New garden hut.

[Sheal]

I know what you mean mgmine; it's supposed to be BST (British Summer time) but as usual this is the biggest joke of the year.

You're living in the wrong place Colin. We're desperate for rain up here in the Highlands and have been for weeks apart from a few dribbles. In fact we haven't had any consistent rain for eighteen months. I had to have three mature trees removed last Autumn (around 50ft in height) and the chap that removed them tested their hydration - it was only 15%.

Back to your hut....despite the weather you're doing a grand job, it looks good and solid.

 

[mgmine]

Looking better every day

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Desperate for rain Sheal; Please feel free to move to West Yorkshire; I'll guarantee you all the rain you can handle; last year we enjoyed a very rare summer because summer's here are usually cancelled; when I built the first hut in mid summer a couple of years ago; wind and rain wasn't good enough so it hailed on me as well; fortunately living here on the valley side we aren't troubled with flooding but during a cloudburst it's very impressive watching the water head down to the valley bottom; normally I wouldn't mind rain but once it starts it doesn't know when to quit; yesterday was cold with rain and wind; today is pleasant in the sunshine so I've been making the most of it whilst it lasts; this morning I made the hut door and this afternoon I've been in the garden pottering around getting sunburnt? Thanks for your kind comments.

No rain Sheal for 18 months; look at what we endure video taken last month and its all too common.

Thanks mgmine; yes it's come along nicely to say we only took delivery of the timber on Monday morning; it's about finished; I bought very heavy duty door hinges at last months Rufforth Auto Jumble these being secondhand; I'll paint them before installing them although the door is in position.

Kind regards, Colin.

If a poor workman blames his tools then I've no excuse. The big router is a bit of a beast and the cordless drill/driver is a joy to use doing a fantastic amount of work between battery charges each charge only taking half an hour; it's got a 4ah battery installed and I can use this same battery on my Makita hedge trimmer. I'll never grow up but my toys just get bigger.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

I've just bought the felt and expect to receive it on Tuesday ; felting the roof will be quick and easy then it's just a case of little finishing jobs like adding the hasp & staple and lock etc.

https://www.feltproducts.co.uk/top-quality-coarse-mineral-shed-roofing-felt-10m.html

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

More progress; the door is hung; new hasp & staple fitted and new cabin hook & eye fitted to hold the door open as required. Hopefully the felt will arrive tomorrow then I can finish the job. I've also just used the petrol mower my chum David kindly gave me a month ago; the mower would run five minutes then quit; I decoked it and installed a new magneto; David had sorted out the ful by installing a new carb; it now runs very sweetly indeed so I've got two petrol mowers; I can mow in stereo.

Kind regards, Colin.

A weeks hard graft often working in an hostile environment with rain and wind but I got there in the end. Last Monday the timber was delivered so it turned out to be a quick build. I'm now pleased and can relax.

 

[Logan]

It looks great Colin

I'm now pleased and can relax.

How long for before you find something else to do?

 

[Sheal]

Desperate for rain Sheal; Please feel free to move to West Yorkshire; I'll guarantee you all the rain you can handle;

I hope you don't mind if I decline your offer as I know what it's like to live with. I moved from the Isle of Man two and a half years ago, one of the wettest and windiest places in Britain, so I can sympathise. I was out digging in the garden today and my soil is dust.

A grand job on the hut. What will you use to coat it?

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks Logan; I've already got plenty of projects lined up; two 13A double sockets to install outside the bungalow; stone steps to build by the new hut; woodturning and metal spinning etc; yes plenty to keep me busy and I'll keep posting the projects I'm working on.

Thanks Sheal; when it's nice weather here there's no other place I'd wish to live because it's beautiful on this valley side. Thanks for the compliment. I'm unsure yet how to finish this hut; the first hut I made a couple of years ago I used this;

https://www.wood-finishes-direct.co...E25lMA4INPdSPqXe0b9qAIxbyfM0OY6gaAgxdEALw_wcB

I'm considering painting both huts to colour match the bungalow using very expensive American Benjamin Moore paint at around £82 per US gallon; preservatives these days are about as much use as water?

