Pantry Thrawl

[Ben565]

I'm trying to reinstate an old pantry thrawl in a 1920's house.

Basically it's a stone slab approx 31"x24" it's supported either side by bricks with approx 18" span in between. So it needs to be a reasonable thickness so as not to break in the middle, but not so thick as to make it too heavy to lift into place. More info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larder

The original slab is long gone, I'm looking for idea's as to what I could use instead. It has to be real stone.

 

[EightyTwo]

Reclaimation yard for a piece of york stone? Monumental stonemason for a reject gravestone/headstone (writing-side down!)?

If it's too heavy/awkward, use rollers to slide it on it's edge to the right position and then flop it down. If it's still too heavy to be able to slide it to the correct position on the bricks, you can put ice cubes between the slab and the bricks and move it around on those. As the ice melts, the slab will settle on the bricks. This trick also allows you to put ropes/straps/slings under the slab to do the lifting and then pull them out afterwards.

 

[ntb]

Why does it have to be natural stone? The last one I removed dated from 1930 and was shuttered concrete cast in place.

If you want stone I'm sure you can find a quarry to cut you one to size for an arm. Best budget a leg for the postage too.

 

[Ben565]

Thats interesting, about it being shuttered concrete. Would explain why theres a strip of what looked like cement on one side. Any idea's about how I could recreate it? I'm not too experienced with shuttering concrete.

 

[foxhole]

simple wood frame set on flat area over polythene sheet, pour concrete mix in and when set lift off frame.

 

[EightyTwo]

simple wood frame set on flat area over polythene sheet, pour concrete mix in and when set lift off frame.

Probably worth shaking the frame a bit to get all the bubbles out. You could use an orbital sander on the outside of the frame...

 

[ntb]

From memory, the slab needs to be 3 inches deep. Casting it as a seperate piece as above will work but it will be very heavy and hard to position which is why its best to cast in place.

I'm guessing its under the stairs and only has one open side at the front. If so, cut a piece of plywood for the bottom, chock up on bricks / timber to the right height. Make sure the bottom protrudes at the front enough to take a 3 inch high front piece. Attach this by screwing from below with plenty of long screws.

Seal the edge of the base with duct tape and coat the inside faces of the mould with a release agent such as cooking oil or vaseleine. Mix and por our concrete. Trowel level to the top of the mould.

 

[Ben565]

You're exactly right, I checked the remnants on the wall where the original thrawl was and it is approx 3" thick.

I did wonder about casting in place but wasn't sure how to do it, now I do.

I might try a modern twist though by using a Slate slab, although a 3" thick Slate slab will be very heavy to install and expensive.

 

[mattylad]

Hmmm, have a trip up north, we have loads of t'stuff lying around.
I'm stood on some now, great big slabs of stone that would make a reet job.

AFAIK the modern equivalent is an offcut of worktop