saveasteading

we are on very good draining sand: at least 10m of it. Once there is a complete roof and a drainage system it will dry out dramatically. I think that the footing stones are solid stone, 600-800 wide, with core rubble/mortar starting at ground level, so that will reduce rising damp up the core too. So I am optimistic that the walls will be quite dry in the longer term.

This is a very good point. Shows non-joined up thinking in the regs. Some posts have shown that BCO requires vents to outside to increase the draught! The Historic Buildings guide says both that the insulation value of stone is much better than thought AND to put vents in if lining. Idea, for support or shooting down: We detail it without the link to the the roof ventilation gap, ie physically closed at the top of the wall. There will still be a draught but much reduced without the chimney effect. Also if the areas are defined, as partly by fire barriers anyway, this will keep all planes individual and so little draught from wind, just natural movement.

I am playing around with the U values before finalising the construction details for internal lining and insulation, inside a 600mm granite wall. Thanks to those who have provided info previously on this: the reality of solid walls. I thought I would check out once last time for any official view on actual U value of thick walls, as it may help with the presentation for warrant application. Some people on here say solid stone walls offer little benefit, others that it is undervalued. (Another document suggests that both may be right depending on circumstances) Therefore I now share this. I came across it in the official Scottish documents (for SAP rating) and based on in-situ testing. My red underscoring for our own situation.

Lots of naysayers will jump on these stories for reasons I don't really understand. I think others on BH have pointed out that the grant value often disappears in the extra costs of an 'approved installer' who has more costs than the local specialist. ie the grant does not benefit the end user. I know of many failures of ground source systems, and it was down to being inappropriate and badly installed. What chance that this 'story' could be resolved by some expert attention?

I use may own charcoal. I don't believe for a moment that the cheap commercial charcoal in bags comes form sustainable sources. Anyway if it is from 'abroad' then it has travelled a long way. Start the barbecue with any old bits of stick from the garden with some hardwood cuttings (fruit tree prunings) on as the next layer, along with 'harvested home-made charcoal. At this flamy stage put food on in frying pans/planchas to make use of the heat. As the fire becomes glowing and controllable, it can be used as a conventional bbq grill. Meanwhile, all around the fire is lined with oak logs, which burn smokily along with the starter fire and then char for the next time. After cooking, extinguish the fire asap. The amount of water shows just how much heat and fuel is still in there. Next day set aside the recognisable charred logs and charcoal for the next time. Then collect all the ash in a bucket and hose and stir. 5% ash at the bottom, and 95% reclaimed charcoal (very fine) floating above it. The oak is local and it takes 3 logs per session. No parrots died.

As I have said before, I don't like expanding foam. It is not controllable, goes where you don't want it and not where you do. Also somewhat irreversible. I would leave the plastic bag where it is, perhaps adjusting the position, to act as a stop. Then fill the end of the pipe with concrete or mortar, perhaps in 2 stages. Let it harden and shrink then paint on a coat of bitumen paint. OR wrap a bag around the outside of the pipe with a tie around it, and fill the hole with weak concrete/mortar. Close off the other end when the time comes too, in case the pipe becomes a home for creeping things, or there is some other pipe connection in the run

No problem, here it is. https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/a23.pdf Please note that this comes under the heading of non-licensed work. ie it can be done by anyone and obviously is not seen as high risk. Of course they are wearing masks in the pictures. Why wouldn't you, if you knew? Now please stop worrying yourself about what you have already completed. btw a test kit is not a test kit. It is a mask and a bag for putting a sample in, and you have done all that stuff.

Have seen it happen...lucky I arrived to save the day. The usual problem of too much water in the mix. It pushed down again. sealing the joints or polythene over is such a good and simple thing.

It is a logical process so it doesn't need specialist knowledge in most cases. When it does become specialist you are unlikely to get permission. Following the template is expected and easier for the checking authorities, so no points off for following the pattern.....it is sequential after all.

Not good news when that happens! A lot of floating insulation carrying up any reinforcement and also pipes if you have UFH.

