Big jim’s Garage conversion and layout thread

[big jim]

Ideally the joints in the insulation should be taped. For a house internal this is a must, but for yours it's not the end of the world if you're stuck for time.

 

This sort of tape.

 

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Products/Nails%2C-Screws+Adhesives/Tapes/Building-Tape/c/1000041

Cheers, I’ll get some tomorrow for the electrician/plasterboarder to fit as he goes along

[big jim]

Plasterboarded up

 

 

 

 

This is the only bit I’m concerned about, I take it the plasterer will be able to fill that gap ok?

[teaky]

The plasterer won't have any trouble filling a gap of that size but since plaster doesn't stick to timber as well as it does to plasterboard and there appears to be a large amount of board left over I'd be tempted to cut a strip and plug the gap.  You could fix the strip with plasterboard screws or grab adhesive.

 

If you have a few minutes, I'd also be tempted to double check all the screws are just below the surface (just enough not to snag when plaster goes on).  The plasterer will do this anyway but I expect you will be paying by the day/hour.

 

In the penultimate photo: the panel 2nd left of the doorway appears to be lacking some screws, so that could do with securing, otherwise it may flex relative to the neighbouring panel and create a hairline crack.

 

I'd have expected to see a few more screws following horizontal lines which coincide with the horizontal battens and I'd have used more screws in the ceiling too, but perhaps that's just me.

 

Before the plaster goes on I suggest you put the cover back on the consumer unit and tape plastic bags over that and over the extractor fan.  Plaster gets everywhere!

 

What is going to happen above the window?  Does it need plasterboarding too or are you going to trim it with some uPVC or wood afterwards?  I can't make out what the dark material is.

[chris p bacon]

If you have a few minutes, I'd also be tempted to double check all the screws are just below the surface 

 

In the penultimate photo: the panel 2nd left of the doorway appears to be lacking some screws, 

 

 

All of what Teaky says.

 

I would add that you could tell the plasterer that there isn't a shortage of screws and that there should be twice the amount he's used.

 

https://www.british-gypsum.com/technical-advice/faqs/053-what-are-the-screw-fixing-centres-for-partitions-ceilings-encasements

 

We fix every 250mm on ceilings and 300mm on walls with more on an external corner. (This is also the spec from British Gypsum for fixing) Plasterboard has a nasty habit of falling down when there isn't enough fixings.

[big jim]

The plasterer didn’t do the boarding out for me but I’ll pass the above advice on, I think there are a load of screws left and I can see where you mean about the lack of them on the board by the doorway (the frame needs securing properly too)

 

The bit above the window is a steel lintel, to be honest I’ve go to silicone seal around the window frame as when we had that bad weather on Monday rain water was pouring in through the gap, it was exasperated by the temporary lack of guttering above the window and the wind hitting the side of the garage so it just flowed off the roof down the brickwork onto the lintel, I suspect that is why he’s not plasterboarded that area for me but I’ll ask the plasterer to finish it for me

[big jim]

A bit of an update, my mate came round to do the plastering and as it was his first go is ince completing a course in April struggled with it as a first job, he managed the ceiling and one wall in the time he was there, he struggled as he was on his own and was finding he was losing a lot of plaster as it was going off in the bucket before he could get it on the surfaces, he has since had a few tips from his friends on how to preserve it and I’ve assured him when he comes back early in the new year I will be there to help him out to mix up as he goes along as last week he was alone as I was in work

 

Anyway, I’m pleased with what he managed so far, another light skim here and there on what he’s done will finish it nicely

 

 

And today my dad came around and we (ok mostly him) put the guttering back up, i sealed the window last week with silicone and added a facia above the frame as the rainwater was running straight off the sloping roof edge right onto the frame and into the building, the facia and now guttering has stopped any rainwater running down the brickwork at all

 

On the front we put a new piece of guttering with clips either side of the new door however it was sagging slightly in the middle so my dad screwed a block of wood to the existing wooden cross member above the plastic facia and left it hanging below the guttering, he added a guttering bracket to it to lose the sag but also drilled a hole for the electric cable to the new external light to pass through, once the light is fitted we can trim it back shorter and give it a coat of white paint to disguise it a bit

 

That’s it for now until the plaster returns early in the new year

[chris p bacon]

For a novice that's a pretty big ceiling to do in one go. He might have been better doing the walls first so he got a feel for how long it would take to go off.

 

As a tip for him,  the plasterer I use (30+ years) splits a large ceiling in 2 by placing several strips of masking tape at the half way point, he then plasters to that and when ready to do the other half rips the tape off and has a nice edge to plaster to. The join is invisible and I have a 'no sanding paper' rule for any works.

[big jim]

All systems go again for next week, I’ve called in a professional plasterer as time is against me to get it all finished by early March to avoid paying for an extension to the building regs fees and my mates and my rest days don’t really align to get him over and finish the job

 

So week after this the plastering should be done throughout, 2 days work including tidying up what’s already been done (and doing an extra patch up job in the house too) then I can get the electrician back the week after for the final fit then see about getting the job signed off as the council are happy with the floor as it is (but I will be further insulating it anyway)

 

Hopefully end of January we should see it habitable

 

I’ve also got a nice little finishing touch for the window regards security!

[chris p bacon]

If there is one job I never ever tackle, it's plastering. The chap who does mine does it to such a high standard that he can make a pile of rubble look good.

 

Good decision Jim, it's better to push on and finish quickly. Sometimes trying to save some money on one item can push the cost up on another. 

