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Post by Blarno on Nov 3, 2020 12:58:12 GMT
As some of you may know, I used to work in the building trade and consider myself to be quite handy. So, when I was offered a pair of patio doors for the princely sum of nowt, I accepted. The results are below.
 
Firstly, I made a suitable orifice in the original wall after removing the radiator, fitting a new one to an adjacent wall and plumbing it all in. (Plastic push fit pipe is probably the best invention in DIY ever)
Then I put the door frame in. It was a good 300mm smaller than the window, meaning I had to make the decision to either cut both sides of the brick or butt up to one edge and brick in. I chose the latter as it would be tidier, but take longer.
  
I haven't done any bricklaying for a good 20 years, so I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. It's certainly no worse than the rest of the house. And because I used the bricks from under the original window, they match perfectly.
 
The inside was a bit more work. A frame had to be made to allow me to butt the plasterboard up to the open side of the window, which was filled with discarded blocks to give it some substance and insulation.
The outside is all pointed up. Again, considering It's been 2 decades since I last did it and I'm no expert, turned out quite good. I only need to trim the expanding foam, silicon up the edges and make a fascia for the top ledge to disguise the lintel and all is good outside. Inside will need plastering, which I am not attempting, at least not on that scale. Plastering is a dark art where people sell their soul to the Gypsum gods in exchange for otherworldly skills.
Still, the wife is happy, which means I am.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2020 13:00:00 GMT
Sharp as.
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Post by Alex on Nov 3, 2020 13:15:14 GMT
Pretty solid effort that. I wouldnt dream of attempting something like that myself but its probably not that hard if you have the experience to know what your doing and have the correct tools to do it (I have neither!)
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Post by michael on Nov 3, 2020 13:30:36 GMT
Good effort, like others I wouldn't dare.
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Post by Martin on Nov 3, 2020 14:14:44 GMT
Great effort!
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Post by michael on Nov 3, 2020 14:25:03 GMT
Is it that you've removed the insulation or have your cavity walls not been filled? You may be aware that you can get them done on the Green Deal and through a few energy suppliers for sometimes nothing.
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Post by Tim on Nov 3, 2020 14:25:47 GMT
Great job.
I'm happy to tackle some projects (as you say plastic plumbing stuff is a godsend) but would definitely draw the line at knocking holes in the outside wall of the house.
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Post by Blarno on Nov 3, 2020 14:42:28 GMT
Is it that you've removed the insulation or have your cavity walls not been filled? You may be aware that you can get them done on the Green Deal and through a few energy suppliers for sometimes nothing. The walls are filled with polystyrene balls. I didn't have the foresight to keep a load of them when I removed the inside course of blockwork, so I had to think on my feet and use what was lying around. |
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Post by johnc on Nov 3, 2020 15:17:02 GMT
Good job and very satisfying.
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Post by PG on Nov 3, 2020 19:07:39 GMT
Looks good. It's very satisfying to do jobs yourself.
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Post by Big Blue on Nov 3, 2020 20:03:47 GMT
Good Job Blarno.
I did about 9 bricks in the summer to fill a space by the new gate I put in. I won’t post a photo or you’ll all laugh / vomit.
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Post by michael on Nov 3, 2020 20:12:07 GMT
Do you still have a convenient chasm to throw the waste rubble in?
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Post by Blarno on Nov 3, 2020 22:02:52 GMT
Do you still have a convenient chasm to throw the waste rubble in? Indeed I do. That's the next job on my list. |
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Post by Roadrunner on Nov 4, 2020 10:53:15 GMT
Proper job.
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Post by LandieMark on Nov 4, 2020 11:45:02 GMT
I'll do most DIY, but bricklaying isn't a strong suit of mine.
Looks great.
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Post by Blarno on Nov 4, 2020 12:49:51 GMT
That small section took me about 6 1/2 hours including the pointing. I couldn't do it every day as I haven't got the patience.
I will have to do it again soon on a larger scale when I brick the back door up.
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Post by franki68 on Nov 4, 2020 12:56:15 GMT
Impressive,I may have managed to knock down some bricks that would be the sum of my diy ability.Certainly better than what passes for workmanship on a lot of new builds these days.
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Post by Blarno on Nov 4, 2020 13:02:12 GMT
The hardest part for me was resisting the temptation to lay seige to the wall with a sledgehammer as I needed to keep the bricks intact. I love a bit of destruction.
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Post by LandieMark on Nov 4, 2020 13:12:35 GMT
That small section took me about 6 1/2 hours including the pointing. I couldn't do it every day as I haven't got the patience. I will have to do it again soon on a larger scale when I brick the back door up. I did some emergency dry stone walling at mine - it is still up after 6 years, but I don't have the patience to sort through all the stones. |
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Post by Roadsterstu on Nov 4, 2020 19:10:36 GMT
Good effort, Blarno.
Dry stone walling is a skill I would love to learn. And hedge laying, too.
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Post by PG on Nov 12, 2020 13:21:37 GMT
Good effort, Blarno. Dry stone walling is a skill I would love to learn. And hedge laying, too. I went on a hedge laying course about 15 years ago, but I've not really done any since. It was very satisfying but very time consuming. What I did learn and have used a lot since, is that if you take a chainsaw to a deciduous hedge when it is dormant in January and February, you can pretty much raze it to the ground and it will just regrow. Job done. |
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Post by Grampa on Nov 12, 2020 14:43:33 GMT
Nice Job. I got let down by a builder so took on a bit of project earlier this year on a house we've just bought for my Mum - used google to find out how to lay channel drains, a new concrete floor, a new exterior wall with composite cladding and plasterboard stud walls. Needed some awkward size doors which I just couldn't buy so also had to make those and hang them - then back into my comfort zone to decorate, tile and lay laminate floors.
My daughter noticed my newly acquired abilities and got me to build her a new fireplace which meant learning how to render as well. TBH, the challenges have been fun, a little frustrating at times but ultimately very satisfying to look back at the end result.
My dad was always a 'how hard can it be?' bloke and taught himself general building, wiring a house, plumbing and plastering.
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Post by Blarno on Nov 16, 2020 11:04:36 GMT
       