Kind regards, Colin.

Last Monday this hut was a pile of boards. Now finished and roof felted today also I've added a strong bench type shelf to hold gardening tools.

Side picture; felt neatly trimmed.

Whilst working on the hut project I managed to install the two coach lamps I spent so much time restoring having learned metal spinning whilst restoring them. I've also drilled the front and rear bungalow walls ready to accept outside 13A sockets; just the cable to buy for these. The paintwork is expensive American Benjamin Moore but well worth the money; it still looks new after three years of extreme weather and it was a joy to apply.

Last month whilst at Rufforth Suto Jumble I bought a nice sack cart to replace these old heavy sack carts.

Rather than dump the old sack carts I saved the wheels and axles disposing of the rest; these will possibly come in handy at a later date.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

good job.

 

[Logan]

Good work and it's best to keep busy.

 

[Sheal]

The sawmill that supplied me with my shed recommended a stable coating (as in horses), although water based it protects for a minimum of three years. They supplied it in clear or with a hint of green. The colour and consistency is like working with ditch water but it did the job.

I can't remember the make by I know Protek produce one that is similar.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Many thanks Sheal for your information which I appreciate.

I treated the first hut with Barrettine;

https://www.toolstation.com/wood-protective-treatment-preserver-5l/p68513

I've had a look at the Protek you kindly mention;

https://www.gardenstreet.co.uk/shed...5/paints-stains-c149/protek-stable-coat-p2091

I thought I'd try the Protek and was about to order 10L until I realized the Barrettine is oil/solvent based whereas the Protek is water based so I've just bought 10L of Barrettine from Toolstation and with luck it will be delivered tomorrow? Both my huts will then have the same treatment. I hope we get better weather in order to dry the huts out.

More progress has been made and more work still to do as seen below. I'm rained and hailed off today. GRRRR.

Kind regards, Colin.

The gap between wall and hut is prone to filling with leaves and debris which eventually cause rot to the hut bottom boards so yesterday I added a cover; the gap to the back of the hut is much more accessible so can be left open.

This is the next job; at the moment it's quite dangerous so I need to sort this corner out to add safe footing; I'll possibly extend the low wall to support a paving flag; just to the left is a mature oak tree and the path is very steep.

The only level places in the garden are the flags to both huts; this steep garden sure is tiring.

 

[Logan]

Nice work Colin, that's a good idea to put the cover over the gap.
Yes it would be a good idea to put some steps in as well.

 

[Sheal]

With the amount of rain you have it's probably a wise choice to buy the Barrettine.

I was just looking at your soil, it looks so dry. I suppose most of the rain runs off before soaking in?

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks Logan. I want some dry weather then I can build the steps.

The Barrettine is due to arrive today Sheal but I wonder if it will dry up enough for me to apply it. Yes our soil is often dry and dusty which given our rainfall seems very strange; it's dark; miserable and still raining as I type but if the rain quits for a couple of hours the soil will dry out very quickly indeed; everything runs off our garden and heads to the valley bottom; when I fell a tree and cut it into logs I've got to be careful otherwise the logs disappear at speed and could prove highly dangerous; I can't even place a mug of tea on the ground. Last year we spent a lot of money on plants and shrubs only then to suffer a very rare drought; I tried carrying watering cans up the garden but this was incredibly tiring so I tried using the hose pipe and it was depressing as I stood there for ages with the hose watching the water form small streams as it headed down the valley but even worse these small streams were cutting into the soil taking the soil along so I had to quit. I've put in lots of ground cover to prevent this soil erosion and Cerastium is proving brilliant quickly spreading; the ajuga has also spread and both of these are now in full bloom looking wonderful. The pachysandra isn't doing well at all though; I'm learning by trial and error finding out what does and doesn't grow in our gardens.

Kind regards, Colin.