#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Construction in Thailand >  >  > Building in Thailand Famous Threads >  >  DrAndys Wooden Cottage in the ricefields

## DrAndy

well, after several requests and threats, I have managed to upload a few pics and shall share my experience of building a small wooden house

the location is near Mai Rim, about 20km north of Chiang Mai

the land to build on is about 1.5rai, with an extra 2 or 3 rai of rice fields and two ponds

This is the land:













anyway, in order, they are the big pond, the place the house will go, the old farmhouse, the small pond and toilet, view of the surrounding rice fields and hills, the worker contemplating a heap of sand at the entrance.

more later.

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## DrAndy

anyway, this was a nice pic


the view of the Buddha is a bit surreal

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## DrAndy

so, having bought the land, which luckily had a lot of hard work already done on it

we needed some wood. So we went up into the hills and found a nice wooden house for sale




very crude, but lots of good wood

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## DrAndy

We had to buy it, get permission to move it then take it down




oh what fun we had




then they loaded it onto a lorry and took it to our farm

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## greenthaiway

Hello Andy,

May I be so free to ask what you pay for the old wooden house?
Did you pay for the surrounded land too?
I suppose that there was some land around it...

I like those old wooden houses.

Have rent myself a house nearby the Mehkong River but planning to buy a house in the future, an wooden one, somewhere in the sticks.

Enjoy building your new house, a lot of work ahead :-]

Bye,
Norman

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## hillbilly

The environment looks great! I am jealous of the mountains. Keep us posted on how things are coming along.

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## jumbo

Beautiful location DrAndy, its a shame you have to loose the pond. I remember the first time that I spent any sort of time looking at the different shades of green on the paddy fields, it was facinating and so relaxing, the budda in the background is a bonus. Good luck with the re-construction.

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## friscofrankie

> its a shame you have to loose the pond.


Pond's back last time I was there it had aga-zillion tadpole.  I imagine once they get growed they'll make good snake food  :Smile:

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## DrAndy

> Hello Andy,
> 
> May I be so free to ask what you pay for the old wooden house?
> Did you pay for the surrounded land too?
> I suppose that there was some land around it...
> 
> I like those old wooden houses.
> 
> Have rent myself a house nearby the Mehkong River but planning to buy a house in the future, an wooden one, somewhere in the sticks.
> ...


Hi greent... (that is a long nik) Norman

what you pay for a wooden house is usually directly proportional to the amount and quality of the wood (ie if lots of thick wood, if teak or not etc etc). We paid B300k including demolishing and transport for that one. 
Only the house, the land stayed where it was; the owner wanted to build a nice new concrete one instead.

whilst those old wooden houses are charming, they are not very modern, so living in them is a bit like camping. I like camping but I prefer to have a kitchen and toilet in good and clean condition.

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## DrAndy

> The environment looks great! I am jealous of the mountains. Keep us posted on how things are coming along.


yes, we love the views.

Actually, the house is in a fairly advanced state now, more pics coming! It is just I have been lazy posting them and a bit busy

We can now go up on the veranda and see the views across the ponds and over the trees. A whole new perspective.

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## DrAndy

> Beautiful location DrAndy, its a shame you have to loose the pond. I remember the first time that I spent any sort of time looking at the different shades of green on the paddy fields, it was facinating and so relaxing, the budda in the background is a bonus. Good luck with the re-construction.


 
no, I am not losing the pond! why do you think I would?

I am building the house partly out over the pond edge, so I can fish off the lower deck. This year there are so many fish, even the Kingfisher cannot eat them all.

The nice thing about the area is that it is always changing, from the new green of the paddies, to the old gold when ripe, and lots of water

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## DrAndy

> Originally Posted by jumbo
> 
> its a shame you have to loose the pond.
> 
> 
> Pond's back last time I was there it had aga-zillion tadpole. I imagine once they get growed they'll make good snake food


 
that is weird FF, the tadpoles almost vanished overnight, from millions to none, not even any small froggies. I suppose the fish got them.

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## DrAndy

anyway, this chap came with the house, free




he was in the thread before but got cleaned off

next, the start of building, digging the first post hole




the hammock will come in useful

oh  no, not necessary after all

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## DrAndy

Of course, we had to have a small ceremony to appease the ground spirits and ask them permission to build




then we were allowed to get on with the work




The work progressed very fast, lots of holes appearing with iron in them



these were our three main builders, intelligent, charming and superstitious

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## greenthaiway

> Originally Posted by greenthaiway
> 
> 
> Hello Andy,
> 
> May I be so free to ask what you pay for the old wooden house?
> Did you pay for the surrounded land too?
> I suppose that there was some land around it...
> 
> ...


Thanks for the useful info DrAndy :-]
I keep it in mind.
The nick is a dutch familyname translated in English and after that putting "thai" somewhere in the middle.

Realize you dream!
Greetings out of The Lowelands, {The Netherlands},
Norman

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## DrAndy

So, after digging the holes, they filled them in again

then they put up some shuttering and made a nice foundation




then it was the rice harvest time, so they all disappeared for a few days



then they came back and put up some more shuttering and made some nice poles



after some thought and discussion, it was thought that the centre poles were not really necessary, so they cut them down. This left a nice big area under the house to have parties without poles in your face

The span was increased to 7 metres though, so much heavier beams were needed to be safe from earthquakes where the poles had been removed.

