My Sitooterie

[Paul200]

Any update on your Sitooterie?

Yep! Not much has been happening due to adverse weather, other priorities and people insisting on celebrating my birthday :roll:

But over the last couple of days I've been working on some big old Georgian sashes. I'm attempting to turn them into top hung casements but they need a fair bit of refurb work and alteration beforehand. I've knocked them into shape and now my wife is doing the fiddly bits - filling holes/gaps, priming and painting - all the stuff I hate! I'll post pictures of these later.

In between working on the windows I've managed to nail up counterbattens and corner posts and clad one end.

Progress will be slow now because of the work needed on the windows but I will post updates as and when I have anything to post.

Thanks for your interest Penny.

Slainte!

Paul

 

[Paul200]

Still working on the cladding - t'other end this time.

As this is the end of the building on the receiving end of most of our weather we decided that non-opening windows would be a more waterproof solution. This has made our job easier and speeded things up a tad.

My wife has been busy cleaning off the old flaking paint and filling cracks and holes....

Amazing what a coat of primer can do!

These should be ready to go in soon - in the meantime I'm working on the frames for the opening windows on the walkway side.

 

[Paul200]

Spotted this wee critter when I went up to the Sitooterie today...

He was all of about 2 inches long from head to the tip of his tail and shouldn't have been out on his own. We've got three cats so I gently pointed him in the direction of safety and wished him luck!

Yesterday I managed to finish the cladding of the second gable end and started to board the ceiling under the deck roof..

I've been putting off the dreaded cutting up of the roof panels from the original tractor shed but the threat of UV degradation of the roof membrane spurred me on today. I hate using angle grinders, useful as they are, but once I got going it was surprisingly quick and easy cutting the panels to remove all the previous nail holes....

I end up with 95cm long panels, three of which I've fixed to the roof - not much but a real milestone for me!

I'm overlapping the panels 250mm top and bottom and wondered if anyone had any words of wisdom on this. The only reason for this is the finite number of free sheets I have to recycle, the restrictive length that I'm working with and how it all pans out given the area of the roof. Not something I've ever done before so I'm open to help on this - before I get too far!

Enjoying a well-earned drink and a glorious evening now. I think summer has remembered Scotland at last :lol: :wink:

Slainte!

Paul

 

[Paul200]

Progress has been slow(ish) lately. Depending on the weather I've divided my time between fitting the two end windows and cutting and fitting corrugated metal to one side of the roof.

The two windows are now in - making the end of the building subject to the worst of the weather - well - weatherproof!

The difference this has made inside is remarkable and I think we'll have a nice environment to spend lazy days in eventually.

The roof covering is pre-used wriggly tin sheets that I've cut down in order to lose the nail holes. This, in effect, becomes a wriggly tin tiled roof and involves a lot of cutting and a lot of fixing. And a whole load of head scratching when what I thought was a standard profile turns out to be at least three subtly different profiles that will only really match up on the edges. It's certainly kept me fit climbing up and down the ladder trying different sheets for size!

The main problem area is where four sheets overlap on their corners but I found that sitting on the join while fixing the Tek screws works a treat! We had a glorious day weather-wise today so I managed to finish the largest side of the roof quite quickly. Just the other side to get on with now!

We like the patchwork effect and it will be a shame to cover it in bitumen paint but it needs to be sealed. Shame.

Before I started today I remembered to walk up the lane and take a picture to show how the offset gable and long, shallow slope on one side of the roof was intended to mimic the lie of the land - I think it works and we're very pleased with how unobtrusive the building is generally.

I've had a quick look at the remaining roof sheets I've got to cut up and there aren't enough to finish the job so I've put the word out locally that I'm looking for more. I'll probably end up with far more than I need now!

 

[Billy Flitch]

Paul let me first say that I have really enjoyed reading your thread =D> . there are a couple of thing I would have done differently but that's all by the by and I don't mean that negative. For the sheets on the roof I can see you have done one side so maybe this will help you for the other side.Corrigated sheets always have a problem because you are trying to lay four sheets on top of each other in the corners, I`m trying to remember how I used to do it. I`ll try to say this so you can follow me, on the first row the first sheet is fastened on the bottom, Lets say the overlap from the 2nd row over the first is 6" (Keep that in mind)and we are starting from the right hand side of the roof. The second sheet in the first row is now cut from the top of the fist wave to 6" down so you have now cut the corner of the sheet Like a mitre and this wave overlaps the fist sheet on every following sheet on that row the top right hand corner is corner is cut of.

