Notice the difference in colour of the wooden battens on the roof - The discoloured ones were laid 3-4 months earlier and are weathered. The french slating system involves using metal hooks or 'crochets' to fasten the slates in place. It is a very rapid system to use compared to nailing and far less slates become casualties.
A nice flat slated roof.......
Strangely I put all the wood on and felted the roof before I installed a velux - lack of foresight I guess.
This is my mum on the roof with me - I think she's a nutter - how many 63 year old mothers would be up there ..... mother you are mad
This is the rear of the same roof having just been attacked by my hammer for the start of stripping it back.
The line running down below the Chimney is a layer of cement. The two old roofs were at different levels.
I think I look like a pirate
Roof stripped, note the old purlin - it would be such a shame to replace it even if it is a bit bowed.
The familiar lattice structure for the slates to attach to.
Meanwhile the children cool down at their oversized paddling pool.
A tempting offer at castorama (see links) means put down tools to start building an even more oversized paddling pool that can take adults too.... This piece of unused ground looks good.
A job of levelling for the JCB
Sand and cement to form a non-puncturing base.
Add a young child for perspective and some water to stretch the liner. Note the use of the parasol to provide some shade - the temperature was that high, that until we could cool the liner with water, it was too hot to tread on.
Add several thousand litres of water.........
And hey presto. A pool with a view. Some cold beers, sunshine and a barbecue - this is what it's all about.
Having decided to strip this roof off and temporarily cover it up 2 years earlier, I decided it was time to get started on it.
Wood in place and the bucket of the JCB makes a good place to stand when working on the bottom part of the roof.
We started by replacing the old purlins with new to give something stable to stand on when working further up the roof.
This is the drop inside from the lower part of the roof - once we got to the top it started to test my nerve even though I am not normally afraid of heights.
This is Nigel down below, another good friend of ours who for some bizarre reason enjoys working his holidays through. That's us civil servants for you!
Nige and myself lifting more purlins into place on the back of the roof.
I am nailing some wood across the purlins to make a stable platform to stand on to replace the top beam - it may not look that bad from here but I was starting to get a little shakey - not knowing if the end wall might collapse.
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