A Luthier's Workshop

April 2020: First Coat of Render

The first coat of lime render has been applied. It forms a thin base layer for the thicker second coat which will be applied after allowing a couple of weeks of drying.





Once the second coat is dry, my work will resume in earnest; fitting of ceilings, wall linings, eaves, bathroom waterproofing and fit out, and installation of floor coverings will keep me very busy for the next couple of months after which I'll be ready for the third and final coat of render inside and out.



My life has revolved around this project for the past two years, so stepping aside while the rendering contractor does his thing is a little disconcerting. On a more positive note, it's at least prompted me to fill in my days catching up on some neglected chores around our little property.



By Australian standards, winters here are bitterly cold, and overnight temperatures are due to fall as autumn progresses. To make my work environment inside the workshop tolerable, I'll therefore prepare for the wet, cold months ahead by stuffing the gaps at the top of the external walls with insulation material as a priority.

May 2020: Second Coat of Render

After a frustrating delay due to the rendering contractor's wait for material from China, the second, much thicker coat of render is in place. The final form of the walls - including the curves around door and window openings - has been more firmly established, and I can finally visualise what the completed internal space will look like. The render will continue to lighten in colour over next few weeks as it dries.



At this stage the render is still soft to the touch on the building's interior walls, but I can begin the task of installing ceiling and wall linings safe in the knowledge that any damage to the walls I might accidentally inflict will be covered by the third and final coat of render.



While I waited for the rendering contractor's return I had the opportunity to reconsider the choice of materials for the next stage of the project and research how best to install them - where would I be without YouTube? I'd been happy with my initial choices until I'd spent some time on the "thinking stool" contemplating how I'd cut plasterboard sheets destined for the ceiling to accommodate the exposed collar ties that tie the rafters together, and how I'd manhandle them into place. Most importantly, and despite having watched any number of YouTube videos on the subject, I questioned my ability to hide the joins between sheets. On that score at least, I concluded that there was a potential gap between my ambitions and my capabilities, and that a less demanding solution was therefore preferable. Pine lining boards provide that solution; not only are they relatively cheap and easy to install, but with a coat of white paint they should complement the rendered walls. I'm more confident in my ability to successfully install plasterboard on the internal walls, and of my ability to disguise joins. My thinking is that an expanse of flat, featureless plasterboard will provide a resting place for the eye, and contrast with the earthy rendered perimeter walls and the lining boards covering the ceiling.



I've always had confidence that the insulation properties of the straw bale walls, double-glazed doors and windows, ceiling and under-floor insulation will deliver a comfortable work space. Once I've stuffed the remaining gaps between the top of the external walls and the rafters with spare insulation material I'll know whether my confidence was well-founded.

Fortunately, I have nowhere else I can build instruments at the moment, which I find very motivating!