It is currently 28 Mar 2024, 20:20

Self Build Orangery

This is where we don't want anything but evidence of your finest wood butchering in all its glorious, and photograph laden glory. Bring your finished products or WIP's, we love them all, so long as there's pictures, and plenty of 'em!

Re: Self Build Orangery -Footings poured

Postby Norty Raskel » 05 Sep 2017, 18:24

Well I can relax now, concrete is in, the torrential rain I could have done without though, everywhere is a disgusting mud bath.
CIMG1315.JPG
(501.45 KiB)


Unfortunately, the shuttering collapsed in the well, but I had rounded my quantities up to ensure I didn't run out so I had enough despite the collapse.

A quick clean up outside and then an evening off to recover
User avatar
Norty Raskel
New Shoots
 
Posts: 86
Joined: 11 Jan 2016, 10:37
Location: Stoney Stanton, Leics
Name: Jon

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Andyp » 05 Sep 2017, 18:36

:eusa-clap: :eusa-clap:

How much time do you have for this? Is it weekends and evenings only?
I do not think therefore I do not am.

cheers
Andy
User avatar
Andyp
Petrified Pine
 
Posts: 11718
Joined: 22 Jul 2014, 07:05
Location: 14860 Normandy, France
Name: Andy

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Norty Raskel » 05 Sep 2017, 20:08

Hi Andy,

Yes that's pretty much it, I took a weeks holiday last week to get things started, but yes predominantly evenings and weekends and I'm likely to lose the evenings soon now the nights are drawing in.

I'd like to get the roof on before the worse of the winter hits and I've several more weeks holiday to use up to try and achieve this.

Jon
User avatar
Norty Raskel
New Shoots
 
Posts: 86
Joined: 11 Jan 2016, 10:37
Location: Stoney Stanton, Leics
Name: Jon

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Andyp » 05 Sep 2017, 20:12

Then I wish you luck and lots of fine weather.
I do not think therefore I do not am.

cheers
Andy
User avatar
Andyp
Petrified Pine
 
Posts: 11718
Joined: 22 Jul 2014, 07:05
Location: 14860 Normandy, France
Name: Andy

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby jules70 » 05 Sep 2017, 22:18

Well done for getting the concrete in. Onwards and upwards !
jules70
Seedling
 
Posts: 42
Joined: 17 Jun 2016, 23:43
Name:

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Rod » 05 Sep 2017, 22:20

I bet that's a relief.
Does this work involve The Party Wall Act?

Rod
User avatar
Rod
Old Oak
 
Posts: 4471
Joined: 21 Jul 2014, 21:34
Location: Winchester, Hampshire
Name:

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Norty Raskel » 06 Sep 2017, 08:59

Hi Rod,
Yes it does, I had to get two agreements in place with my neighbour, one to cover the building of a structure against his wall and the second to cover the excavation of footings within close proximity (3m I believe) of his building.

He's a pretty chilled out chap, so signed the agreements without any issues, he might not I have been quite so quick to sign if he had known there were very little to no footings on his building :shock:

Jon
User avatar
Norty Raskel
New Shoots
 
Posts: 86
Joined: 11 Jan 2016, 10:37
Location: Stoney Stanton, Leics
Name: Jon

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Norty Raskel » 09 Jan 2018, 19:18

Happy New Year to everyone.

Well I'm embarrassed to say 3 months have passed since the last update, and so little progress in that time.

To bring you up to date, I left the foundations around a week to harden up and then did my best to clean off the slime that had formed on top. It was quite thick in places. I then strung out my lines again and tranfered the corners down to the foundation. It became obvious I hadn't been too accurate with my digging of the trenches as one of the walls sits along the edge of the foundation and not 75mm from the edge as I had planned. I'm pretty sure the error has come about because the digger wasn't sitting level as I dug, so although I broke the surface bang on the line, the further I dug down the more I moved away from the line.

