Dymented - the Serious stuff starts!

[Andy Hayter]

Sadly that has always been my experience with French plaster.  The tip given to me was to add a squeeze of lemon juice to extend the workability (French artisans without access to a lemon will pee in the bucket!🤢)

[Philou]

@Andy Hayter I hadn't heard of lemon juice, but my late father-in-law (who was a very underrated and clever man) told me about pee in the plaster. French plasters (IIUI) tend to be 'natural' whereas UK ones are 'mechanical' to suit different needs which is why you can't use UK-type ones over lime based plasters - otherwise crazing occurs.

 

I remember well over 50 years ago, two Portuguese plasterers (they were always Portuguese then) doing a wall at my aunt's place here in France. They had a timber board, about the size of a door, with timber uprights on three sides and short feet at one end so it was on a slope. A 50kg bag of plaster of Paris was poured into it and water quickly added to it and worked up to the right consistency in about a minute. The board was carried as fast as possible up a flight of stairs into the room where the plastering was to be done. The one plasterer literally ladled the mix onto the wall rapidly whilst the other was trowelling it. The job took less than 10 minutes, finishing just as the plaster was going off!

 

French plasters have improved in that they have more working time, but you still can't work them to a hard mirror-like finish unlike a nice thistle plaster. The Dutch second-home owners around here won't use French plaster and bring their own when doing DIY.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chaps and chapesses,

 

Back to the work-face this afternoon after a rather better morning than yesterday. I decided I would revisited what I did and using a piece of worn grit paper, I set to sanding down what I had trowelled yesterday. Despite my pessimism, it turned out that despite the bits of grit in the plaster-coat and some seams, it wasn't actually too bad and in an hour it was near-perfect.

 

I re-coated more of the joints this afternoon and by end of play, one wall is done and the second one started. I also approached the work in a different manner: A brand new bag of plaster opened (didn't reduce the grit though), wetting the wall before applying the fairly soft mix and then re-wetting what was laid a little while later and applying a very thin wet coat worked into the first, if needed. It has seemed to work this afternoon - all looking smoother than yesterday. I was approaching the timed end of the workability of the plaster (it was still soft though) and so what was left of my mix, I used to rough-plaster the surround around one of the Velux - so another small job under way.

 

I will not hide from you that I am taking a short-cut in that I have come to the conclusion that perfection does not exist and the lowest strip will never be seen once the layout is constructed - so why waste time, effort and materials on something that presently is 'good enough', following the adage of 'better is the enemy of good'. My paint that allegedly has good opacity may indeed cover any minor defects (to be confirmed later!).

 

I'm concentrating higher up the wall for that is what will be on view and I wanted something as flat as possible to enable a background to be created. Mrs Philou seemed very surprised that I was intending to paint a background! I shall only need a sky-blue wash (preferably with clouds pre-mixed in the paint) with mainly a hint of the Malvern Hills one side and The Marches on t'other. I'll have to fiddle a bit with Ledbury itself as the town is visible from the operator's side.

 

You may have noticed from the WiP 3D images posted waaaaay back, that I am having rounded corners so that the background can 'flow' all the way around - all in my head at the moment, of course!

 

More update tomorrow,

 

Philip

 

 

[Philou]

Hello chaps,

 

Work in progress continues - I have done all but an area of about 2.4m² - about 4 x 2.4m strips. Unless other matters call upon my time tomorrow, I should have the wall finished by lunchtime. That will then leave the ceiling to be done plus the surrounds to the Velux. Am I looking at a start of the painting mid-week? I hope so.

 

No pictures as white-on-white doesn't really show up!

 

More update tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Well, I tripped myself up between yesterday and today. My time WAS called upon this morning - one day's worth of wood left in the pile so three trips down to the bottom of the garden to bring back some logs for further cutting on my big log-cutter. We now have a pile for the burner that'll keep us going for a week.

