Roselea

Category: Roof

  • Dolly’s Created to help transport our Slates

    After having a major tidy-up in the workshop (to clear away the tools and mess from building our filtration module), we started on making various pieces of equipment to help us in getting the Slates up onto the roof.
    Today, we created four dolly trolleys to help transport a heap of Slate tiles from our storage area alongside the Loke and get them to where we would be currently working on the roof. They are made out of 18mm OSB board, each dolly is 425mm wide by 400mm in the other dimension and 240mm high, big enough to allow us to pack about 150 slates, in two rows of 75, held vertically (They will weigh up to 150 Kg or 330 lbs i.e 23 stone!).

    Dolly's Created to help transport our Slates

    Slate-dolleys-1

    Dolly's Created to help transport our Slates

    Slate-dolleys-2



    We put on nine little office chair type of castor wheels on each and we tested them by crouching down in the box and get pushed along the floor!
    These will go onto a vertical lift mechanism to take each one up to the walk-way platform, we will design and make the lift next week.

  • Trial Run in Working with our Slate Tiles

    We constructed a small test rig, to reflect the design and placement of the two layers of the wooden battens to be on our roof and then played with a dozen slate tiles.

    Trial Run in Working with our Slate Tiles

    Roof-slating-test-1

    Trial Run in Working with our Slate Tiles

    Roof-slating-test-2



    The first row of any roof has to have two tiles (the lower tile is cut down in height) to ensure that the rainwater will be directed down the slate and not drip through onto the battens and the breathable membrane. We tested using the copper nails (through two holes) to see how they work, and tested using the hook nails (a bent rod of metal running underneath and hooks on the bottom edge)
    Trial Run in Working with our Slate Tiles

    Roof-slating-test-3


    It is quite obvious that there is a need for a “filler” to be inserted on the first batten, to take the place of the missing third tile, so we will fold up our gutter metal mesh guard several times to the required thickness and when that is nailed on the first batten row, that will provide the extra height needed.
    The overhang distance of the bottom edge of the slate tiles will be about 55mm so we will position the first line of battens so that the tiles will hang over the gutters by 25mm, and the rainwater drips nicely in.

  • The Last Four Pallets of Slates Arrive

    Sometime during the afternoon, we had the delivery of the remaining four pallets of our slates and they were unloaded alongside our Loke, following the line as we intended, but alas, one of the pallets was dumped on top of two others!

    The Last Four Pallets of Slates Arrive

    Last-of-slates-delivered


    We did not want this, as we wanted to be able to take a handful of tiles out from each crate in turn so the roof would get a more random pattern, just in case, one crate would be loaded in the quarry from one spot in the slate mine and by the eleventh crate, could be using another part of the mine with slightly different colouration and texture. Hence, as recommended by experts, to take a few tiles from every crate, to mix it up a bit, and get a more balanced finished on our roof.

  • First Batch of Slates Arrive

    We had a delivery of the remaining timber battens, 720 metres of 38mm by 25mm sized lengths, but actually, we only got 714 metres so they short-changed us by 6 metres (but we did get extra of the larger battens) !

    First Batch of Slates Arrive

    The-smaller-roofing-battens-have-arrived


    We now have all our wooden battens, ready for our roof.

    We also had the first batch of our Slates , seven pallets, in total, containing over eleven thousand standard sized and 750 extra wide ones.

    First Batch of Slates Arrive

    Slates-being-delivered

    First Batch of Slates Arrive

    First-7-Pallets-of-slates



    Each pallet has over 1800 slates in 3 layers. We are expecting a further four more pallets of standard size in a few days.

  • Slates on Section D and E Completed and Preparing the Guttering on Last Section At Last

    In these two weeks, there was a big disruption and stoppage to our work. The first week had only one successful day of work and that when we got the “D” section of the roof completed and got started on the “E” roof. The rest of that first week was spent recovering from the flooding we suffered during a very heavy rain storm, see Rain, Rain, Rain. for more details!
    The second week was more successful thank goodness .. ..
    First day, Monday, was spent in the workshop processing five more oak planks to make the remaining guttering pieces. We were short by three base pieces and two front ones. We had some of each type left over so we used those ones as our template to duplicate the extras. It was a 4 stage process to cut the various tongue & groove edges, bevelled angled edge and making the tongue to fit the fascia slot. We finished this task with a morning session on Wednesday.
    Fortunately, we had some dry days remaining so we got on with putting up slates up on the “E” section of the roof and got most of it covered by Thursday. We couldn’t go any further as we don’t have any access (safe access) from the other roof surfaces to finish off the section.