Anyway, I used Mike's method of cheap frogged LBC bricks for the first coarse so I could i chip the frog down if my levels weren't spot on. In reality, I think only two bricks need thinning down and the rest were laid conventionally, albeit a few with quite a thick mortar bed beneath them. Once I was happy with the levels of the first courses (inner and outer walls) I moved onto bringing up the levels with dense concrete blocks.

B72CC8EC-5F83-4B87-B0FE-E6E91DD9DC1B.jpeg
(222.4 KiB)

364A5F69-93E7-4352-A70F-2BA6AB9AC331.jpeg
(228.96 KiB)




Once I reached the point where I needed to move to facing bricks, I back filled between the blocks with a lean mix of concrete and angled the surface to direct any moisture in the cavity down and out towards the outside wall. This was strangely quite satisfying as it gave a very neat and tidy appearance to the wall - well for a short period anyway.
CIMG1322.JPG
back fill
(443.17 KiB)


I was then ready to move onto the facing brick, so I started building a corner.
fullsizeoutput_69.jpeg
corner
(381.47 KiB)


The above picture though doesn't tell the full story, that must have been the 6th or 7th time that corner was built. It really tested my patience and I admit the air was blue at times. Initially I was finding the mortar was firming up literally the instant I put the brick down, there was no way I could tap the brick in position, it was like working with exhaust gum. I was working with a combination of things I'd never used before, all because I wanted to use a light coloured mortar. I was using silver sand, instead of my usual building sand, snowcrete instead of the normal Portland cement and Lime which I'd never used before.

My first mistake was not to use plasticiser, I thought the lime aided the workability of the mortar so left out my usual liquid admix. A quick e-mail to Mike and he pointed out my error, so I knocked up a new mix, this time with plasticiser and before laying the brick I dunked them in a bucket of water. This seemed to help so a built up a corner 3 or 4 courses and went to bed feeling slightly better. The following morning though the lightest of touches and the brick came free, it was also clean of mortar so they had been no "suction" to the brick. Back to the drawing board then. I suspected the silver sand, despite the fact that it's marketed as a light mortar alternative so I mixed a batch using my regular dark red building sand, but although the mortar felt better in the hand/trowel, it felt "fatter", ultimately it didn't result in a stronger bond.

Feeling pretty dejected by now, I spent an evening researching on the internet and came across an article highlighting the issues with clay bricks and their water absorbency. It stated it was necessary to soak the bricks in a tub for a long period (overnight) and actually gave examples of brick layers doing to this onsite (which I found hard to believe). So with nothing to lose, I tried it, and with a little refinement it worked!! :eusa-clap: The first courses of bricks were still too wait when laid, which caused the mortar to run and stain the bricks so I Ieft them long after removing them from the tank (kiddies paddling pool) so the surfaces were dry and that solved that problem. So my technique now is the night before I load the tank with bricks, 1st thing in the morning I take them all out and place on a wooden pallet while I go and mix mortar and get my tools ready etc and about an hour or so later I'm ready to lay bricks. It's a bit of a faff but it's working for me, I'm not a quick brick layer so I'm working with small batches of bricks each time anyway.

So this is where I am at now, the short wall is up to DPC level, the long wall just needs finishing up to the same level, unfortunately recent weather here at the weekends as either been too cold to lay brick or torrential rain of biblical nature, so more frustration.
CIMG1316.JPG
damp proof course
(435.68 KiB)

CIMG1317.JPG
other wall
(522.44 KiB)


The wall adjacent to the neighbours will be block work, but I'm going to have to be a little creative with the bolster chisel and the angle grinder to get round the step in the wall.
CIMG1320.JPG
tricky
(384.75 KiB)

CIMG1319.JPG
tricky 2
(344.86 KiB)


I did say earlier on in the thread that I wanted to have the roof on by Xmas, well...................... I just didn't state which Xmas :eusa-liar:

The forecast for this weekend is for slightly milder weather so I'm hoping I get all walls up to DPC by the end of the weekend.

Jon

PS Sorry for the first two sideways photos, I tried everything to get them the right way but gave up in the end.
User avatar
Norty Raskel
New Shoots
 
Posts: 86
Joined: 11 Jan 2016, 10:37
Location: Stoney Stanton, Leics
Name: Jon

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Mike G » 09 Jan 2018, 19:47

I was wondering how you were getting on, Jon. Thanks for the update.

