Wednesday 29 November 2017

Starting the Ceiling Boards

28 / 29 November 2017

This one is going to be a long job.  We decided to start the ceiling insulation in the bedroom for three reasons: it is on the mezzanine and therefore relatively low, mistakes will not be publicly visible, and we want to be warm this winter.

The process is: we cut batons to run alongside the rafters.  Because every other rafter is cross braced, we have to cut the batons around the braces, which involves a very acute angle.  Where the rafter joins the wall or the apex beam there is an obtuse angle.  We are using plywood panels, which we can get in 125 cm lengths, so every 125 cm we need a cross baton.

So, we measure, cut, check, drill, sand, varnish with two coats and then fit the batons.  We can't measure the cross batons till the side ones are in, and they then need to be cut, checked, drilled, sanded and twice varnished before being fitted.  We can then stuff with insulation, which is proving happy to be stapled to the roofing boards, and is therefore the easiest part of the job, when we'd expected it to be more difficult.

Having fitted all the batons and the insulation we measure, cut if necessary, check, drill, sand, twice paint and then fit the plywood panels.  These need to be fitted one by one so that the next one can be measured from the fitted one.   And then there are the electrical fittings for overhead lights ...

As you can imagine, there is a huge amount of waiting for things to dry built into this process.  We need to have several sections on the go at once, but we don't have enough inside space for long pieces of wood and large sheets of plywood to be laid around drying.  It's going to be a long job.

 First stage, filling in some long-overdue-for-attention spaces in the internal walls.  This one's been stuffed with pillow innards and will be boarded with tongue-and-groove, because that's what we've got to hand.

 This is the space where the first panel and a half will go.  The side batons are in, with the acute angles round the cross-bracing on the left hand side.

 Dave drilling the screw holes in a baton.

 Some time later, the first panel is in and the insulation.  We tried using a wood preservative but decided that we prefer white paint, which is more forgiving as well, so this one will have to be re-painted in situ.  At least it's not over the bed.

The second panel - painted white - fitted too.  The white is much nicer.

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