Completions and external installations in self-help housing

Dice the preliminary draft, the establishment of construction will mainly determine what will be external installations. Great volumes will be fixed, the position of the ways and alleys will be defined and the plantations, trees and solid masses, will have been considered. But it will remain still much to be made when the house will have become livable and one still needs much time for nature so that the appearance of the house and its environment is stabilized. But while waiting one can proceed to the execution of the coatings and paintings and the installation of the alleys or the installation of external lighting.

See Self-help housing

Coatings and rough-cast

The coating is a thin mortar bed which ensures several fonctions :

to return seals the frontage with the rain,
to hide the breeze blocks or bricks.

Traditionally one carries out the coating by projecting on the wall a mixture of fine sand (0-3mm), lime and of cement. Lime makes the mortar pastier, which facilitates its fixing.

The method is simple, its implementation claims a “ blow of patte ” which is acquired at the end of a few tens of meters-carré :

To fix on the wall of the slats of which the thickness is equal to that of the finished coating (5 with 10mm).
On the angles (ends of the wall, edges of windows…) slats exceeding thickness of the finished coating are fixed.
Per time of wind and very dry time, to wet the wall copiously to be coated.
To prepare a very liquid mortar (consistency of soup) and “ salir ” the wall. It is the operation of gobetis .
When the gobetis sufficiently hardened, at the end of a few hours, one can project the first layer (thickness 5mm approximately) then to check that it does not exceed the height of the slats by slipping an aluminum rule on those.
A few hours later one can project a second layer, even a third layer if the thickness to be filled exceeds 10 Misters
To smooth the last layer with the hawk, to scrape the surplus with the aluminum rule, to fill the lacks and to plaster again.
To remove the intermediate slats and to fill the vacuums by plastering
to obtain a smooth surface, to wait until the coating has drawn then to a little plaster it delicately with a piece of expanded polystyrene.

Painting

The painting of the frontages hardly raises difficulties if one has the material of adequate scaffolding. To paint starting from a scale is possible but at the very least difficult with the top of 5 meters. From the ground, an ordinary adult of size can reach two meters height. A simple stool is enough for a height to stage, a small mobile scaffolding makes it possible to paint until practically 4 meters.

Material of painting

bucket provided with a grid of drying and a system of fixing on scale,
roller out of wool of good quality,
brush width 40 or 50 for the places inaccessible to the roller (re-entrant angles, door frames…),
bucket filled with clear water,
rags,
horns out of plastic to pack the tools temporarily,
glasses of safety against projections,
cover-chief against projections,
good shoes to go up on the scale,
straps safety so necessary.

The product

The choice of the color must be made according to the local or traditional rules and of the environnement :

construction neighbors,
colors of the other structural components,
development of the vegetation…

If the frontage comprises projecting elements or in hollow, those should be painted with different colors to emphasize them or to make them more discrete according to the case. In the event of difficulty for the choice of the colors one will may find it beneficial to consult a specialist (architect, colourist, town planner…) ; the services of the DDE or the town of residence could be useful for that.

The nature and the quality of painting depend at the same time on the support (coated, existing painting, stone, concrete…) and of the exposure. It is preferable to be supplied at a famous professional that in a large surface. Even if the price seems high, it is even higher if one is obliged to start again work at the end of a few years because painting in promotion falls apart, blister, flour, dilutes oneself, fades, mildews, collects dust… One can always negotiate a handing-over in the retailer with the assistance of a craftsman.

The basic commodity is white and will be tinted with the machine. To note the mark and reference of the color and to preserve it in a sure place to order some again if necessary. A good painting covers approximately 10 m ² /litre. If the support is particularly absorbent or rough, one will pass initially an underlayer by raising the quantity estimated of 5 at 10 %. The surplus of painting will have to be preserved in a full pot and hermetically closed. Every year, it is essential to mix painting to avoid the decantation. If a skin were formed on the surface or a nonmiscible dense layer settled at the bottom of the pot, painting is unusable (not to reject directly with the sewer nor to put at the dustbin because paintings are separately treated poisons).