 

I felt decidedly unworkish this afternoon but I did some more loin-griddling and completed the walls. I now have the ceiling to do - I might get half of it done tomorrow - there wasn't that much last time on the two smaller panels (and most people tend not to look up anyway ;) ), it's the other panel that's the pain as it's flat, whereas the two smaller ones are at an angle - seemed easier somehow.

 

Here's a photo of what I did over the last day or so - white-on-white turned out to be beige-on-white:

 

 

 

A bit of light sanding with some 180 or 120 paper will make it really smooth.

 

In other news, I'm coming over in mid-February to see family and I hope to visit a well-known model shop in the Cardiff area and collect some 'things' - very important things, no doubt ;).

 

Further update tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chaps and chapesses,

 

Today was a day off - yes, you've guessed - another long lunch. This time it was a belated Christmas one with my daughter, her partner and my grandson plus others. It was Sunday anyway!

 

Yesterday was a day of mixed fortunes. The morning went well with one panel of the ceiling done save one short strip AND I continued to rough plaster around one Velux. It went arse over tit in the afternoon as my mix was too wet and there was too much of it. I ended up plastered and so did much of the floor. As it was too sloppy, it meant that it took longer to lay it at an angle, and despite it being more wet, it didn't shorten the setting time! Anyway, I got half the next panel done so it wasn't a too bad outcome for the day. Any droppings and splashes of plaster will 'ping' off when I clean up later.

 

Tomorrow morning should see the other half done plus more rough plastering of the second Velux. I hope that I shall have half the big ceiling panel done by the end of the afternoon.

 

More updates tomorrow,

 

TTFN,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chums,

 

This morning's mix was spot-on - just 'tight' enough without too much 'slop'. I finished what I started yesterday but as I had taken care in doing the mix, I also reduced the amount that meant I didn't complete the second panel before lunch, but I did finish rough-plastering the one Velux and so had no mix left - for a change.

 

This afternoon I set-to and made up a similar mix as that of the morning - but it just wasn't quite the same. Nonetheless, the second panel was completed and a good start made on the largest panel. I also finished the roughing of the second Velux. Provided I can repeat the exercise tomorrow, I should have the whole of the ceiling done, leaving only touching up around the two Velux and a vertical piece of ceiling between the large flat area and the first sloped part. That tunnel entrance is definitely not far away! I really, really want to be ready to paint the walls on Monday, ceilings on Tuesday and stain the beam a darker uniform colour on Wednesday.

 

The tribe arrive on Thursday so I'll be very busy in the barn that day and Friday. Mrs Philou and tribe depart for a week's skiing on Saturday (huzzah!!). Who knows, I might even get the electrics done by the weekend.

 

Scraping and cleaning the floor will take me at least a day.

 

Question: Should I seal the floor or not? I tend to think 'yes' to make it easier to keep the dust down - but it'll mean another two days of work (two coats of sealant, plus drying time). What do you think?

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Re6/6]

27 minutes ago, Philou said:

 

 

......................and Friday. Mrs Philou and tribe depart for a week's skiing on Saturday

 

I do hope that they will get some 'normal' snow conditions.

[Philou]

8 minutes ago, Re6/6 said:

 

I do hope that they will get some 'normal' snow conditions

 

Ha! Unfortunately @Re6/6, the outlook for snow over the next week or so is not too good. They will be over 2000m up and the snow line is just about there. There are snow cannons in use, but lower down nada, zilch, rien.

[Nick C]

1 hour ago, Philou said:

Question: Should I seal the floor or not? I tend to think 'yes' to make it easier to keep the dust down - but it'll mean another two days of work (two coats of sealant, plus drying time). What do you think?

I would, you'll only regret it later if you don't...

[Barclay]

It will finish the room off nicely, and dust is your enemy !

