Kitchen Extension

[seajae]

I am going to extend our kitchen by 1.2 metres to the fenceline(no one can build other side of fence) and as I have been in the building game for 40 odd years I will do it all myself. I want to use timber frames(teak) with plaster on internal walls and hardi-plank(textured) on external walls. The house is all cement columns and brick and render walls between so I will naturally leave the columns and place lintels or teak beams between them(to support the bricks above them if needed) after removing the render and bricks to open the walls. I am doing this because nothing is square and I can actually make all the extended area straight at least and have a decent plaster finish without all the crap joins they do here. As the only timber houses I have seen here are the old teak ones I was wondering if there is any reason they do not use timber(teak) frames, I know there is a white ant problem(we already have one here but teak repels them so it should be ok), brick and cement is cheaper so that is also a part of it. Can anyone tell me why teak frames will not work.

Dennis

[bankruatsteve]

OK - I'll bite... By "frame", I assume you are speaking of the studs and plates? Can't think of why that would not work but also can't think of a more expensive way to do it if you have to purchase the lumber. And finding anything straight enough to hold the plaster board without cracking will probably be a challenge.

[seajae]

Hi mate, the only reason I was looking at it is because I can do it all myself. I have chased around and found a few places that can supply the teak dressed to the sizes I want and they look pretty good, they are also kiln dried. The ceiling would be suspended so thats not a problem, I can do all the framing, sheeting, plaster work, fit out then painting myself so I am only up for material. I want it to be done properly and after seeing all the crap work over here this is the only way I think I can do it, at least everything will be straight/level, all I need to do is get a concreter to lay the slab for it. While I am at it I will re-set all the ceilings and fix the walls etc then re-paint the whole place inside and out, cannot believe the finish for a reasonably new house.

Dennis

[sirineou]

Hi mate, the only reason I was looking at it is because I can do it all myself. I have chased around and found a few places that can supply the teak dressed to the sizes I want and they look pretty good, they are also kiln dried. The ceiling would be suspended so thats not a problem, I can do all the framing, sheeting, plaster work, fit out then painting myself so I am only up for material. I want it to be done properly and after seeing all the crap work over here this is the only way I think I can do it, at least everything will be straight/level, all I need to do is get a concreter to lay the slab for it. While I am at it I will re-set all the ceilings and fix the walls etc then re-paint the whole place inside and out, cannot believe the finish for a reasonably new house.

Dennis

If you are gong to use plaster board.for the walls, then why not use metal studs to frame the walls? they are straight strong easy to cut, easy to assemble with zip screws. cheap, and available at most home improvement stores.

[seajae]

Hi mate, the only reason I was looking at it is because I can do it all myself. I have chased around and found a few places that can supply the teak dressed to the sizes I want and they look pretty good, they are also kiln dried. The ceiling would be suspended so thats not a problem, I can do all the framing, sheeting, plaster work, fit out then painting myself so I am only up for material. I want it to be done properly and after seeing all the crap work over here this is the only way I think I can do it, at least everything will be straight/level, all I need to do is get a concreter to lay the slab for it. While I am at it I will re-set all the ceilings and fix the walls etc then re-paint the whole place inside and out, cannot believe the finish for a reasonably new house.

Dennis

If you are gong to use plaster board.for the walls, then why not use metal studs to frame the walls? they are straight strong easy to cut, easy to assemble with zip screws. cheap, and available at most home improvement stores.

thanks, didnt actually think of that, only ever done timber framing, will check it out.

Dennis

[wpcoe]

If you are gong to use plaster board.for the walls, then why not use metal studs to frame the walls? they are straight strong easy to cut, easy to assemble with zip screws. cheap, and available at most home improvement stores.

And termites are less of a factor.

[cooked]

Yes, I myself find myself being forced to think away from working with wood, despite importing all my stuff here. I'll confine my activities in this direction to making furniture I guess.

[seajae]

will chase around Surat Thani and see if I can find a supplier now, there are not a real lot of good building supply shops here unfortunately, even the 2 biggest have bugger all gear there. What I would do for a Bunnings/Home/Mitre 10 to be here.

Dennis

[cooked]

If you have a Thai wife or GF, she should be able to accompany you to various mom and pop shops, you'll find stuff in there that the big stores don't have (like nails for instance!). Stay in the car while she goes to ask the price. I have slowly learnt where to buy stuff although frustration is a regular occurrence, you have to laugh, don't you?

[seajae]

If you have a Thai wife or GF, she should be able to accompany you to various mom and pop shops, you'll find stuff in there that the big stores don't have (like nails for instance!). Stay in the car while she goes to ask the price. I have slowly learnt where to buy stuff although frustration is a regular occurrence, you have to laugh, don't you?

hahahahaha, mate you got that right, I usually let my wife do the talking but have to be careful as she then usually buys everything I asked about without consulting me or asking how much of it I wanted, she likes to help as much as she can.

Edited November 13, 2012 by seajae

[cooked]

Try asking for 1 Kg of nails, can't do, how any? They will then count out 100 or 1000... no wonder the Chinese do everything here although they have their faults also. 'Don't have?' ok, we leave. No indication that they are willing to order or direct you to a place that does have or that they give a f**t about the fact that you have said you won't come back to their store. I found curtains in a small store today after 2 days or frustrated searching around town, I know where to go now.

I also hate the syrupy sweet 'Sawadee ka' stuff, (well I quite like it really) followed by blank incomprehension when you ask for something exotic. Like a nail.

Edited November 13, 2012 by cooked

[transam]

Bugs will eat the plaster board on walls and the wood. Thai folk are not interested in ''cosmetics'' so everything is visible to take care of if an infestation.

[seajae]

Bugs will eat the plaster board on walls and the wood. Thai folk are not interested in ''cosmetics'' so everything is visible to take care of if an infestation.

White ants love it and the thai methods of stopping them are hopeless, we actually had the white ants nest in the poison they mixed up and then kept going up the wall, hahahaha, bloody hopeless. Seems they have no idea of how to pre treat anything, just hope for the best or just dont care, easy to see why all the building people are not tredesmen, no one wants to pay for quality work that is guaranteed.

Dennis