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## DrAndy

Once the beams had all been poured and set properly, the wooden poles and beams and roof structure were erected



you can see the heavier concrete beams in the centre area. They kept the side beams at 50cm too, but that was not really necessary

another view



more roof structure going up, nearly complete



you can see that they have started the walls, and have fitted some of the windows

we got all our doors and windows at an architectural reclaim yard so they will need some renovation. The big windows are the same size as doors, but have two sets of shutters and a pane of green glass above, very traditional

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## DrAndy

This is the back view of the house, showing the modern bits, like kitchen and bathrooms




They had to dig three very big holes for the waste water and septic tank 
This was done by two girls!!



even digging up snake eggs did not faze them

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## ChiangMai noon

Oh dear, you are living amongst the beasties.

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## dirtydog

Reckon your going to get a bit of cracking on the back top right room, blocks aren't really staggered enough.

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## Aquaman

no chance of flooding there?
Gotta have some sort of water pump handy?

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## NickA

I like the wheel window....anyone remember playschool?

Today, we're going throught the round window

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## DrAndy

> Reckon your going to get a bit of cracking on the back top right room, blocks aren't really staggered enough.


yes, now you mention it, they do look a little too closely lined up

wait for the next earthquake......

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## DrAndy

> no chance of flooding there?
> Gotta have some sort of water pump handy?


no, the land around is flat for miles and our land has never flooded. It is about half a metre above the surrounding fields. After heavy rain for some hours it all gets waterlogged then soon vanishes when the rain stops.

the main problem we have with water is that the water table is quite high, so the soakaway and septic tank are fairly full even before using. We will have to put another intermediate tank in and then let the waste out to the canal.

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## DrAndy

> I like the wheel window....anyone remember playschool?
> 
> Today, we're going throught the round window


yeah, we just found the wheel and thought it would be fun. The builders kept going on about mosquitos and needing some net over the wheel, but in CM our house has always had an open window for the bathrooms. No real problems with mossies, except if you stand still whilst brushing your teeth

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## Matthew

Wow. Great place. Will have to go back and read this thread from the beginning. 

Thanks for posting it all.  :Smile:

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## Matthew

> the architect


Can you tell us more about who the architect was and how that worked?

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## DrAndy

He was a guy we knew, local. His experience was nothing special, but as we just needed him for making the drawings for the planning permission and the builders, no problem

he was good for making sure the builders knew what we wanted too

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## racefan

Dr A, as regards the bamboo panelling you have used, did you have it made to order to the size you wanted?

I want to use it in my teak house in Chonabot but the locals only seem to stock rolls which are 2m x 1.5m although they are only 100 baht a roll which is extremely reasonable in my opinion.

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## phuketbound

Nice thread. Your house is so lovely. Those last few pictures are stunning. The big beasties really add a special touch imo, and the entrance looks very inviting. The view from your porch onto the pond looks so peaceful. Really lucky there to build a house to your specifications. 

I could do without the bugs, frogs, and other critters, but looks like you had a nice fry with those.  :Wink:

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## chassamui

> Nice thread. Your house is so lovely. Those last few pictures are stunning. The big beasties really add a special touch imo, and the entrance looks very inviting. The view from your porch onto the pond looks so peaceful. Really lucky there to build a house to your specifications. 
> 
> I could do without the bugs, frogs, and other critters, but looks like you had a nice fry with those.


I don't think luck comes into it. More like years of careful planning and damned hard work. The "bugs, frogs and critters" (disgusting word) are an essentil part of the ecology of the site.

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## DrAndy

> Dr A, as regards the bamboo panelling you have used, did you have it made to order to the size you wanted?
> 
> I want to use it in my teak house in Chonabot but the locals only seem to stock rolls which are 2m x 1.5m although they are only 100 baht a roll which is extremely reasonable in my opinion.


 
It is not rolls, that stuff is too thin

you can buy 8'x4' boards, in different thicknesses. Easy to use

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## DrAndy

> Originally Posted by phuketbound
> 
> 
> Nice thread. Your house is so lovely. Those last few pictures are stunning. The big beasties really add a special touch imo, and the entrance looks very inviting. The view from your porch onto the pond looks so peaceful. Really lucky there to build a house to your specifications. 
> 
> I could do without the bugs, frogs, and other critters, but looks like you had a nice fry with those. 
> 
> 
> I don't think luck comes into it. More like years of careful planning and damned hard work. The "bugs, frogs and critters" (disgusting word) are an essentil part of the ecology of the site.


 
well, some luck in finding the right piece of land, then some more luck in finding an old wooden house with enough good wood

and, as you say, a bit of planning and work

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## bobbysan124

Very nice.  Congrats.

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## Nawty

The bamboo sheet on the walls.....did you cover it with anything ?? Have been told it is very susceptible to bacteria and mould etc and should be lacquered.

I want to use Tung Oil on it, but wondering if it will stop the growths.

I tried some on a piece the other day, does not change the colour at all, soaks in, but not sure how long it takes to dry completely yet.

would prefer not to use lacquer if possible.

We paid 270b per sheet for the thinner one, only for a bungalow.

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## DrAndy

Hi Nawty

you only get mould and bacteria if it is wet, like any board. I have polyurethaned mine (matt), to keep it clean

I am sure Tung oil would also be OK, but I am not sure about it keeping the dust off

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## robuzo

Possibly the most interesting thread I've seen on TD.  Looks great, DrA.

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## DrAndy

Thanks Robuzo

It has turned out to be a really nice place, very relaxing and beautiful

and good for parties!

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## Humbert

Ya got style man, sensational. Looks like a true labor of love.

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## giggs

hello doc   ..giggs again .. mae  rim ..district..has  certainly grown in the last  few years.  and so has  the  price  of land.it  remains on top  of  my  list..to buy property in c/mai..simply the  rural  settings are sensational..while  no t  having  all  the convenices at  your  doorstep..but inner c/mai  is  only  a short  drive for  them  anyway..i reckon its  the pick  of  all c/mai  districts..by panels of  fences..indeed  better  then your build  in inner c/mai :Smile:  :Smile:    are  u near  prem international  school????

