Thinking of having one of these. I'll be plastering upto it after it's installed. But how do I fix it securely with hidden fixings on to the concrete lintel that forms the top of the builders opening. I do want it flush with the bottom of the opening.
Oh and what is the going rate for a sleeper that isn't going to reak the house out with creosote or similar.
Threaded bar all the way through lintel, fixed firmly with nuts. Protruding bar slid into deep drilled holes in sleeper
Chris
Like it; good, simple, solid solution. Oooh I get to use the SDS again...
I'm sure I read somewhere that sleepers where a health hazard due to the train loo discharging onto the track ? or is that only very old sleepers ?
Pete
Found this and based close to me.
The message from "Pete Cross" contains these words:
Still seem to be able to buy them. The story I heard was because of bitumen creosote contamination.
Bear in mind this is green (unseasoned) oak (and not very high quality by the look of the photos). If you bolt it to a wall then dry it out with a heater or fire in the fireplace it's going to move all over the place (and crack).
Isn't that part of the beauty of Oak?
I'd certainly not contemplate putting a used sleeper in the house. It's not the crap from the train passengers but the tar, creosote and stuff that will leach out and down the walls, get onto anything that touches it and the smell.
Yes
But I'd like it to do that before having to sort out the plaster again. So how long will it take before I can do the final plastering? weeks, months or years?
It's a real lump of timber it will always move, so without something flexable between it an the plaster, learn to live with a crack...
Having said that most of the big movement resulting is warps, splits etc I'd expect to have more or less finished by 6 months or so of the room being used properly.
Green oak is approximately one year per inch thickness to fully stabilize.
The answer is to wait, and then caulk the cracks. Several times if necessary.
Or use seasoned oak. Its not that expensive (£30 per cu ft appx)and you can hack it with an axe or adze to make it 'authentic'
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