Home DIY

hollow cored?

and how deep are the ceiling beam drops, and how thick?

Sorry- never finished that post.

External walls are a triple layer of half width brick, so two cavities.

Internal walls are solid cinder block- cutting edge 1930's tech.

Beams are 11" x 8", ringing the top of every room.

^Internal wall, built up to the face of one of the beams

so how would you plan to run circuits into rooms?

Conduit along ceiling>90deg bend>junction box just below beam>hole drilled through wall>junction box on other side of wall>90deg bend>conduit on ceiling.

Drop down to sockets from the ceiling, or run socket-socket (although being able to do that is very rare given doors+windows.

ok, and number of light fittings and sockets per room?

don't even think about running horizontal or diagonal tubing, only exception would be above a worksurface.

and there's minimum / maximum heights for mounting which have to comply with part m

Currently each room has one of each.

Our bedroom has a single socket, spurred out of the back of the single socket in the kitchen (currently supplying one million extension bars).

I would envisage adding one more light fitting in the living room, and probably 4/5 in what is now the kitchen (above counter lights etc).

In terms of sockets - probably eight double sockets in the living room (up from one), four in one group, then two doubles (no possibility of linking these with horizontal tube, don't worry!).

Each double bedroom- four double sockets in two groups of two, either side of the bed, kitchen- sockets everywhere.

Study/laundry room would have four double sockets.

I'd also like a double socket in the hall (has none at the moment) to plug the hoover in.

ok, phone dieing now, sketch that out using a thick line for the tubing, it'll soon look busy, and try to use risers off a thick industrial skirting for the sockets

and aesthetically avoid boxes appearing at high level with only a dropper, use a two way so there's a riser up to the lights

Talking of wiring... Does anyone know of any good online tutorials (or books) for learning about electricity/electronics? I have almost exactly zero knowledge so could do with something that starts with the real basics. I'm aiming to do the wiring on a narrowboat (so 240v circuit for sockets, 48v lights if possible, 12v sockets).

I'm thinking it makes sense to have 48v lighting as the batteries provide power at 48v to the motor and lights are going to be the thing we use the most so it seems pointless wasting energy in dropping the voltage. But it does mean having more complex wiring. Is this a bad idea?

Cheers, will check that out later (can't see youtube vids at work).

If you're using standard consumer grade low voltage lighting, I think 12V is the market with a greater number of cost-effective products.

On the other hand, if you're looking at using high-power LEDs (0.3W-2W SMD mounted on 20mm star heatsinks, Cree, Seoul, Philips etc), a Buck driver for each cluster of LEDs should help avoid excessive voltage drop on long DC runs.

Need to strip and paint the walls and ceiling first - I had been putting that off as I was going to cut chases, but now I'm using conduit the walls need to be done first.

I'm trying to design a gabled transparent/translucent corrugated PVC or Polycarb roof. The info from a manufacturer of sheets has given me info on recommended overlaps, minimum angle and maximum support spacings, but I'm struggling to find information about the minimum spec for a wood frame to mount it on.

In theory I know I could close up the sides to stop the wind catching it, but I'm going to need airflow under it to make sure I don't get a pocket of hot air that'd damage the panels.

Any relevant building regs?

What's the best/easiest way to take this concrete back to a nice smooth surface?

Then, what to seal it with afterward?

Don't they use PVA to seal concrete? Doesn't leave a pretty finish though.

Yep, and I've got a latex based sealant that I use prior to laying down self levelling compound that'd probably do the job.

However- if I'm going to the effort of trying to get a nice finish on this I'd like a sealant that's going to complement things.

Hmm, the floor in the workshop I work in has a tough clear sealant. If nobody here knows it may be worth finding a company that lays concrete floor and ask them

The other issue of course is that I need to paint the sealant onto a surface over my head...

Mind you, I did a sealing coat of paint on a bare concrete floor thinning it 50/50 (as directed) and the light gray finish I ended up with was hardly any different in colour from the bare concrete. The finish was still rough like sandpaper but it was nicely sealed

I'd check on the concrete countertop forums, especially if it's for an indoor application.

It's a whole lot of conduit, mind.

You con du it Dammit!

Truth to materials issue there

Amen