| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Jonnyboy |
Recycled FireplaceNot quite a before and after, more like a before and nearly finished.Stiil have the woodburner to install next week, and the brickwork to complete up to ceiling height. Most of it is from recycled materials materials, reclaimed belfast brick (£150 for a pallet of 500) , reclaimed pitch pine beam (£80) and the centre stone from a recyclers for 3 quid. The beam itself was in a right state when we bought it, mostly paint and nails, the corbels were made from one piece of wood but cut as mirror images to minimise wastage. The credit for this has to go to my FIL who is a true artist with wood. Total cost so far about including cement, sand, etc is about £400. |
||
| Bernie66 |
All yuor own work i assume 
|
||
| Jonnyboy |
Myself and my FIL, my design, his woodworking skills and artistry to create it, with my dumb labouring to assit.
Oh, I built the slate hearth all on my own.
|
||
| Viking_Chick |
Thats GORGEOUS! I'm very impressed.
Sadly this means that my OH now thinks he should break down a wall and build a fire.... he can't even be bothered to sort the broken bathroom sink that he cracked..... |
||
| nettie |
The rest of the work on the room looks pretty impressive too 
|
||
| Bugs |
That is pretty impressive. Would you like to do ours when you're done?
We have left in the old 1930s tiled fireplace - like the second one in this page only a bit bigger, a tiny bit more elaborate and more battered. We're always seeing them ripped out on tv programmes, but can't think of anything better or that would fit the house as well without going to great and pointless expense. We'd love a stove but as we will be leaving this place soonish it's not worth the expense when the next person will probably rip it straight out. 
|
||
| Jonnyboy |
I have to give my builder credit for that, the flooboards look lovely, it's only white pine but he used decorative nails, cramped it all up tightly and I'm using a hard, clear sealant as new pine darkens a huge amount. Kitchen is starting to go in, hugely expensive bio friendly septic tank is in, toilets flush, electricty is on the 7th, we move in same day. Next job is 1.25 acres of wilderness, oh and a lot of painting! |
||
| Jonnyboy |
Our woodburner is on it's second home, If you don't use it for water it's only the flue pipe to undo. If you do it's four water pipes as well. Problem is that you have to make sure it 'fits' in the next place. This is ours. |
||
| wellington womble |
The woodburner itself isn't particularly expensive, as I recall (although that may have been in the days when I had a different idea of what expensive is, and in any case only in comaprison to the flue, which was enormously expensive, as there wasn't a chimney for it to go in.)
I kicking myself for not connecting it to the hot water, and if its as easy as JB says, go for it. I'd never live in a house without a woodburner again. Its truly wonderful. |
||
| Jonnyboy |
A wood burner with integral boiler can cost a fair bit, expect to pay around a grand. |