    E-mostly-slated

    E-mostly-slated

    The-ABDE-Junction

    The-ABDE-Junction



    Friday was an alternative day of work doing a hand rail for a family member and fitting it to their stairs. We made it using a 3metre plank of 27mm thick oak timber and planed it down to about 80mm wide with a gentle horizontally curving profile. Also we made a 45mm square post with another oak piece we had left-over from a previous job (the window sill).
    And finally, on Saturday, we rearranged two platform modules to extend our walkway and working platform to reach the remaining “H” section of the roof and a bit of the original “I” section where we started this whole job.
    We had to move some empty slate crates and also coiled up two plastic conduit pipes that had been buried underground along the back of the house for various old functions in the past.
    The afternoon saw the base pieces of the guttering cut and test fitted (but not glued) to section “G” and “H”, to rejoin back to where we started all those months ago!
    What was quite odd and amusing is that this last section along “H” saw the most wobbliest stretch of our fascia we have had in the whole of the roof and we had to make some minor adaptions to our base boards to make them fit in a straight line. Nothing complicated.
    (no picture as it got dark!)
    So next week, we will get the gutters finished, fibre-glass and black resin the final three corners, put in the rubber liners and then put up the breathable membrane and wooden battens up the roof.

  • Skylight Unveiled!

    This morning, under a cloudy sky, we unveiled our spanking brand new Skylight to the world!! We went and pulled off all the final protective cling film coverings off the polycarbonate panes!! It had a layer of water from the morning dew so we got rather wet!

    Skylight Unveiled!

    Skylight-Revealed-1

    Skylight Unveiled!

    Skylight-Revealed-2

    Skylight Unveiled!

    Skylight-Revealed-3


    This concludes the job of putting up our Skylight. Here is a breakdown of our timesheet on the various aspect of the task of creating this skylight module:

    • 30 working days to build the framework and paint it
    • 16 working days to install the framework and the glaze it

    We started at the beginning of August and finished today on the 6th October, with a total of 46 working days spent on the Skylight!
    Here is a super-fast time elapsed video of the skylight being installed.

  • Ridge Bar All Rain Protected and Bird Disruptor Created and Installed

    We carried on making the second of the two special end caps for the ridge bar, shaped to cover over the five rafters all coming into one point at the end of the central ridge bar. After filing and rubbing the edges smooth, we then sprayed them both with several layers of metal white paint and, to speed up the process, put them into our oven at 50°C to dry them quickly.
    Meanwhile, we took up the white rain guard covers for the ridge bar and using the two longest lengths, we fitted them at each end (making a clearance hole for the threaded rod) and loosely fitted them. We weren’t ready to snap them down just yet. The next piece was measured to meet (and go just beyond) the middle threaded rod position but we discovered that about 1metre (3feet) was slightly distorted at one end and when it met its sibling piece, they were obviously mismatching.
    So after lunch, we decided to used a another piece of the rain cover, left over piece from doing our fourth and final piece and replace the ‘damaged’ section with a fresh and clean piece. It now aligns up very nicely!
    Then we went along the whole length of the ridge bar and using a pair of pliers, we twisted very slightly the metal edge at every 500mm, this edge being what locks the rain cover down. It was too loose and then bends make it tight (we had to hammer it in place!), we don’t know whether it is a design flaw or the manufacturer expected us to do the trick of ‘denting’ the metal edge, we don’t know? shrug shoulders!
    Now we were ready to apply the white PU sealant to the end caps (these were screwed into place) and then proceeded to snap the rain guard covers into place for the final time. The joints had some further white sealant applied and this included around the holes that had the threaded rod poking through too.

    Ridge Bar All Rain Protected and Bird Disruptor Created and Installed

    Skylight-construction-complete


    Next, we returned to our workshop to create our Bird Disruptor (We have noticed the bird’s really liked perching on the skylight so we decided to add some deterrent in the form of 3 fine wires stretched just above the ridge to give birds a scare when they try and land on the ridge) . We made three 200mm long supports, using stainless steel angle iron and then drilled one big central hole (for the 10mm threaded rod) and another three tiny holes (for the thin wires) and cut half way through one flange at 66mm (third the way in from the ends) and this allowed us to bend the piece with a 15degrees angle, to follow the slope of the roof. After grinding and rubbing all the edges and corners, to make it smoother and softer, we then took them up to install it on our skylight, along with three length’s of 1mm thick stainless steel twisted wire and stainless steel nuts and washers to clamp them into place on the three threaded rods.
    Ridge Bar All Rain Protected and Bird Disruptor Created and Installed

    Bird-deterent-system-One-End

    Ridge Bar All Rain Protected and Bird Disruptor Created and Installed

    Bird-deterent-system-Middle-support

    Ridge Bar All Rain Protected and Bird Disruptor Created and Installed

    Bird-deterent-system-Other-end



    Tomorrow, we will then do the final ‘grand reveal’ by going along and pulling off the last of the protective cling film covers on the polycarbonate panes and give everything a clean and polish to make it sparkle! Hopefully we will have some good sunny weather!

