MortarThePoint

Thanks Gus. The main thoughts on the Staddle Stone thread are along the lines of assuming the top of the post is constrained by a connection that leave it free to rotate, would the Staddle Stone be a point of failure. So only really considering if the Staddle Stone could constrain the post vertically and horizontally, but not rotationally. I then assume that if you have a rigid body translationally constrained in two separate locations, it is then also rotationally constrained. Interesting, I was so focused on whether the posts were sufficiently supported in terms of tipping away or towards the house walls that I forgot to consider them tipping parallel to the walls. I can see that OSB/plywood on top or sandwiching the rafters would prevent that. I was hoping to have V-groove on top of the rafters so this could work as plywood. This has been my main quandary. Really I want the loggia to only place a vertical load on the outer leaf of the house. The weight of the tiles onto the top ledger should be about ((1.375m / 2) / COS(46)) * 77kg/m2 = 76.8kg/m -> 0.8kN/m. If I crudely double that for snow etc, I'm looking at 1.6kN/m order of magnitude which is the weight of 1m height of brickwork [ (1m*0.1m*1600kg/m3) = 160kg -> 1.6kN ], so easily within scope. Lateral forces on the brickwork are much more of a concern as they rely on the wall ties and or weight of brickwork above as I understand it. The weight of brickwork above isn't much for most of it at the possible height of any ceiling ties and is tiny at the height of the top ledger due to a large group of windows. I should have shared that image earlier I suppose, sorry. The knee braces could work aesthetically if they are needed structurally. The foundation pads are around 600x600x600 poured on top of larger concrete pads of around 1m x 1m x 1.25m. I agree that the vaulting with no ceiling ties is a much more attractive look.

Are you saying the non-return valves have a sieve/filter in? I didn't know the ones for mounting on pipes had those. I see the ones in the shower valves do though so makes sense.

B&L ltd probably didn't add a check valve which there should be on an outside tap. You could use a double check valve as the coupler for extending the pipe vertically. Not sure it check valves cope well with freezing though

@Nickfromwales It feels completely pointless to me to have check valves at mixer taps, showers etc if there isn't proper separation between the hot and cold at the Caleffi 533201 combined PRV and monobloc manifold. Outside taps, and appliances make sense as they contain other contaminants. What are your thoughts?

Thanks Gus, nice examples of Glulams On another thread I has detailed changing to using Staddle Stones and my rough calculations there suggest a lateral force capacity at the bottom of the post of at least 80kg (without pin and resin into concrete below stone) and I'd expect much more (with pin and resin into concrete). The main structural question I am struggling with is whether I need ceiling level timber ties back to the house structure. I'd consider the coupling between the post and the staddle stone to be free to rotate, so just providing lateral and vertical constraint but not rotary. More discussion here:

Was hoping to leave it on show and paint it. Using screws internally to the glulam would allow three faces to have no fixings showing

I like the idea of making my own glulam as it saves a lot of lead times and would be fun to do. The main concern would be the effects of weather (humidfity and temperature) and whether that could cause delamination. I guess if I choose the right glue, it shouldn't be much more likely to fail than an off the shelf glulam, though those probably use pressure during the glue curing and I could only use the pressure provided my screws.

Interesting, but I'd be a little nervous of using them externally.

Sorry, I should have shared more context and the other thread about the loggia which you have kindly contributed to. My last query there was whether I needed ceiling level ties to constrain the main beams laterally or whether the bracketry would achieve that on its own.

I have a deburring tool so can do that bit my self, but they are a nice bunch down at this merchant and I'll put what trade I can their way. Unfortunately, they don't stock Hep2O just PolyPipe and Speedfit.

The kindly local independent plumbers merchant sells pipe by the metre and was happy to cut it up for me which was great. Alternatively: https://pipedreamfittings.com/product/copper-tube-22mm/

Has anyone found a sensible place to buy pre-cut (e.g. 100mm) lengths of copper pipe to go between fittings? It feels like there should be a market for these as it would save time on site and are particularly useful for people using Hep2O and the other push fit poly systems that then need to reliably connect to compression fittings. I don't want to buy a 2m length of 22mm pipe and a 22mm pipe slice for the sake of 6no. 100mm lengths of pipe. The only place I can find these is on Amazon at high prices and dubious sources. I would happily pay about £2 each which is about double the current rate for 22mm Copper pipe at SF. Same for when I need 15mm ones.

