House renovation and garage build

[Craikeybaby]

Expanding foam is not my friend. The stuff I did last week didn't seem to expand much, but the stuff I did this morning expanded a lot. Then started falling onto anything near the window, the vacuum cleaner is currently stuck to the floor. It was only after getting my hands covered in it that I realised it came with protective gloves under the spray can lid - the fact that they actually supply it with gloves shows how stupid I was not wearing them.

On the flip side, the skirting boards are ready for painting and I've finally managed to seal around the garage door frame.

[Craikeybaby]

The afternoon was more positive, we ordered our Hypnos bed - after sleeping old crap beds for the last few years I'm really looking forward to having a good bed.

The bed should be delivered at the end of next month - so that is a deadline for getting the room painted and carpeted - colours still yet to be chosed.

[furtive]

Craikeybaby said:

Expanding foam is not my friend

It's worth posting this story again:

http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread....

[Tom1981]

Why do you need to replace the veranda? What is wrong with it?

Not many pics I know but I cannot see why it needs replacing?

[Craikeybaby]

Neither the wood or the glass are in particularly good condition. The plan has been to do it next year, but the neighbours are doing theirs this year, so it makes sense to do them both at the same time.

[Craikeybaby]

No big progress on the 119 project, but lots of small jobs getting done, carpet ordered, paints chosen/bought, mist coat started etc. Progress is going to continue to be slow, as I'm off to Japan next week, although we are aiming to get the walls painted before I go.

[Craikeybaby]

Managed to get the walls and ceiling painted last week - no pictures though, as I'm in Japan at the moment and can't access Flickr from my work network. The plan is that Jen will paint the woodwork while I'm away.

One issue I can see us having is that the old hearth is tiled and is slightly higher than the surrounding floor, with some loose tiles. We had a similar issue in the dining room and can feel the unevenness through the carpet. How difficult would it be to replace the tiles to level off the floor? More hassle than it is worth?

[Gingerbread Man]

You could hack the tiles off and then self level over the area or similar if you aren't attached to them.

[Craikeybaby]

I've managed to get access to Flickr now, this is how the bedroom was looking on Sunday evening:

Front bedroom painted by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

This is the wobbly floor:

Wobbly bedroom floor by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Gingerbread Man said:

You could hack the tiles off and then self level over the area or similar if you aren't attached to them.

That seems like a good idea, the other thing I'd thought of was maybe some ply?

[matty g]

I've tried the self levelling trick before but most of it escaped. In the end we just mixed up a bucket of cement. You could try that.

[Craikeybaby]

The tiles were much easier to remove than I expected, most of them just lifted out.


Tiles up & radiator painter by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

We're now at the stage where we have a lot of small jobs to do, before the carpet is fitted on Tuesday, refit the radiator, fill the hole left by the tiles, re-attach the sockets etc.

[Gingerbread Man]

What is the depth left by the tile removal. Sand and cement won't hold when it's too thin. Self level will if you can contain it.

[Craikeybaby]

It is no more than 5mm, so probably too thin for cement. Got plenty of self levelling compound, so hopefully that will work.

[Craikeybaby]

And the verdict from the self levelling compoud is...
















Some of it escaped. Although it is certainly better than the tiles were, there are still ridges either side, but at least it is one solid section, rather than individual wobbly tiles.

Can anyone suggest a suitable filler to smooth off the ridges? I'm not sure that adding more self levelling compund will work.

[5potTurbo]

I can't see an image in the last post, I suspect there is one from the text, but.... I'd think interior Polyfilla* may be too 'soft' if it could be walked on, even if covered, and exterior Polyfilla* may be too rough for a smooth finish. How about a small skim of body filler? (* other fillers are available!)

[Craikeybaby]

Photo to be added later when I've taken it.

[Craikeybaby]

Filled hearth by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Not perfect, but better than it was - carpet is being fitted now, so no time to improve it.

[Craikeybaby]

Carpet fitted by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

The carpet is fitted! After feeling it in the shop, we went for the iSense Splendour, which is really soft, we've found ourselves just walking around in there are the carpet is so soft.

Yesterday we spent went to Ikea to spec get the wardrobes, which are being delivered this afternoon, Jen had decided on high gloss turquoise doors, with oak carcass, I'm not at all convinced, but she's the one with the eye for colours, they also had one like that in the showroom and it didn't put her off!

[Gingerbread Man]

Do you fall down through the floor either side of the self levelling?

[Craikeybaby]

Yes, should have blocked it up first, but the holes looked tiny.

We now have a large pile of boxes, which will hopefully be turned into wardrobes over the next few days, although as with any IKEA trip, we'll need to go back & pick up the few bits that weren't in stock.

Edited by Craikeybaby on Thursday 6th August 08:58