circa 1800 cottage, internal wall question

[joechip]

With my place I can't get into the attic as it's just a small roof space without proper safe access and my walls are stone and about 1.5 feet thick so the window location is about the only area I can bring it in.

 

[Ian Bond]

My aerial cable runs down into the cellar, via the window. I just put a short piece of plastic conduit in the corner between the top of the frame and stone lintel. The pipe's angles downwards toward the outside, so as not to encourage any rainwater to run inside - not that it has much of a chance to do that anyway, given the deep recess that the window is in.

The junction between the frame and wall/cill/lintel is sealed with a linseed and sand mastic. Given the position of my cellar window, the point where the cable enters is not easily visible. You could always seal around the cable entry point with mastic to disguise it further.

 

[Penners]

joechip - just in case you're not aware of this: wherever you decide to bring the co-ax into the house, remember always to have it approach its access hole upwards. Run the cable down to a point, say, 3 inches below the level of the hole, then form a U so that it travels vertically upwards to the hole. This prevents rainwater from running down the cable and into the access hole.

 

[MdB]

That's a tip worth remembering. Thanks Penners.

 

[Penners]

It's always good practice for any cable that enters your house - co-ax, mains, phone, etc.

 

[joechip]

Thanks again for your advice guys.

I've just booked up for a 1 day Introduction to Lime course at Ty Mawr in April.

 

[Nemesis]

Oh well done.

Also consider a SPAB Homeowner's course - not as many this year as there used to be, so book early.

One in Brecon June.

http://www.spab.org.uk/html/education-training/courses-for-homeowners/

 

[Ian Bond]

Yes, do let us know how the course goes. You will have plenty of scope to practise your plastering skills on your house.

 

[joechip]

Oh well done.

Also consider a SPAB Homeowner's course - not as many this year as there used to be, so book early.

One in Brecon June.

http://www.spab.org.uk/html/education-training/courses-for-homeowners/

Thats very interesting, thanks for bringing that to my attention.

I'm always a little worried that because I am not very practical, would I benefit from such knowledge but on the other hand perhaps this is the reason I should be attending, so I can start to turn that around. I've just checked my schedule and can fit it in!

 

[Nemesis]

You don't have to be practical - it's a lot of interesting and useful people talking also, with time to pick brains.

 

[Matt Green]

I hear the guy giving the damp and timber talks is especially interesting*.

*May be interesting only as part of a beer-induced miasma.


Matt
-big website update today, BTW

 

[joechip]

I hear the guy giving the damp and timber talks is especially interesting*.

*May be interesting only as part of a beer-induced miasma.


Matt
-big website update today, BTW

Hi Matt,

Can you please have a peek at my worm holes :shock: on page 3 and perhaps give me your opinion on what could be eating away. It's not a solid wood beam, it's an old rsj that was boxed in with oak. Thanks if you can offer any advice.

 

[Matt Green]

Is that new oak boxing?

The oak isn't great quality- it has a lot of sapwood. The bands at the top and bottom of the piece shown in side view show the damage is only in the sapwood sections, but that they are quite large. If it's newly fitted it's powder post beetle (Lyctus). They are a woodyard pest of unseasoned oak, thay leave the wood after the first year of service: the eggs were laid in the wood when it was newly felled and sawn. Now they've emmerged and gone they shouldn't trouble you again. No treatment required, just make the piece look at a little more pleasing to the eye if you feel the need.

If not then then it furniture beetle and that piece has got wet, or is still wet enough for the insects to survive in, and the beetles are emmerging. Any brush applicable insecticide with permethrin as the active ingredient will deal with it: you only need treat the sapwood sections.

That first picture shows the difference between the durability of sapwood and heartwood really well, and the advantages of good quality timber over thin-section sappy bits. Not much to worry about though.

Hope that helps,


Matt

 

[Nemesis]

Er yes wow...

http://www.ridoutassociates.co.uk/latest.htm

http://www.ridoutassociates.co.uk/articles.htm

So - SPAB finally is scraping the barrel... who else is talking?

 

[joechip]

Ok, thanks Matt, that's very interesting. I think the cover has been on the beam a few years now but i'll check with family and see if anyone remembers when dad put it up there.

and thanks Nemesis for the links, i'll have a read.

 

[joechip]

Well onwards and upwards.

I've now attended the introduction to Lime course at Ty-Mawr and understand more about the application of Lime. I have also found a local lime plasterer but still want to try some of the pointing myself. However, it would now seem this is not so straight forward as I presumed due to the amount of time needed to keep the lime pointing moist so that it does not dry out after application.

I'm wondering about others experiences with this as far as internal pointing goes. How long did you damp down for after the pointing was applied and when did you trowel or brush off any excess lime, if at all. Most of my pointing will be covered as I'm just pointing and plugging holes before plaster is put up but we are thinking about leaving one chimney wall in the 'snug' lime pointed and left.

For the record I can highly recommend the Introduction to Lime course but advise anyone thinking of attending to take warm clothes and a wolly hat if they attend at anytime other than summer as those outbuildings sure are cold and drafty! I was frozen... :shock: You will get lime on your clothes also during the practical parts of the course so don't turn up in that new cashmere coat.

 

[joechip]

deleted.

 

[joechip]

Hi to all, still at it here, been busy lime pointing for what seems like months and that is only the smaller of the two rooms! Had the fireplace taken out two weeks ago and am left with a nice inglenook for a stove. Nothing out of this world as it's just a stone labourers cottage but all the same am very pleased with the result. Will post a proper update and pics soon.

 

[Schoolmarm]

Oh yes pics would be lovely. Did you manage to keep it damp until it set? And how?

Well done for actually getting stuck in.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Joe - pics would be lovely.

Am just about finished inside now, and am looking at all the horrendous cement pointing outside and thinking... hmm... shouldn't take more than a couple of weekends (which means years).

Can you talk us through what you learned about pointing?

Thanks

Robin