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The end gable on this grade II listed building was close to collapse through neglect and poorly carried out previous repairs. The use of lime to remake the brickwork is of utmost importance for its future survival. |
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This photo shows a mixture of conserving the old original frame wherever possible, and re-instating missing components with new. A new sole plate has also been 'framed in'. |
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This is a first floor wall. again new oak has been inserted into the old mortices left as evidence of previous posts and rails. |
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This post and knee brace were inserted to transfer the loads from an over-spanned lintel (which carried a valley intersection) vertically to ground. The fixings have been re-inforced with stainless steel which will be invisible when the wall is lath and plastered. |
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This is old damage, which had probably occured under a previous covering of thatch not thick enough to keep the water off. Additional cover strips and inappropriate use of cement also contributed to the decay. |
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A new elm facepatch allows the original tenon on the principal rafter to be re-housed. It awaits brick and limework to complete. |
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Typically, the mess left after cement is removed. This kind of sight is now unfortunately very common and forms the bulk of my workload. |
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This is a principal rafter/purlin joint. Previously it had been capped with lead, which trapped the water behind it. If it had not been for the brick infill panels this section of the roof would have almost certainly collapsed. |
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This photo accompanies the previous two. A new section of tiebeam has been inserted with new posts. A principal rafter repair is just visible in the top left and the brickwork is being rebuilt using the original bricks wherever possible. |
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The gable timbers above this collar are covered in dry rot. They were previously covered with cement render. |
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Replacement struts have been inserted. The collar beneath them has been repaired; built over with marine ply (because lead reacts with oak) then covered in lead to prevent any further water ingress. The infill panels are to be of lime mortar. |
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These are all face patches on this elevation. Where there is only decay on the external faces of timber they may be re-used. The purpose of this is two-fold. Firstly they are sacraficial (so may be replaced again in many years if they weather badly) and secondly they have saved the internal section of the historic timber frame from being disturbed. |
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A typically rotted foot of a principal rafter. This has been caused by years of water ingress through lack of simple maintenance. |
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A repaired principal rafter in the background and a rotten rafter foot in the foreground. |
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Poor original selection of timber, inappropriate use of cement and weathering have all contributed to make the holes seen in this part of the historic frame....... |
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but these new patch repairs will weather in over time. The wall plate repair (at the top) was used to hide steel fixings. This repair ties one part of the building to the other and stops them from separating. |
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A large stop-splayed-scarf joint used to repair a 12"x12" spine beam. Later it will have a chamfer with stop ends (to matcth the existing) and housings for joists cut into it. |
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A repaired principal rafter. |
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A mezzanine floor inserted with stop-chamfered spine beam. |
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The rafters for a reinstated dormer window rebuilt with new. 7/8 of the rest of the roof was either repaired or conserved. |
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After all the mess and noise of the conservation work, this is the end result. |
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A repaired tiebeam, new jowl post and wall plate. |
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A repaired Victorian timber framed porch. |