[Philou]

Hello chaps,

 

Well! I even surprised myself today - I got all the ceiling re-done and one of the Velux is finished. Tomorrow morning should ... should ... see the small section between the sloped and flat parts of the ceiling coated plus the second Velux. In the afternoon, light sanding with fine grit paper will commence. I shall take my time and not over-do it. Slight ridges where grit got caught under the trowel can be easily removed, but too much gone and it won't be going back!

 

Here are a couple of pictures of this evening's work:

 

 

The small section that awaits doing is the part between the beam and the flat ceiling in the photo below:

 

 

@Barclay The dust is the primary reason why I want to stain the beams. They are coated with a layer of dust from when I sanded the last time AND some dust that's probably been there since Noah was in short trousers - despite having brushed and vacuumed not so long ago. I then looked at the state of the floor and had that 'Oh!' moment. Sand and seal it is.

 

Cheers everyone and stay safe,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chums and chumesses,

 

The plastering is finished - the last little strip and the second Velux are done.

 

I then became rather disillusioned. I decided to start sanding on areas that had been done earlier. I also set up a strong light shining side-on to the wall ....... that showed all the defects that weren't apparent when the second coat was wet! It was, to be quite frank. A. Disaster. Awful. Disappointed with my efforts I commenced sanding and managed to get a semblance of smoothness, but there will be much to be done.

 

However, changing the angle of the light caused the defects to become minor - I got it into my mind that the effect caused by the low angle of the light being much the same as looking at a piece of 1:1 railway through a very long telephoto lens - defects become very apparent! Spirits raised again, I carried on and certainly to the touch it is smooth. I managed to get the whole of one ceiling panel done and about 1/4 of the walls. Nil desperandum!

 

Unfortunately, the next few days will not be very productive due a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning, meaning that sanding will be limited to the afternoon. Friday is set to be another long lunch (ie. no work), Saturday is the club's AGM and as Hon. Treas. I have to be there to present the annual financial report (as une Association we have to file an annual financial report with the Préfet = Lord Lieutenant, but with a lot of power equiv. to a County Council), and Sunday is yet another birthday lunch!

 

Oh well, real life getting in the way of the hobby, again. Still, I'm looking at painting starting next week.

 

Cheers everyone and stay safe,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chums,

 

As mentioned yesterday, today was a short working day, limited to the afternoon. I have managed though to do over half the walls and about a third of the ceilings. I hope Monday will see the back of it. Tuesday will be gainfully used to do some tidying up - tools that are no longer needed and the flooring requires a good scrape and vacuuming. Wednesday could be a start of painting - but I should like to try and do it in two days - walls one day and ceiling the next (probably vicky verker). Then will be the staining of the Big Beam and finally sealing of the floor. Unfortunately, we're due to be entering into a cold spell by mid-week and it may make painting a little difficult :( . We'll see how it goes. After that, the electrics. Let me see - two runs for power and two for lighting. It might take two days and then there's the fitting and fixing of the sockets and lights - the lights will be slightly more problematic as I'll be working with my arms in the air - which I find tiring.

 

There you have it - all planned out and I hope I can keep to schedule - bad weather not withstanding.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chaps and chapesses,

 

After an enforced break during the last few days, I am pleased to say that today I finished the sanding down of all the walls and ceiling. In the last update, I did say that Tuesday would be used for cleaning up and removing any now unwanted tools, except that the very last bit 'bad weather notwithstanding' has now come into play. Strong winds overnight and this morning has caused some trees to come down and tomorrow morning I've been roped in to cut and tidy up the windfalls that are partially obstructing the highway - joy.

 

Thursday morning I get to go back to skule - I kid you not. That day, the teachers are on strike and the local education authority ie., the local commune, is obligated to take any child that turns up, into school and as I'm on the Education Committee, I've been roped in (together with M. le Maire) to do a morning shift child-minding - joy. It's been suggested by the Chair of t'committeh that I do some English with them - yer wot! Oh double joy.

