Cut Roof On A Porch

In the UK we describe a cut roof as one you build from scratch, not using preformed trusses. These tend to be the roofs I end up doing and it's funny when I've spoke to other carpenters who avoid them.

Getting the first four rafters up and the ridge is normally the tricky bit

This week another carpenter and myself have put a cut roof on a rather large porch, it has quite a good pitch (40 degrees) and a wide overhang to allow for the stone work that needs to be built up under it.

Ceiling collars added to give the roof that triangulation it needs for strenght

Starting a roof like this is the hard bit, working out the angles, cuts and lenghs. We used a ready reckoner on this roof (a book with tables of values for different pitches), each working it out separately and making sure we arrived at the same answer (we did!). Getting the first four rafters up with the ridge is normally tricky (you could each do with three hand to fix and hold everything). This is the point where you need to make sure all your cuts are spot on before you cut everything else.



Front view of the framed out roof



Side view showing the gable ladder on the front to be supported by the stone work

Picture showing the eaves with soffit added and fasica but barge board still to go on

Once all the rafters were up we added the ceiling collars to strengthen it then work on cutting the rafters to the right overhang and adding a "ladder" to the front to carry the barge board past the stone work that's to go up.

Not bad for under two days work but still a bit left to finish off next week.

Lean To Roof

We finished battening the lean to roof between to two stone walls this morning. It's been a good job despite the weather and nice to work with another carpenter for a change.

All the rafters had to be cut to individual lenghs, although there wasn't a huge difference between the lenghts (around 20mm in places) its a much tidier job to cut them all like this giving tight "birds mouths" on each one.

All the rafters up

We then fitted the fascia and soffit. The fascia was notched to take the soffit, as although it's more work it gives a much tidier finish and allows for movement in the timber. With the soffit we just finished it past where the stone wall will be built up to, this saves us having to scribe it to the stone work and gives a straight line to finish to.

Fascia board and soffit showing notched detail and mitre for joint

 The next job was to get some felt on the roof and fix the battens at the spacing required for the slates that are going to be used.

Roof felted and battened ready for slates

View form the underside. A row of noggins to be added to firm it up

I love roofing and July is normally the best month for doing it, but the weather has been so rubbish its been more like April, with heavy showers coming and going in the blink of an eye. Still we've a few more roofs to put up and alter in the next few weeks so all we can do is hope for a bit of sunshine!

Roofing In The Rain

I was roofing today. This is normally good. It rained all day, non stop. This makes it bad.

Earlier in the week we had to strip a perspex roof off of an old potting/storage area of the house and all the old rafters.

 

The bricklayer then bedded us some new wall plates on yesterday (in sunshine I might add) so we could have the whole roof to ourselves today. It was raining when I woke up, it was still raining when I got to work and it hasn't let up yet as I'm writing this sat at home tonight.

Needless to say I got quite wet today. I had to resort to a red crayon like pencil to mark the rafters as normal pencils weren't showing up on the wet wood. We did do some of the cutting of the tops inside but as the new roof is sitting on very old walls none of the rafters are going to be the same lenght and each will have to be cut to a different measurement.

I was using two "waterproof" coats on rotation so one could dry out a bit while I got the other wet. Still on the bright side we got some rafters on today and lots more cut ready, hopefully it will be dryer next week and this roof can be the enjoyable job it should be!

Anyone else been working outside in this wet July we've been having so far?

Green Oak Frame - Part 2

The frame is in and up.

Oak frame in position

I had quite a bit of work up in the loft space and ceiling first as I had to fix a metal bracket joining two purlins that used to touch each other, somewhere along the line they didn't and for the last few years a piece of 4x2 has been holding them together with about 4 nails in. With the removal of the wall it was essential to add something to make sure they were both going to be supported by the new oak frame. 

The view from the other side

The diagonal on the frame sits directly below the centre of the purlins and the whole frame is sitting on a steel beam in the floor. The frame itself is also fixed into the stone wall using a resin fixing and threaded bar. 

Kiln dried dowels are used

The frame was assembled using motice and tenons with dowels that were draw bored together. This means that the holes for the dowels are slightly off set so the joints are pulled together tightly when they are knocked in.

The pegs that we got were kiln dried, the idea being that they won't shrink when the rest of the green oak frame does and it holds it all tightly together. In reality the pegs were a little too dry and would split as soon as I started to knock them in, one peg had to come back out as the second knock with a hammer sent a split right down the centre of it, that doesn't make for a very fun assembly!

I think stopped chamfers really soften the look of the oak and make it look more finished

All the joints went together well, a couple I would have liked a little tighter but I know with green oak they are all liable to move anyway and I'm probably being far too fussy.

Since I took these photos I have removed the props and filled all the holes in the walls and ceiling that I needed for access, with a final sanding and a coat of oil I think the frame will make an interesting strutual feature in this bedroom and will be there for many years to come.

Build Your Own Chicken Coop

This is a post I put on my other blog - An English Homestead - but as it's to do with woodwork I thought I'd post it here as well!

Over the years I've made lots of chicken coops (never bought one) and gradually refined the design on every new build, but each time there's always something else I'd change on the next one!