On the second row the bottom left hand corner is cut of the sheet so when it is fitted in the corner the sheets do not overlap but the mitres sit against each other and the next sheet in the row covers every thing and makes it water tight.
It may sound complicated but reality its not.

If there is a 3rd row to go on then the first sheet in the second row is cut just on the bottom left and then every sheet in the second row is cut bottom left and top right, opposite corners.

If you find it hard to understand just say so and I`ll walk through it with you. Good luck, Billy.

 

[Paul200]

Hey Billy - where were you when I needed you!! That makes perfect sense - thank you. I think I got so wrapped up in the 'making it watertight' mindset that actually cutting bits off the sheets didn't even come into the equation. So simple I expect you would have treated the rust before laying the roof too? (Just something that occurred to me last night!).

Glad you're enjoying it - I was starting to think no-one was interested - loads of views but no comments. Even an audience of one or two makes the keyboard bashing worthwhile!

I would be genuinely interested in what you would have done differently Billy. I may sound like I know what I'm doing but the reality is a wee bit different! I'm making it up as I go along, with the not insignificant benefit of having owned a tool shop for 20 years - all those trades peoples brains to pick! But still making it up nonetheless :lol:

Thanks for your input mate.

Cheers

Paul

 

[Paul200]

We're having a water pipe laid to connect to mains water and I've been up the hill taking photo's so we can remember where the pipe is in future. While I was up there I took a couple of our sitooterie that give a different perspective - just thought people might be interested.

Slainte!

 

[MickCheese]

It looks like you live in a beautiful area.

Enjoyed the build. Well done.

Mick

 

[Paul200]

Scotland's hidden gem Mick. Most people carry straight on to the central belt and the Highlands - turn left instead and you're in heaven! Well, we think so anyway :lol:

Where you live ain't too shabby either - I used to cycle around Bucks a lot in my youth. There's some amazing countryside around London.

Cheers

Paul

 

[Bluekingfisher]

'Turn left'? how far left? Castle Douglas/ Newton Stewart? or left still? Kirkcubrightshire?

I'm from Girvan originally, you've done very well considering the rain fall this summer. At least you'll never have to worry about drought up there.

David

 

[Paul200]

Kirkcudbrightshire David - near Gatehouse. I'm sure you're right about the likelihood of drought - but I don't think we've done too bad with the rain so far this year - hence my progress I guess. If we'd been worried about the rain we wouldn't be here, that's for sure

 

[Bluekingfisher]

It was just my crass attempt at humour Paul.

You are indeed in a beautiful part of the world, much of the focus on Scottish scenery is favoured towards the Highlands. If anyone was to take a day or two to discover Kirkcudbrightshire/ Wigtoshire they would, as you have done fall in love with the place. Although I would suspect that would not be in your interest. I suspect you much prefer the solitude and pace as it is.

I haven't been to Kirkcubright for 40 years or so. I played in a Girvan youth football team (league champions) and were invited to play a youth team in Kirkcudbright. They drummed us 11-0. I suspect they were a couple iof years older than us, but boy did we learn a lot that day. Is the football pitch still at an angle comparable with the foothills of the Andes? No excuse for the defeat just a memory I have.

David

 

[Paul200]

Too right David - peace and quiet is a valuable commodity these days, if that's your thing of course. Even when we lived in Somerset and only came here on holiday we kept quiet about it - didn't want everyone to know! It had been our plan to sell up and move here for the last 20 years - our friends' reactions when we actually did it were priceless! Either they hadn't been paying attention or just didn't believe we'd do it :roll: One even more amusing thing though - we met a couple in an art gallery in Whithorn who had been close neighbours of ours in Somerset - they have a holiday home here and we never knew! They keep the secret too.....

The only pitch I know of in Kirkcudbright is Castledykes by the river - but that's flat. I'm not a local and we've only been here since December last year so not yet up to speed on local amenities - but we're getting there - and thoroughly enjoying the process

Anyway - I have to get up the hill and put some more tin on the roof :lol:

Slainte!