I should have added. If you google the subject you find mostly contractors and consultants looking for the work, so they say it is dangerous and to call them in. Hence the HSE document is best. Although the risk is low, and you are allowed to remove them yourself, (not required to be a licensed specialist) you should follow protocols. They are all in the leaflet from hse. For now, if you have already removed some, they should be in plastic bags. the tiles will cut through a normal bag so either use rubble bags, or put the bag into another, with carboard round it to stop it cutting through. if opening the bag, wet it so that there is no dust. When you have made sure it is in 2 layers of plastic bag, your local authority will take it and dispose of it safely. Normally you phone them and they take it from you at an agreed transfer station. no charge, as they don't want it fly-tipped or binned. It gets taken to a special tip and buried and capped for ever. Check out you local authority website for this. Dust. It has been removed already, I'm sure. If you were to come across any pockets in the future: dampen it and brush it up, just in case, but it will probably just be house dust.

Expanding foam should only be available from specialist suppliers and with a certificate from an Engineer or Architect. Too easy for a builder to squeeze it in wherever something isn't working out....might hold the building together for a while, and meanwhile expand at random and create other problems. So many issues with it over the years.

There is reliable information on this in the HSE documentation, ie saying that the risk is very low. if still concerned, reply and I will find it. Have taken these tiles up many-a-time and it is a normal contractor job, not even specialist. To be dangerous you would have to grind these tiles up to expose the fibres (2% of the total volume) then breathe it in. I don't expect you have done that. Relax.

Just in passing. In many hundreds of columns I never specified non-shrink grout. I think the very term allows people to be casual and the bases are often only partly filled. I preferred to use a dryish mortar, forced in to refusal. Just me perhaps. But your point is a good one, thanks.

Corrugated sheets provide you with the challenge of the corrugations. With a sinusoidal panel the junction to a parapet flashing is rather random. With a basically flat panel you get the upstands at usually 300 or 333, sometimes more, centres. Therefore draw a sketch first dealing with perhaps a flat at one cut end, and a crown at the other. Then imagine a raindrop trying to run in, remembering that water is magically drawn towards any weakness.

Interesting. So I found this which seems to back your idea up. You would therefore expect to see this on the sapwood (which are widened by the manufacturing process) and not the strength rings (for which there must be a word) Blue Stain Blue stain is a little bit different than the other types of discoloration that we’ve been discussing. Blue stain is caused by a microscopic fungi that sometimes infects the sapwood of trees and uses it for food. As the name sounds, the blue stain fungi produce a blue and gray discoloration of the wood, often in the form of spots, streaks, or patches. It’s also important to note that blue stain does not cause any kind of decay, has no affect on wood strength, isn’t airborne, and isn’t linked to any type of health issues.

So great to hear from people who have done it. The design is clear, that 9mm osb is enough, and it doesn't need double footer or header. The reality on site can be different so I didn't, for example, want to show 9mm then find that "everybody uses 18mm" at contractor's insistence and all the dims be out immediately by 9mm (they all add up). More importantly the double header and footer needs to be drawn , to avoid any errors in height. (This will join into existing and so has constraints). I would like the drawing to building control to be close to site practice. I have done this before with 3 storeys and factory panels, but it was a package and these details were not of concern.. It was interesting how different the 2 suppliers were in details at foundation level, (one required a pre-fixed timber and utterly level footer and the other wanted a concrete kerb, also dead level) but there was no use of double headers. I am thinking that the extra footer can be laid dead level to take out inevitable wobbles in the masonry base, and the extra header is a tidy way to build it if making the panels on the ground. But that may not be necessary if all made in place. Have not chosen a joiner yet, so no doubt they will all have different ideas of 'the only way'. I will ponder and report back. Don't stop the suggestions and advice coming though.