 

(There doesn't seem to be any police checks unlike in the UK where they also want your inside leg measurement, it's a case of 'you'll do - please turn up at 8:15.' 8:15? Yer wot? You're 'aving a larf - it's the middle of the night!)

 

I've no idea how many kids will turn up due to parents having to go to work unable to take time off - nor their ages as they could be any age between 5 and 10/11. I expect, depending on the numbers, we'll have a mixed-age group. I hope we get provided with tazers or cattle prods as a minimum. To be honest, I quite like kids - roasted with par-boiled veg. Only kidding - if I hadn't been caught unawares I could have considered doing some railway modelling with them - looks like it'll be English instead :)).

 

More update tomorrow,

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chums,

 

School's out! (but not for summer). M. le Maire came to tell me this morning that we're no longer needed for school supervision, they've got some twenty-somethings doing nursery and primary school training to do instead - I was looking forward to it (a bit anyway). However, 'Whilst you're not now doing school come with me and cut another tree down'. Unh. So my morning is now booked. In fairness, the tree has been leaning over the highway and markedly more so since the winds, and having seen it and not done anything about it could cause a major headache to the commune, if it caused an accident.

 

Back to the railway room: After cutting, shifting and cleaning up the fallen tree, plus fetching and cutting logs into firewood yesterday morning, I felt quite unworkish in the afternoon and hence no update.

 

Today, I brushed down the walls and the Big Beam and set-to painting. As I had a half-tin of stain in stock, I decided to start on the Big Beam. I'm quite pleased with the result - but it's not quick as there are four faces and awkward corners to do on each part of the beam. Anyway, here it is half-done and after 2 1/2hours of painting. I'm getting the hang of it, so tomorrow afternoon should see the other part of the beam done plus the large strut that disappears into the ceiling.

 

Here's a couple of photos of WiP:

 

 

 

(The black rectangle just below the beam is the window behind).

 

The dark stain will bring it all together. I've probably got two days worth to do and then the walls and then tidying up and scraping the floor. I decided to do it in that order as the dust will protect the floor - at least that what I think ;) .

 

Cheers,

 

More tomorrow,

 

Philip

 

[Philou]

Hurrah! Today was a day of various successes. Despite overnight snow, M. le Maire and I plus the aid of a 4-wheel drive telescopic-handling farm machine, M. le Farmer had the tree pushed over in less than three minutes. 'Good-ho' thought I having visions of getting back into the barn, 'Let's cut it up, now where here', said M. le Maire. So we did. And another that had fallen over precariously towards the highway but stuck in the fork of another tree ............... and then we went home.

 

Without losing time, I went back into barn and started painting - I think I must have been in a slow-time warp as I finished the Big Beam on all its sides before lunch. This afternoon, I did the big angled strut PLUS one of the purlins - I then had used up all that was left in the tin. So more stain has to acquired. Nonetheless, I'm really pleased with today's progress. A couple of black marks appeared on the walls and ceiling, but I can gently sand them off once dry with some 180 grade paper. I'm pleased I did it in this order as it'll much easier to sand the stains off a naked wall rather one is finished. As a bonus, once the wood has been sealed with the stain, it'll be far easier to wipe off any white acrylic that may drop onto it.

 

Here's the Big Beam, the big strut and the one purlin stained. One purlin left to do:

 

 

 

 

Hopefully more progress to report tomorrow.

 

Toodle pip,

 

Philip

[Philou]

There is more progress to report - hurrah! Having run out of stain yesterday, I rang our local hardware shop from where I had bought the original only to be told they don't stock it any more. Good-ho. Apparently what I had bought is similar to 'Colours' of B&Q and they've become a francisee (-or?) of another group. They did kindly tell me where there was a franchisee of the earlier group and a 'phone call established that they did have some in stock. So a longish drive this morning and I came back with the tin plus a couple of bits and bobs that I thought I could be wanting when I do the electrics. It was time for lunch...............

