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Mike's ext'n & renovation (sunroom stone floor & plinth)

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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (Setting out brickwork)

Postby Mike G » 01 Nov 2014, 08:18

I'll leave it for a few others to post first before I give any answers, but I can say that the bricks aren't engineering bricks. In fact, they're the cheapest bricks I could find.
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (Setting out brickwork)

Postby Andyp » 01 Nov 2014, 08:28

Mike G wrote:I know how much you all like a little quiz question, so here's a couple for you. Here is a drawing of the section through the plinth of the extension:

Image

1/ Which brick will I lay first.......A, B, or C?

2/ Why is there a course of bricks under the block courses?


1/ A or B

2) To spread the load of the blocks

What's holding up the insulation between B&C?
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (Setting out brickwork)

Postby Mike G » 01 Nov 2014, 08:35

The insulation is held in place by the wall ties, which are every 2nd course of blocks (ie 450mm apart vertically, plus 900 horizontally)
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (Setting out brickwork)

Postby StevieB » 01 Nov 2014, 09:01

B first

The bricks are easier to level than the blocks, so a first row of bricks takes out any discrepancy in the foundation pour?

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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (Setting out brickwork)

Postby 9fingers » 01 Nov 2014, 10:02

From the point of view of getting levels established then laying B first and building up to the timber, but then you will have to move bricks block and muck to the inside to carry on risking knocking the edges of the openings.
So I'd plan to always be working from the outside and lay the inner skin first C and shortly followed by B leaving A much later as it looks to be purely decorative.

As B is only a few courses I presume you will be then pushing ahead with C to get some sort of roof on ASAP to protect from the worst of the weather.

That said, I expect you have a well thought out strategy that could run in opposition to convention - exactly why we like your topics here!

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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (Setting out brickwork)

Postby Rod » 01 Nov 2014, 10:04

I'd go with Steve but why use cheap bricks I always thought the ones "underground" had to be durable, engineering types?

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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (Setting out brickwork)

Postby Mike G » 01 Nov 2014, 10:07

Yep, Steve's got it spot on.

It is very difficult to get a foundation perfect, and it is easier to build up a mortar course under a brick, or to chop a brick down a bit thinner (buy one with a deep frog), to get to coursing. Trying to adjust a block by say 10mm would be very difficult indeed.

"B" because it is the critical one for the timber frame. A is essentially decoration. Besides, blocks are easier to get exactly right than bricks.

Bob..... the timber frame supports the roof, so I'll crack on with B, then the frame, then the roof, before doing the inner blockwork skin "C". Doing masonry in the complete dry is a luxury not many bricklayers ever experience!! "A" can happen at any time, but I don't like leaving jobs too far out of order, so i won't leave it long.
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (Setting out brickwork)

Postby 9fingers » 01 Nov 2014, 10:15

Mike G wrote:Y
Bob..... the timber frame supports the roof ...


Ah! I did not realise that. My only experience has been with traditional brick and block building where the inner block skin carries the roof.

Learning all the time! - not that I anticipate any more building projects now. I plan to leave this property in a box, probably of my own making if that is not too macabre :lol:

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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (Plinth started)

Postby Mike G » 01 Nov 2014, 18:34

I only got half a day on site today. I quickly finished the setting out left from yesterday, and made a gauge rod:

Image

Sorry the photo doesn't show up well.....it's only a piece of wood marked up at 65mm & 10mm intervals, denoting brick and mortar courses.

I didn't show this a few days ago when I did it, but it's important. It is the levels peg for the extension floor. By putting a spirit level through a window and measuring down I transferred finished floor level to the peg, then marked down 75mm for screed, 100mm for insulation, giving me the critical SSL (structural slab level). That peg will stay in place for months.

Image

A whole lot of render fell off the old plinth today, and this is why:

Image

They'd rendered onto soil. I'm pretty sure that's not the right thing to do......

Then it was time to knock up some mortar and lay some bricks. :)

Remember what I said about being able to adjust bricks easily if the foundation concrete isn't perfect?

Image

Frogs up where the levels are fine:

Image

Frogs down where I have chopped the bricks and need to get them low:

Image

Here's one corner done:

Image

And another:

Image

It doesn't look much for 4 hours work, but I'm happy with that. The important thing (for me anyway), is that it is accurate.
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (brickwork and puzzle)

Postby Mike G » 08 Nov 2014, 17:35

I've been very slow. The weather hasn't helped, and I've had to do one or two other things, but I thought I would update the thread with a progress report.

