Weeks Eleven and Twelve - concrete left to set

Weeks Eleven and Twelve

 

The builders have left us for a couple of weeks to finish another project and allow time for the concrete floor to set.  They are due back on Monday 2nd November.

 

Week Ten - no builders on site

Week Ten.

 

We are without the builders now until the beginning of November. It is to allow the concrete floor to set plus they have another project to finish, then it is half term.

 

Concrete floor down left to set and scalpings on ground and in steps ready for Cotswold stone dressing at the end of the project.

View of the steps

Week Nine - floor going down

Week Nine.

 

Rain prevented work on Monday and Tuesday, but Dan and Jack worked hard in bringing scalpings in for the floors inside the buildings and for the area immediately outside plus infilling the steps on their return on Wednesday. I was at work all day so came back to find the concrete floors mostly down. On top of the scalpings went a layer of sand, then Ecotherm insulation and steel mesh, then the concrete - so they have achieved a huge amount today.

 

I missed getting photo's of all the layers under the concrete as it all happened in one day - when I was away at work!

Base wall going in

Week Eight.

At the end of week eight,  the beginnings of the base wall were put in as the weather forecast for early next week looks pretty bad. The bricks from the old church hall look great.

The first courses of the base wall go in.  The new floor level will be level with the top brick

Re-pointing wall complete

Week Eight.

 

Dan and Jack finished re-pointing our side of the wall today and put the capping bricks back on. They say that the wall is now much more stable which is great news. Dan finished off Laura's side with a lovely curve which wasn't there before and it looks fantastic. 

 

Capstones going back on

Fence panels painted

Week Eight.

 

I managed to find half a tin of Cuprinol Garden Shades in 'Willow' which I had used on the fence three years ago. The paint was in perfect condition and I was able to put two coats on the fence panel which had been previously hidden by the old shed.

 

Outline of old shed visible in the painted fence. You can see how much bigger the new shed is going to be!

Fence panel repainted

Fence panel back in situ

Week Eight - re-pointing the wall

Week Eight.

 

Work started on re-pointing the wall today. A mix of 3 parts builders sand, 2 parts a paler creamier sand, 0.5 parts of lime and the same of cement.  We mixed up a few variations and dried them out in the oven to get an idea of their final colour and I was really happy with the mix above. One was far too grey and another was too white. The mix we are using is creamier and has a warmth. I was helping out Dan and Jack by following on behind them brushing and stippling the mortar after it had partially dried but before it sets hard. It gives a lovely aged and authentic appearance.

 

Access platform in place to give access for re-pointing

Re-pointing using a hand pump with nozzle and traditional trowel

Bricks and capstones

First view of the wall after re-pointing