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## Nawty

DA....not true re mould.

We have a sheet of this bamboo sitting in the shed...waiting waiting.....it has all become quite mouldy.

Our Bamboo furniture, also covered and in the shed, has also developed a mould on it.

I hope you are not right about the Tung, as I am hoping it dries hard as read elsewhere. I have done a few test sites, but it does take a little while to absorb and dry.....lets see.

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## DrAndy

maybe your shed is damp Nawty, it doesn't take much

our sheets have been up four years in our house in CM, no mould at all

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## DrAndy

> hello doc ..giggs again .. mae rim ..district..has certainly grown in the last few years. and so has the price of land.it remains on top of my list..to buy property in c/mai..simply the rural settings are sensational..while no t having all the convenices at your doorstep..but inner c/mai is only a short drive for them anyway..i reckon its the pick of all c/mai districts..by panels of fences..indeed better then your build in inner c/mai are u near prem international school????


 
not really, just out in the ricefields

it is courses for horses, or near equivalent

choose where you like and get a bit of land

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## Nawty

> maybe your shed is damp Nawty, it doesn't take much
> 
> our sheets have been up four years in our house in CM, no mould at all


 
Good to know, thanks.

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## Rural Surin

> Hi Nawty
> 
> you only get mould and bacteria if it is wet, like any board. I have polyurethaned mine (matt), to keep it clean
> 
> I am sure Tung oil would also be OK, but I am not sure about it keeping the dust off


Ever tried a broom Andrew?

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## Nawty

He has a valid point as Tung oil is an oil and we are not sure if it dries properly on Bamboo....so if it does not dsry 100%, then it will remain sticky and attract dust and no matter how much you use your broom.....it vill not vork...

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## DrAndy

bump

sorry I missed your reply Nawty

the board is not really suitable for Tung oil as bamboo does not absorb it in the same way as wood. Whilst polyurethane has nasty chemicals, it does seal th board and it also keeps all the fibres tight

one additional thing; it may be necessary to spray the reverse of the board to guard against insect attack, although they do say the manufacturers have already done that

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## Nawty

Actually, I have coated all the bamboo sheet with tung and it soaked it up and dried nicely, takes some time to dry though.

Dunno if it will work for mould and or bugs yet.....time will tell I guess.

Thing with bamboo seems to be that if you use it on bamboo with the skin on, it does now absorb it....but if you use it on any other bamboo that has had the skin removed or prepared in any way, then it does absorb it nicely.

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## DrAndy

> Actually, I have coated all the bamboo sheet with tung and it soaked it up and dried nicely, takes some time to dry though.


that's good

if it took up the oil then there should be no problem with mould

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## siam

> OK, as you will ask, we have two bathrooms as the wife and I could not agree on how the wall tiles should go (horizontally or diagonally), and what type of shower head. So we each designed our own. I will post pics when they are finished later on.  I bet mine is better, we shall see


Hi Doc(tor)Andy,
I like what you said...will keep reading...
A lot to learn from all this reading...interesting 
Thank you for sharing,
Siam

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## siam

Ok I am done reading,
nice reading, thank you Doc, beautiful and cosy house you have built, Doc, Bravo! 
regret to not see the comparison of MR and MRS bathroom(or I have missed them?)
and I like the idea of your round concrete pillars, nice touch.
Nice to see that you like eating all those stuffs like the local, 
But sneak...!! Anyone know of any ecologic method to guard the off the sneaks?
Thanks

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## DrAndy

thanks, Siam, very kind of you

no comparisons of the bathrooms, sorry - they are fairly similar except the Mrs like her tiles diagonal!

as for sneaks, I presume you mean thieves, a couple of dogs seem to work quite well as we have had no problems

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## TizMe

I thought he meant like cobra sneaks..

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## isanmick

great thread Andy,
this is the same sort of thing that we would like to do on our land in udon
in a few years time.
thanks cause its given us some good ideas.

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## Loy Toy

Lovely property Doc (congrats to you and your missus) and I have a pond as well on my land and do quite a bit of fishing to ease my mind.

Are there any fish of any size in yours?

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## DrAndy

> I thought he meant like cobra sneaks..


oh dear....

snakes have been a problem, we had one dog die from a bite

we have seen a few but they tend to run away

we have water snakes which are beautiful as they glide/wriggle over the pond

I do tend to watch where I put my feet if walking around areas that are not often used

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## DrAndy

and thanks Mick and LT

when we first bought the land, the pond was drained once a year and the fish caught; sometimes you could get a few over a kilo

but we wanted something ecologically sound, so we let it develop by itself (after remodelling the slopes and edges) and planted the edges

there are some quite big fish in there but we haven't bothered to catch them; we can get as many fish as we want from the adjacent canals with traps when the water comes in

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## siam

> thanks, Siam, very kind of you
> 
> no comparisons of the bathrooms, sorry - they are fairly similar except the Mrs like her tiles diagonal!
> 
> as for sneaks, I presume you mean thieves, a couple of dogs seem to work quite well as we have had no problems


..thank you for taking time to reply DrAndy, 
my...my...I don't even know how to spell "SNAKE",
and yes by the way...burglar problem as well...I don't notice you put the "prison bars" in any of your house? Isn't that a problem in anywhere in Thailand, including CNX?, 
Just some dogs, so that means you have someone live in permanently ? If not who feed the poor dogs? Or they do fishing by themselves ?

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## The Fresh Prince

I really enjoyed the thread Dr A. great looking house. Do you have any updated photo's of how its 'settled in'?

Like many others, I don't know how I missed this thread.

