Starting Stage 4

Tomorrow we start Stage 4 of the barn development. Since the last Post we have not been idle: all the beams have now been scraped and wire-brushed; and we have done most of the first-coat painting on those beams that we're having white. Further filling and finishing work has been done on the wall boarding ... (we seem to keep on saying this - but it is a very long job):

Over the past week we have been trying to finally sort out the wood for the skirting, door liners and architraves; we have also been looking at wood for making the 4 interior doors that have to be hand-made to fit the variable width/height doorways that have been created. We were looking for fully-planed wood  - but not only is this expensive, but it also looks and feels rather 'flimsy' somehow. We decided to go for something more substantial, with more of a 'barn-feel and look'  -  and when looking for our fireplace beam, we visited a very large wood processing enterprise, only 15 kilometres away. The wood they process is all oak and chestnut. We found an excellent weathered chestnut beam and also found half-planed chestnut planking and have now decided to use this for all the skirting and door wood-work, developing the 'barn-feel' and bringing together the weight and colour of the wood we are adding to the existing beams. Tomorrow we will measure up all the wood required and go to place the order.
The immediate work in Stage 4 will be completing the remaining wall and door boarding; fitting the large interior french door that enables full wheelchair access; and carrying on with the filling and sanding and undercoat painting. But the priority is the flooring, laying and leveling this:

- ready to take the tiling that will run throughout the whole area (around 80 square metres). We have found the tiles we want, a light creamy-grey colour to lighten the rooms, and they are anti-slip to assist wheelchair use. The tiles are due to be laid the third week of November.
So, with the overall space beginning to look like the accommodation we envisaged Stage 4 will be crucial in taking this from the 'renovation/construction' process to the interior design phase:

Meanwhile, outside, the weather has been beautiful, with bright, warm Autumn days: