Laying it Down

With the work on the rest of the kitchen complete now came the difficult part figuring out how to fit the units. We had some idea of how it was going to go, but we came up with several options. A one point we had looked at IKEA kitchen units but when we worked out the price we nearly fainted.

So after some backwards and forwards and scratching of heads we came up with a design. To check that it would work and that we would have enough room to move around in the kitchen we put together a rough layout using drying racks, bits of string, etc.

The Doors

One thing we wanted to complete before the winter rains came was the back or kitchen door, this not only needed stripping of paint, but also all the glass had to be taken out and refitted using new bits of wood that we had cut and prepared. So with all that done Helen began the tricky task of refitting all the glass, one slip and the glass could smash and we didn’t have any spare.

Also the panels at the lower half of the door were badly damaged so we used some flat panels of wood to cover them on the inside.

Also at this point a new lock and handle we fitted, so the door can be locked with a key instead of the bolts that it had before.

  On the outside of the door we fitted a strip to push the water off the step and rebuilt the hole and fitted a completely new cat flap.

Oven Ready

About two weeks ago we thought we were about to have a momentous moment, the kitchen wiring was all done, and all that we had to do was install the oven that we had purchased about a year after we arrived. So we unwrapped the oven connected a plug an turned it on. so far so good. We started to run the oven for an hour as the instructions stated, but after 5 minutes it blew the leakage trip. We investigated and discovered that the insulation on the top element was failing. Running the oven with the element disconnected seemed to fix it, but after leaving it to stand overnight, the problem returned.
So after a bit of hunting on the web I was able to find the local service dealers and a few weeks and 40€ later we had a new element. This was soon fitted and now the oven is installed and functioning perfectly. Now I can by a chicken without worrying if it will fit.

Step, Lights, Action.

To make the difference in the floor levels between the main part of the house and the kitchen less of a problem, we decided to put in a step. So using one of the old lintels from a door we cleaned it and routed it to make a step.

Then mounted on a bed of cement at the correct height in the archway.

meanwhile the wiring has gone in and we have lights, after a few trips trying to find a good set of matching light fittings.

Over the kitchen sink….

And a view of the whole ceiling, there is a glass fitting which goes over the centre light.

Over arching

With the kitchen rendering sorted attention then shifts to the entrance to the kitchen from the rest of the house. We cast an arch in concrete and now was the time to make it look nice with a coat of render.

First we added some metal edging strips so that we get nice clean corners and some netting to give the render something to bind to and prevent cracking.

Then it’s just a simple matter of applying the render.  Gradually building up over a couple of days until it’s complete.

Finishing off

Just a couple of bits to tidy off and the kitchen is rendered.

The window wall.. lower half wasn’t too bad and will be under the cabinets so we left it as is…

Front face of the oven unit complete.

Round the Corner

With the shelves complete and drying, the side and the fronts of the unit need to be rendered.

First the side gets a bit of wood screwed to the edge to guide the depth of the render, which then is applied

Pour Day

With Yesterdays work on the wooden former, today's job is to fill it with concrete.

Fill the first section with concrete...Add the next bit of wood…

And Repeat the process……

Until you reach the top…

Then find a half built garden wall to use up the rest of the cement that you have left….

Top Shelf

The oven unit that we were working on before needs a small section of concrete putting in to fill the gap between the shelf and the top of the oven. We couldn’t do this before because until the shelf for the oven was constructed we couldn’t tell exactly where the oven would sit. It’s a little tricky as it’s only a small section, that sits at the front the unit.

First two supports are screwed to the side walls.

Then a board is slid in place.

A board is mounted to make the back of the concrete.

A couple of small bits are added to reinforce the whole lot and fix it to the rest of the unit.

Then the boards at the front are fitted more will be added as we pour in the concrete.

Pears in a Bottle

This year we decided to put a net over the pear tree to stop the insects and other things getting at them. Only we didn’t quite get to them in time and a lot had gone over ripe before we got to them, but we did have enough to bottle to provide puddings over the next year.

White Out

  Finally we have most of the kitchen walls rendered flat and straight.

Once it’s dry we should be left with nice straight flat white walls.

Getting Flatter

Slowly, bit by bit we are winning the battle, and the kitchen is starting to take shape.

Still a lot to do…

Walls

Time is moving on, work has been difficult over the last few weeks just due to the temperatures, being somewhere in the 30’s. But with a spell of cooler weather it’s time to get on.

We now have to tackle the job of getting a smooth flat surface on the kitchen walls ready to take tiles

Fire

The last few weeks have been extremely hot and for some of that time we were oven in Tenerife having a short break way from things. Just before we went there was a Major forest fire over there and now not only do we have one on La Palma, there is also a very bad one on La Gomera.

When the wind was in the right direction some of the smoke blew overhead.

Test fit

With the shelf having had a few days to rest and the rendering of the arch being started, it was time to do something very scary, put the oven in the space and check that it fits.

See it fits….

The oven in is place for the first time.

Jammed

While walking through the farmers market  in Puntallana, we spotted some lovely Strawberries at a reasonable price, so we brought some and made them into jam. Unfortunately didn't get a perfect set on the jam. But good enough

Revealed

After giving it a day to set, we pulled the wood off the oven unit. Now it will need a few weeks to set hard.

Bomb Da Base

Sorry the title is a reference not to the 90’s soundtrack to a video game, but to a mission name in one of my favourite series of video games “Grand Theft Auto”.

In actual fact what I am referring to is casting the concrete base for the oven, we built the outer structure a while ago with the basic shelves and it’s good to finish them off.  First a web of steel reinforcing bars was added to ensure that it will take the weight of an oven full of a Christmas Turkey.

The bottom shelf doesn't need extensive reinforcing as nothing is going to sit on top of it anyway.

With both sections ready, and wood placed at the back of the oven shelf to ensure the ventilation gap remains open at the back, all that is left to do is pour the concrete.

Then just a quick coat of paint on the ceiling and things start to take shape.

Holed and Plastered

Over the last few weeks the edges of the plasterboard have been filled and rubbed down repeatedly, now we are left with I lovely smooth surface and when it is painted hopefully you won’t be able to see the joints between the boards.

And then just as we have go it looking nice, we go and drill some dirty great holes in it!! Don’t worry these will take the light fittings. We have a central light fitting which will take a normal light, then on each side of the room, there are 2 sets of three recessed down lights which will take LED bulbs to give additional light to the sink and the worktop.

Beans

If the above is anything to go by this years crop of runner beans could be a good one, despite the fact that the weather has been very dry this year.

Boarded Up

With the rest of the roof assembled the last step was to mount the plasterboard, this is where we came slightly unstuck. Having brought the plasterboard and cutting it down to meter widths, so it would fit into the car meant that we had a few more joins in the ceiling than we would have liked.

But with a little help from our friends, as Helens shoulder is still not at it’s best. All the panels were cut and fitted..

Polystyrene

No this isn’t a post dedicated to the Punk Rock singer of the band X-Ray Spex. Sadly this is just about insulation. We cut large sheets of expanded polystyrene to size so that they would fit between the beams of the roof and just pushed them  into  place. The idea being that in the summer the heat will stay above the ceiling (the concrete roof gets very hot) and in winter the heat will stay below in the kitchen (as the concrete roof gets very cold).