I was guessing what room might want a polished concrete floor. it is fashionable to have an exposed aggregate, or a sprinkle finish, in kitchens. For a polished concrete floor you need a big machine with blades that scrubs the surface with blades a few hours after it was poured. (picture at end) and it really should be done in perfect weather..no rain , warm, and no wind, so indoors. Your concrete will have to more than 100 anyway so that isn't the issue. Otherwise it is a grinding a machine much later. you mean a second layer on the ground floor? then yes, but it isn't an option anyway as you wouldn't get the machine in and out of the building. Joints. You don't need expansion joints as the concrete shrinks. It is a term misused for all joints. If you control the slab size and ensure that there are no barriers to shrinking (such as columns) and control the concrete mix to be drier than the workers will like, then there will be no big cracks. But there are still millions of tiny (possibly invisible) cracks. The normal concrete sealer reacts with any cement that has not been chemically converted into the concrete. If the concrete is well made and poured then this doesn't really do anything and sits on the top. If the concrete is poor, then it penetrates the surface and makes it a bit harder. It will also help a bit in closing miniscule cracks. If I have wrong assumptions again, please say. You will be gathering that I can't see the point, as I see a polished concrete floor as a high quality, economic, but industrial, finish.

I think you really must speak to the neighbours. Either they have been through this and can tell you what was involved, or they have ignored it, and it will be short discussion. Also with more research you may find that they are not exactly over.it. Then get advice. I imagine that network rail will allow the construction, but you will have to agree that they are not responsible for any problems that might be due to the tunnel in the future. They will also want to know that you are not piling, or drilling a borehole or such, over or into their tunnel. This would be fair and it is reasonable that they get to consider the effects of any proposal, after all the tunnel was there first. Guessing, but I think they will want to see designs rather than agreement in principle. The agreement will also be part of any mortgage or sale process in the future. Some insurers might not like it, but there is usually one who will....again the neighbours have been there before you.

I don't like spray foam anywhere. Once in place it doesn't come out again. Also uncontrollable, as we need a ventilation gap and the only way would be to make a box and fill it And it doesn't breathe. Blown in also needs to be contained. I am not a fan of PIR but this will be within a box contained by VB on the outside, and polythene on the inside, so breathability isn't an issue. I originally favoured wall batts, but they have half the insulation, and we don't want to lose floor space or insulation. breathability will be a 25mm gap between the masonry and the vapour barrier, up to the roof where the same applies. by all accounts we don't have to worry about draughts through the wall, as there will be plenty. But the BCO may want more holes, because he wants holes.

Sterlingboard class 3 is available in 9, 11, 15 and 18. For now I am going to specify 9mm as the guidance, but allow 'greater thicknesses as desired and available'.

It is written. My circumstances require 100cc. 3.1 mm x 50 mm wire nails at 100 or 150 mm centres as calculated That makes 5000 nails in the external walls alone, so a nail gun is rather important.

Proper sailing. I don't fancy it much.

Not much chance of using the wrong centres with this method. I think I would set up a jig on the floor to avoid constant measuring. I've watched the factory process and it isn't sophisticated, other than computer marking the timbers for cutting and positions. Then it is men with nail guns, and man-handling. Factory panels have a stud at both ends. Presumably site build omits the leading edge stud to save wood and maintain the centres.

For export to US? Because some joiners still work that way, then have to find imperial pbd too? But I agree that it should only be sold in multiples of 600 except by request. Not much fun cutting 20mm off every board. Yes the Sterlingboard factory is visible from a long way away. There is a constant plume of.....is it smoke and steam mixed? As it dissipates fairly quickly I like to think it is largely steam. Presumably they use their own timber waste for heating. They say that pilots like it being so close to the airport as they can see what the wind is doing. Have had an aborted landing there recently. It is said that a lot of the timber is coming in from Norway, and most of the product is going to US and China. The new owner of Norbord is a Canadian company. It would be nice to drive in there with a truck and get a few pallets at factory prices. World market cooling, but I wonder if they will reduce production and maintain demand. The main reason I asked about thickness was that I see several old threads where people swear by 18mm. Perhaps when it was much cheaper it was a consideration, and allows a nice nail bite for battens.