Paul

 

[Mcluma]

you have to be very careful about condensation, I wouldn't have done the tin roof, - just make sure you have plenty of ventilation underneath it

 

[Bluekingfisher]

I'm pleased you are enjoying your retiremenmt up there Paul, my own retirement is next year and we too have been deciding where to relocate to. Unfortunately SWMBO likes town life, so some form of compromise has to be made.

Anyway, I look forward to reading and viewing your WIP on the wshop.

Good luck with the roof

David

 

[Paul200]

Thanks David - the roof's done!

So glad that's over - I'm not over keen on ladders - don't mind heights - hate ladders! Celebrated with a wee dram this evening.

Friends of ours up here in Galloway have a similar problem with town v country that has caused them to move down to East Anglia as a compromise. Think I'd just stay here on my own if it came to it - it won't - but I couldn't move away now.

 

[Paul200]

you have to be very careful about condensation, I wouldn't have done the tin roof, - just make sure you have plenty of ventilation underneath it

We wanted to re-use the remains of the old tin shed Chris - if only to save money. I know what you're saying and I had doubts at first but there should be enough ventilation to prevent condensation. The sheets are open top and bottom and air can enter through each gable end through gaps below the barge boards (yet to be fixed). There's masses of room for air circulation between the roof and the ceiling on the 'shallow' side too.

There will be a problem with bug ingress because it's so open but I made a very early decision to not worry about the bugs - there are so many up here (a lot of which I've never even seen before) and they seem to get in everywhere, so you either live with it or fret about it! Maybe that's why whisky came about :twisted: I'm not complaining! :wink:

I value and appreciate your input Chris and, of course, I'll report back on shortcomings this end as and when they arise (or not!).

Slainte!

Paul

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Pleased to see the roof is on Paul, least to ensure a water tight structure.

I know Chris was concerned about condensation, however I think you would encounter that with any material particulary as the humidity factor is so high in parts of Scotland. Ok perhaps a little more with a metal roof but ventilation is the key as you have already identified. The problem with roofs are, they can be a very expensive, and afterall this is a shed so perhaps not such a neccesity for perfection, although it looks good from here and I am sure it will outlive you with a little maintenance when required.

The dreaded midge was always a factor, everything else is harmless (apart from adders, which are in abundance , certainly in Ayrshire) unless of course you have a fear of 'beasties'. I don't know of a way to fully eradicate midge problems no matter what you employ, if you expell carbon dioxide they will find you. At least its only a few weeks in high summer you have to worry about them..

Have you much more to complete before you can use it or is the additional work mostly cosmetic?

David

 

[Paul200]

It is just a shed and that's why we've cut costs where we could. I think Chris is a bit of a perfectionist (and that's something I can relate to so know exactly where you're coming from buddy!). But it is just a shed and we've had to be realistic with costs. The amount of wriggly tin left from the job should be sufficient to patch up the roof over the years but to be honest, it's old and therefore of such good quality, I doubt I'll need to. The timber I've used is treated Redwood, which has a longer lifespan than ordinary Pine

The bugs up here fascinate me. The most ridiculous is the Wood Wasp. My first encounter was terrifying - it sounded like a B52 was coming in to land, then I saw the dreaded yellow and black colours, the sheer size of the thing and the massive 'sting' on it's tail - and then it proceeded to navigate it's way forward by crashing into everything in sight! Crazy creature - and totally harmless, it turns out.

Don't seem to have much trouble with Midges here David. They're definitely here, and can sometimes get annoying, but nowhere near as bad as we've experienced in the NW. A neighbour has loaned us his Midge Magnet which we may fire up next year. These things pump out CO2, attract all the queens for about a mile radius and thus destroy the breeding cycle for the whole area - pretty impressive if it works!

All of the main construction work on the sitooterie is complete apart from the two side windows - which I will start today. I have yet to fit gutters and bargeboards, steps up to the decking and handrails. The inside will need painting once I've finished the walls. We already use it - we sat out on the deck till dark with a wee dram last night, thanking our good fortune. And one of my daughters has threatened to move in once it's done :|

Slainte!

Paul

 

[Bluekingfisher]

:lol: Yep, you kick them out the nest then they wangle their way back in. I'm sure they will be good company for you if they loacte nearby, though not so near you become the resident baby sitter!

It sounds like you are past the finishing line with the work and only 'as and when work' required to make good and titivate to your personal tastes.

It looks too as though you have plenty of tree cover and located where the winter winds won't affect the structure too much, so a minimal amount of maintenance should see the building last a good few years.

david