Sustainable House Tour May 10th Northern Tasmania

A chance to talk to the owners of two very different sustainable homes, ask them the burning questions you might have about aspects of sustainability in a home and enjoy some great morning or afternoon tea.   Sustainable House Tours – The inside story. Saturday May 10th 10.30-12.30 & 2.00-4.00 From the folks that brought Sustainable House Day to Northern Tasmania.   Come along and pick the brains of sustainable home owners about the nitty gritty of their experiences creating and living in a sustainable home.   Cost:  By donation. You pay what you think the session was worth. Numbers:  Limited. This ensures that in depth information can be discussed Session Length: 90 minute session at each home. Each home open in the morning and afternoon. You pick the session that suits you. Afternoon/morning tea:  Yum. Will be available Bookings:  Essential. Contact Lisa on 0427 283 403 or email annelisa(at)westnet.com.au Details of locations provided when booking. House locations:  In the Meander Valley   Two very different homes. House 1:        Transformation of a 1940,s weatherboard house that optimises energy efficiency and minimises running costs.   Sharing (by blog) extensive research on all materials used for sustainability and availability. Owner built studio extension (mega anchors, double glazing, sustainable flooring, hardwood framing, wool insulation, plastic/wood composite deck) Grid connect solar. Energy efficient lighting Heat pump hot water unit, water saving devices Up-cycled and recycled materials Natural paints and floor finishes Retro fitted insulation (roof and walls) and draught proofing   House 2:        Maximum sustainability with minimum environmental footprint. Purpose designed passive solar house. Passive solar design Recycled materials Stand alone solar power Composting toilet Permaculture garden with swales Onsite greywater treatment system water reticulation system for house and garden using dams, tanks and solar pumps Owner built

More about paint

This year 2012 is flying by and I have not updated this blog since early January. This does not mean we have been idle. This time of year is very busy in our working lives and every weekend we are somewhere in the state of Tasmania performing our puppet shows at festivals and events.

So since January there has been progress on the outside of the house. The eastern side had been languishing with its old paint and peeling windows so it was out with the I-Strip infra red paint stripper, the ladder and aching shoulders and neck to remove all the paint on the eastern side.

There is nothing much new to talk about. The I-Strip made easy work of removing the paint from the weatherboards in a safe, non toxic way and the Rockcote paint was as usual a dream to apply. I had to order some more white gloss for the window frames and Tony from Anmax Coatings in Hobart was helpful and prompt with delivery.

Rockcote coatings are Australian owned and made, use zero VOC tints and have a fantastic environmental ethos. They do NOT have a research and development department but a RESEEK and DEVELOPMENT Dept, where they are looking at the old and the new. Their headquarters is a study in itself in environmentally friendly design. We are very happy with their products.

So far I have only completed half of the eastern wall as I had to finish plastering and painting the kitchen so that half of the custom made kitchen cabinets could be fitted but that is a different story!!

stripping the weatherboards

New paint on weatherboards

Painting the first part of the house continued.

 

First section of the house to be completed

 

I have now completed the painting of the first section of the house. The Rockcote Ecostyle topcoat went on really well, two coats and that was that. We used a British paint colour called Lemon Souffle for the weatherboards,  Manor Red to match the gutters around the windows, and white for the window frames.

weatherboards with Rockcote ecostyle topcoat

The Oikos specified two coats of top coat but this was a little translucent and needed three. The Manor Red around the outside of the window frames could have done with another one if you were really being fussy. It goes on really easily and cuts in on the window edges very well.

First coat of Manor Red

All in all we are very pleased with the result. Lots of stripping and painting to go though.