SHIVER ME ROOF TIMBERS

Another blast of hot air is on its way as the hype machine goes into overdrive over the long-awaited monster B movie release ‘Rishi Kong vs Trussilla’.  Audiences are literally fainting at what’s been billed as the verbal clash of the century.

 

Rishi Kong vs Trussilla

Interior designers across the globe are already licking their dry, chapped lips in anticipation of being hired by the victor to re-paper the interior of No 10 in genuine £50 notes.  Who will win this hot-to-trot contest is anyone’s guess at this stage but the conspiracy theorist in me is putting 50p on Rishi. 

Meanwhile in a warm, sleepy corner of West Sussex far from the madding political crowd, work continues on the new extension.  Looks like the giant chopping board has been out again as the builders prepare to make another gigantic sandwich this time for the roof. 

Our flat roof is what is known as a ‘warm’ roof designed to retain heat and is constructed similarly to this diagram.

 

Warm flat roof construction

The roof sandwich begins with a generous row of timber ‘baguettes’ topped with something called a ‘firring’. 

 

Roof timbers spanning the room

Firrings sit on top of the roof timbers

A firring is a thin strip of timber cut along its length diagonally so that it tapers with one end deeper than the other.  Firrings are used in the construction of flat roofs to create a fall so that rainwater runs to the lowest side.

 

You can see the run from the side

As I can’t cut anything in a straight line, I appreciate the skill it must take to cut an ordinary straight piece of timber into one of these long firring wedges.

 

Cutting 'firrings' requires lots of skill and a steady hand

On top of the firrings sits a layer of thick ply panels which are then covered in a black damp proof membrane.

 

First layer of ply panels on top of firrings

Viewed from above

After the membrane, slabs of 10mm thick Eco-Therm cheese are laid to provide lots of lovely insulation. 

Lots of thermal cheese, please

It’s amazing how much heat is lost from a poorly insulated roof and with gas prices currently going through said roof then the last thing we want is to be paying to waste precious and costly energy.

 

Side view of damp proof membrane

Wooden battens have been fitted above the kitchen window.  These will form the support for plasterboard in continuation of the existing brickwork.  More insulation will plug any draughty gaps where the roof timbers join the new structure.

 

Bridging the gap

The remaining blocks have now been slotted into place underneath the timbers so at the end of week 8, we now have a properly sealed room.

 

Sealing the room with remaining blocks

We now have a properly sealed room

All is on track for the electrician’s visit on Monday ready for the first fix on the electrics.