screed – derrickjknight

“Would You Like To Photograph Connor Doing Something In The Bathroom?”

Connor and Josh from Crestwood arrived promptly this morning to carry out the first stage of the final flooring project. We are most fortunate to have enjoyed Connor’s work on all three ground floor jobs.

First the original floorboards were smoothed and swept.

Some of these required screwing down to form a flat surface for

boards carried in by Josh, measured, largely by Connor, and fitted neatly to form a base for the final strips of Karndean Pale Limed Oak textured laminate which have served well in kitchen and sitting room.

Connor in particular is most obliging when it comes to suggesting pictures. In the first of the screwing pictures above, he held the pose for my benefit after he had finished the task. When asked by Josh whether I would like to come and photograph the expert doing something in the bathroom this didn’t seem something I should refuse. What he did was measure, cut, and fit like a glove a template for the boards.

The boards were then nailed flat.

A smooth screed was settled over the concrete floor in the vestibule, and left to dry overnight. As can be seen, Richard’s new door will have to be cut. He had anticipated this possibility. The men will continue tomorrow.

This evening we dined on succulent roast lamb; crisp roast potatoes and parsnips; firm carrots and cauliflower; tender runner beans; and mint sauce, followed by ice cream. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Merlot.

On His Knees

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Richard was still working when Jackie and I went out for our meal last night. Using a scribing block, in preparation for the Crestwood flooring people tomorrow, he marked out a threshold, cut it to shape on his chop saw,

and pressed it neatly into position in the doorway to my study area.

He then found he needed to remove the door, shave a little off the bottom, and screw it back up again.

When we returned we found that he had not only left the place spotless, but had also fitted the cutlery drawer.

This morning, Connor arrived to prepare the floor for its covering. His yellow knee pads are essential protection for joints that are constantly bending and sliding across floors. First he sanded smooth the screed applied last week;

then swept it clean; mixed up a firmer base with which to cover it; and spread that smoothly.

It was then dried with a machine that sucked in air at room temperature and blew it out again. He delegated to me moving the dryer across the surface at regular intervals whilst he went off to another job.

In the afternoon he returned and once more smoothed the second screed before laying out the panels of pale limed oak Karndean flooring in two directions so we could decide in which direction we wanted it.

He then proceeded, with the edge of his long metal straight edge helping him transfer and mark his line, to cut his shapes;

apply his glue;

pressing the boards down by hand.

Elizabeth popped in for a while, and she and Jackie impeded my photographic progress by standing, squealing with glee, in the doorway.

This evening we dined at The Royal Oak. My meal was lamb shank served with an array of vegetables and bacon and spring onion mashed potato. With this I drank Ringwood’s Best, now termed Razor Back, apparently to appeal to a younger clientele. Jackie also enjoyed her chicken burger with fries and salad, She drank Amstell. I polished off the last of her fries.

Coordination

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First thing this morning Ross and Lee delivered some of the kitchen equipment and a chop saw. They also brought the old sink back in from outside so that Richard could fit it later for temporary use. They are all enjoying the blog, particularly because of the proof that they had been working. Richard was able to check last night that the floor would be ready for him today.

Richard then set about installing the kitchen units. I was fascinated by the red beam from the laser level, which had the benefit of demonstrating the straightness of the craftsman’s back.

For lunch today Jackie and I repaired to the Banging Breakfast Café at Old Milton. We had not visited them for a good couple of years since they changed their name, and were happy to find that there has been no reduction in quality, and that they still serve Ferndean Farm Shop sausages.

After this we took a short drive into the now waterlogged forest, where, after much heavy rain, rivulets ran down the verges of lanes like Rodlease, and pools gathered at the bottom, reflecting the skies and vehicles splashing through.

Jackie had parked further up the hill and I walked down to take these shots. After I had rejoined her she continued on the way we had been travelling.

We then encountered a big blue beast quite incapable of backing up. Jackie had to reverse down a steep gradient and into a driveway forcing the car into a wheelspin. In fairness, I have to point out that BT Transport is nothing to do with our telephone line provider.

At least the riders we later encountered in Church Lane were able to skip onto the verge.

Early this evening, Richard cleared the far end of the kitchen

in readiness for Andy’s arrival. The man from Crestwood came on time and laid the screed on that end which had been cluttered with furniture. He had no Connor with him so had to mix and carry through the preparation himself, putting me in mind of artists like Vermeer, who mixed their own paints. As he cheerfully said, it was “self service”.

It is this kind of reliable coordination that makes these teams work so well.