I need some beams under a loggia (veranda) with 3.1m spans. The drawing calls for 2no. 8x2 but I'm tempted to go with a Glulam instead for the following reasons: Normal tanalised timber will twist / cup / bow as it dries. The two timbers being joined together would help that but still The total length of the beam is almost 10m including its bearings (atop 150x150 oak posts) so there will need to be joins between sections if done in normal timber. I can have a single length of glulam. Glulam is fun to say The downsides of the Glulam approach are: It's not treated timber It's more expensive: 8x2 joined together. 8x2 is around £3.80/m exVAT around my parts and I'll need to carriage bolts, timber joiners and square washers (£0.25, £0.23, £0.30 ex VAT) about every 400mm so that makes for a cost of £9.55/m exVAT. The Glulam is about £24/m + delivery. As the beam is exterior but under the cover of a roof eave the glulam suppliers are saying Service Class 2 is OK. I could make my own 95mm x 225mm glulam out of tanalised 4x2 at a cost of about £9/m: Timber: £1.60/m * 5 = £8/m Waterproof Urethane Glue: £0.331/m based on 0.16mm thick gives (0.16L/m2) * (4*0.045m) = 0.03L/m , £8.63/0.750 = £11.51/L -> £0.331/m (Soudal Pro 45P D4 professional waterproof polyurethane wood adhesive). Fixings: £0.45/m based on 1no. 5mm x 80mm every 400mm for each joint so works out as one every 100mm, 10/m and they cost £4.50/100 The eased edges would make for bumps in the beam which are a shame. Scant timber is actually more expensive (+33%) than eased edge and I don't know how available it is tanalised. Planing off the eased edge would reduce the timber to about 40mm and the glulam to 95mm x 200mm or raise the number of laminations to 6. It would likely cost a jointer blade too (£12) as well as taking a very long time. It will get painted, so I could not remove the eased edges and fill all the grooves with waterproof wood filler (120ml/m -> £1.50/m). Has anyone else been down this road, either buying a premade glulam or making one themselves?

As I understand it you need a single acting check valves wherever hot and cold are mixed and a double acting one where it could be more serious like for an outside tap, washing machine or dishwasher. You also need one before a water softener, though it is debatable whether you need a double or single check valve. I think mixer taps are the most likely to be overlooked. Are most people fitting check valves there? Unvented Cylinder: I have a Caleffi 533201 PRV with integrated check valve to protect the upstream mains supply, but interestingly nothing between the outlet for cold and the outlet to the cylinder. When cylinder fills with cold water and is then heated up, could the water not expand back up the cylinder feed and through the Caleffi manifold into the expansion vessel (or cold) branch? If the next tap to be turned on is a cold one that water would get pushed into the cold branch. Shower Mixers: Not sure why (particularly with an unvented cylinder system like mine), you're supposed to have a check valve on both the hot and cold connections of a shower mixer or mixer tap. I understand the cold side as the hot water is a high category than the cold. One of our shower mixers' instruction manual clearly labels two check valves, whereas the other one talks of a check valve and how to maintain it but doesn't use the plural. The diagram for maintenance shows a position next to the hot feed. There is a similar position next to the cold feed, but that may be empty. Another shower has a cheap eBay mixer bar which may not include check valve(s) so will need to check that. Bath Thermostatic Mixing Valve (TMV): Likely include check valves but confirm. Example Pegler PEG402 "Each tail piece comprises: a housing with union nut and an internally fitted, WRAS approved non-return valve." Basin mixer taps: Don't normally integrate check valve(s), but should people be adding them? NOT ACTUAL ONE - 533112-CST-UV3-PRV-Monobloc-Manifold_DS_06-15.pdf Same as Family Bath Valve - WP1500RC.pdf Master_Shower_Cambridge Manual.pdf

I need to have a check valve (double or single?) before all this for a water softener. Won't that form the main constriction? Can you recommend a good check valve that has good flow?