You've done well to get face brickwork done through the winter, and I'm glad you've sorted the mortar/ brick moisture level issue out. As I say so often, brick laying is really easy once the mortar is right. You'll be really grateful when you can get an oversite poured: no more mud!
User avatar
Mike G
Sequoia
 
Posts: 9834
Joined: 30 Jul 2014, 22:36
Location: Suffolk
Name:

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Malc2098 » 09 Jan 2018, 20:19

Good going, Jon!
Malcolm
User avatar
Malc2098
Sequoia
 
Posts: 7208
Joined: 03 Jul 2016, 11:10
Location: Tiverton
Name: Malcolm

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Andyp » 09 Jan 2018, 21:00

Great progress, all things considered, and we are well used to Christmas completion dates around here. ;)

First two photos turned around.

When using an Apple device to take photos try to make sure the volume buttons are at the bottom of the device, landscape mode.
I do not think therefore I do not am.

cheers
Andy
User avatar
Andyp
Petrified Pine
 
Posts: 11718
Joined: 22 Jul 2014, 07:05
Location: 14860 Normandy, France
Name: Andy

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Norty Raskel » 09 Jan 2018, 21:40

Thanks Mike, Malc and Andy for getting my pictures facing the right way :eusa-clap:

The weather is really frustrating at the moment, we're having so much rain, the garden/lawn is a mudbath and I'm trying avoid walking on it as much as possible, but we have two young dogs now and we have to let them out regularly. The interior of the house is just as much a building site as the outside, as you've seen Mike, so we're not yet house proud, but yes mopping muddy floors is a daily chore.

It was because of the dogs I left as much of the patio down as possible but now I've seen the height that door will sit, it's going to be quite an effort to dig out the floor and barrow it out after the walls are complete.

On a different note, I spent some time today trying to source some Sapele for the window cills, the 4m single length I require is proving difficult to find, but one supplier has offered me oak for slightly more, although I have no direct experience I've read in several places oak doesn't take paint too well so how suitable is oak for an exterior painted window cil, or should I pursue the Sapele route. I'd be interested in others views.

Jon
User avatar
Norty Raskel
New Shoots
 
Posts: 86
Joined: 11 Jan 2016, 10:37
Location: Stoney Stanton, Leics
Name: Jon

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby RogerS » 09 Jan 2018, 22:06

I think you'd be OK with linseed oil paint.

http://www.linseedpaintcompany.co.uk/tr ... ishes.html
If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.
User avatar
RogerS
Petrified Pine
 
Posts: 13291
Joined: 21 Jul 2014, 21:07
Location: Nearly finished. OK OK...call me Pinocchio.
Name:

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Norty Raskel » 09 Apr 2018, 21:56

Well after a seemingly never ending winter, I've lost count of how many days have been lost to torrential rain, or near sub zero temperatures, I've finally reached the milestone of finishing the facing bricks.

CIMG1339.JPG
Facing Bricks
(474.12 KiB)


The DPC gave me a little trouble, I had problems with water seeping from the mortar and staining the brick face because the DPC was preventing the brick below from absorbing any moisture, this was nothing a bit of brick acid wouldn't solve later on, and, having never laid a DPC before, I hadn't appreciated the importance of getting the front edge of the DPC lined up perfectly with the brick face, below you can see where the DPC protrudes slightly, not only is it unsightly but it also makes a neat pointed joint impossible. I'll have to carefully trim the DPC back and then repoint in a few places.

CIMG1343.JPG
DPC
(685.26 KiB)


With the facing bricks complete, I could move on to the cill sections. As the cill will be bolted to the rear of the facing bricks with heavy steel straps, I cannot start the internal block work until the cills are permanently fitted.

