Workshop Phase 1.
Synopsis for Clearance, Removal of Back Door, Replacement of Wooden Window & Making Good Inside and Out

A lot of clearing to do before the builders can get to remove the integral door and window frames at the back end!

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This view was possible after a large amount of clearance. Wooden window and door to be replaced by a wider UPVC window in the next few weeks. Note how the top of the combined wooden window and door frames are all that are supporting the overlying brickwork of the gable end. The wooden door was re-used as an entrance to the workshop.

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Removal of the back door without damaging the hinges. The two glass panels (set into the door), were also easily removed and, apart from some superficial weathering and some displacement on two tenon joints, the 85 year old door was found to be in good condition.

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Greg & Steve of Outlook Windows successfully installed a concrete lintel above the old window and door frames and were then able to remove the original wooden framework. The metal and wooden props were used to hold the lintel in place whilst the bedding cement cured.

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External view of new lintel and temporary props. Note the one brick thickness (105mm), of the garage wall beneath the external pebble-dash covering (render).

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New window fitted OK but we then had the job of bricking up the gap underlying the left hand side of the window in the position of the old doorway.

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External view, showing the old doorway gap beneath the new window on the right hand side.

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10 Aerated Blocks plus mortar purchased from Wickes. The blocks (440mm x 215mm x 100mm), are surprisingly light and ten were easily fitted into the boot of the car.

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The Aerated Blocks can be fairly easily cut to size using an old carpentry saw.

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This photograph of work in progress shows the close correspondence in width between the Aerated Blocks (100mm), and the surrounding bricks (105mm). The discrepancy was easily masked on the external wall by the use of a pebble dash render (to match that covering the exterior of the existing brick wall).

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Work in progress filling the gap, internal view. Shows the comparative sizes of the larger blocks to the smaller bricks. It was found that the water in the mortar was being drawn out too rapidly when applied to the blocks, making it difficult to work and bed the blocks down. The problem was solved by using a paint brush to apply water to the faces of the blocks just before they were bedded into the mortar.

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Internal view of completed blockwork. The gap between the base of the window frame and the blockwork was sealed with an expanding plastic foam filler. Note the two lengths of 20mm diameter electrical conduit passing through the wall via the mortar joints. One of these was subsequently connected to an outside weather-proof socket for running garden appliances such as an electric lawn mower and hedge trimmer, whilst the other will eventually deliver a 24 volt current to run a pump which is part of a garden pond water feature. Previously, external electrical appliances were powered by passing a cable through a hinged pane in the old wooden window of the garage.

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External view of completed blockwork. Ready for application of pebble-dash render to match the surrounding walls.

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Includes 25Kg bag of mortar, Cementone Freeflo Retarder Waterproofer and Plasticiser (liquid additive to mortar), Wickes Pea Shingle (for the pebble-dashing, as the flint composition was an almost identical match for the existing pebbles), Float, Hawk, Small shovel (for flicking the shingle at the wet mortar), Scraper, Mixing tub and Plastic beaker (for measuring out the Freeflo) mortar additive.

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Photograph taken after the first coat of mortar/render (with Freeflo additive) on the breeze blocks. Note the score marks (made with pointed trowel) ready for next coat of render plus pebbles.

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Completed pebble-dashing using Wickes Pea Shingle. Note the two protruding ends of 20mm white conduit, one of which which will be used for attaching a weatherproof external power socket later in the project.

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The pebble-dashed wall has been prepared by flattening an area with cold chisel and hammer, to accept the backplate of the power socket, secured with stainless self tapping screws and plastic plugs. 20mm diameter conduit (connected with a sealed fitting on the backplate of the socket), carries the cabling connecting into the internal power circuit. The use of stainless steel screws to fasten the power socket is most important as ordinary steel or zinc plated steel screws will corrode and rust very quickly

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The weatherproof power socket fitted in position on the external back wall of the garage.

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The inside of the window surrounded by wooden studding.

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The gaps in the studwork surrounding the window were filled with 40mm thick foil-backed insulation board.

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A polythene vapour barrier on top of the insulation, was fixed in place using staples driven into the wooden studwork surrounding the window.

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I decided to fit a softwood internal sill to the window. The window board as purchased was made of Redwood and measured 2,400mm x 219mm x 33mm. It was rather too wide and had to be cut to a useable width of 125mm.

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The board was cut to size using a jigsaw.

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The board was fixed in place using three galvanised steel brackets. One end of each bracket was screwed to the bottom of the window board, whilst the other ends of the brackets were screwed to the stud work batten running beneath the window. The brackets were then concealed beneath a covering of OSB sheathing.

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The position was marked out accurately in pencil before fixing all three brackets in the same way to the window board.

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The sill was fixed in position by screwing the three angle brackets to the wooden studwork running beneath the window (hidden under the polythene vapour barrier). The brackets were subsequently completely hidden beneath the OSB sheathing.

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Work in progress sheathing beneath the window. The OSB sheathing is effectively concealing the brackets holding the window sill in place.

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The completed window sill. It was coated with three coats of quick drying clear gloss varnish.

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Boards cut from OSB were screwed to the studwork on each side of the window to pad the jambs out ready for finishing with UPVC Plastic Rigid Angle.

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Two lengths of Plastic Rigid Angle (100mm ( x 2mm thick) x 100mm (x 3mm thick) x 2.5m) as delivered.

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The marking out in pencil was done by using a set square, steel ruler, and a protractor to determine the positions of the 45° cuts for the chamfered joins.

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This was done using a fine-toothed hand saw.

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The rigid UPVC angle cut to size, ready for gluing in place on the side & head jambs of the window.

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This is a very effective adhesive for securing the UPVC rigid angle to the OSB sheets.

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After applying the Gripfill glue to the top and side UPVC rigid angle pieces, they were pressed into place against the OSB sides (jambs) of the window cavity. Some wedging laths of timber and a sash clamp in expanding mode were used to hold the UPVC in place whilst the Gripfill glue cured.

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The completed window,internal view. Acrylic sealer was used to fill the gaps between the rigid UPVC angle pieces and the UPVC of the window panels.

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