In spite of the record for the highest gust of wind in the UK during Storm Eunice, our works have been largely unaffected and remain on-track.
Good progress has been made in all areas over the last few weeks. The flat roof on the top of the nave barrel is not particularly flat anymore. Firings have been added to the rafters to increase the pitch of the roof to meet today’s standards. This ensures that there is sufficient run off and avoids water pooling and potentially finding its way in. A ridge vent right along the spine of the roof will work in conjunction with a vent detail at the bottom of the barrel roof on both sides to ensure there is sufficient ventilation of the roof space. Ventilation is a vital part of roof design; without it, all the warm humid air from a building gets trapped in the roof which creates the perfect conditions for things like mould, rot, woodworm and beetle to thrive. With these improved ventilation details, air will be able to flow all the way from the aisles through to the top of the barrel.
Inside, structural gusset plates have been installed to shore up some unsatisfactory repairs carried out in the 20th Century. The structural engineer has identified further repairs that are required to the roof structure to ensure it remains structurally sound for the coming years. Insulation has been added between the rafters before the installation of a plywood substrate that will support flexible plasterboard and ultimately the plaster finish for the ceiling.
Decorations have commenced in the north aisle and we will be signing off the samples for the new flooring in the coming days.