Here's my latest design for laying hens

Large coop for 8-10 birds

Front pop hole (still need to build he ramp to get to it)

I clad the coop in feather edge boarding as it was so much cheaper than shiplap. Also I think this will be easier to clean as with shiplap red mites and other nasties can hide in the tongue and groove where you can't get to them. With the roof I use bitumen sheeting as I've had problems with bugs getting between ply and felt when I've used that (I think this stuff works out cheaper anyway).

House raised off the floor

I now always like to make the coops 18" off the ground. This means rats and mice can't hide under it and also being that high it gives the chickens somewhere to shelter out of the rain.

Large door for easy cleaning

To make cleaning easy I made the whole front open so there's no excuse for a dirty coop!

Good ventilation is important (it's not a pill box)

Large nest box with a good slope to discourage chickens jumping on it

How do you build your chicken houses? And what would you change on yours/mine? Normally I always think I should have built it bigger!

We should be getting the chickens this week so I'll soon see what they think to it.

Green Oak Frame - Part 1

The last couple of days I've got to do some green oak framing. It's been quite a while since I've done any but I always enjoy it. Working with big chunky timbers cutting mortice and tenons just puts a smile on my face!

First mortice and tenon - good fit

The frame I'm making is to support two purlins that used to be supported by a dividing wall, with the wall gone the architect has decided that this oak frame would make a nice feature. To start with I made a full size template out of 10mm ply as none of the angles are square and it means I can cut everything ready and make sure it all fits before I have to lug the heavy timbers upstairs.

Chain morticer for me to play with!

The job was made easier by the loan of a chain morticer which made cutting the mortices a fairly quick process - just a bit of a tidy up with a mallet and chisel.

The start of the frame on top of the full size ply template I made

The angles on the frame made me glad I made a template as everything had to be checked quite a few times as with oak you don't want to be making any mistakes.

Tannic acid has made my tools blue my 778 has earnt it's money over the last couple of days

The frame so far - Just one piece left but thats too big to lay out on the template

By the end of today the frame is pretty much finished. I've still got to cut the top piece and mortice it out then sand all the beams down, add stop chamfers where they're wanted and drill out the pegs (draw-bore).



As well as this I need to add a steel to connect up the two purlins in the roof but this will involve the removal of quite a bit of ceiling and altering a few joists, quite a big job on its own.

All good fun though and I love when I go home and my tools are dark blue from working with green oak all day!

Little Roof In A Garden

Garden sheds are normally a flat pack flimsy peace of rubbish, so it's nice when someone wants one built properly, like how a garden shed would have been built on a large estate a hundred years ago.

This one it built out of brick and block and I'm fitting a proper roof to it, the same as if it was a roof on a house.

Nailing the rafters on

It didn't take long to work out the cuts and lengths on the rafters and with only 8 on each side it wasn't a massive job. It was made a little bit more difficult by how the bricklayer had left it but I'm not one to moan.

Working off ladders is never ideal

I'll cut the overhang on the rafters afterwards



Nice, tidy birdsmouth (or I think so)

In doing this it enables the bricklayer to build up the gables, then I can come back and finish off the rest of the roof, I'll probably end up tiling it as well. The roof will still need some bracing and ceiling collars when I come back (like I siad this is a proper little roof).

Not how I spend every Sunday morning!

Changing Glass And Parking Far Far Away...

My wife accuses me of liking "quirky" jobs or locations. Well this one fits the bill. The job is to remove the glass from some windows and then tidy up the frames ready for new glass to be fitted, this is simple enough.

I've left this picture high resolution - see if you can spot how far away I've had to park my van!

The difficulty come in getting to the job. The van has to be parked miles away, you walk up a steep shared drive (with very little parking) then you walk up a muddy track to the house.

The main track leading up to the house

The walk is worth it as the house is in a wonderful spot with views stretching across the Herefordshire countryside, you can watch a storm blow in from miles away right in front of your eyes.

Beautiful views across Herefordshire

I've been to this job a couple of times now (trying to fit it in around my other work) and the glass is coming out slowly. The first two pains I managed to cut the silicone and remove the glass in one piece but the next six a more aggressive approach had to be used. I donned safety glasses, gloves and made sure I had long length sleeves on my shirt before using the last resort way of taking glass out - with a 20oz claw hammer.

Sometimes there's only one way to remove glass from a window...

The customer also wants me to make a two flights of stairs for the house. I've very little time free at the moment (which is good) but I hate to turn work down and these would be interesting as I'd have to assemble them on site due to how far they'd have to be carried. Still there's quite a bit of glass to come out before I need to think about that!

Broken glass - one of the sharpest substances on earth

Anyone else got a long walk to a job?

Any Thoughts On Security?

Yesterday I learnt that someone my brother works with had their tools stolen. Although I know this is a common occurrence, it really bothers me. How could someone remove the means by which this guy supports his young family and pays his mortgage?

Useful padlock

Apparently they took the lot, and it got me thinking about my tools and how dependant I am on them to earn my living. As well as this I also learnt today that a building firm I sometimes work for had their yard and offices broken into with computers and tools stolen.

