Construction Channel

This was my first ever private job ?

Roughly 80mm high and 100mm deep by whatever length helps keep it to brick courses. As for selecting flints you can't be too picky but it is worth spending time to make sure each one nestles well with its surrounding stones. It's a natural product so it's a fine line between having character or imperfections. Probably best to avoid cracks though. We used to "nap" them to an extent. Eg if it was too big it got hit with a hammer to take the bits off I didn't want.

Flint laying varies across the country but these are some of our local walls around Audley end house. Notice the courses.

If you lay them behind a board I will never speak to you again. If you are planning to make the panel removable just lay them Like cobbles on the flat in which case you can just make it look pretty and not worry too much about the way the flints are laid. If you're planning to do it properly then they should be laid to a line in courses. The line is just a guide to keep the courses roughly level and the face flat. Try not to leave a forward slope on the top of each course otherwise the next layer will potentially slide out. If you are not planning to put any cement in the mix you will only be able to do a Handful of courses each day. Then go back to rake out (stick) the joints the next day before you continue with the next courses. Also flint laying muck is a lot stiffer than bricklaying gear. Let it turn for ages and try to avoid adding too much water. THE MUCK IS JUST THERE TO HOLD THE FLINTS IN PLACE. NOT TO STICK THEM TOGETHER. hth

The perfect sized flint is about the size of your fist. On such small panels you really can pick and choose your flints. Interweave them between courses as much as you can without it looking silly. The less muck showing the better ??

I suppose this does leave the opportunity to clear resin the last little worktop. I like the idea of it to show how the rest of it was made. My question is how does resin deal with hot pans?

I wouldn't if you paid me!

I should also come clean that I didn't film pouring them. One day I will explain why I haven't got the time to be messing about with cameras and editing suits right now. In short the rush to get it livable recently got a lot more poinient

I do. I thought about giving you a surprise visit weekend before last to see how you were getting on. That was until I realised Nottingham is a lot further away from you than I thought and I was only meant to be collecting a dishwasher in the work van. I'll take the coward comment, Faye's not as available to lift things anymore and I really haven't got time to do "prototypes" at the moment.

Well tip of the day is to buy more cement than you think you need. ? Only just had enough for the big section so the little one will be done another day

Yup. White cement, lime and sharp, same mix as my cills

That's the plan. I thought about casting them upside down to get a better finish but I didn't like the idea of moving and jointing it.

Sand and cement is cheaper ? But I'll always have resin as a backup it it all cracks up

Just waiting for the silicone to go off..... The big pour will commence shortly. The base ply has been sbr'd as I want it to stick to the mortar. The outside formwork had been silicone release sprayed because I want it to release..... Wish me luck ??

That's pretty much my reason

As you asked so nicely I'll consider it.

I'm hoping to pour mine on the weekend so I can let you know in a year or two..

I think that's their current hope. Plan at the end of today was to contact the utility for an inspection and speak to their legal friends. Just thought I'd throw it out here to see if anyone else had been through similar.

At work another team have just started a new extension. The customers went through all the correct planning procedures and it showed the mains sewer running along the public path next to their boundary. This meant the utility company wanted a bridging agreement because we were close to it. Which they got. We start digging and the 6" main is running almost all the way along the center of our trench. So my question is what can the customer do? It will cost a fair sum to get over the problem structurally (big steels, engineers fees, labour) If the utility company had mapped things properly they probably would have rethought things at the planning stage. Is there anyway they could ask the utility to move the pipe off their land?

It's all getting a lot closer ?

I remember hearing somewhere they need to be fire rated if below bedrooms. But I'm sure someone will know the actual rules

Did get the first bit of glass in yesterday though ?

Unfortunately no. Iv been messing about with my worktop shuttering and putting some plugs in the stairs. I really should spend more time in the plough ?

And on the 36th the penny dropped? ?