Preparation of the support

In the case of the restoration, it is initially necessary to remove all dirtinesses, scales of painting, foams, lichens, dust… with the brush or the cleaner with high pressure. To stop the holes and cracks then, to repair the glares, to make fall pieces of coatings sounding the hollow and to remake the coating. So pieces of iron (heads of nails, braces concrete…) are apparent, it is better to summarily treat them with a rust-proof flat.

Preparation of the building site

To dismount the beating shutters and travelling flap tracks.
To protect the door frames, grounds, rambardes… against the splashes, * To use self-adhesive paper to delimit surfaces to be painted.

Work method

To install scale or scaffolding begin with the top. µ
To start with the clearest colors.
not to paint if the temperature is lower than 5°C or higher than 25°C, in high wind conditions or if there are risks of rain.
To work in the shade or, if possible, to wait until the sun turns.
the first layer must be diluted to 5 or 10% and mixed well. It will nourish the support if this one is very absorbent.
to dry the roller Well to avoid the projection of drops.
To roll slowly while going up without supporting to distribute painting.
To cover a third of meter-square approximately by vertical bands then to pass by again on same surface by horizontal bands.

If there remain points of the support not covered, to add a little painting and to roll again in the two directions to distribute a uniform film. There should not be lacks nor of extra thickness. Although it is not obligatory with a good painting, it is to better finish while rolling vertically, downwards. One thus avoids seeing the blows of brush appearing a few years later.

Paintings with water are except dust very quickly, especially in dry weather but it is necessary to envisage at least twelve hours between each layers. The tools are cleaned with water, by steeping or by means of a sprinkler pipe. One can then preserve them a few days in clear water but it is to better change some for a new important building site.

The lifespan of a good painting is about 10 years at least, much more for the sheltered walls of the sun and the bad weather.

Boarding

A Bardage (architecture) is a coating of external wall playing the same parts as the enduit :

protection against the rain, the shocks
decoration

Formerly only of wood (Sheeting plank or boards), the boarding is carried out maintaining using many materials such as for example :

painted metal sheet cooked with the furnace,
PVC,
shingles of shingles.

In the case of the insulation of the walls by outside, the boarding is fixed on the structure which supports insulating material. It must be adjusted in order to prohibit the introduction of the animals (mouse, dormice, long pitchfork…) and insects (wild bees, wasps…). One will may find it beneficial to choose a boarding which can be repaired easily in the event of accident (frequent in bottom of the walls: to envisage some plates of replacement) and which ages well. Tinted PVC often tends to be faded (that depends on the nature of the pigments, of the exposure to the ultraviolet rays…) and the sheet painted to lose its brilliance. The shingle resists well. Wood requires a regular maintenance which goes from five years (frontages exposed to the rain) to ten years.

Shutters

The use of the shutters is not universal, they are completely absent in certain countries. However they are useful for several reasons:

reinforcement of the thermo isolation of the openings (doors and windows)
protection against the effractions and the jets of stone
screen against solar light and the inquisitive eyes
participation in the esthetics of construction

Several types of shutters are met:

beating shutters of wood or PVC or aluminum
shutters out of wooden or metal (iron…)
travelling shutters of wood, PVC or aluminum

The installation of the shutters does not present particular difficulties. One can plan to buy materials and to assemble them oneself. The delicate point is the catch of dimensions by making sure that the diagonals of the opening are identical. To envisage the plays necessary to operation.

The box of the travelling shutters should not be a source of entry of cold air. Simplest is to incorporate it in the thickness of the external wall and to unroll the apron with naked frontage. protection against the wind is then maximum. On this subject it is judicious to choose slides anti-wind which deaden the movements of the blades of the shutter and decrease the noise at the time of the storms. There exist drums of travelling shutters with built-in electrical motor; this system allows an ordering of opening-closing using a simple switch. One finds blades of travelling shutters very thin which authorize the realization of boxes to reduced dimensions, in particular for the restoration. For PVC, to prefer the colors " naturelles" PVC which does not tend to be faded.

The realization of beating shutters does not pose particular problems for the informed autoconstructor. To choose wood blades of first choice quite right. Attention with the position of the scarves and the bars of which the goal is to avoid the deformation of the shutters in place. Like the boarding out of wooden, the shutters must be regularly maintained, especially if they are directed in the west.

