Basement Chimney Breast

[Gothichome]

Gezzzz, that’s great work, and the ingenuity is fantastic.

 

[Stevers]

In an occasional update, the finished alcove cupboard with tiny Huntingdon 20 gas stove plumbed in. That's several coats of white Leyland Trade Satinwood (good value) tinted to a custardy colour. It's similar to a colour that had previously been applied by the gas board in the late 1940s, and is a reasonable match for the Crown Flat Matt emulsion ('Tapestry Thread') that will be above dado on the walls. The inside of the doors and the cupboard lining is finished with Osmo Polyx Oil, the wood on the inside of the doors being far too nice to be painted again, and of course my repairs will remain visible. The door inners really do look that orange in the flesh, the lining much less so. It's a freestanding unit and completely demountable if necessary, with a couple of stainless brackets at the top restraining it all. All wood against the walls and facing the void has been treated with two coats of Barretine clear exterior wood preserver and then primed.

The cavity behind the lining is vented via the slots in the base up to a vent in the ceiling and the void conceals the pipes for gas stove and central heating. That's my late Dad's only vice - this room having been the workshop for what proved to be a fairly ambitious renovation. The knobs on the Welsh dresser had clearly once been stained a dark brown, so these modern knobs were also stained walnut and painted with three coats of White Knotting as it was the only shellac to hand - this being a more servicable finish than paint.

There remains a strip of slightly damp mortar at the bottom corners of the hearth, but there's no salting or disruption of finishes. Bearing in mind this is underground with no DPM it's amazing just how civilised this hearth is now considering how vile it was before. The Blue Lias limestone floor has lost all of the cement screeding and the radiator under the window is now plumbed in with moderate heat, but since this was done (mid-winter), condensation on the single glazed sash window hasn't proved to be the problem it was.

 

[Gothichome]

Well all this work looks fabulous, and the best part it looks exactly how it would have looked when new. Great job, if you want a trip to Canada I have a fireplace that’s in need of restoration.

 

[Cubist]

I just love to see someones - anyones - plans finally come together into a job well done. Excellent and impeccable workmanship as always @Stevers well done.

Sadly we don't have a basement here I could use as the basis of an invitation but I do echo @Gothichome sentiment.

 

[Stevers]

Thank you @Cubist and @Gothichome for your kind comments. It's surprising what hours of displacement activity, followed by massively overthinking things, can eventually achieve!

 

[Cubist]

Tell me about it. Though the First Lady refers to such as My Procrastinations - rather than my preferred 'Thoughtful Ruminations'.

 

[Gothichome]

Tell me about it. Though the First Lady refers to such as My Procrastinations - rather than my preferred 'Thoughtful Ruminations'.

Same issue here in Gothic home,”well why don’t we do (insert what seems to be a simple project here). It’s shouldn’t take to long or cost much.

 

[Cubist]

Same issue here in Gothic home,”well why don’t we do (insert what seems to be a simple project here). It’s shouldn’t take to long or cost much.

Some seem never to include the sweat, the tears and the frequent spilling of blood in the P&L but hey, they don't have to make OR carry the darn thing!

 

[Gothichome]

Some seem never to include the sweat, the tears and the frequent spilling of blood in the P&L but hey, they don't have to make OR carry the darn thing!

And the half dozen trips to the hardware store.

 

[Cubist]

And the half dozen trips to the hardware store.

Aww comeon, we have to have a little fun. Far better than trolling round some designer joint in town or towing the off-springs off-spring around some darn theme park.