Tuesday 16 April 2013

Timber Frame Walls to be erected and final roofing installed.



Scaffolding is erected on the south side to help the roofers install the curved roof. The curved roof comes in 3 parts. The metal liner is installed first, followed by metal spacers and insulation finally the exterior curved sheet is installed to complete the roofing.



This shot shows the timber framed wall panels which will be installed to form the basis of the new walls. The Timber framed walls were manufactured by JSI Timber frames by Nathen's team in Milford Haven and designed by Andy best from www.studs.org.uk in Trowbridge.  This 12 wheel articulated lorry delivered to a large Lay-by just north of Monkton, 1 mile from Woodhayes. We loaded the timber frames on to a tractor and trailer so that we could transport to Woodhayes. The Articulated Lorry would not have reached the site due to the narrow East Devon Lanes.












This shot shows the 6 x 2 inch capping plates which will be installed above the steel I beams to take the lower end of the curved roof and tie in the new timber framed walls. Bellow the 6 x 2 timber is half of the Douglas Fir cladding which will be applied to the exterior of the building.




This is a shot of the curved roof components including the insulation which will be sandwiched between the lower steel liner and the exterior steel curved roof.

Tuesday 2 April 2013

"Battlesden Copse", a new Broad Leaf Copse for Woodhayes Farm


This track was created late last year to enable access to Crown All Wood. This will enable timber wagons to move timber from the ancient woodland without disrupting farming on the lower park fields. The Track is on a steep gradient and will have a 9ft Deer gate either end. 



This shot shows a bundle of lime tree saplings which we planted out over the Easter weekend. Brian Clapp helped me to plant 400 tree saplings, including 80 Acer, 40 saplings from each of the following varieties :  Silver Birch, Small Leaved Lime and Rowan, 15 Hazel, Blackthorn and Dogwood and 155 European Oak. All purchased from Perrie Hale Forest Nursery just outside Honiton. It was appropriate that Brian helped plant these trees as he helped to Plant Knappy Woodlands with his father approximately 43 years ago ! Now a semi mature Woodland.


Some of the items required, including spiral plastic rabbit guards !


Tree saplings planted showing canes, clear spiral rabbit guards and a portion of turf removed to allow for watering and the removal of competing weeds. We will weed kill approximately 1 meter radius around the sapling, this will allow the sapling to grow 3 times quicker.


A view showing more of the saplings planted out and spaced approximately 2.5 meters apart we have fenced the perimeter with a 9ft deer fence which was erected by Andrew Tuckers team from Luppitt.


Andrew Tuckers team erecting the 9ft high Deer gate at the new entrance to the copse. According to the www.carbonfootprint.com web site each tree will absorb 1 tonne of carbon dioxide during its lifetime, so our copse will certainly help to reduce the Woodhayes carbon footprint by 400 tonnes over 100 years !