Benefits include; improved light and ventilation. Rot-proof wrought iron. Unbeatable security prevents people getting in (or out). Amazon drivers find it very convenient.

Our customer, Danny, had this to say; “I’m over to moon, it’s really made the most of the view. I’ve got everything I need in here. Kettle, toaster. It suits me down to the ground. Urrrmmm, when does someone bring me my porridge? “

We decided to replace the sashes, making them oversize, then shooting them in to fit perfectly around the settlement of the bay.

We were then able to replace the hardware around the window, including new stays, hinges and catches. With the windows now opening and closing perfectly, the bay was ready for the decorator to work their magic.

It quickly became clear that the tongue and grove boarding (made from a fairly cheap and cheerful treated pine) was rotting but the frames of the doors themselves (much older elm) were in very good condition.

We removed the doors and took the boarding off the frames, setting the strap hinges to one side to be cleaned-up.

For the replacement planks, we chose western red cedar. Although not a native species, it’s very stable, available in good quality and has exceptional resistance to fungal growth, decay and insect infestation: All of which are common problems in barns or storage areas.

You’ll have heard of putting cedar balls or using cedarwood hangers in wardrobes and cupboards to stop moths from eating clothes. We once even made some draws for built-in dressing room furniture from cedar so the moth deterrent was built in. Cedar is also a great choice for garden furniture. It’s used in this butterfly greenhouse for a feeding table so these Glasswing butterflies aren’t tempted to make lunch out of the table once they’ve finished their fruit salad.

We turned our attention to the hinges, which got a few coats of rust-resistant paint and a top coat of black. For the frames, we used something more breathable than the old, pealing latex paint that was stopping the timber from drying out and the new cedar planks were oiled.

We took exact measurements of the Eagles Beak shape from the least rotten original and made 11 replacements at 24x9x4 inches. Once the beaks were formed, we had each one pressure treated. It’s important to put the timber through treatment after cutting and shaping because we want the pressure treatment to penetrate as deeply into the surface of the timber as possible, ensuring the longest possible timber life. Lastly, we applied a few coats of highly breathable, long life paint which will allow the exposed joist ends to dry out when they and the surrounding bricks inevitably get rained on.

It was time to head back onto site to fit them. Temporarily supporting the floor and ceiling was the first job. We could then remove the brickwork around the joist ends. Each new jetty joist was fixed internally to the existing noggins (or dwangs). We then placed wedges cut from kiln dried timber onto the brickwork under each beak. As the dry wedge slowly absorbs moisture from the air, it slightly expands, creating the critical fulcrum which enables the beaks to transfer the load from the gable above. This is much the same principle as a traditional draw-bored mortise and tenon used in a green timber frame. Observing these processes means we can continue to maintain the timber in our heritage buildings long into the future.

With the carpentry work complete, we handed the job over to a gang of master bricklayers to repair and repoint the brickwork.