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Post by accykeef on Aug 27, 2011 16:40:42 GMT
I should have expected a comment about lead in pencils from the Ex Pat who lives on Mount Hilary in Cyprus, let's see what puns he comes up with for that one. ;D Looking at the weather first thing this morning, it seemed that not much work would be done but it came fine and I put on my brick laying head and built the small wall round the compost bin.  By the time that was done, the sun came out to play and it was all systems go with the mixer. First I did a concrete mix and filled in the gap at the back of the plinth.  and laid the remaining edging flags. The joint on the right hand one is meant to look like that although I am still not sure it looks OK.  The bits against the fence only needed a mortar mix, as did the thin strips against the garage. Not many people will be walking so close to the wall so thin strips will be no problem.  The flags between the grates were next and went down with no problem. I am getting into this wiggling flags into position lark now. There is a 2 inch gap between the flags and the old concrete so I filled that in with a sand and cement mix to make it easy to cut out when I carry on down the drive.  Earlier on I cut a piece off the square next to where the triangular bits were going. It looked wrong but now it looks right. I was a bit narked though, that there was not enough compo to put in the last triangular bit but I will do that the next time I do a mortar mix. I tried the flag in position and the existing mortar is lower than the flag's final position, so will be easy to place.  I was going to pack in at this stage but thought I would have another go with the angle grinder and cut the coping stones for the wall round the compost bin. I cut one of the square flags into strips and one flag was enough for all of the pieces but the cut edges look too smooth.  I clamped them all together and set to marking them with the angle grinder. I remembered to take a picture when there were only 2 left.  having chipped away at the edge with the hammer. This one is dry .......  but after wetting them, they look like they have been crafted by a mason.  I was getting over confident by this time and thinking the job was nearly finished, came over all smug and placed them on the wall.  Only then did I realise that the smallest piece is splitting and by the time we have had some frost this Winter, it will almost certainly have disintegrated.  I will have to cut another pieces but that is a job for next time. |
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Aug 29, 2011 18:17:34 GMT
Hi Keith. Well the bank holiday weekend is over and I hope that you have had some good weather. Not necessarily to get some work done but just to enjoy life, and time off work.
The cuts that you have had to do look great and I know about curring across the corners to change the level. Although I must admit to never having the need to do that.
I like the brick compound that you have built. It look very good and will certainly stop that Dalek roaming around.
All your work is admired by me..... The edges that you have put a pattern on and the rounding of the corner of flags..... Brilliant.
By the way I dare not make comment about Mount Hilary. Maybe I will get up there one day.
Regards. Trev..
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Post by accykeef on Aug 29, 2011 19:00:06 GMT
Chicken  The Bank Holiday came and went and it has been wild and wet. I was hoping to get the flags pointed this weekend but the weather was against us. At least I got a rare treat of watching a whole Grand Prix live while enjoying several tins of beer. It has been a long time since that happened. We went for a short walk last night, mainly to check out what work was being done on a drive lower down than us but it was very cold, so ended up just a walk round the block. (They are having block paving laid, I think - at the moment, they have laid bricks round the outside of the areas to be blocked. Either that or they are going to fill it in with ready mixed concrete. I will let you know. We have not ventured very far today and have both spent most of the day on our computers, getting some work done. |
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Post by accykeef on Sept 1, 2011 13:07:34 GMT
WednesdayA day spent cutting small pieces and generally making things look tidy  Flagging pretty much completed now and the fabulous centre piece installed. Mrs Keef doesn't like it bit it makes a really good thing to lean on.  The tomato plant keeps an eye on proceedings and I wait for them to turn a nice red colour.  ThursdayAccording to the weather foreast, it was to rain hard today, according to Mrs Keef's Nose and a piece of seaweed it was to stay fine. I am pleased to say that the nice weather won and I was able to point the flags.  Like many things about this job, I really didn't have a clue how much sand and cement it would take. I had bought 5 x 25kg bags of white sand and hoped there would be enough. I wanted to use river sand but it seems there is no call for it round here. River sand is really nice because as it weathers, small shells start to appear on the surface. Ah well, just a little compromise  I did a 3 buckets of sand to 1 bucket of cement mix and decided I would use it up and then take a photograph, I was amazed to find that what I had mixed was nearly enough to complete the job so I took a photo while there was still some loose. Once most of the cracks were filled I watered the entire area with a fine mist to set the cement working.  and played that childhood game where it is bad luck to stand on the cracks. I noticed that I had missed a few bits of pointing. More likely the sand has settled into a small void under the flag. These small holes will be filled in at a later date. 