 

.............. and the postie rang the door to deliver a parcel from Accurascale. From the size of the box I assumed there was all the remaining warehouse stock within it. No, but a very nice looking 92038 which will no doubt look even better with a lovely rake of coaches behind.

 

This afternoon I got back into the barn to finish off the staining - I think I had a dose of the Alf Ippytittymusses as me and the paintbrush didn't seem to want to do the same thing. I think it was because it was rather cold and once underway it was completed!

 

Here are a few pictures - pretty much the same as yesterday, but the staining is done:

 

 

^ The painting of the beam looks uneven because the beam isn't at all square.

 

 

 

Tomorrow is going to be an odd day as the visitors and Mrs Philou are off ski-ing and leaving early due to the booking-in time at destination. However, there'll be 'things to do' after they're gone so if it's not too cold, I'll do a little bit plaster in-fill where I noticed an edge had cracked off. In the afternoon, as time will be short, I may start on one of the walls to see how it looks.

 

Cheers everyone and stay warm, it's just started to snow here - and big flakes too!

 

Philip

 

[Re6/6]

3 hours ago, Philou said:

 

..........Mrs Philou are off ski-ing and leaving early due to the booking-in time at destination.

 

..at least there should be snow this time! 😺

[Philou]

@Re6/6 Until last week, there was a doubt if there would be enough snow to make a snowball. Apparently where they're heading there's about 1.0m of the stuff at lower altitudes with much deeper snow further up. Glad I'm not going - now Mrs Philou is worrying about whether I shall be alright on my own and not having a heart attack (lot of it about in the last few days) or not feeding myself (beer and crisps every night, said I) or receiving more big parcels from Accurascale (bit of a mis-timing with the first one as I calculated it should arrive Saturday after they'd gone), the other bigger one should arrive tomorrow or Monday! Hurrah!

 

(If Accurascale read this, pretty please, can you send the TPE pack out asap so it arrives before Saturday this coming week? Aww go on, go on, go on, go on, you can do it!) :)

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Best laid plans and all that ...... They left a little later than anticipated and I must have entered into a parallel space-time continuum as today the clock seemed to gallop away simply by not looking at it! After doing the 'things that had to be done' and there wasn't much, I only had time to do the minor plaster in-filling after lunch. From the time I made my mix (only three tablespoons of dry plaster) and put it into place (two small bits of edging, a small hole and a bit of smoothing around one edge of one Velux), an hour had passed, leaving no time to start any painting. As it's Sunday and the job will not be noisy, I can spend all day at it instead. I'm glad that I was able to get on with it yesterday!

 

No picture(s) as there is not much to see - but hopefully one ceiling painted by the end of the day tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Oh! You're all there! :)

 

Bit of a mixed bag today: It started very cold and despite there being no-one but me, I still didn't get away any earlier. I started by just light sanding what I had touched up by way of plasterwork yesterday and then got the tub of paint, ready for the off. Once I had the lid off, it seemed as if there was an awful lot of fluid on the top that required a lot of mixing. In view of the time, I thought that I should carry on tidying away excess tools that I had piled near the exit so as to give a clear space in which to move whilst painting the ceiling and then have an early lunch. No time constraints as I'm on my own!

 

Picking up a box of 300 25mm self-driving wood screws, they all decided to throw themselves down the stairwell! I had turned the box the right way up, but it had been opened on the bottom. Soooooo ....... having then picked them all back up from almost the top to the bottom of the stairs and then resealed the box correctly, it was definitely time for an early-ish lunch.

 

Setting to straight after lunch - still very cold - I mixed the paint well with the aid of an industrial whisk and my drill. In the end, it only took about 5 mins to get a nice homogeneous mix. Up the steps with my paint tray and roller and off I went. It was awful! The paint seemed to lack body and despite the description 'monocouche' - one coat - I could have just as well be using milk with which to paint! Anyway, I persevered having decided I'd just have to do two coats. Having done some awkward corners using the steps, I then changed to using an extendable pole made by Harris, so I could do the ceiling standing on terra firma.

