Deep, wide gap around door

[Cassie]

Good evening all. My porch project continues, and I am now a fully fledged troglodyte in my brick cave. Cement mostly off, started repairing some of the more scary-looking bricks and holes. My attention has turned to the massive gap on one side of the door frame. It’s 4” deep and ranging from 1-3” wide. Only on one side though, the other is fine
So, how to fill it? It was originally stuffed full of lime, presumably haired, but no big aggregate type stuff or stones. That’s all fallen out or was gently wafted out with a stiff brush. I’ve trawled the archives- a suggestion was slate packers then lime- sound good? Or I could maybe use some of the oak board I had to make packers for the big screws to reattach the frame? Or stuff it with stones and mortar?? The gap is on the hinge side if that makes any difference. Any help much appreciated as always

 

[malcolm]

If the gap is big enough then roofing tiles become an option. Lime tends to shrink a bit and adding something that won't shrink to bulk out the space would be sensible to reduce shrinkage gaps.

For attaching the frame I would go with wood as your photo.

 

[Cassie]

Thanks Malcolm. The frame attachment has gone very well with the wood-feels very solid. I have plenty of slates lying around. Should I stuff a bit of mortar in first at the back and then kind of butter the slate bits and slide them in? I’ve seen slates in the wall but not sure if they were laid up like bricks or pushed into the mortar

 

[malcolm]

For a gap like that just stuff it about half full of lime mortar and then stick in as many slates or tiles as will fit. They will push the mortar out to the surface. Leave the slates a bit shy of the surface so you can finish by compressing the mortar hard down for a good job.

 

[Cassie]

Thanks Malcolm, il give it a whirl!

 

[Feltwell]

Yes, roof tiles/sl;ates is a way of doing it - however - do you need to fill it? I presume it;'s going to get covered with a nice wide architrave eventually.

On the topic of architrave, if you know what was there originally then great, a local joinery shop should be able to copy it - if not then Dresser Mouldings do mail order and have a much better range than the DIY sheds and timber merchants, though they have reduced their range of late.

 

[Cubist]

On the topic of architrave, i

If I recall some of Cassies earlier photos correctly the door frame is arched? If so you may want to consider some of the heat bendable mouldings, some of which I think Feltwell discussed in a seperate post. Theres a good Youtube video on one such product that explains how it can be shaped to your needs using a standard heat gun - rather than building a steam box as I did to shape a moulding for an old round bar table.

 

[Cassie]

Thanks all. I was going to fill it for insulation purposes-not necessary? What was there (and is clinging on by a thread in one last bit!) is an arch made of very brittle white plaster with round edged wood down the sides. The windows have the same plaster arches with wooden reveals (?right word!) I must confess I hadn’t really thought through how I was going to finish it, but I probably should. To even things out, the scratch coat will need to be pretty thick, and I suspect by the end of all plastering the current wooden/plaster bits might end up level of even recessed. I guess an architrave would cover my plastering sins. Any thoughts very welcome!

 

[Cubist]

Hi Cassie,
Sounds to me like whoever it was used a standard 'quadrant' moulding pinned to the wooden frame to close /cover the mortar filled gaps between the frame and the masonry to produce a more aesthetically pleasing finish. Should be fairly easy to replicate using standard mouldings.
Cheers

 

[Cassie]

Hi cubist, on closer inspection, the wood bit is separate from the frame, attached by nails. The plaster arch is embedded in the lime plaster in the gap between the frame and the brick. As it’s mostly fallen off anyway, I can start again. The windows have fared better and I’ll try to repair what’s there as it’s mostly intact (for now anyway-was totally soggy under dry lining but is drying out!) I had a quick Google of bendable wood mouldings but it all looked like craft stuff, maybe not sturdy enough. Any recommendations? Thank you!

 

[Cubist]

Hey Cassie,

Check this video and the suppliers products in the UK.

How to Bend Architrave - Flexible Wooden Board (FWB)

Woodolex - Flexible Wooden Board For Builders, Joineryhttps://www.woodolex.com

 

[Cubist]

on closer inspection, the wood bit is separate from the frame, attached by nails.

Yes, thats standard 1/4 Round Quadrant. I'm puzzled by the plaster though. The sample you're holding is almost identical in profile to 'Ogee' moulding - which way around was this oriented in the frame?

 

[Cassie]

This is how it looks in situ

 

[Cassie]

Same around the windows

 

[Cassie]

It’s embedded in the plaster. A bit odd! Maybe it was done in situ like some cornice?? There isn’t anything else like it in the house! Either way I’ll need to put something back, thanks for sending the links, I’ll have a watch

 

[Cubist]

I think I'm right in assuming that the Quadrant moulding formed the flat surface or shelf at the edge of the timber frame and the plaster that was then used to contain the plaster as it was pressed into the cavity and formed to the finished shape using, probably, a wooden blade countoured to that design. An expensive technique but one that may be expected from a high end property of the time.

 

[Cassie]

Interesting! I watched a video of cornice being applied in situ which was fascinating-highly skilled stuff. I think this is way beyond my skill level to replace in plaster though-I’m liking the idea of bendy wood!