Blinds

Hamper blinds, blinds sun visor.

Fences and gate

Lighting

External lighting presents several utilités :

it facilitates displacement or work in the ways and zones which it clarifies as soon as the evening approaches,
it improves safety, or at least the sense of security by dissuading the possible burglars,
it takes part in the development of architecture (low-angled light, shade…).

One will may find it beneficial to envisage at the beginning of construction the drains and points of fixing of the luminaries, the detectors of approach and the switches.

Examples of zones to éclairer :

electric bell, plate indicating the names of the owners,
gone and footpaths,
spaces parking, shelters,
main door,
adventure playgrounds, picnic, terraces,
given and lean-to building,
balconies and loggias,
swimming pool and basin.

Several types of luminaries can be utilisés :

projectors located in height and covering a broad zone,
standard lamps, possibly decorative,
illuminated bollards placed at the short-nap cloth of the ground and marking out a way,
simple port-hole fixed at the wall or the ceiling of a covered place,
dissimulated lamps and getting an indirect lighting,
luminous flagstones (path, terrace),
beacons of stairs.

A powerful projector, even placed very high, is generally dazzling, which can be an advantage when it makes it possible to the inhabitants to supervise the approaches of their dwelling. In the other cases it is necessary to be arranged so that the intensity of the source of light is low or that the light is indirect. Equipment must be selected of good quality, tight and resistant to the shocks, able to largely support the power of the bulb which it shelters. It must be fixed firmly without being likely to be detached in high wind conditions or to put out of order themselves.

The ordering of lighting can être :

permanent (not very powerful lighting of a button of bell, night light, illuminated bollards),
automatic as soon as the evening fall, using a photocell,
automatic by detection of movement,
manual, by " all or rien" ,
time-lag using a timer.

It is desirable to install an indicator inside the dwelling to announce the operation of external lighting.

The detectors of approach to infra-reds are sensitive to the fast variations of temperature in the zone which they supervise, generally on two rather broad sectors (120°), one near and the other a little more distant. The maximum distance from detection of an human being is about 10 meters. Two buttons or adjustable tangents make it possible to choose the level of darkness from which the detector functions and operation life after detection of a movement (between a few seconds and a few minutes). It is preferable to choose material of good quality, more reliable, more resistant and more significant.

Plantations

It is not necessary to have a large ground to give an impression of space around the dwelling, a good fitting of built volumes and plants taking account of the points of sights, the environment and the evolution in the time of the plantations can make it possible to obtain a satisfactory result with average tiny rooms. The observation of the public gardens (in particular of Eastern inspiration) and of the close properties can be a good source of inspiration.

The choice of the trees and shrubs will be done by taking account of their speed of growth and their aspect with the adulthood, of the nature of the ground, the sunning, the desired sight, the work of size and maintenance, of the fall of the sheets to the autumn (gutter), of the color of the foliage at various seasons, the accesses necessary (truck of draining or delivery)… The plantation of a Verger requires a large ground but, failing this, it possible to be satisfied with trees cut out of rib stalls.

The Gazon claims a careful preparation of the terrain :

levelling,
contribution of sand of amendment or humus,
drainage or system of watering…

To choose a mixture adapted to the desired use, the nature of the ground, lighting… To think of the proximity of the trees which, by their shade or their roots, will disturb the growth of grass. Unless having a turfed surface of a surface higher than one or two ares, one will avoid placing in the center of the Pelouse a solid mass of flowers or a shrub. The slopes are difficult to mow but lend themselves generally well to the plantations flowers and small shrubs.

The culture of small a Vegetable garden is a source of great satisfactions. The choice of the site must take account of the sunning, the wind, the nature of the ground (to modify of it the composition so necessary). To envisage a site for the arrangement of the tools and the dater of waste as well as a hose cock. If the ground is very wet one will be able to girdle the kitchen garden of a system of drainage or to raise it of a score of centimetres.

This article is directly related to Autoconstruction

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'''JA2i''' : Joinery, Fitting and Building

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