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Bardeaux/Chestnut shingles


Chris Head

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These are a beautiful alternative to re-pointing/rendering.

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/chrishead/DSC01093.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/chrishead/DSC01094.jpg[/IMG]

They're produced by a very good friend of mine, Joel, who employs half a dozen men making the shingles by hand, the workshop is like stepping back a century, I sometimes 'bunk' off and just go and spend time there, the blokes are all fantastic, and very hard workers.

This is Joel, the most gentle & honest giant I know! He also supplies sawn Oak and is based in the Limousin.

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/chrishead/DSC01092.jpg[/IMG]

 

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They could be a good alternative to the "Ardoise quarante, quarante" that I was going to use, I have used them before on small wooden outbuidings in the UK but they were a very expensive, indulgent alternative.

How much does your friend sell them for delivered to another departement?

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Blimey, they will never last as long as the real thing.              Plastic, now there's a medium. Lasts for ever, well nearly and it don't loose it's colour if you get the real good UPVC stuff!

Well that's what some morons may well think. Those shingles look lovely don't they and I think that the only thing that could come anywhere near would be cedar shingles. To still be made by hand is lovely too, because they will be made to the spec for the job that they have been requested for. It's good to know that there are still craftsmen around!

Plastic, I think I have c r a p p e d better stuff than that. We were asked why we didn't want plastic in our 370 year old Cotswold stone cottage in the U.K.? What a prat! The double glazing salesman didn't like the answer I gave him, but he didn't argue.

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I take it plastic doesn't quite do for you John! It always breaks my heart to see the lovely old houses decked out in shiny white plastic windows and doors, they would give me a headache if I had to look at them all day!

The bardeaux factory has been going two generations and they're exported all over Europe, it's a great visit. 

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Not a bit Chris!

I remember going into a pub, The Ram, near Stroud, Glos. It had just reopened after a big refit. It had belonged to 2 little old ladies and it had got quite run down. I walked in a few days after it had opened and the new owner was serving someone else. I looked around and tapped the new bar façard. Th eowner looked round to see what I was doing and I tapped it again and 'huummmed' under my breath. The owner kept looking at me. When he came over to serve me he asked if there was anything wrong. I took my life in my hands because I said to him that as the façard wasn't the real thing it wouldn't last as long and that real plastic would last longer than English elm. He was just about to give me a REAL mouthful when he realised what I'd said and he burst out laughing! I was quite pleased because he was quite a bit bigger than me... The owner told me that he was almost on the point of throwing me out. My sense of humour is really going to get me into trouble one day!!!

Chris, you would have loved it, it was wonderful to see. The pub is hundreds of years old, Cotswold stone and the new bar looked fantastic. The beer lived up to the pub too.

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Have you checked in your local Leclerc (?) yet to see if they have any Abbot?

One advantage of the 'plastic brigade' is that while they are getting all the plastic stuff they are not misusing any hardwoods.. This has got to make it more sustainable and help to keep the price reasonable..

I'm not sure that you would have been big enough to throw me out then. I wasn't always a cripple you know, oh me poor foot!![Www]

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