Sun loggia

[condeesteso]

Excuses first. I am supposed to be making fluted legs for a chess table, but here's the reason for the delay.

About 3m x 2.2m, roughly. Brickwork was by Colin, who is local and highly recommended (works Kent and east Sussex, get in touch if he may be useful).
Oak is from Michael at Wealden Oak, 6 x 3 bearers then 5 x 5 structure, all oak pegged.
I ended up allowing a tiny amount for longitudinal shrinkage on the plates - the oak is not fully wet now, and will never be fully dry, so about 1mm per metre was my guess, but the bolts have a little clearance give. Any expert views on this issue (longitudinal specifically)?
Getting the long top beams up single-handed was good fun.

All joinery was done with hand saws, big chisels - the Lockwood firmers and an old beech mallet (Jim's LV is too posh for this kind of work, and the Lockwoods have steel hoops around handles). The saw is a cheap one with the greenwood rip tooth pattern (sorry, not sure what it's called) - it has worked very well and cost about £12.
Getting the roof timbers up now, then tgv on top of those, then membrane, then grey slate, with 2 finials on the top (oak, get on the lathe and try and make 2 that look like a pair :lol:
Back wall is going to be flooring grade oak t&g - I may run a moulding along the edges, but will cheat with the router table for that.
The sides will be closed and I have 2 matching big stained glass windows to go in (Edwardian, which is the overall style of this). They are quite narrow so will go central, with oak panelling either side.
Floor will be clay tiles, probably black and terracotta.

I'll get back to the fluted legs soon.

 

[Benchwayze]

Now all you need is a nice warm, sunny Summer Douglas...

Looks very smart. Are you any good with greenhouses perchance?

Just had a thought... it looks very much like the 'outside smoking space' at my local.
That's one way to banish any smoking visitors I suppose.

As you say, the brickwork is top hole.

 

[wallace]

really like it. Its like a little folley. Have you sited it with a nice view or for the setting sun?
Mark

 

[AndyT]

Gorgeous!
I wish we needed something like that and had the space to build it, and I'm jealous of the fun that you must have had doing it. I'd love the chance to work on something like that.

Keep the pictures coming, and lots of them!

PS - I don't see how you are going to fit a bench in there!

 

[jimi43]

Since I haven't been over for a while it is nice to see the loggia I have been hearing so much about finally!

Excellent job...having only seen it in parts...well impressed by it now it's all together.

All you need now is a shaving chair...a pole lathe and a few green tools and you'll be well away!

I can see some bark on that floor this summer...mark my words! :mrgreen:

I'm sure your KT mallet would have coped but I wouldn't want you wincing each thwack! :wink:

Bravo my dear friend...very loggical indeed!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

=D> =D> =D> =D>

Jim

 

[condeesteso]

Thanks for the encouragement! Yes, it faces south west, so plenty of afternoon / evening sun. But then I got rained off yesterday so not much progress. managed to turn 2 finials that do look like a pear. And a spare third that did go pear-shaped (the skew can still bite back sometimes #-o .
Sunshine this morning so may get more of the roof timbers cut and up. I admit I am using the mitre saw and bandsaw to cut those. Oak has been collected to make the sub-frames for the sides, so when rained off I could get to work on those in the workshop.
Sorry, never done a greenhouse - it's the same isn't it, with thinner stock and bigger windows :wink:

Don't know why we need one of these anyway, they are for sitting in, and fat chance of ever doing that round here.

More pics and news as it breaks... ha ha.

 

[condeesteso]

Update - roof timbers on, tgv underlay half done. The tgv happens to look grey... I slapped some Sadolins classic on it and just happened to have some grey lying around. The underside will be painted Sadolins Supadec satin 'Hemlock'. I used hemlock before on a cabinet carcase with oak top and doors - they go very well together as the hemlock is an old mucky cream, but with a subtle hint of green in it.

Should get the tgv finished very soon, then a membrane over, then batten. Slates are standing ready but there will be a lot of cutting to do.
The blue tie is to hold the sides square until the oak sub-frames go in. I hope that will stiffen the whole thing up completely.
The morning sun is going to be through the right side stained glass, streaking across the back wall... it's things like that keep you going, i find.
More pics later, when it looks different.

p.s. the pitch is an unusual 28.5 degrees. Started with ridge set at 30 degrees, decided it was a tads high, and wanted the finials aligned to the brick returns. Makes the roof geometry some odd numbers, but that's what the calculator on me phone was for.

 

[jimi43]

...............and wanted the finials aligned to the brick returns.

:shock: Wren would have been so very proud! :mrgreen: =D>

Looking superb Douglas my man! And the stained glass playing light inside...just the right inspiration for shaving wood I think! :wink: 8)

Looking forward to the finished article...............

Jim

 

[condeesteso]

Quick update - slates hung, windows in (need a clean). Just the lead flashing to do and traditional quarry tiles laid on floor. I need to practice first with the lead as I have never done it before, but I gather an old fashioned pre-electric iron is the way, plus flux and low temperature solder. There's a 3-way point where the lead will meet around the finials... why make it easy? I have an unused copper earth rod which may make an iron.
Tiles on the way - I have a suspicion the Victorians may have laid with lime mortar and very fine sand, a strong mix. I may give that a try, but any knowledge always appreciated.

 

[Paul Chapman]

That's looking very nice, Douglas.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Wow - that does look good. All it needs to finish it off nicely are a pair of Welsh stick chairs (or similar) and an elegant table for the Pimm's jug and glasses.

 

[AndyT]

Impressive range of skills there - bricklaying, timber framing, roofing, glazing... If you can successfully add sheet lead work too you will have earned the nice sit-down and a glass of something!
Will the metalwork stretch to guttering, or is none needed? I can just imagine a nice lead hopper with the date and your initials on it...

 

[simocco]

Love it

 

[Harbo]

Very nice but needs a bit more rasp work
I laid some Quarry Tiles in our front porch about 20 yrs ago - just a normal mortar mix I think?

Rod

 

[condeesteso]

many thanks for the nice words. I didn't do the bricks please note - that was Colin. He's a talent - the feature chimney stacks he rebuilt on a local manor house need to be seen... probably can be from where you're standing, on a clear day :lol: