A great start to the day, the rains overnight cleared away to leave it dull but dry.
9 o’clock sharp and the trestles were set up ready for cutting the cladding. Tools charged, and a flask to hand. First job was to remove the eight old fence panels to give working room. I had arranged with the neighbour a month ago that I would do the fence this weekend. After the ‘concern’ raised about the build from this same neighbour, I was apprehensive as to him being amiable. I know he has had reservations all along.
Fence panels removed, bottom starter strip nailed on and it was time to start making noise and start cladding. I was constantly scanning around, waiting for signs of life from the house, nothing, nada. Too good to be true I thought, but there was a car missing from the drive.
Anyways, after a couple of hours plodding away, probably got the first three rows on, a voice from the driveway. ‘Ah, you said you were coming, I forgot’. Well it was really amiable, not civil, which was all I was expecting, brusque even, but no, happy and chatty. Right thinks I, let’s mention the ladders coming round later when I’m at head height. That’s OK he says, the bark will rake over later.
Once I’d picked my jaw off the ground, I bade him farewell and set about the work in a lightened mood.
It was a loooong slog, not a simple pick a length, nail it on, next, repeat. The Gecko gauge clamps were expensive, but invaluable, another tool to sell on when the project is finished.
Lunch time passed, heavy rain showers came several times, tea time arrived and went, and still the paslode was firing away. I also had the verge to trim out with edging and a second counter batten along the verge to nail the planks to (The aluminium trim took up most of the verge battens in place already so needed doubling up).
At 7.55pm, the last nail went in the last plank.
Nine and a half hours straight. But still the fencing to replace.
Seven were straight drop in panels, oh no they weren’t. They were 25mm too narrow for the concrete posts. Looking at the old panels, there was a strip added to one side. I had a few lengths of roof batten left, so these were ripped in two and a half added to each side. Perfect fit, the batten was inside the channel with half the panel edge. A custom trimmed panel made for the last gap, slotted in place and job complete for the day. Tidy up of work area and clear the tools away and finally went in at 9:30pm.
It will really be plain sailing from here on in, front and back cladding is only 2.5m high and quite short pieces, think I’m going to be four or five lengths short, but hey, difficult to quantify how much was needed. Too costly to over order this cladding.