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Sept 1, 2011 14:34:12 GMT
Hi Keith. Once again you have done a really good job. The grouting certainly makes a difference and should be fine and allow the surface water to run to the drains. You can certainly see that the flags fall that way.
It is a shame that there is not a little more sun in the UK. Both for your tomatoes and for the people to enjoy. I particularly like the orange, tree support for what ever will be planted in the centre circle.
Enjoy the fruits of your labour... get out the chairs and a table and have drinks or even lunch out there.
Thanks again for all the pictures.
Regards. Trev..
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Post by accykeef on Sept 1, 2011 15:04:54 GMT
We are regretting not having patio doors in the dining room now as it would be a lovely area to walk out onto. On the plus side, we have a clothes drying line and a radiator on the outside wall, both very useful so I expect we will manage.
If we were in a warmer climate the interior of the house would be different anyway. The Kitchen and dining room would be 1 big space and there would be patio doors to the outside.
As this is Morecambe and it gets a bit cold in winter, our cosy dining room is the warmest room in the house so we will keep it as it is. We will have a rethink if this global warming idea takes off and becomes affordable.
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Post by accykeef on Sept 1, 2011 15:12:55 GMT
I have a question - does Araldite stand up to winter weather?
The reason I ask is I need to bond some pieces of flag together and want something which will last for many years without letting in water.
I know it is good stuff cus I have repaired many a RC glider with it but does it stand up to the weather?
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mpprh
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Post by mpprh on Sept 1, 2011 15:42:38 GMT
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mpprh
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Post by mpprh on Sept 1, 2011 15:43:49 GMT
WednesdayA day spent cutting small pieces and generally making things look tidy Flagging pretty much completed now and the fabulous centre piece installed. Mrs Keef doesn't like it bit it makes a really good thing to lean on. The tomato plant keeps an eye on proceedings and I wait for them to turn a nice red colour. ThursdayAccording to the weather foreast, it was to rain hard today, according to Mrs Keef's Nose and a piece of seaweed it was to stay fine. I am pleased to say that the nice weather won and I was able to point the flags. Like many things about this job, I really didn't have a clue how much sand and cement it would take. I had bought 5 x 25kg bags of white sand and hoped there would be enough. I wanted to use river sand but it seems there is no call for it round here. River sand is really nice because as it weathers, small shells start to appear on the surface. Ah well, just a little compromise I did a 3 buckets of sand to 1 bucket of cement mix and decided I would use it up and then take a photograph, I was amazed to find that what I had mixed was nearly enough to complete the job so I took a photo while there was still some loose. Once most of the cracks were filled I watered the entire area with a fine mist to set the cement working. and played that childhood game where it is bad luck to stand on the cracks. I noticed that I had missed a few bits of pointing. More likely the sand has settled into a small void under the flag. These small holes will be filled in at a later date. Looking good ... Peter |
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Post by accykeef on Sept 1, 2011 15:53:58 GMT
Thanks Peter - just want to get it finished now before Winter sets in.
The araldite I would always choose would be the 2 tube stuff that you mix yourself, I have used loads of it over the years but never tested it in frost.