[big jim]

Plasterer has bought the job forward to tomorrow and Saturday which is a bonus

 

Electrician booked for the final fit on the 4th feb which gives me time to allow the plaster to go off next week and get the first lick of paint on before he fixes the plug sockets etc on, I think in reality it will be patch paint where the plugs are going to go then give it a proper paint once it’s complete

 

I’ll get a heater in there next week too

 

Anyway I’m gonna need somewhere habitable and warm to live when my wife finds out I’ve bought another mini!

[LongRail]

Better construct a bed underneath the layout then

[big jim]

and plastered up

 

 

 

 

 

got a heater in there at the mo to aid with the drying out, hopefully get a coat of paint on next saturday, if not certainly around the socket and light fitting areas

[big jim]

Had a small halogen heater in the garage since Saturday, in for a few hours a day and the plaster has dried out nicely (the dark bits are shadows)

 

 

A lick of paint this coming Saturday and electrician on the 4th feb, then flooring in and call the building inspector back for the final sign off hopefully

[Boco_D1]

That model room is looking great, you may already know this but a bit of decorator’s advice when you come to paint your room put on a mist coat of diluted emulsion first, this will allow the plaster to absorb the moisture so your top coat doesn’t dry too fast and then starts to peel off.

[big jim]

We did as you suggested and my dad put a dilute coat of emulsion on the plaster all over, we are revisiting it Monday with ‘pure’ emulsion and see how it goes on

 

I’ll grab a pic tomorrow if I get a chance

 

We are going to do the ceiling and rear wall white and the rest magnolia (the projector will play onto the rear wall)

[KeithHC]

Another bit of advice but probably a bit late. Go to a Dulux centre not a DIY store for paint it cost a bit more but covers better and you will use less.

 

Keith

[big jim]

Popped into wickes this morning to get some bits and bobs and had a look at the ‘trade paints’ and happened to notice that lot of wickes own brand emulsions were reduced in price, including their version of trade paints, managed to get a couple of 25L magnolia ‘for fresh plaster’ reduced from £36 to £10

 

Spent the rest of the day giving the walls a first coat which has gone on really well, have put a 2nd coat in places too and so far only used about 2/3 of a tub

 

I have some decent white crown stuff for the ceiling however I’ve spotted a long crack already after yesterday’s very strong winds, I’m wondering if the roof was flexing with the wind, it was pretty bad as we lost a few fence panels, I’ve got some flexible polyfilla type stuff to see if I can fill the gap (less than 1mm I recon) before I give it a coat of white

 

Bit hard to see due to the light but certainly looking like a room now

 

 

 

Another couple of coats later in the week, electrician on Monday and almost done

 

Going to go for this stuff as floor insulation, purely for the basis of ease of transport in the car over buying it as a 3 x 2.4 x 1.2 sheet, 3 packs will cover the whole floor raising it up to the level of the cross member in the internal doorway onto which I’ll put the floating floor board

 

https://www.diy.com/departments/jablite-premium-insulation-board-1200mm-450mm-25mm/26830_BQ.prd

[Joseph_Pestell]

If there is one job I never ever tackle, it's plastering. The chap who does mine does it to such a high standard that he can make a pile of rubble look good.

 

Good decision Jim, it's better to push on and finish quickly. Sometimes trying to save some money on one item can push the cost up on another. 

 

Could you explain this concept to my wife, please? You may find it somewhat more difficult than the off-side rule.

[teaky]

Could you explain this concept to my wife, please? You may find it somewhat more difficult than the off-side rule.

I marked this as funny but now realise that I don't know if you are referring to rubble or saving money!

[big jim]

I dunno, rmweb goes off for 3 days and BAM!!! 

We have painted walls and ceiling and a floor!

25mm polystyrene sheets first

 

Then 18mm moisture resistant tongue and groove flooring panels 

 

 

I dropped a ball ordering the insulation and thought I’d ordered 5 1200x2400 sheets which would have easily done Both rooms but I accidentally ordered 1200 x 600, combined with some I bought from B+Q earlier in the week I managed to get the main room finished so I need more for the utility room area so I can get that down and finished off

electrican on Monday, get some skirting then get the council back for a final sign off 

ive decided to carpet the main area and wood laminate the utility bit, also starting to think of things like storage area, workbench (which may move into the main room)

 

 

 

[CUTLER2579]

Jim this has been a very interesting read. Thanks.

[big jim]

As The electrician will be done tomorrow I’ve started to think about the layout and how I’m going to do that

 

im thinking of having kitchen base units along 2, possibly 3 walls of the room so I can get plenty of storage space in there but instead of worktops have a baseboard running along the top instead that will act as the lower storage sidings so I can have all my rolling stock out to use and build the layout about 8-12 inch above that (or whatever feels comfortable to work on/view) with a helix rising up from the sidings to layout level 

[teaky]

One thing to bear in mind is access to the underside of baseboards, so you might want to select units with open tops.

 

[big jim]

I’ve got the power!!

 

 

Lots of plugs

 

Workbench area in utility room

 

flourecent light in that area

 

and 2 security lights outside

 

gonna finish the floor tomorrow hopefully 

[big jim]

Got some underlay from B&Q earlier to finish the utility room area, while I was there I noticed a couple of packs of wood laminate flooring in the clearance reduced to £12, only needed 2 packs so grabbed them while I was there as well as some green insulated underlay

 

 

Really pleased with it, going to grab some skirting later to get that room finished, got a spare sheet of flooring to go through the doorway when I’m ready 

 

 

the main room is going to be carpeted