  • All Rafters Now Covered with the White Rain Guard

    This morning, we finished off the last three rafters on the right hand end of the Skylight (two diagonals and a straight) and put on the last four aluminium edge protection strips too.
    We were interrupted by two deliveries, one for the fibreglass valley channels (16 lengths of 3metres each) and the second delivery was for a dozen sheets of materials (some 18mm OSB, 15mm plywood, 10mm cement board and a 12mm high grade plywood)
    After lunch, we went around all 33 rafters, putting a line of white PU sealant at the top end where they met the ridge metal bar and then snapped on the white rain guard and applied another line of sealant. That took about an hour or so.

    All Rafters Now Covered with the White Rain Guard

    Joints-sealed

    All Rafters Now Covered with the White Rain Guard

    Covers-on-rafter-bars




    The rest of the afternoon was spent designing and making another rain guard cap but this time for the two ends of the ridge bar. We first built a wooden mock-up model of the ridge metal bar with all its neighbouring rafters coming in like a star and then using a piece of cardboard, we cut and bent it into a three angled shape so it will fit into the end and provide protection from the rain.
    All Rafters Now Covered with the White Rain Guard

    Cardboard-model-of-cap

    Cap-half-made

    Cap-half-made



    All Rafters Now Covered with the White Rain Guard

    Rain-cap-for-end-of-ridge-1

    All Rafters Now Covered with the White Rain Guard

    Rain-cap-for-end-of-ridge-2



    We managed to make one today and we will make the second one tomorrow, give them several spray coats of white metal paint and then get the whole Skylight finished with the installation of the rain guard covers along the central ridge bar including the two custom made end caps!

  • The Two Ends of Skylight Almost All Done

    We resumed the work of completing the two ends of the Skylight today, we had our four triangular pieces ready for installation, after the overnight job of gluing on the protection edge strips, for the Great Room end. These four plastic glazing panes, along with three rafter bars (one straight and two diagonal ones) were taken up and installed into place. The diagonal ones had to have two 45degrees slices cut off the top end (like an arrow head) before they could fit snugly into place.

    P-End-Glazing-complete

    P-End-Glazing-complete


    After lunch, we started on the other end of the Skylight and proceeded to slice up the final two square sheets of the polycarbonate material into the last four triangular pieces, this time, it was a little more complicated because we have a little kink in the Skylight and this end has a twisted “skewed” arrangement of the rafters. We managed to get the measurements all sorted and duly arrived with our cut pieces which went straight up on the roof, clearance holes drilled and fitted into position. We ran late so we could get these last four “windows” finished which only the three rafter metal bars to do in the morning.
    The Two Ends of Skylight Almost All Done

    H-End-Windows-fitted


    Tomorrow, we will do those rafter bars and then start applying more sealant around all the joints between all the metal parts and then snap on the white rain covers with more sealant to provide multiple layers of protection against rainwater getting in.

  • Ridge Bar Complete and First Four Triangular Glazing Panes Cut

    We finished off the installation of the Ridge bar this morning. The last section, the fourth one, was 4.494 metres long and we now have a complete ridge clamping down all the 25 windows (13 on the front and 12 on the back) with a total length of 13.5metres long.

    Ridge Bar Complete and First Four Triangular Glazing Panes Cut

    Ridge-complete


    Then we got down to the complicated process of measuring the triangular framework so we could cut the polycarbonate sheet into the required shape and size. We started on the Great Room end of the Skylight and using our large framing square, to validate the assumption that the framework was indeed “right angled” and that we could and did take measurements of the vertical distance and the horizontal direction too but we also had a long straight aluminium “ruler” where we could verify the hypotenuse length when we transferred the numbers to our polycarbonate sheet. Using a long guide bar, clamped down and we carefully cut the plastic with our battery circular saw. We took the first one back up for a test fit and .. it fitted!
    We repeated this over again for the next three cuts and we now have four triangular pieces!
    They all then had their six clearance holes drilled into them and the protection metal edge strip glued, ready for these four to be installed tomorrow.
    The last little task was to measure and cut the middle rafter bar to length and screw on its end cap, also ready for tomorrow.
    So in the morning, we will do that and then deal with the two diagonal rafter bars which has to have a double angled edges taken off them to fit into the correct position .. all very fiddly work!