Cubist
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- Shropshire/Herefordshire Border
Ever been irritated by a faint buzzing noise while sitting in a favourite chair near a window?
No, its not the tv or radio or some other electronic device that’s chosen that moment to get on your nerves - its lodgers.
When timber frame houses are first built the framers would typically allow for settlement of the overall building and shrinkage of the timbers by leaving spaces between the sides and headers of the door and window frames. Small sections of wood would be used as spacers between the posts/beam and the window/door frame to support final fix. The gaps would then be closed with thin fillets of architrave or similar that would be nailed to the outer face of the door/window frame and the spacers or the frame itself. Some framers will also go the length of scribing and cutting these fillets to follow the inner face of the posts and beams to provide a more aesthetically pleasing finish.
Whilst these voids are vital to inhibit distortion of the door/window frame as the building settles or the timbers shrink, they can often become a headache for the owner, and not just as sources of draughts and heat loss, as they are often seen as cosy hostelries for a surprisingly wide variety of uninvited guests. Flies, wasps and other multi-legged insects will sometimes take up residence either on a short term lease basis or as permanent residents. Lone wee beasties may not be very problematic but swarm insects can become a nuisance very quickly when they become more active.
Whilst the natural predators, spiders, may be in greater abundance in such properties they cannot be relied upon to make significant inroads into the more numerous colonial interlopers. Consequently you may want to take some direct action.
Whist I’m no great fan of the stuff this is one application in which expanding foam can be used to good effect and with little harm. A few small holes drilled into the fillets and used to inject the foam into the voids will close the majority of the empty space thus reducing the available living room and making it less attractive to these non-paying boarders. Incidentally it will also have considerable benefits in the shape of reduced heat loss and draughts.
Also, if like mine, the architrave fillets were scribed to fit snugly against the posts and beams rather than over them, then the foam will act as firmer bedding to support the caulking of your choice.
No, its not the tv or radio or some other electronic device that’s chosen that moment to get on your nerves - its lodgers.
When timber frame houses are first built the framers would typically allow for settlement of the overall building and shrinkage of the timbers by leaving spaces between the sides and headers of the door and window frames. Small sections of wood would be used as spacers between the posts/beam and the window/door frame to support final fix. The gaps would then be closed with thin fillets of architrave or similar that would be nailed to the outer face of the door/window frame and the spacers or the frame itself. Some framers will also go the length of scribing and cutting these fillets to follow the inner face of the posts and beams to provide a more aesthetically pleasing finish.
Whilst these voids are vital to inhibit distortion of the door/window frame as the building settles or the timbers shrink, they can often become a headache for the owner, and not just as sources of draughts and heat loss, as they are often seen as cosy hostelries for a surprisingly wide variety of uninvited guests. Flies, wasps and other multi-legged insects will sometimes take up residence either on a short term lease basis or as permanent residents. Lone wee beasties may not be very problematic but swarm insects can become a nuisance very quickly when they become more active.
Whilst the natural predators, spiders, may be in greater abundance in such properties they cannot be relied upon to make significant inroads into the more numerous colonial interlopers. Consequently you may want to take some direct action.
Whist I’m no great fan of the stuff this is one application in which expanding foam can be used to good effect and with little harm. A few small holes drilled into the fillets and used to inject the foam into the voids will close the majority of the empty space thus reducing the available living room and making it less attractive to these non-paying boarders. Incidentally it will also have considerable benefits in the shape of reduced heat loss and draughts.
Also, if like mine, the architrave fillets were scribed to fit snugly against the posts and beams rather than over them, then the foam will act as firmer bedding to support the caulking of your choice.