Work starts on the roof

There has been no let-up in the pace of work in the last week with the roofing company now starting and the final stages of both the internal and external walls.

The ramp leading to the building entrance is almost complete. As much as anything, finishing this will help the builders who are backwards and forwards all day.

The first panels of cedar cladding have been fixed. The cladding is really just a rain screen as there is a breathable membrane underneath which will stop any moisture getting into the walls.

This picture shows the outer layers of the wall. The green breathable membrane has been painted black as otherwise  the green colour would still be visible between the gaps in the cladding. A fine mesh fly screen is then put over the battens (this will stop hornets trying to build nests under the cladding!) before the cedar is nailed on with stainless steel nails.

The internal walls are being lined with a wood wool composite called Heraklith. This is a much more environmentally friendly alternative to plasterboard with excellent fireproof, sound proof and insulation properties.
This will be given a single coat of lime plaster as the final finish.

The company doing the zinc roofing have just started. This picture shows the flashing detail that will ensure that water running off the roof will fall into the gutter.