Here is where I have got to:

Image

Here is the start of the fireplace:

Image

An overview, from the top of a step ladder:

Image

Right, I know how much you all like something to puzzle over. Can anyone explain what is going on here:

Image
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (brickwork and puzzle)

Postby 9fingers » 08 Nov 2014, 17:48

Are you fitting an air intake for a woodburner to save burning pre-warmed air.

If you have not thought of this, it is well worth putting in at this stage.

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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (brickwork and puzzle)

Postby RogerS » 08 Nov 2014, 17:58

9fingers wrote:Are you fitting an air intake for a woodburner to save burning pre-warmed air.

If you have not thought of this, it is well worth putting in at this stage.

Bob


I think it's the Dutch who have twin concentric flues where they draw down air to feed the fire from the top of the flue and so it's already been warmed by the hot air going up the inner flue.

Mike..pardon me for asking but I'm surprised that you are having a fire. Surely that creates lots of draughts etc/ heat loss etc?
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (brickwork and puzzle)

Postby Mike G » 08 Nov 2014, 18:11

9fingers wrote:Are you fitting an air intake for a woodburner to save burning pre-warmed air.

If you have not thought of this, it is well worth putting in at this stage.

Bob


Bugger. That was quick. That's exactly what this is: an opening in the blockwork for the vertical element of a duct bringing in fresh air to the underside of a woodburning stove.
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (brickwork and puzzle)

Postby TrimTheKing » 08 Nov 2014, 18:12

Without going back through the thread, didn't he say earlier it was a fake fireplace…?

:eusa-think:

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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (brickwork and puzzle)

Postby Mike G » 08 Nov 2014, 18:17

RogerS wrote:......Mike..pardon me for asking but I'm surprised that you are having a fire. Surely that creates lots of draughts etc/ heat loss etc?


Roger, there will only be a fake fireplace in the lounge, albeit properly built with an oak bressumer. It is actually structural, holding up a major beam which supports the 1st floor and the roof. The woodburner will have a flue, and is room-sealed. In other words, you would have to open its door to let cold air into the house. These super-insulated houses are so efficient that sometimes the underfloor heating is a sledgehammer to crack a nut. We will probably be able to be without central heating until after christmas typically with a tiny woodburning stove. It will have a direct connection to the air supply (ie, not draw any air from the room, as it has a spigot on the bottom which fits directly in the air supply pipe)
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (brickwork and puzzle)

Postby Andyp » 08 Nov 2014, 18:24

Thats what I was going to say but it took me so long to write on the iPlod that there were at least 3 replies when I came to send it.
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (brickwork and puzzle)

Postby 9fingers » 08 Nov 2014, 18:29

RogerS wrote:
9fingers wrote:Are you fitting an air intake for a woodburner to save burning pre-warmed air.

If you have not thought of this, it is well worth putting in at this stage.

Bob


I think it's the Dutch who have twin concentric flues where they draw down air to feed the fire from the top of the flue and so it's already been warmed by the hot air going up the inner flue.

Mike..pardon me for asking but I'm surprised that you are having a fire. Surely that creates lots of draughts etc/ heat loss etc?



Getting flue temperatures right is an artform. Too cool and the either fire wont draw or the liner gets tarry deposits leading to flue fires and too hot is inefficient.

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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (oversite preparation)

Postby Mike G » 15 Nov 2014, 22:20

I was just cracking on with the masonry, but around Wednesday or Thursday last week got utterly fed up with wading around in mud.......so decided on a change of tack. I am going to get the concrete base down ASAP, so that I have somewhere solid and clean to work on. This meant putting a couple of pipes in (one foul drain, one air supply pipe for the woodburner), filling in the gaps in the hardcore, doing some shuttering, then blinding the site with sand, and finally putting some polythene down.

Batteries went flat on me, so I only have these two photos. Firstly, the utility room base, showing shuttering on the right, the foul waste surrounded by pea-shingle, and some hardcore:

Image

Secondly, the blinding started on the two storey part of the building. Note the shuttering set 6 or 7" off the side of the existing house. This is to enable me to dig out foundations underneath the existing house when I come to renovating it. This is going to mean some interesting temporary junctions between new and old.

