I'm in Dorset. House is 1901. Today I pulled the laths off and knocked out the pebbledash plaster from inside the loft, on the other dormer, just to see what the cladding looks like from the back. I also pulled off some from the sides of the dormers to see if the rot has moved down the sides. The other dormer has rot, bad at the bottom of the cladding. The are also one or two spots where the rot has come through at the joints at the very bottom of the cladding on the sides of the dormer. Looks like I will only have to replace the lower part of the cladding on the sides. I can now spray the back of the cladding from inside the loft. Here you can the other dormer frontage, with the lath& plaster removed. The back of the cladding is covered in rot at the bottom and it's just started to creep through half way up the board close up: Here's the side of the dormer: Mostly ok, but rot is just begining to creep in at the joints, from the bottom.
Well it's now October and one dormer is done! Onto the second one. This time I am cracking throught it about 5 times quicker, now I know what I'm doing! The method I used before to clear off the front of the beams worked but it is S-L-O-W... (routing it off in 5 inch wide strips, in 30 inch sections) Just thinking again about other ways to slice off an inch of timer from the front of the beams. I can access the top and bottom of one of the beams, which is 125mm thick, so it may be possible to run a circular saw along the top and then along the bottom as my saw cuts to 70mm depth. Tricky holding it upside down though. The lower beam is tapered so its 175mm thich in the middle and 100mm at the ends. No access to underneath though as its resting on joists. Wondering if a reciprocating saw would cut straight enough, if it was following the groove cut by the circular saw first? The router method is good as it allows me to go deeper where the rot has penetrated more, but on the second dormer the rot seems more uniform and is nearly all no more than an inch deep.
My experience with recips is they turn to butter as soon as they heat up, so good for demo but mot for straight cuts. That said see lots of videos from across the pond of them being used for all sorts.. What about circ saw from above followed by hand saw
Yeah could try that, would be a long cut though! 3 metres! The beam that's sat on joists will still be a challenge too.
OP, you didn't see fit to recognise my June post so i'll only say that after 4 months of work, & more to come in winter weather you've only "done" (whatever that means) one dormer, and now you suggest another weird method using saws! Not best practice but chiseling the rot out would have been simpler & quicker. If you leave any dry rot pockets still in any of the timbers, and damp gets to it you will again have a full scale outbreak of fungal damage. You seem to believe that removing "beams" will require the whole roof to be removed. Thats not so. No need to remove the dormer roofs, they can easily be supported when removing the full pediment frontage "beams" and all.
Trying hammer and chisel approach on this side. The rot is shallower and of more consistent depth (about 1/2"), so taking an inch off the front, the spraying and fitting new timber. Made a guide for the circular saw to make vertical cuts easier. Oh and here's the 'done' side!
Although I admire the work and effort, I cant help in thinking that is a bit of an odd arrangement? Maybe its just the angle, and looks better from further way would be good to see the overall building from a slightly further away aspect!
What you mean the construction? Yes it is unusual. The carved joist ends were covered up before, so I decide to leave them exposed an I'll strip and repaint them. The other dormer has some worse rot in these joist ends, so i looks like I will have to make new ones. Still not sure about replacing the mock tudor bits that were on the front. They seemed to be a breeding ground for rot. What it looke like 12 years ago.
Unless it's listed, I do think I'd have taken the opportunity to consider reverting to a more functional arrangement. Are those constructions really just ornamental with no useful space inside?
Not listed. You mean just rebuild the roof without an dormers? Could do, but our place is a bit of a landmark in the area and it might not go down well with the locals! There's nothing inside the dormers, just loft space, but if we ever converted the loft, these might be good to make into windows... By the way, Rusty, I might want to pick your brains some more on sash window construction!
Nice gaff. The dormers are unusual, with those sidewalls they are quite tall. Personally I think the mock tudor trim is an essential design element, but its your house-you don't have to do what you don't want to.
Thanks! The mock tudor is not as nice as the original frontage I found behind it. It had a row of 4 quartrefoils with pebbledash inset between the woodwork. Very similar to this pic. I might go for an opening in the cladding using a quartrefoil design. The main issue I have with added on mock tudor is that it appeared to be a perfect breeding ground for the rot!