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mpprh
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Post by mpprh on Sept 1, 2011 18:54:16 GMT
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Sept 2, 2011 6:47:20 GMT
We are regretting not having patio doors in the dining room now as it would be a lovely area to walk out onto. On the plus side, we have a clothes drying line and a radiator on the outside wall, both very useful so I expect we will manage. If we were in a warmer climate the interior of the house would be different anyway. The Kitchen and dining room would be 1 big space and there would be patio doors to the outside. As this is Morecambe and it gets a bit cold in winter, our cosy dining room is the warmest room in the house so we will keep it as it is. We will have a rethink if this global warming idea takes off and becomes affordable. At least if at a later stage you do decide to put Patio doors where the window is, it is a reasonably simple job. The heads are in position over the existing window. And I know you have a big disc cutter to cut through the brickwork under the window. But boy is there a lot of dust from the cutter. And no doubt the bricks are red clay ones .... The mess can be. horrendous. As I said before Keith. The work in doing the back garden is a credit to you. Well done.....  Trev.. |
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Post by accykeef on Sept 4, 2011 16:21:45 GMT
Checking on the condition of the setting cement, the following day, revealed something rather worrying, most of the pointing had set but certain areas could be raked out very easily. To say I was mystified was an understatement.  I went round all othe joints and scraped them with a chisel. Most of them were sound but certain sections wer loose. I spent the whole of Sunday moring inspecting every joint and I raked out all the loose stuff. There wasn't a lot but it was more annoying than anything and I still wasn't sure of the cause.  The only thing I could do was go round and replace all the loose stuff. While I was doing it I think I discovered the cause of the problem. Brushing the dry mix around the flags, I got the impression that some of the cement was separating from the mix and soaking up what little moisture there was around. It makes sense to me that if this was happening, the mix which finally gets into the joints was mostly sand and would not set. I made a point of putting some new mix into each joint I did and then brushing the other loose stuff around afterwards. Whether that was the problem, I will just have to see.  As usual, I had mixed far too much compo so I threw the dry mix back into the mixer and made a mortar to create the channel down the side of the house.  The centre piece is still missing but plans are in place to create something fancy, all we need then is a full moon and to arrange for some virgins to dance naked around the garden during the opening ceremony. The fancy stuff is no problem but finding virgins in Morecambe is more of a challenge.  The side of the house still looks like a building site but the next job is to tidy this area up. Not a job for today though.  Those recycling boxes come in very handy for stopping clumsy people from walking in wet cement, although it hasn't stopped me from running the barrow through wet areas several times.  |
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Sept 4, 2011 16:43:35 GMT
I can see what you are talking about when you say that the pointing has sunk. But I feel that it will be fine now that you have 'topped it off' When you watered it I suppose some would be washed under the edge of the flags.
Again the newest pictures show it to be looking really good. It should be very satisfying in a downpour to watch all the water running to the gullies.
Cheers. Trev..
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Post by accykeef on Sept 10, 2011 17:36:50 GMT
We have a slight issue with the levels in the back garden as water is not flowing away from a small section at the back but the jury is still out with regard to what should be done. I am thinking that a few of the flags are going to have to be raised but that is not a job for today. Today it was a trip to nature's builder's merchants for some materials. The centre circle of the garden has yet to be laid and I have an idea for something fancy rather than the plain circle supplied with the whole paving set. A stroll along the beach revealed a rather large pebble which may just be ideal for the purpose. This large pebble caught my eye.  I like the colours in it so I needed to remove it from the beach  It was heavy but fitted nicely into my rucksack. Mrs Keef was off having her hair done so I struggled back home with the hefty beast. I weighed it and it managed to tip the scales at an impressive 17 pounds - not sure what that is in new money but it made for good exercise marching back with it. I also picked up a smaller pebble which caught my eye and brought that back. Let me tell you that Morecambe pebbles are much harder than the flags I have been using as the angle grinder was taking it's time getting through it. I managed to cut a lump off it eventually but I came to the conclusion that this might not be the best way forward.  I turned my attentions to the smaller, dark coloured pebble and managed to cut it into pieces.  Using an ingenious clamping method to stop it flying off my makeshift cutting bench.  This was only an experiment and the main job has yet to be done. This stone mason lark is quite exciting and if it wasn''t for the rain, I would have been a lot further on with the project.  As it is, I will have to wait until tomorrow for the next exciting episode. Stay tooned y'all |
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I had been telling my hubby about the time I was in Morecombe when the Moby Dick and Hotel was hit by lightening and burnt down. My parents, sister and myself had just come off the Moby Dick when lightening stuck