I contemplated machining my own cill profiles, but because of long lengths and weight of the cills I decided there was a high risk of me messing things up in my workshop, so they were outsourced to a local timber merchant. I later found out that the spindle moulder operator sneezed whilst moulding the drip groove on a 5m length and gouged a chunk out of the front of the cill. The piece was replaced at their cost so my initial decision seemed justified!!

CIMG1345.JPG
Profile
(329.71 KiB)

CIMG1344.JPG
cills
(423.03 KiB)


Once the cills are fitted, I can complete the internal block work and then move onto the roof structure and some woodwork :eusa-dance:

However, before I can bolt the main rafter to the back wall I'm going to have to deal with this, especially as the window frame will eventually be removed. I'll replace it with a concrete lintel.

CIMG1340.JPG
Window Lintel
(360.13 KiB)


I'll probably also remove the door lintel so I can reuse it over the new back door, if I can successfully clean off the old paint

CIMG1341.JPG
Door lintel
(356.77 KiB)


I think it was the weekend of the Beast from the East 2, but faced with another weekend of sub-zero temperatures and therefore no brick laying, I changed tack. I decided to remove the chimney stack below roof level, this would then provide me with internal work, removing the chimney breast to ground floor level, should I be faced with more bad weather weekends.

The chimney has had remedial work at some point, the top 3 courses had been rebuilt using rock hard mortar, I couldn't budge them with a bolster and chisel and resorted to a chisel in a SDS drill, even this was hard work.

CIMG1323.JPG
Chimney 1
(375.06 KiB)

CIMG1329.JPG
Chimney 2
(307.01 KiB)


Once below the top 3 courses, I was back to the original lime mortar which was very crumbly and the bricks could be simply lifted off by hand, in fact movement could be felt in the whole gable end wall.

fullsizeoutput_73.jpeg
Chimney 3
(206.54 KiB)

CIMG1335.JPG
Chimney Internal
(300.91 KiB)


In this rear aspect shot, you can see the chimney stack that was removed (second chimney from the left) but also the flat roof of the bathroom that enabled me to access the chimney without scaffolding. The flat roof is at least 18" thick concrete which causes us terrible condensation problems in the winter, and also restricts us with things like ceiling extraction and lighting, so eventually the flat roof will be removed and the pitch roof continued across, which is why I'm not rectifying the weak gable wall.

DSCN9462.JPG
Rear Aspect
(301.5 KiB)


The house has dual pitched rooves (Mike's approved spelling :obscene-drinkingcheers: ) and the box gutter between leaks so again this will rebuilt and covered in EPDM, when the roof work is carried out.

fullsizeoutput_6d.jpeg
Box gutter
(172.18 KiB)


Looking at the state of some of the slates I suspect both rooves will be re-slated at the same time
CIMG1326.JPG
Bathroom roof
(480.04 KiB)


Already the lighter nights are making a positive impact on how much progress can be made so I'm hopeful that things will really start motoring now.

Jon
User avatar
Norty Raskel
New Shoots
 
Posts: 86
Joined: 11 Jan 2016, 10:37
Location: Stoney Stanton, Leics
Name: Jon

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Malc2098 » 09 Apr 2018, 22:31

Good going!
Malcolm
User avatar
Malc2098
Sequoia
 
Posts: 7208
Joined: 03 Jul 2016, 11:10
Location: Tiverton
Name: Malcolm

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Andyp » 10 Apr 2018, 07:19

That's quite some progress and some nice looking bricklaying too. What would have caused a stone lintel to crack like that?
I do not think therefore I do not am.

cheers
Andy
User avatar
Andyp
Petrified Pine
 
Posts: 11718
Joined: 22 Jul 2014, 07:05
Location: 14860 Normandy, France
Name: Andy

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Mike G » 10 Apr 2018, 09:31

I like the brickwork, Jon. It's been a foul winter for that sort of work.
User avatar
Mike G
Sequoia
 
Posts: 9834
Joined: 30 Jul 2014, 22:36
Location: Suffolk
Name:

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby 9fingers » 10 Apr 2018, 09:49

You certainly have some challenges there but great progress so far!