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## Isaanben

Great thread! I am going to build a wooden (mai daeng) house here in Kalasin soon and I would like to have those bamboo sheets on the walls in the living room too. I have been looking around here in Kalasin town but only found those thin rolls. Can I please have the name of the factory that makes them (and where it is situated) and maybe a phone no or web address?

Ben

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## DrAndy

> and yes by the way...burglar problem as well...I don't notice you put the "prison bars" in any of your house? Isn't that a problem in anywhere in Thailand, including CNX?, Just some dogs, so that means you have someone live in permanently ? If not who feed the poor dogs? Or they do fishing by themselves ?


well, there are burglars around but they will not normally come near the farm because of the dogs and our resident farmer (who looks after the place and dogs)

in the city, we have bars on the downstairs windows which are vulnerable; we also have little worth stealing!

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## DrAndy

> Do you have any updated photo's of how its 'settled in'?


well, post #264 was last year so I could add a few from this year...maybe I will do that later

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## DrAndy

> I have been looking around here in Kalasin town but only found those thin rolls. Can I please have the name of the factory that makes them (and where it is situated) and maybe a phone no or web address?


I don't have the info but I have seen them at lots of builders merchants; if they sell boards they usually sell the bamboo ones too

maybe you could start a new thread in the construction forum asking if anyone  knows in your area

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## siam

> Originally Posted by TizMe
> 
> I thought he meant like cobra sneaks..
> 
> 
> oh dear....
> 
> snakes have been a problem, we had one dog die from a bite
> 
> ...


I was told by Chief Gardener in a resort at Krabi which is right in the forest, and he told me that he spring the sulfate powder all around the proximity of the land once every two months and the snakes don't get in...any opinion, or anyone have try that method? But what about the hazardous to the environment ?

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## DrAndy

I suppose you mean Sulphur rather than sulphate?

some people say snakes don't like it but why bother, most snakes are fine and not harmful, even do good

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## TizMe

> Just some dogs, so that means you have someone live in permanently ? If not who feed the poor dogs? Or they do fishing by themselves ?

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## siam

> Originally Posted by siam
> 
> Just some dogs, so that means you have someone live in permanently ? If not who feed the poor dogs? Or they do fishing by themselves ?


That's cute, thanks Tizzy for taking time to get that right!

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## siam

> I suppose you mean Sulphur rather than sulphate?
> 
> some people say snakes don't like it but why bother, most snakes are fine and not harmful, even do good


Well, I don't know how I could pass the chemistry exam!
How do you know if one is a nice snake? Do they smile? Or said Sawasdee?
I know ecologically correct, they are good deed in them, but...I just am not fond of them!!

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## DrAndy

agreed, they can be scary until either you have identified them as harmless, or they have fled

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## rickschoppers

I have read this entire thread and want to congratulate you on a beautiful build. It is the closest house to what I am looking to build in the Udon area on 4 rai in the country. Any suggestions on how you got started other than finding an architect? How hard was it finding competent wood carpenters? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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## DrAndy

thanks Rick

hmmm, I got started by finding an old wooden house for sale; that, more or less, dictated the size of the new one to build. If you build a similar size, then you can use all the beams and columns easily

I then designed the type of house, taking into account the pond and land available. I then found an architect to draw up the basic plans to get planning permission

I was lucky to find a couple of good carpenter builders in the local village (they had built my neighbours place), so discussed the design and cost with them

all very easy

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## rickschoppers

Thanks Andy,
My next trip to Udon is in January and my timeline to retire is 1-2 years, so I have some time to look for a good donor house. I have seen several out where I am and I will put my lady and family on it by spreading the word. Where and how did you store your wood while you were waiting to build? I stay in my lady's house and her parents are both deceased and currently there are four siblings living there and my son, so things are starting to get crowded. I have been researching this for quite some time now and have finally decided it makes the most sense to build my own with reclaimed wood. You have lived it and I have seen many of your posts that give resonable and good advice. I hope you don't mind my picking your brain from time to time. Eventually, I will start a thread with my own experiences so that other members can hopefully benefit. I know I have gained a lot of valuable knowledge reading your story as well as other. I will keep you posted.

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## DrAndy

> Where and how did you store your wood while you were waiting to build?


we just stored it on our land; it was only going to be there a couple of months

I suppose if we had bought it and then needed to keep it, it would have had to be laid down more carefully, with airflow gaps, and off the ground



> I hope you don't mind my picking your brain from time to time


nope, I still have some left

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## rickschoppers

Thanks again Andy...........I will keep you posted on my progress.

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## rickschoppers

> thanks Rick
> 
> hmmm, I got started by finding an old wooden house for sale; that, more or less, dictated the size of the new one to build. If you build a similar size, then you can use all the beams and columns easily
> 
> I then designed the type of house, taking into account the pond and land available. I then found an architect to draw up the basic plans to get planning permission
> 
> I was lucky to find a couple of good carpenter builders in the local village (they had built my neighbours place), so discussed the design and cost with them
> 
> all very easy


Thanks Dr Andy........Will be looking for a builder and donor house in January. I may take a quick trip over to Phrae from Udon. Heard that might be a good place to find such a donor house and then it would be a matter of getting the wood over to Udon. Back roads at night and missing the police checkpoints???

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## DrAndy

> Back roads at night and missing the police checkpoints???


a dangerous game!

you can find a local guy to take the house down, get all the correct papers nd deliver. You don't have to pay until delivery, so make sure the house owner is involved with choosing the guy too

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## rickschoppers

[quote=DrAndy;1598588]


> Back roads at night and missing the police checkpoints???


As always............good advice, but I was joking about the night run. There are plenty of possible donor houses in my area and it would only mean a short trip once it was dissmantled. I like the idea of finding a local to broker the deal and may ask my lady's older brother that works in construction. The pay only on deliver is also valuable advice. I only like to pay once the work is done here and I am sure you know why.

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## terry57

Absolutely stunning and inspiring gaff Dr Andy.

Always thought you where an old bastard but you have a few years left in you yet.

Enjoy your life.

Cheers

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## DrAndy

> Absolutely stunning and inspiring gaff Dr Andy.
> 
> Always thought you where an old bastard but you have a few years left in you yet.
> 
> Enjoy your life.
> 
> Cheers


 
cheers Terry

you might be right on all counts

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## DrAndy

so here is a little update on the pond; I did search for another thread about ponds but couldn't find it

this is what it looks like now, lots of Papyrus and a few lilies to bind the edges to stop erosion. Lots of birds and animals like it as well!
















we will be cutting the Papyrus back in places and planting different plants in the near future

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## DrAndy

all those pics were taken from the top floor verandah

nice views!

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## Norton

> nice views!


Is that a temple way off in the distance. :Smile:

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## rickschoppers

> all those pics were taken from the top floor verandah
> 
> nice views!


Looks like the papyrus really did take over. Will you have to cut it back every year? Like the lilies......

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## DrAndy

> Is that a temple way off in the distance


yes, that is the "Wat in the fields" with a big Buddha looking over the trees






> Looks like the papyrus really did take over. Will you have to cut it back every year?


we will probably dig parts out rather than just cut it back

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## rickschoppers

If you had to do it again, how would you plant along the edges of your pond? Less papyrus, more lilies, other vegetation? I will be expanding my pond next month and wonder what the iedeal layout would be along the edges. I plan to put a sala that extends over the water and would like to have a low maintenance situation.

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## DrAndy

I am happy with the way I have done it, so would do the same again

the papyrus is great and very friendly to wildlife

as in any garden, you need to maintain and change things around as the plants mature and spread (especially in the tropics!)

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## rickschoppers

Quick response..........thanks. I like the papyrus look and will see what other water loving plants I can come up with to mix things up.

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## Finney64

Excellent , inspirational thread . I've a couple of rai in Laos , so if it's ok with you I might have to nick a few of your design ideas .

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## DrAndy

of course

you can also come and nick a few Papyrus to save me digging them up




> I like the papyrus look and will see what other water loving plants I can come up with to mix things up.


I would be interested to see what else is good

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## rickschoppers

*Thai name.* Centella Phak Nok. *Common names:.* Asiatic ennywort. *Scientific name:.* _Centella Asiatica._ (L.) Urb. *Family name:.* APIACEAE. *General characteristics.* A multi-season annual crops. Like in the marsh Climbing stems to the ground, rooted out by any germination of the trunk. Leaves a single leaf sphere. Edge leaves a shallow indentation leaves into clusters according to an 2-10 per leaf, petiole length with a bouquet of flowers out like an umbrella. Flowers include a lift shaft from the base of the petiole. Small short stem. Petals white or pink mixed. *Benefits.* Use eating as a vegetable. Juice or eat a drink. Efficacy of herbal treatment. 


*Thai name.* Frustration Drnongkornaedeiam bulging *Common names:.* Bulrush. *Scientific name:.* _Scirpus Articulatus._ L. *Family name:.* CYPERACEAE. *General characteristics.* Frustration Drnongkornaedeiam Pong classified as osier Amphibious plant. Like in the shallow flooded rice fields, such as in a long round stem as sharp lines in the thin wall, hollow block any channel within the trunk. Outer leaves are brown coat sleeve at the stem. Out a bouquet of flowers gathered in clusters around the stem of a flower little more compact Bouquet of flowers to brown. 


*Thai name.* Canna. *Common names:.* Canna. *Scientific name:.* _Canna._ spp. (Hybrid). *Family name:.* CANNACEAE. *General characteristics.* Herbaceous plants are several seasons old. Single cotyledon. Rhizomes are underground stems. Send petioles and leaves up above the ground. Leaves are dark green leaf single large switch off images sharp spear tip leaf vein parallel a banana leaf. A bouquet of flowers from the tip gradually stand at 1-3 flowers bloom with flowers in many colors red, orange, yellow dots are often present in leaves, 3 cloves are small, Pollen, which change shape, like petals. flowers are larger. Round the rugged surface of the round black seeds. *Benefits.* Used as ornamental plant. 

*Thai name.* Suppress Na vegetables. *Common names:.* Day flower. *Scientific name:.* _Cyanotis Axillaris._ Roem. & Schult. *Family name:.* COMMELINACEAE. *General characteristics.* Herbaceous plants are single cotyledon. Oybngm stem and stem hairs sensible to ask for the tap roots break the soil to germinate and so new Leaves slender, grass-like drugs without petiole leaf tip pointed stem leaves spreading into stem and leaf sheath covering the blister. A flower out of the corner form. Purple flowers mixed with pink petals stick 3 cloves Pollen Pollen yellow hair like in the wet with flooding. *Benefits.* 

*These are just a few and there is a complete list at this link:*

Aquatic Plants in Thailand

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## rubik101

Floating plants of the lily family will help to clear the water. If you can build a platform for swimming, avoiding disturbing the sediment on the bottom, you have a maintainance free swimming pool for life! Great thread btw. Tx.

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## DrAndy

we have swum in it several times, and we have a raft for fun

I keep meaning to make a ramp to get in and out, or a ladder off the terrace




> Floating plants of the lily family will help to clear the water


which are they?

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## rubik101

Water lilies from Wetland Plants

I realise that this is a  UK website but it shows good pictures.

Lotus (plant) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here in Thailand simply ask around for lotus flowers, same thing. They reduce sunlight into the water, reducing algae growth and help clear the water.

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## Bower

Just read this thread from start to finish, brilliant !
Well done Sir, outstanding completed project, its a credit to you

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## rickschoppers

Dr. Andy, you have referred to government run wood yards or recyclers. I know there are probably several in your neck of the woods, but how would I find out where they are over here in the Northeast?

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## DrAndy

Rick, we just asked around, like with most things!

and thanks Rubik, Lotus are nice but when you say floating, you meant just the leaves, not the whole plant?

and cheers Bower, very kind of you

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## Maz

I've also just found and read this from the start,great Job and wonderful setting.
Wish I had read this before I built my concrete jungle.

We know most Thai's want new not old but maybe they will realise its not always better :mid: .

Cheers

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## rubik101

Andy, just type 'floating aquatic plants' into Google. The tiny plants are OK but will evenually cover the whole pond, which you don't want. My sister lives on Oz where country folk have dams in their gardens, to store water for the dry season. She had about half the area covered in lily and such and the water was crystal clear. Swimming off a platform kept the disturbance of the silt to a minimum. Just lift out the excess about once a year and compost it.
Chemical free and the water is ok to use in the house if there ever were to be a drought!

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## rubik101

This site has some good info:Aquatic Plants and Marginals

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## Twocam

Rick, you're in Udon right?  There's a couple of recycle places in town, but most are linked to the one family. We bought the doors for our place through them and had our windows made (from old wood) and found them very reasonable.

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## storm1fishing

Hi all
I've been following this thread for a while and think that it's time to thank you for a great thread.

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## DrAndy

thanks all, and Rubik for the info

we have cut the Papyrus right back to the ground now (it was only meant to be cut partially!) but it will grow back

the water birds were a bit miffed but have found shelter under the cut fronds

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## terry57

> Hi all
> I've been following this thread for a while and think that it's time to thank you for a great thread.



Got to be the most inspiring thread on Teak Door especially for us like minded punters who just love these Thai wooden houses. The ponds an absolute burster as well.  

If there was more security for us Farangs in Thailand I would be building one my self.

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## rickschoppers

> Rick, you're in Udon right? There's a couple of recycle places in town, but most are linked to the one family. We bought the doors for our place through them and had our windows made (from old wood) and found them very reasonable.


Thanks Twocam. I think I have an address to one of them on Udon Dutsadi Road and will take a drive down there to take a peak. If you know the address of the one you went to, it would help since I plan to start snooping around this month for some floor planks and possibly some wood pillars. Good to know they have windows and doors as well, but it will be awhile before I need those.

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## Mamasun

Dr Andys...what a beautiful house and land you have ! I just love it !

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## Twocam

> Originally Posted by Twocam
> 
> 
> Rick, you're in Udon right? There's a couple of recycle places in town, but most are linked to the one family. We bought the doors for our place through them and had our windows made (from old wood) and found them very reasonable.
> 
> 
> Thanks Twocam. I think I have an address to one of them on Udon Dutsadi Road and will take a drive down there to take a peak. If you know the address of the one you went to, it would help since I plan to start snooping around this month for some floor planks and possibly some wood pillars. Good to know they have windows and doors as well, but it will be awhile before I need those.


There's a couple on the left of the Udon / Nong-Khai highway as you head out of town towards NK.  They actually don't have much in stock. Their relatives have a much better place. If you drive into Udon from Nong Khai, as you get in towards the centre of town you will see a small PTT petrol station on your right. Opposite the PTT you turn left down a small soi and the shop is about 200m down, on the right hand side.  They have a lot of crap but it's worth digging around to find the good stuff - we got beautiful old doors for our place and they made the windows  (you can see the pics for my Thai House Too thread). I'll dig out the phone number if you like.

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## Norton

> If there was more security for us Farangs in Thailand I would be building one my self.


Rent one of Andy's. No worries about security and avoids the hassle of building.

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## rickschoppers

> Originally Posted by rickschoppers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Twocam
> ...


Thanks again Twocam, the phone number would be great. Sorry about chatting on you thread Doc and I still really like BOTH of your houses. :Smile:  :Smile:

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## DrAndy

> Originally Posted by terry57
> 
> If there was more security for us Farangs in Thailand I would be building one my self.
> 
> 
> Rent one of Andy's. No worries about security and avoids the hassle of building.


 
true...I will have to do a bit of marketing this year

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## ossierob

Yep an ispirational thread Dr Andy. I am in the early stages of having the land and just accumulating ideas on how and what to build. I definitely want a traditional Thai house as I think they have the best asthetic appeal around the world. Thanks for your story

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## Necron99

> so, the house is now looking like this, apparently finished but...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> inside the main room. We have a bed, at least
> 
> ...


Magnificent Andy.
Was anything special needed to get the veranda foundations in the pond?
Extra depth or special type? Did they just pound down prefab columns?

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## DrAndy

> Magnificent Andy. Was anything special needed to get the veranda foundations in the pond? Extra depth or special type? Did they just pound down prefab columns?


thanks, it did turn out well

as for the foundations, we drained the pond and made the foundations as per normal

we also took that opportunity to remodel the pond edges, so that erosion would be less of a problem

I think that is all buried in the thread!

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## greyman63

Just read this thread sneakily at work - what a entertaining thread this has been - like a good book you just cant put down until the last page. You seem to make it all look and sound easy my friend. But I am sure there was some dramas and sleepless hours... lots of hard work and patience on your behalf

Having said that - this home is an inspiration to all of us! 

Its a credit to you and your wife

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## DrAndy

thanks, glad you enjoyed it

and yes, there were times when things got difficult!

