Carpenter jobs | Carpentry Services Southampton

Porch Replacement in Southampton

August 22, 2018 · by southamptoncarpenter

Rot had set in at the base of this post, a common problem. The replacement portion was 800mm long a hardwood key was also inserted to prevent any slip on the joint.

I could have also used a stepped Scarf joint which would have had the same effect as the hardwood key. Because the overall height of the porch was 3.5meters I was concerned that there could still be some movement in the post -possibly buckling , so it was decided to add a handrail and spindles at the end of the porch. This prevents potential buckle in the post and also I think finishes the job off nicely.

Replacement Gate finished in stain

August 22, 2018 · by southamptoncarpenter

Replacement gate finished in stain.

This is a copy of the original which had rotted beyond economic repair. For me this was an interesting project because it involved some curved work which does not come up that often so it gave me a chance to blow off the dust on the bandsaw and use it to achieve the curve. Each mortice and tenon joint was pegged using ¾” Oak dowel as well as glue. This will ensure that the joints remain tight. The old gate had rotted because the joints had opened and rain water had sat in the shoulder between the stile and rails.

Driveway Gates in Southampton

June 19, 2018 · by southamptoncarpenter

A single driveway gate with an entrance door fitted in the middle. These gates are heavy so a jockey wheel has been fitted to take the stress off the hinges thus ensuring that the gate will not drop over time. The door opens independently or the whole gate can be opened as a single leaf. Manufactured from tannalised softwood for the frame and tannalised tongue and grove for the panels this should last. Overall its 2.6 Meters wide and 2.2 Meters high. The images accompanying this show the manufacturing then the final piece in situ.

Replacement Pergola

June 10, 2018 · by southamptoncarpenter

A replacement Pergola, the original was blown down after a winter storm. It creates a welcoming invitation to enter into a private secluded back garden in the centre of the city. The various shrubs and roses that embraced the old pergola were saved and will be woven into this replacement and no doubt come the summer will be a picture of colour. I am quite interested in this kind of work and look forward to enquiries for custom made structures.

Replacement Pergola southampton Pergola carpenter made

Victorian bench

June 9, 2018 · by southamptoncarpenter

This much cherished Victorian bench has been part of the family for over a century, with photographs of grandfather sat on it as a young man. The rot in the feet of each leg being the result of many years standing on damp ground and ‘old age’. The solution was to sit the bench onto my work bench propped up and the legs cut back. Oak shoes were then glued on and Oak pegs introduced to make sure that the shoes hold fast for years to come.

Bookcase and work station

June 9, 2018 · by JMasson

Real wood Oak veneer MDF bookcase and work station.

Fitted wardrobe with sliding doors

June 9, 2018 · by southamptoncarpenter

Fitted wardrobe with sliding doors, main carcass white melamine faced and lipped MDF. Custom built wardrobes and cupboards make good use of an other wise unused space. There are literally 100s of different finishes available to suit all interiors please enquire about finishes available -it doesn’t have to be white.

Bookcase using Southern Yellow Pine

January 3, 2018 · by southamptoncarpenter

This bookcase made for a job in Southampton, manufactured from Southern Yellow Pine, was made in three sections and assembled on site. The bookcase strips you can see enable you to maximise the storage capacity of the case. The shelves sit on feet that are inserted into the grooves on the strips, which are fitted into a machined rebate. This way they are unobtrusive and you get the maximum amount of storage from each shelf. There are two options available: chrome or brass.

Before the shelves are installed After the shelves are installed

The case has birch-faced backs, which complement the pine nicely.

Southern yellow pine is a superb species of timber from Oregon in the USA. I am able to obtain this in widths of 287mm (11 ½ “) and in thicknesses of 21, 27 and 33mm (7/8”, 1 1/8”, 1 ¼” ). Lengths up to 5 meters (16ft + ) are available.

Southern yellow ‘Pinus Strobus’ is a straight grained timber that has a low shrinkage and very little movement, so it is not prone to cupping, that is turning up at the edges on wide boards. It’s used in pattern making, carving, drawing boards, high-class joinery and general interior carpentry. It is not suitable for exterior work in exposed areas or for boat building. This is a beautiful wood, the grain often displaying pronounced reddish-brown streaks on a pale straw background.

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A free standing wardrobe

November 28, 2017 · by southamptoncarpenter

A free standing wardrobe is a practical and cost effective way of having hanging space for clothes and shoes in a limited space. The room itself was only three meters by one meter, roughly 10ft by 3ft, and the owner wasn’t quite sure why such a small room existed in their new home. The house was built in the 1970s.

The material used was standard conti-board which fitted in with the rest of the décor. I made a lid with end pieces and a short back; this prevents the top from sagging over time with the weight of the clothes. Two sides were then added. There was no back.

The whole piece was then simply screwed to the wall. Being 500mm deep, about 20”, there was room for the customer to access the ‘fitted’ wardrobe.

Balanced or Lifting Shutters

November 28, 2017 · by southamptoncarpenter

The cords had broken on these shutters, and I could not locate the pockets to access the weights in order to re-cord them. I had to refer to a publication by George Ellis titled ‘Modern Practical Joinery’, printed in 1902, for the answer. As you can see, the pockets had been cleverly hidden behind the panel which I found surprising as I could just at a push get my arm into the cavity. Perhaps in those days arms were not so big, or this kind of work was undertaken by an apprentice with slender arms.

What I didn’t want to do was to take off the front panel to access these pockets; it’s been fixed in place since the 1850s. The windows are the original, fitted in 1796, but the balance shutters are a later addition. This was established by the presence of the original skirting board inside the shutter case. Also, the building was once owned by the Church and had a reliable record of works carried out over the last two centuries.

Sometimes the pocket sits near the top of the frame, about 18” down from the pully wheels, which I now understand became the practice during the early part of the 20^th Century.

Whilst doing this work it occurred to me what a fantastic way to eliminate drafts, light and noise. Those late Georgian / early Victorian designers really did think of everything, and the skill employed by the carpenters and joiners, with limited rudimentary machinery, I can only admire and take my hat off to.

I am hoping that one day I will get an enquiry asking how can I eliminate drafts, light and noise with box sash windows fitted, as I would relish the opportunity to manufacture and fit a 21^stcentury copy of such a practical solution to an age old problem.

There are modern day solutions that can be employed to reduce considerably the draft and noise problem associated with box sash windows, and these are covered in previous work and articles on this web site. I am happy to undertake such work but the elegance of balance or lifting shutters cannot be matched.