I can't get my head found why the bathroom extension has 18" thick concrete roof? That's way OTT and is going to weigh in at getting on for a tonne per sq metre.
I wonder if it could be craned off? as breaking up in situ won't be easy or kind to the floor below.

Good luck

Bob
Information on induction motors here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dBTVXx ... sp=sharing
Email:motors@minchin.org.uk
User avatar
9fingers
Petrified Pine
 
Posts: 10038
Joined: 21 Jul 2014, 20:22
Location: Romsey Hampshire between Southampton and the New Forest
Name: Bob

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby TrimTheKing » 10 Apr 2018, 10:48

Looks great.
Cheers
Mark
TrimTheKing
Site Admin
 
Posts: 7567
Joined: 16 Jun 2014, 13:27
Location: Grappenhall, Cheshire
Name: Mark

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby jules70 » 01 May 2018, 22:58

Sorry I missed the update. Love the bricks/ brickwork. Lovely mellow appearance,

What make/ name of brick ?
jules70
Seedling
 
Posts: 42
Joined: 17 Jun 2016, 23:43
Name:

Re: Self Build Orangery - The other one!!

Postby Norty Raskel » 06 Oct 2018, 13:18

I really don't know how some of you find the time to write your excellent WIPs, by the time I've finished, often i the dark, I'm good for nothing else but hitting the sack.

Anyway, today is the first day since the spring (and that horrible wet winter) that I'm not able to get out and do some work, who would ever imagined that in the UK. It's raining heavily this morning so there's time for an update before I go out to tidy up the workshop.

The last update finished off with the completion of the facing bricks, before I complete the inner course of blocks, I needed to screw the cill section to the back side of the facing bricks. This caused me some headaches with the cills that join at 90degrees, as my original plan was to attach the restraint straps to the underside of the cill and then sit the cill on folding wedges to level before drilling into the facing brick and plugging and screwing the strap. However, a combination of a mitred corner with long dominoes and the wall ties fouling on the restraining straps meant there was not enough wiggle room to get the mitred joint connected. So Plan B was put into action, I set all the straps to the facing bricks setting the height of each strap using a laser level. The cills were then lined up on top of the straps and the position of each mark on the underside of the cill before removing all the straps from the wall and attaching to the underside of the cill. With the help of a couple assistances, we lift the whole cill section, mitre joint connected high up over the wall to clear the restraining straps before lowering down into position. Bingo!! Everything lined up perfectly and all that was needed was to fill the underside of the cill with mortar and point up.
CIMG1365.JPG
Restraining Straps
(496.98 KiB)

CIMG1364.JPG
Mitred Joint
(361.39 KiB)

CIMG1366.JPG
Homemade Sapele Domino
(292.18 KiB)


Now the cill was fastened I could complete the inner block work.
CIMG1375.JPG
Inner Block Work
(318.95 KiB)


In the above picture, the block work is finished up to DPC level, but on this build I won't be using a DPM, the floor make up here will be recycled foam glass followed by a 100mm limecrete floor. The gaps between the foam glass (which looks like BBQ charcoal) prevents any capillary action and therefore provides the moisture break required. The system is LABC approved, although my inspector had never come across it, and I've specified 220mm of foam glass which provides a U value of 0.2W/(m2k). The limecrete floor isn't strictly necessary in the orangery, in fact it's a more expensive option, however, two rooms downstairs have have had concrete floors poured with no DPM fitted, and all this does is drives the moisture into the walls and so we suffer terrible damp problems. The one room with the original floor (quarry tiles laid on ash) is perfectly dry. The house is covered in a concrete render and this is just preventing the brickwork from ever drying out, the render will be removed and replaced by a breathable lime render. As I'm installing underfloor heating through out the house, all the floors will be dug up and replaced with a breathable limecrete floor.