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## Makmak456

Gobsmacked.............absolutly amazed....................
Very well done lad.
Yes as the last poster, read it all the way through, non stop.
Building a econo concrete box ( by design, as I just do not have that kind if cash).
That said you have given me some fantastic ideas on how to dress it up.
Thank You !!
Mark

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## DrAndy

> Building a econo concrete box ( by design, as I just do not have that kind if cash).


not really more expensive if you manage to buy the secondhand wood cheap

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## DrAndy

incidentally, the three cottages and rice barn are for rent, B4000 - B7000pm furnished

great weekend places, somewhere to meet your mia noi, or even to live full time

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## DrAndy

well, some good, some bad updates....

the good

the pond is really nice, all the edges grown well and lots of wildlife therein

even the water lilies have arrived - we put some roots in and little happened for 2 years. Now, they are flowering

in front of the house



to the left



and to the right



now the bad news

the wooden fishing deck has gone rotten - all the under timbers have wet rot and are becoming useless

so we have taken up all the boards



lovely rot








all the beams have been taken up too now

we will make a concrete raft and lay tiles in place

not so friendly as wood, but should last a bit longer

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## Breny

The best thread iv'e read on TD,  The house and land look amazing Dr Andy. Thank you for taking the time to post.   :Smile:

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## DrAndy

Thanks Breny

it is fun posting it too

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## Marmite the Dog

Might be worth considering Shera? It looks better than concrete and is waterproof.

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## DrAndy

> Might be worth considering Shera? It looks better than concrete and is waterproof.



Do you think it would last longer than the wood as it is a very damp environment

lay the boards then tile them would be nice

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## Carrabow

Andy,


When the water level comes up or it rains too much. Can you break a berm and drain off the water?

I really like what you have shown. Fishing from the front door is awsome. I just hope that in a bad year you can keep the level of the water correct. We all know that freak storms come about and I would hope you can protect your investment.

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## Marmite the Dog

> Do you think it would last longer than the wood as it is a very damp environment


Shera is fibre reinforced concrete, so I'd think so.

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## Carrabow

> Originally Posted by DrAndy
> 
> Do you think it would last longer than the wood as it is a very damp environment
> 
> 
> Shera is fibre reinforced concrete, so I'd think so.


 
They also have that plastic fibre board too. I do not know the name but people are using it for fences.

Cost effective? 

Look into it Andy....

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## alitongkat

there is a special transparent varnish for boats... it gets absolutely watertight... to not rot...

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## Carrabow

> there is a special transparent varnish for boats... it gets absolutely watertight... to not rot...


 
If wood gets permeated by water, you have too dry it ...the treat it.

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## Mozzbie47

Dr Andy, How long did the deck last, I though this was a fairly recent build ?
Here in Ozz there is a structual  timber like a like product, made from waist plastic and waist timber mix. Available in a large range of profiles, it looks very much like timber but is not affected by water, it is now being used extensivly for boat jettys, bridges and the like. Is a similar product available in Thaialnd, just the thing for replacement deck material.

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## DrAndy

about four or five years, so yes, recent

as we are not in Oz, that is not available, sadly

anyway, the men have already arrived with materials and are going to make a concrete replacement deck, which we will tile 

so no board (which sounded good)

so thanks for the thoughts, folks, too late (my wife is quick off the mark!)

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## Marmite the Dog

> from waist plastic and waist timber mix.


Whose waist did it come from?

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## Mozzbie47

> Originally Posted by Mozzbie47
> 
>  from waist plastic and waist timber mix.
> 
> 
> Whose waist did it come from?


Sorry for the spelling error,,,, WASTE plastic and waste Timber.

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## DrAndy

some fat bloke, he won't miss it

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## Larn

DrA too late now as you have things sorted. We've just had a deck built upcountry. They used Plastic wood. No idea where the builder got it. It came in 2" x 6" x 10' lengths with non slip grooves along one edge. I asked for the Thai name and he kept saying plastic wood.

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## DrAndy

thanks, but I don't like plastic very much

I would rather have it tiled with something interesting

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## Necron99

> thanks, but I don't like plastic very much
> 
> I would rather have it tiled with something interesting


Your problem seems to be rot rising up through the structure from the pond.
What's to stop you putting in a dry concrete pad with raised bars for drainage and putting a wood deck on top of that?
As long as the deck planks are not soaking in water and are properly treated or oiled it should last. 

Shera wood would not work as a deck. Not sealed on the inside and has no tensile strength.

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## Marmite the Dog

> Shera wood would not work as a deck. Not sealed on the inside and has no tensile strength.


Indeed. You'd better inform the Singapore government as the whole walkway to Sentosa Island is done using Shera as a deck. You might also want to inform Mahaphant (the maker of Shera) that their decking planks are no good as decking planks.

Alternatively, you might want to stop talking bollocks.

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## DrAndy

> What's to stop you putting in a dry concrete pad with raised bars for drainage and putting a wood deck on top of that?


not much except the extra labour and cost - we had that wood over from a house we bought so we thought it would be a good place to use it

555

so the concrete pad will be in place, then we will tile it

waterproof!

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## DrAndy

Shera floor planks

SHERA floor plank - MAHAPHANT Group Web Site



looks like it would have been a good choice, easier too

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## DrAndy

actually, I have just read the PDF download and it needs to be laid on a frame or a concrete sub-floor ( in the end, the same as tiles). Any frame would have been needed to be 500mm apart, quite close and nothing like our beams at 3m

we had neither there, so it would not have been easier or cheaper

phew

----------


## Carrabow

> DrA too late now as you have things sorted. We've just had a deck built upcountry. They used Plastic wood. No idea where the builder got it. It came in 2" x 6" x 10' lengths with non slip grooves along one edge. I asked for the Thai name and he kept saying plastic wood.


 
Yes. The stuff lasts forever.

In Septic Land they are using it for floating docks.

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## Carrabow

You can get 2" X 4" 's and various other board sizes. It is made from our junk, and the shite is strong.

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## DrAndy

^ but you still need a framework to lay it

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## Carrabow

> ^ but you still need a framework to lay it


 
Can you drive piles or is the area too soft?


Can you drill columns?

If you have a solid foundation a floating pier is easily achieved.

You need a anchor point, floats, and a platform.

Now, like in Holland as the tide goes up and down (I know yer in TLand) they use poles with guides and rollers to keep the mass steady.

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## DrAndy

^ if you look at the pics you could see that the piles are there as are the concrete beams

this is just about renewing the decking

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## Carrabow

> ^ if you look at the pics you could see that the piles are there as are the concrete beams
> 
> this is just about renewing the decking


 
OK Bro, use the plastic lumber. The stuff lasts forever.

If the price is too high, use concrete with a hardener.

I wanna help you.


Nice place, if I had enough I would ask how much  :Smile:

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## Mozzbie47

We have used it extensivly over the last few years for seats and decking, when its down it is hardish to tell it isnt wood, most wouldnt know the difference.
It requires no maintenance, is quite stable and looks good.  
Agreed, a slight draw back is the support framing needs to be at 500 ml centres. If planned for from the start, it's not much extra cost or effort for something you never have to touch again, I would even use it for some structual work if the correct section's are available.

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## DrAndy

> Nice place, if I had enough I would ask how much


yes, too much!

actually, we would sell it with some rice fields

make an offer!!

as for the deck, we are making a concrete platform then will tile it, as planned

I will get some pics

----------


## Carrabow

> Originally Posted by Carrabow
> 
> Nice place, if I had enough I would ask how much
> 
> 
> yes, too much!
> 
> actually, we would sell it with some rice fields
> 
> ...


As I quoted, not now. Nice place, I wish I had the bank. :Confused:

----------


## DrAndy

slowly, we now have the concrete deck ready for tiling



Looks like we will need to find a bit of paint from last time!





We will measure up and order the tiles we need, most of them the terracotta as in the top deck, with some decorative features

----------


## Sailing into trouble

Dr Andy

Bloody wonderful. I have a rental property 500 miles away, tenant said a tile was lose in the shower! Just took me 10 days $5000 to redo a bathroom 54inches wide by 120 long. Nothing but admiration and praise what a job.

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## DrAndy

thanks for those kind words

as to having rental properties a long way away, we usually let the tenants get it fixed by some local tradesman and bill us

----------


## Sailing into trouble

You been doing this for 5 years! I am starting at the beginning and reading itin sequence. have to ask. Are you not nervous about all the nasty things that slither about?

----------


## DrAndy

no, I love them, they are fascinating

the only nasty things that bother me are mosquitoes, they are a pain but can be put off

----------


## Carrabow

> slowly, we now have the concrete deck ready for tiling
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like we will need to find a bit of paint from last time!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How deep is the pond Andy?

Is there a river nearby to flush the water?

----------


## DrAndy

We deepened it to about 3 or four metes but erosion makes it less

The pond is tidal and connected to the canal irrigation system

when they let water down from the mountains, the pond level rises, and the fish and eels come in

when the canals are dry, the water level in the pond stays fixed due to our gate

it seems to be a good ecosystem with lots of wildlife

----------


## Carrabow

> We deepened it to about 3 or four metes but erosion makes it less
> 
> The pond is tidal and connected to the canal irrigation system
> 
> when they let water down from the mountains, the pond level rises, and the fish and eels come in
> 
> when the canals are dry, the water level in the pond stays fixed due to our gate
> 
> it seems to be a good ecosystem with lots of wildlife


A pump with a Aerator will clear up the pond.

----------


## DrAndy

so, at last the tiling is done!  needs a bit of cleaning and repainting but this is what the deck looks like now




close up...whose is that toe?




overall view

----------


## Carrabow

Looks nice Andy!


Get the pond sorted....

----------


## DrAndy

nothing wrong with the pond, Carryboy

full of all sorts of life, and nice to swim in too

the water may look murky, that is because it is

the subsoil is clay so gets stirred up all the time by the fish and birds etc and hangs in suspension

----------


## Necron99

Shame you lost the deck, something about wood over water that evokes all sorts of things, but that ought to last.

----------


## DrAndy

> something about wood over water that evokes all sorts of things


yep, wet-rot and scorpions

but yes, it was nice

----------


## Gravesend Dave

Yes one of your builder was getting paid trying to learn to lay blokes!Well done that man .That has amused me thanks DrAndy good luck with it.

----------


## DrAndy

thanks Dave

as you can read, it was finished some time ago but, as with all houses, needs constant maintenance and upkeep

----------


## Carrabow

> nothing wrong with the pond, Carryboy
> 
> full of all sorts of life, and nice to swim in too
> 
> the water may look murky, that is because it is
> 
> the subsoil is clay so gets stirred up all the time by the fish and birds etc and hangs in suspension


 

God Damn Andy,

you think everyone is after you... 


Hey if you like the pond? Fookin' A...

I would clean it up with AIR....

Not hard Bro...

----------


## DrAndy

> I would clean it up with AIR....


nope. that wouldn't work

read my post above

----------


## rubik101

You could dump a few lily type plants in the pool. They help to keep the water clean. In fact, any aquatic plants will help the eco system. :UK:

----------


## DrAndy

the water is clean!!

lots of lilies in there already

----------


## Necron99

^ Oh just drain the bastard and concrete the bottom to shut them up!

----------


## DrAndy

yes, OK

----------

