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Monday 16 July 2012

Getting Floored


About 300 square meters of tiles are delivered … get ready for laying!


Floor areas in the two ground level apartments are to be finished with large format (30 x 45 cms) rustic hand-finished, natural clay colour, ceramic tiles.


Once the main datum lines are set the tile laying begins …


Tiles are laid in a contemporary linear bond with grid lines centered on the brick archway and, where possible, with primary entrances and passageways.


We love the subtle variety of colours in the natural clay finish …


… which matches beautifully the original brickwork of the main archway.


Tiled steps lead from the main apartment down to the second living area …


… where the shape and proportions of this smaller apartment are best complimented by the main grid running in the opposite direction.


All these areas look so much bigger now the floors are laid …


… including bedrooms such as this double room in the smaller apartment.


The same tiling extends throughout including to the bathrooms …


… where matching tiles of a more elegant linear format (45 x 15 and 30 x 15) are used on the lower half of the bathroom walls.


Walk-in showers are accentuated by large scale natural stone colour mosaics …


… with made-to-measure glass enclosures to be fitted later.
It’s all beginning to look and feel much more finished … at last!





Sunday 15 July 2012

Wonder Waxing


After sandblasting all the roof timbers needed treating and waxing. With the help of a willing nephew (Jonny Lummis) this was completed over several hardworking days.


Initially wary of heights, Jonny soon gained confidence and tackled this painstaking task with a big smile … and considerable rather questionable humour.


It’s surprising just how many individual three-sided ceiling joists there are between the main roof beams! Each one had to be dusted, termite treated, left to dry for 24 hours … then waxed!  
Ideally … with no brush marks left on the tile surface!

The toughest challenge proved to be reaching the very apex of the main roof … a good five meters or more above floor level. The only way, with a 2.5 meter scaffold tower, was with a brush taped to the end of a long curtain rail.


Just a few strokes left to complete the job … Jonny is looking particularly pleased that the end in finally in sight. A well deserved glass (… or two!) of chilled white wine awaits.
Thanks Jonny … the results are great and the roof timbers now look wonderful.