Back to the extension, before I could bolt the main joist to the rear wall of the house, I needed to replace the cracked stone lintel that was shown in my previous post. Fortunately the lime mortar made it an easy task of removing the lintel and some surrounding bricks, before replacing with a new concrete lintel. This wall will become an internal wall and plasterboarded so the ugly concrete lintel won't be seen.
IMG_0789.JPG
Lintel 1
(383.03 KiB)

IMG_0790.JPG
Lintel2
(336.17 KiB)

fe081e23-4870-4870-9af4-a7fad4bc1ca5.jpg
Lintel complete
(163.67 KiB)


At this point I could order some wood!!
IMG_5665.JPG
Wood
(469.42 KiB)


I managed to place a special order for a 7.2m length of 47x 247 so I could do the rear joist in one piece, but boy was it heavy. I screwed some blocks to the rear wall so I could support the beam whilst I drilled the holes for the 12mm rawlbolts. I've never used resin fixings before but with hindsight this job was crying out for them, I lost count of how many times that beam was lowered and then lifted back into position. A 12mm hole was drilled in the wall via the predrilled holes in the beam, the beam was then lowered to open the holes up to 18mm to take the rawl bolts, the beam was then lifted back up, only to find the rawlbolts were spinning so was lowered again so I could tighten and set the anchors hard into the brick work before finally lifting the beam back into position for the final time. I'm sure resin fixings would have been easier. All this on one of the hottest days of the year. I could barely lift my knife and fork at the end of the day!!!!
21b7ebb5-b421-4ba1-a883-bad985375d3a.jpg
Rear Beam
(185.83 KiB)


Getting to the point of ordering wood had taken the best part of 10month since the footings were dug, however the main structure went up over a couple of weekends which made the project visually take a big leap forward.
IMG_0802.JPG
Frame corner
(342.03 KiB)

CIMG1388.JPG
Frame 1
(638.54 KiB)

CIMG1389.JPG
Frame 2
(624.25 KiB)

IMG_0817.JPG
Frame & Joists
(377.09 KiB)

IMG_0818.JPG
Joists
(294.26 KiB)


The timber yard delivered 10 sheets of 18mm OSB for the roof sheathing whilst I was out and unfortunately placed it right in front of my workshop door, blocking access, so rather than move them and then move them again later I cut them all to size and place them on the roof, however they all need lifting to fit the firring pieces across the joists to give the correct fall to the roof.
IMG_5691.JPG
Roof boards
(327.04 KiB)

IMG_5689.JPG
Lantern
(225.33 KiB)

IMG_5688.JPG
Interior
(317.1 KiB)

IMG_5693.JPG
Overview
(376.14 KiB)


Well that brings us bang up to date, I want to get the insulation and the EPDM on the roof before the weather changes for the worst, I'll then probably wrap the structure to keep the winter weather at bay, before migrating to the workshop to make a start on the roof lantern and windows.

That is after I've tidied and made room in the workshop....................

Jon
User avatar
Norty Raskel
New Shoots
 
Posts: 86
Joined: 11 Jan 2016, 10:37
Location: Stoney Stanton, Leics
Name: Jon

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Malc2098 » 06 Oct 2018, 14:12

Nice work.
Malcolm
User avatar
Malc2098
Sequoia
 
Posts: 7208
Joined: 03 Jul 2016, 11:10
Location: Tiverton
Name: Malcolm

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Mike G » 06 Oct 2018, 14:33

Looks great Jon. Well done.
User avatar
Mike G
Sequoia
 
Posts: 9834
Joined: 30 Jul 2014, 22:36
Location: Suffolk
Name:

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby Rod » 06 Oct 2018, 14:48

Looking good

Rod
User avatar
Rod
Old Oak
 
Posts: 4471
Joined: 21 Jul 2014, 21:34
Location: Winchester, Hampshire
Name:

Re: Self Build Orangery

Postby RogerS » 06 Oct 2018, 15:25

Cracking job, that man. How many Weetabix did you need to keeplifting that chunk of wood ? I know I couldn't.

Your upstand construction for the lantern is also interesting. How will you face it off ?
If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.
User avatar
RogerS
Petrified Pine
 
Posts: 13291
Joined: 21 Jul 2014, 21:07
Location: Nearly finished. OK OK...call me Pinocchio.
Name:

PreviousNext

Return to Projects & WIP

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests