Search results

They have these shops dotted about here "Britska Moda" or "Italska Moda", British or Italian fashion, clothes second hand. I wonder if this is how they get their stock. We dont have charity shops over here like the Oxfam shop for old clobber.

No I read about that but dont fancy it. Im a self builder not a pro and its a bit dangerous to be messing about with. I dont want to end up like Simon Weston. Also how would it react with damp earth brick? I got most of it off with a little cross pein hammer, many small taps and used the...

Not a fan. Change for the sake of it, its not been improved in anyway.

Does anyone have advice for removing stubborn cement from a mixture of stone, old brick and earth brick(cob) walls? Using mostly a miner's pick Ive been able to gently remove about 95% of the cement and paint from the wall which came off in nice dry chunks. All thats left(mostly where the...

Most of the cement render has been removed for drying the house out, mostly using a miner's pick on the shelf on the last picture.

People will go back to hiding it under the bed soon.

I feel the same way, especially as I get older. I need my daily shower and decent toilet facilities.

I think I may have been in the same neck of the woods. Was on holiday in Lloret de Mar and went on a day trip, train down the coast to Barca. Looking out the window at the sea and beaches and was suddenly confronted by a load of people in the nak.

Was talking to a man and wife last year when out walking, who had a big tent set up in a field amongst the forests, camp fire and a few beers in a bucket. They just drive out to a secluded spot every year and just set up shop. No fees, no noise, no ballache. They were about a mile from town with...

Good tune, havent heard that for a while.

Indeed. Or as the previous owner of my place did, new cement render over old clay render, with a limewash finish. This is a cracking little guide on limework: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lime-Building-A-Practical-Guide/dp/0952434121/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363276920&sr=8-1

All good stuff that mate, thanks. Ive managed to source a provider of hemp building materials only an hour away. They have sheeps wool and flax as well, I was thinking of sheeps wool for loft insulation. Ive been more in favour of lime for a while and have experimented with a couple of...

I would be wary about re-rendering and plastering in cement. Unless it is a leaking pipe problem which if fixed should stop it, re doing it in cement after a drying out period might just let the problem crop up again in another 10 years. Although your place doesnt seem too old its probably...

Concrete has gone and now Im taking the asphalt/loose road tar out that was acting as hardcore rubble. The tar was damp and breaking the concrete must of released a lot of moisture as the walls started to dampen again. The previous fella seems to be of the idea that if its a building...

Dont mess with the Meerkats.

Yeah Ive handled solid asbestos in the past, a lot of shed roofs have it here and Ive pulled pipe inserts of it out of the chimney but this is sort of in the wall as a plasterboard then rendered over, the previous owner notified us of it. It will need hammering and chiselling out and I dont...

Tumblers seem gimmicky to me, the Czech gardeners mag also rubbished them as the compost wasnt well rotted enough compared to the box unit or a few old wooden boards arranged into a box. Ive had no trouble with a chest high plastic composter with sliding doors at the bottom. My spud crop also...

Those hemp shives sound boss. :D Ive heard of cellulose(as in old newspapers compressed) as an insulation material and treated against fire. Insulation is not an issue as the walls are 80cm thick and this earth brick is like an accumulation heater brick, absorbing and releasing heat when...

Bit of clarification: Its in Czech Rep. Im British originally but live here. My Czech language level isnt technical enough to learn about materials and building so Im learning from English books, websites and forums about self building and old techniques. Im in IT so Im not really a builder...

Bit of a long read: http://www.diynot.com/forums/your-projects/cottage-reconstruction.350112/ Short story its made out of unfired earth bricks and stone, mortar is a clay/mud mortar. Rolling the clock back after the previous nob leathered it in cement and concrete, locking in moisture and...