16th june 2006. Another very warm day.
Here they are, the crew from Gosforth Plasterers. Six of them, one out of sight,
he didn't want to be photographed. Unix liked their breaks because they fed her tidbits.
They are: Billy (back to us), Alan, Alan, (Unix), Darren, Ken.
Today they started skimming. Here is Ken showing how.
If putting up the plaster boards was hard work, skimming is three times as hard work.
All the edges are defined by metal right angle strips.
Plasterers are really messy. I try to clean up after them but know that when they have gone
we are going to have to lift up everything and sweep and vacuum everywhere.
I know the rubbish will be concealed beneath the floor, but I cannot bear the thought of it being there.
Now this is what happens when the plaster boards are skimmed.
First, the corner edges are made firm by metal right angled strips.
Then all the joints are taped with a sticky mesh tape.
Then finally the plaster skim is applied. It takes a lot of work to make it flat.
This ceiling and wall took 2 - 3 hours to do.
Each room has 4 walls and a ceiling. So there is a lot of work to do.
No wonder it costs £7,500.
This is a view from the living/dining room to the kitchen on the left and the hall on the right.
The two exposed beams are a features.
The vacuum cleaner at the bottom left is part of my attempt to clean up after them.
This is what you will see at the front door, as you enter the house.
There will be doors in the openings and wood cladding below the dado rails.
Meanwhile, Margie and I have been busy treating the logs.
The instructions are a thin coat. That is not so easy to do without leaving brush strokes.
So Margie really works with the brush to spread the wood treatment thinly and eavenly.
I have another technique, just brush it on everywhere, don't worry about brush strokes,
then after about a square meter, just rub it over with a cloth.
And there you are, that whole panel looks gorgious.
One really bad thing is the sewer covers. They have this diagonal split manhole cover.
It is not air-tight, in fact it stinks. I have written to Northumbrian Water.