Plastering - done. Caulking and sealing - done. Smoothing - done. Painting - done. Wallpapering - done. Recut, refit and repaint skirting - done.
Next job is to fill the big hole in the garden and then crack on with removing and bricking up the external kitchen door.
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Post by michael on Nov 16, 2020 11:43:48 GMT
And you had a piece of laminate floor handy to finish it off! Two years after I started, this weekend I finished insulating the ceiling of the entrance porch. Louisa asked me when I plan to paint it to which I replied 2022. It was one of those satisfying jobs where the timber was the correct size as it came so hardly any cutting required.
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Post by Blarno on Nov 16, 2020 11:47:46 GMT
I always over measure and over order when buying laminate to allow for mistakes, breakages or times like this.
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Post by ChrisM on Nov 16, 2020 11:48:30 GMT
I hope you're not going to totally brick up the back door - the loss of light may be noticeable unless you add a window - in which case, why not just leave the door in place?
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Nov 16, 2020 11:54:54 GMT
Really good job that. Looks professional.
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Post by Blarno on Nov 16, 2020 12:10:35 GMT
I hope you're not going to totally brick up the back door - the loss of light may be noticeable unless you add a window - in which case, why not just leave the door in place?
The kitchen door is surplus to requirements now the French doors have been fitted. It's also the only portal into or out of the house that is not made of PVC and as such is draughty and old. The kitchen gets enough light through the window, so the plan is to brick the door up and continue the worktop along, which will allow us to bring the tumble dryer in from the garage and also grant us extra space on the wall for cupboards.
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Post by Andy C on Nov 16, 2020 13:39:49 GMT
Nice job blarno
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Post by Martin on Nov 16, 2020 14:19:36 GMT
Really impressive work!!
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