Thinking "It'll never happen to me" is the wrong way to look at the problem, so is "if they want to get in, they'll get in" that people often quote when you talk about the subject.

When you're at work in a city or town you have to accept there's a risk. When I was working in Birmingham I even got into the habit of putting a magnetic "Window Cleaning" sign on the back of the van, figuring that a thief was much less likely to want to break into a window cleaners van containing a bucket and sponge, than a carpenters with tools. Unfortunately that doesn't look very professional so could only be used when I was parked in "dodgy" areas.

What tips and ideas have other people got for keeping their tools safe and secure either on site or at home. I'll be keen to read any ideas people have got.

How To Patch A Floor

Removing or moving a wall can sometimes mean that a floor has to be repaired. This is what happened today at work.

the area that needs some new boards

The repair was to be over a small area, ideally I would have preferred to take out a longer section of flooring and replaced the boards over a larger area. But this area is going to be carpeted and the two sets of boards in the different rooms don't match up (in line or thickness) so we decided this was the best course of action.

Both sides trimmed out to finish half way on a joist



To start with I removed any nails I could before using the circular saw to cut the floor boards back so the ends finish half way on the joist, this means that the boards have something to rest on and they are supported. Make sure your saw is set only to the depth of the boards or you'll be weakening the joists!

The floor boards in the different rooms are different thicknesses meaning one side had to be packed




The one room has floor boards a slightly different thickness to the other so I had to use packers to bring it to the same level (you can just make your own out of wood, but these plastic packers are great as they come in different sizes and are ready to use).

All screws have to be pilot holed and countersunk so the boards don't split

I fixed the boards as I went and as the screws are near the edge of the boards they all had to have a pilot hole and countersink to save splitting the wood. I also made sure that all the original boards I cut were fixed down as well as I had removed some of the nails from them earlier.

The finished repair ready for carpet

A basic repair but when it has carpet on top no one will ever know I've been there!

Studding

With the structural work of the prison ceilings done I decided it was time for a change. I had enjoyed the prison job and it was a very different experience (counting tools in and out, etc) but the drive was killing me and there was only boarding left which could be left to labourers.

I'd had a phone call a few weeks earlier from a carpenter, who I knew from when I was an apprentice, offering me some work in a large house that he is renovating . He wanted people who could put quality first and had experience of working on large high spec projects. The job sounded right up my street so I jumped at the chance.

The location is beautiful, with rolling Herefordshire countryside all around, miles from anywhere - very different to working in Birmingham, no need to lock the van here!

Studding under the roof truss

I started on some large stud work under a roof truss.

Using a chalk line to line up the noggins

I'm pretty sure there's no more enjoyable prospect than a pile of clean straight 4x2, a nail gun, a mitre saw and some stud walls to put up.

High ceilings make it interesting

Adding the ply which is part of the sound proofing for the room

I do love being a carpenter! I had a great couple of days and I'm going back after the bank holidays next week. Hopefully there will be some more jobs like this to get my teeth into.

Anyone else got a bit of their job they love?

Ceiling Repair

A Bit of Restoration Work

This is some work I did a few weeks ago for a long standing customer. They live in a beautiful old Rectory in a near by village and I love working on the house.

The work was a semi emergency repair to a ceiling in one of their B&B rooms. I say "semi emergency" as I was there to look at some other work they wanted doing and she showed it me this as "future work" but I thought it was a little too dangerous to leave any longer.

A past leak in the roof had cause the lath to rot and plaster to crack

I arranged to do all the work while they were on holiday so there would be no disturbance to them and it would be all painted and cleaned up by the time they got back.

Getting the scaffold up there was the hardest part, it all has to go up slowly to avoid damaging any walls, door or paintings. I also cut sheets of ply to protect the floor and wallpaper.

The loose plaster removed and rotten lath - the roof is no longer leaking!

I only had to touch the cracked area and it came down on top of me! Messy job - I wouldn't have wanted to leave this repair any longer!

Now for the bit of controversy - the modern repair.

I'm afraid to say that no lath went back up. Instead two layers of plasterboard to bring it out to somewhere near the same level as the old plaster. And also no lime plaster was used just multifinish as this repair needed to be finished in the week with paying customers due in the B&B at the weekend - no chance of waiting for lime plaster to dry!

I first framed the hole out to make sure there was plenty of fixings for the plaster board, then cut the boards so there was minimum gaps all the way round.

The hole boarded out ready for plastering

I got my friend, Sean, to plaster the repair and blend it in with the old ceiling, I like using top tradesmen I can trust when it's not my area of expertise and I've known Sean for many years andhis work is always of a high standard.

This repair may crack slightly in the future at the joint between old and new, but that can be filled if needed and will blend with some of the other cracks already in the ceiling, i do think this will be minimal though from past experience.

Sean plastering and blending it in

I then waited a few days for it to dry before giving it about 5 coats of paint and removing all the other evidence that I'd been there.

She was a happy customer when she returned from her holiday! No mess and a B&B room ready to hire out with no risk of a ceiling dropping on any ones head!