Thursday 29 January 2015

Shepherds Hut - Restored!



These traditional huts were once essential shelter for shepherds who were tending to there flock in remote locations. As the use of these dwindled, redundant huts were moved out of the way: to the edge of a field or into woodland, maybe to be used by Gamekeepers for a short while before being abandoned. They would soon fall into disrepair and, those that weren't dismantled for firewood, became forgotten about and overgrown.












This time last year, we rescued such a hut from its secluded standing point in local woodland and, at great effort, brought it back to the yard with the intention of fully restoring it......
A quick once-over revealed that this was in need of a fair amount of attention. Although the corrugated iron used to clad the roof and walls seemed relatively sound, the original elm boarding beneath had rotted to the point of being unsalvageable. A discussion was had with our joiner, Johnny, to decide how best to approach the restoration sensitively; whilst retaining the character and charm of the hut.
The first step was to take the existing structure apart to reveal the full extent of what needed to be done. It was carefully dismantled right down to the base and, although we had to lose the original steps and door due to their disrepair, the wheels and axle frame were conserved.
Johnny then began the process of rebuilding the hut. The base was repaired and the structure was rebuilt using oak timbers and traditional framing techniques. It was then clad with reclaimed pine boards both inside and out - even adding an insulated membrane for a little modern day luxury!


shepherds hutoriginal shepherds hut


 A reclaimed stained glass window was added to let in some natural light, a stable door was fitted and the original corrugated roof was reinstated.
Traditionally, these huts would be fitted with just the basics that a shepherd would require - a small wood burning stove for heat, a simple bed and table and maybe a cage or 'lamb rack' for tending to needy or injured newborns during lambing season.
Nowadays though, with a spate of publicity and a growth in popularity, these small spaces are decked out far more comfortably and are used for everything from garden offices and art studios to guest accommodation.
This hut has already found a new home and is set to be a young girls garden retreat. We just need to get it moved safely to its new location for it to start this next chapter...... Watch this space......!




Tuesday 27 January 2015

Planning ahead for outdoor spaces:

The weather forecasts may still be a little bleak, but it really won't be too long before we can enjoy relaxing outside. The above image depicts an inspirational Country garden and outdoor living space which can easily be achieved by focusing on a few key elements......
Outdoor Seating
Natural Flagstones
Building materials and exterior finishes





Natural flagstones - We have a number of different types of reclaimed flagstones available for external paving. These can be laid either coursed or in a more random fashion and are ideal for covering large patio areas. For smaller courtyards and pathways we also have a selection of cobbles, pavers, setts and edgings which may be of interest. These can be viewed on our website here.
Outdoor seating - Whether you are looking to create a large area for entertaining outside or are just looking for some seating to be tucked away in a sunny corner, you can find a number of options here.
Building materials and external finishes - Attention to detail really enhances an outdoor space so planting and decorating ideas should be considered carefully. Take a look at this section of the website for some inspiration.
Hopefully this has sparked some ideas for potential landscaping projects and, being considered this early in the year, there is plenty of time to get planning, get the work done and have it all up together ready to enjoy once the 'Al Fresco' season arrives.
Remember to continue to check our website for Seasonal new items arriving into stock. Alternatively, you can follow us on pinterest or houzz for further ideas...................




Monday 5 January 2015

Welcome back to 2015.......

All set up and ready for what the New Year has to offer!
We are constantly being complemented on being one of the tidiest reclamation yards known, being well organized with everything stored safely and displayed in a logical manner; meaning that our customers can easily find what they need. It also helps us to keep track of the large quantities of materials we have available!
Before Christmas, the yard was given a thorough 'tidy up' with stock being sorted and put away, the showroom getting a bit of a face-lift and everything being cleaned up ready for the New Year.
Here are just some of the changes made:
* Our large 'stone heap' has been moved away to create some additional car parking - it is now stored at one of our other sites, along with stone cropping facilities and a new masonry saw
* A new racking system has been put up to display our vast stock of roof fittings
* The upstairs showroom has been cleared out to provide a new display area for our reclaimed fire surrounds and furniture



We have continued to buy new stock over the Winter months and pride ourselves on being able to offer high quality reclaimed building materials in bulk quantities. Some of our current stock levels include:
* Over 500mSq of reclaimed York stone flags
* Extensive stocks of reclaimed Cotswold building and walling stone
* Various large batches of reclaimed bricks including both handmades and pressed bricks
* Healthy stocks of reclaimed stone tiles - but please be aware that orders are already in place for this year so we need as much notice for these as possible.....!
* Reclaimed floor boards including over 125Msq of Original oak flooring and over 100Msq of Victorian pine floorboards
* Numerous batches of reclaimed roof tiles and fittings, including a batch of over 20,000 machinemade tiles from a single job