Image

Since then, I have spread, tamped, and levelled the sand. The area of concrete I am going to pour is 55.4 sq metres. Six cubic metres (the contents of a concrete lorry), divided by 55.4 sq metres equals 108mm, so this is the depth of concrete I need to lay. To achieve this, I cut a notch out of the end of a long length of 6 x 1, attached my spirit level to it, and using the notched part on top of the brickwork and formwork, I worked the sand until it was exactly 108 mm down all over, and level.

Tomorrow I lay the plastic DPM, and start preparing a chute for the utility room base, which is hard to get concrete to. Then concrete on Tuesday, and resume brickwork on Thursday.
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (oversite preparation)

Postby StevieB » 16 Nov 2014, 09:31

Looking good Mike, especially given how wet (and Foggy) it has been here for the last week or so.

I will be interested to see how you manage the foundations you mention on the existing build - 6 inches is not a lot of space to work in!

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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (oversite preparation)

Postby Frank » 16 Nov 2014, 11:12

Best of luck with your concrete pour Mike, from the looks of the up coming weather you will need some luck.
I'm just hoping for a good frost on my brussels before Christmas.


Kind regards,


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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (oversite preparation)

Postby Mike G » 16 Nov 2014, 11:40

StevieB wrote:I will be interested to see how you manage the foundations you mention on the existing build - 6 inches is not a lot of space to work in!

Steve


Well, you've spotted the hardest thing about this whole job, Steve. I am hoping that I can remove the existing plinth in sections, knock the pegs out of the M&T joints, take the timber away to first floor level (in sections), and having previously removed the existing floor slab, then have plenty of room to get a mini digger in to dig a footing. 225 + 150 each side is 525.......and I will only need a 400 wide footing, so if everything falls into place, I should have loads of room. Then rebuild the plinth, and put the timber back where it came from.

One suspects that may all be wishful thinking. Until I bash all the render off the existing house, I won't know what I am dealing with, so until then this hangs over me like the sword of Damocles.
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (oversite preparation)

Postby Mike G » 16 Nov 2014, 11:41

Frank wrote:Best of luck with your concrete pour Mike, from the looks of the up coming weather you will need some luck......
Frank


Thanks Frank. I've picked Tuesday because the forecast is good for here.
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (oversite preparation)

Postby Rod » 16 Nov 2014, 11:50

Good luck especially doing building work this time of year.

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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (oversite preparation)

Postby Mike G » 16 Nov 2014, 14:20

Rod wrote:Good luck especially doing building work this time of year.

Rod


Thanks Rod. Once that concrete is in the ground, I'll be out of the mud. A week or so of bricklaying, a week or two of timber framing, and then I'll be building the roof......and after that the weather can do what it likes.
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Re: Mike's extension & renovation (DPM)

Postby Mike G » 16 Nov 2014, 17:22

Here is the blinding all but finished. After this I just tamped it with a scaffold board to get it flat and firm.

Image

I mentioned yesterday my little jig for getting the sand (and thus the concrete) to exactly the right depth. Well here it is:

Image

The next job was the DPM (damp proof membrane: a plastic sheet under the concrete slab to prevent moisture penetrating the building from below). There is a little bit more to this than meets the eye, particularly if there are joins, as in this case. The plastic sheet is 4 metres wide. This meant 4 pieces across the width of the extension, thus 3 joins. Now, joins are supposed to lap a minimum of 150mm and be taped, but mine lapped about 600mm simply because of the size of the footing and the plastic. There was no point reducing the lap and putting the spare in the bin, so big laps.

When laying the sheet, ask yourself where the concrete is being poured, and lap the sheets in such a way that the flowing concrete isn't trying to push under the next sheet as it flows over a join. Think of it as wanting the concrete to flow downstairs, rather than upstairs. You also have to have lots of slackness in the polythene, because the concrete will stretch and pull it into every corner, and the last thing you want is a rip. Mine is quite an awkward shape, so lots of folding, and lots of slack. Weight everything down with some blocks when you have it in the right position, then tape up the joints with the specialist tape made for the purpose:

Image

Image

Note the large amount of plastic fixed up the wall of the existing house. This is to make a good lap with the new slab under the existing house in the future, but also to keep concrete out of the 6" void that I mentioned yesterday. I want that clear.

Annoyingly, the brand new plastic seems to have a few manufacturing flaws like this:

Image

The repair involves taping a large patch, about a foot square.
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