 

I had done about 60% of the big flat part of the ceiling when the roller started to spit at me and I saw that it had moved slightly off the cage. I tapped the edge of the roller on the paint tray to push it back when ...................................................................... no, no spillage! Just the threaded end of the pole snapped off chucking the roller handle first into the paint reservoir. I have learned today that mazak rot is not just confined to loco chassis! I could see the crystalline structure in the two parts of the thread - one part in the pole and the part other now stuck firmly in the handle of the roller!

 

I decided I would call it a day at that point and just used up what was left in the paint tray reservoir to cut the paint into the corners with the wall. It was still very cold!

 

However, it ended up on an up-beat note as the paint on the parts where it had dried had now taken on a definite overall white hue - so it may not need a second coat after all, but I'll look at it properly tomorrow in daylight.

 

More of the saga tomorrow though it'll be a short day as I'm doing yet more logging with M. Maire in the afternoon.

 

Cheers and stay warm, my brother tells me it's miserable weather in Wales today,

 

Philip

[Philou]

A busy day today, but not in the railway room. Log cutting this morning for the burner and tree cutting this afternoon with M. le Maire.

 

Despite a high of 4° in the barn I decided l'd tackle the rest of the ceiling that I started yesterday, between log cutting and lunch, and the good news is that the paint DID cover pretty well in the end - so no second coat required. There were one or two patches that I had missed (white on white is possibly not the best) and that was solved with a light touch of the roller where needed.

 

I can announce therefore that the largest part of the ceiling is done! Tomorrow, I shall do one of the other two smaller panels in the morning - time is against me again as I need to take the car for a service plus two new winter tyres :( , so that'll probably be the afternoon sorted.

 

Wednesday, I have a full day ahead of me in the railway room (hoorah), and whilst I shan't finish the painting, I can expect to have a large part of it done. Finish by Friday and then electrics Saturday? I certainly hope so!

 

No pictures today as it would be much like watching paint dry! When completely painted I'll post a couple then.

 

Cheers everyone,

 

Philip

 

 

[Philou]

Hello chums,

 

I did manage to do the two remaining parts of the ceiling this morning, though I will need to go back and do all the internal edges with a small brush, plus the inside faces of the two Velux. I'm pretty chuffed that the awkward bits are out of the way.

 

If I go hyper-speed tomorrow as I did this morning with an early start I could get all the walls done too. I'm not aware of anything that ought to trip me up (says he rather optimistically). The horde is coming back on Friday with Mrs Philou, but not until evening. I'll have Friday afternoon to do a bit of work as the morning will be logging again with M. le Maire. Hopefully, the weekend will be electrical - exciting innit!

 

More tomorrow, disasters notwithstanding ;) .

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chaps and chapesses,

 

Well, hush my mouth! Near-disaster averted! Due to friction occurring on the ski-slopes Sir got the hump and threatened to curtail their holiday and come home tomorrow! Much unruffling of feathers later and they're coming back as scheduled on Friday. Phew!

 

I had a near-disaster closer to home as the first layer of paint that I applied some time ago started to peel off as the second coat was being applied. It seems that the first coat had not adhered too well to the plasterboard paper backing sporadically but at one specific place around the walls. It's just above the recess where the paper jointing-tape is applied and I can't work out what is going on. I wonder if the plasterboard has simply not dried out enough after being re-coated there with jointing plaster and the first coat of paint has lost its adherence.

 

I decided not to bother overmuch and continued applying the fresh paint regardless but taking greater care where there was any hint of 'picking'. As a consequence, I didn't finish the walls, just the last small section to do where the ceiling comes down low. As I was running out of paint and I didn't want to stop halfway along the wall, I decided to infill the corners instead - 50% of those are done AND all the Velux are finished. A couple of hours should see it all done. Tomorrow? We'll see.

 

Cheers everyone, stay safe,

 

Philip