Last week has been focussed on 2 projects so this won’t be too long a blog.
Last week’s blog said that my focus would be giving Dave’s gym some TLC before he has a new personal training client start. I said that I hoped to be able to complete it ‘within a week’. Perhaps, I should have phrased it more ‘it will take about 7 days’ because getting 7 days back-to-back to focus on any single project just isn’t possible with everything else we have to juggle – and when the gîtes throw up short-notice challenges!
The blog also said that I hoped to complete a third garage door last Monday to fully enclose one bay. I am happy that I managed to do that and am quite pleased with myself as I have installed it with a 3-point locking mechanism (wouldn’t want anyone to run away with my priceless collection of wood offcuts!)
South garage bay fully secure New garage doors installed and able to be locked!
I turned my attention to the gym on Tuesday, Monday afternoon being one of the few afternoons I was able to cut the grass in this ridiculously changeable ‘summer’ weather.
It has been slow-ish progress but I think I’m on track. The room was used as a children’s games room before we arrived so had had some conversion from the outbuilding it used to be.
The walls are pretty well done with plasterboard and insulation, but the ceiling less so. In places it had buckled, probably as it had gotten damp over the years and expanded the lambris (tongue and groove pine) (that favourite French finish). There was some beading in place around some of the edges but not most where there were large gaps between the planks and the beams.
As with all these jobs, even for Dave’s gym, I thought it best to do some thorough prep so the actual painting should be relatively quick and simple. This has meant ensuring all the ceiling planks are now flat again, replacing / adding new beading, and lots of filling, caulking and sanding.
Kergudon’s gym about to undergo a refurb Kergudon’s gym about to undergo a refurb
With lots of filler and caulk required I thought it best to leave it 36 hours to dry properly so I managed to make a start on the 4th garage door. While I may not be able to complete that next week (Dave’s gym dependent) they will all look great once done.
With the filler dried, I have started the painting. I have begun on the dark brown beams that Dave would like white, to match the rest of the ceiling, and these have taken a couple of coats. It does look better with them bright and white.
Kergudon’s gym being redecorated Kergudon’s gym being redecorated
Assuming there aren’t too many unexpected challenges, I am hoping the gym (and final garage door?) will be complete this time next week. I’ll let you know.
À bientôt.