29-08-2012, 04:24 PM
Hi Lawrence,
I agree - rip out the bodges! I'm using copper - much as I can see the appeal of plastic to some, and indeed I might use it for temporary things - I'm not sure I can trust the rubber O-rings to last the life of the house. Whereas solder joints and compression joints are very reliable - even when I've done them
Recently we had a new boiler fitted at work, and they used copper crimp fittings. I hadn't heard of these before, but they seem to consist of an O-ring fitted inside a copper fitting, and a special tool that squeezes the fittings, clamping the pipe. The O-ring provides the seal, and versions are available for gas and oil as well. While they look nicer than the plastic fittings, it's still a case of relying on the O-rings. Time will tell, I guess
I think you're right in the case of granite - which is tougher than even the strongest cement. But, would you use cement with sandstone? It's horses for courses, definitely. Modern red bricks are pretty tough, but the old ones much less so. I guess an experienced bricklayer would choose a mix according to what he finds on site - but it's true that there are people who are practically religious about the use of lime.
External renders are generally a nightmare - when looking, I actively chose to ignore any house that was rendered.
And you're right about the finish. But so many people rush the finish and effectively ruin all their previous hard work. I've disciplined myself to take extra care at the finish stages, but that does cause me to put them off! Besides, totally finished houses lack character. Or so I tell myself
No, I've no experience with rendering timber-frame buildings. I've researched the opposite; my "shed" will be close to a boundary, so needs to be made from fire-proof materials. So it'll be made from blocks, but clad in timber so that it looks like a shed. By using blocks, Building Control will be happy to leave me to get on with it, thus saving me money - and I like the idea of the extra solidity provided by that. The foundations might be a pain, but probably worth it. If it ever gets done :-(
Cheers,
Mark
I agree - rip out the bodges! I'm using copper - much as I can see the appeal of plastic to some, and indeed I might use it for temporary things - I'm not sure I can trust the rubber O-rings to last the life of the house. Whereas solder joints and compression joints are very reliable - even when I've done them
Recently we had a new boiler fitted at work, and they used copper crimp fittings. I hadn't heard of these before, but they seem to consist of an O-ring fitted inside a copper fitting, and a special tool that squeezes the fittings, clamping the pipe. The O-ring provides the seal, and versions are available for gas and oil as well. While they look nicer than the plastic fittings, it's still a case of relying on the O-rings. Time will tell, I guess
I think you're right in the case of granite - which is tougher than even the strongest cement. But, would you use cement with sandstone? It's horses for courses, definitely. Modern red bricks are pretty tough, but the old ones much less so. I guess an experienced bricklayer would choose a mix according to what he finds on site - but it's true that there are people who are practically religious about the use of lime.
External renders are generally a nightmare - when looking, I actively chose to ignore any house that was rendered.
And you're right about the finish. But so many people rush the finish and effectively ruin all their previous hard work. I've disciplined myself to take extra care at the finish stages, but that does cause me to put them off! Besides, totally finished houses lack character. Or so I tell myself
No, I've no experience with rendering timber-frame buildings. I've researched the opposite; my "shed" will be close to a boundary, so needs to be made from fire-proof materials. So it'll be made from blocks, but clad in timber so that it looks like a shed. By using blocks, Building Control will be happy to leave me to get on with it, thus saving me money - and I like the idea of the extra solidity provided by that. The foundations might be a pain, but probably worth it. If it ever gets done :-(
Cheers,
Mark
