There will be a new porch built to the left, hence, this part of the building has not been sandblasted.

With the scaffolding gone, you can see the rear of the property.  The large set of 4 windows on the ground floor are going to be replaced as the new ashlar has a fault in it. Ho hum.

With the scaffolding gone, you can see the rear of the property. The large set of 4 windows on the ground floor are going to be replaced as the new ashlar has a fault in it. Ho hum.

The work on the roof of the rebuilt extension has ground to a halt as the wrong Velux windows were dispatched.  The correct ones should be with us on Monday when the roofing work can recommence.

The work on the roof of the rebuilt extension has ground to a halt as the wrong Velux windows were dispatched. The correct ones should be with us on Monday when the roofing work can recommence.

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