Fixing the Pool Roof

I hadn't been up on the roof for a while. It wasn't until I went up to begin rehabbing the weather station when I noticed the shade cloth tearing at virtually every anchor point around the perimeter of the roof.

Tearing Easily Evident

Not a good sign and it caused me to begin worrying that if we had a major storm or hurricane, that the fabric likely wouldn't hold up.

What was really worrying, was that tearing was so extensive around the perimeter. I was sure it wouldn't hold up under a major blow at all.

I really didn't want to be chasing bits of shade cloth all over the area.

Shortly After Original Installation

But what to do, that could be done economically and relatively fast and easily?

Salvation came unexpectedly when I drove by Doug and Twyla's house a few weeks ago.

Corozal Glass Truck

I saw the Corozal Glass truck, the same one that's now parked in our driveway, up at Doug and Twyla's. My first thought was that they were probably swapping out some louvers for glass windows or something similar.

The next time I drove by their place, I saw the Corozal Glass guys installing large screens across the arches of Doug and Twyla's veranda.

Oh, ho! so they're screening in their veranda. But wait. Was the screen fabric dark? I wondered if they were using shade cloth. And, they appeared to be using metal framing for the screens.

Extruded Aluminum Channel

The last time I had checked at Corozal Glass was a few years ago when I was first thinking of ways to put an awning up over the pool. They told me then that there wasn't anything available here that would work for shade cloth since it's much more substantial than regular screen fabric.

Even when we started re-screening the porches for the Mennonite house, and our pool house, I assumed that was still the situation. I should have checked again (make note to self - do that more often). As a result, for the roof, a simple arrangement of screws and washers was the solution at the time. Not the best solution, but there you are. For the walls of the pool enclosure and the veranda, we used a frame of treated pine 2x4s and the shade cloth stapled to them.

Setting Up Shop

 Things change in a couple of years. Now they have an extruded aluminum channel that works for shade cloth folded over a rubber spline, giving it a great deal of strength and holding power.

So, we advance to yesterday. I had stopped in at Corozal Glass and asked if they could come give me an estimate. Things worked out and after a couple days, we had our estimate and a work date scheduled.

Beginning the Work

Work on re-attaching the existing shade cloth with the aluminum channel went smoothly and quite fast. It only took the better part of one day for the whole project.

Chuck Working Spline Into Place

The slow part of the job for John and Chuck was, as you might figure, was getting the fabric and the spine in the groove of the channel.

John's Also Working the Spline

In fact, several areas of the project turned out to be easier to wrap the fabric and spline around the channel and screw it down that way. The rubber of the spline keeps the fabric from slipping as well.

Easy to Tell New Edge vs. Old

It's easy to see the difference with the new edge vs. the old. Much less stress on the fabric, which should improve its storm resistance.

Much Cleaner and Even Tension

A nice clean installation.

Roof Edge Covered With Flashing

Along the building edge, we have flashing installed. Not for anything structural with the fabric, but to prevent leaves from the nearby Gumbo Limbo trees from infiltrating down beside the beam right next to the building onto the pool deck. There were a lot of leaves coming down that way. The flashing turned out to be a quick and easy fix

Nearing the End

The day started off with an 80% chance of rain, and it quickly became gloriously sunshiny. Right before luch, it clouded over and we had a light drizzle - not enough to even register on the weather station.

After lunch, it cleared up for most of the afternoon and they were able to finish in good fashion.

All that remains now, is for me to get up on the roof today and carefully sweep and vacuum up all the little metal bits from the project. I need to do this to protect the heater tubes, which are soft plastic from getting needlessly punctured and we'll be good to go.

Finishing the Street-side (Back) Porch

The back porch of the Mennonite House. This is also the street-side porch. We originally were going to redo this porch at the same time as the front porch.

Naturally, as things go, our money had to be spent on other things that had broken or worn out that had a higher priority than just rehabbing a porch.

Street-Side Porch Work

Once the guys got started on the porch, it took them very little time to strip the old screen materials out and have a nice clean porch to start with.

Ender Cleaning Up

Ender's busy bashing the old screws and wood out of the porch structure. It was tough going for some parts of it, like around the 4x4 posts which are very hard wood and after being in place for about ten years, have become only that much harder.

Framing Going In

Here, they've cut the treated lumber for the screen frames and are doing a trial-fitting of each of them. Once they fit properly, then it remains for them to be stained and then the shade cloth screening to be stapled to each frame.

Staining Screen Frames

The guys set up a regular assembly line for this project. Here, you can see the staining shop in action.

Sanding Screen Frames

Here's the assembly shop. Rene puts each frame section together and then sands them smooth. After that comes the trial fitting.

Time For A Snack

Some of the crew are still growing boys and require an almost continuous supply of food to fuel their growing bodies.

Attaching the Shade Cloth

Here's Ender getting the roll of shade cloth ready to attach it to the frame. This shade cloth is amazingly resistant to sunlight. All the screens on the walls of the pool house were originally the roof awning in the previous incarnation of the pool. So, they had been in constant use for eight or nine years already before we reused them on the wall screens, where we expect to get another eight to ten years use out of them before we need to replace them.

Of course, if we suffer some other damage, like from hurricanes or other storms, that's different and isn't part of the longevity equation. If they don't become damaged from something other than sunlight, they should last eighteen to twenty years. Not a bad investment and the stuff works as well as regular screening to keep bugs and such out.

Shade Cloth Going In

This porch job is speedily coming to an end and is a vast improvement over the old screening, which was really falling victim to sunlight and storm debris.

Porch Is Done

Now, the porch is done. Here's a view looking right up to the door. Really looks nice and clean.

Another View of it Done

The view from the other side of the porch looks just as good.

Long View South

From the inside, looking to the south, very nice and finished.

Monday Rolls Around Again

Monday, 21 November, 2016.

Sunday, laundry day, started off breezy and cool. We kept the house pretty well buttoned up to keep what heat we had inside until the sun could warm things up enough so that we could fling open the doors and windows with abandon... Well, maybe not that exuberantly.

Laundry went off without a hitch. I do the washing and drying (whether with the gas dryer or on the line, which we haven't used since construction started - too much dust, etc.), and Dianna does the folding. A system that's worked well for us for years.

I had totally forgotten that we were supposed to be going to JamRock with Bruce and Colleen to eat lunch and play bingo, except Bruce had a meeting and would be missing lunch.

Leaving for JamRock was kind of significant for us. This was Dianna's first official use of the accessibility ramp to the parking area. She still had to use the brakes on her rolling walker, but she made it down and into the truck with a lot less effort than going down the front steps.

Meeting up at JamRock, we were pleasantly surprised that Bruce was able to make it for lunch. I think all four of us had baked chicken, which was fine.

After a short wait, bingo got underway. That was fun, and the first time we stayed for all the games. I won six bucks, and Dianna won twenty-five. I came within one number (I-31) of winning the big final jackpot of $114.00 BZD. Just as well. If I had won, there were about five or six other folks waiting for the same number so they could yell BINGO along with me. Altogether a fun afternoon.

We came home and lounged around for a bit. Dianna wasn't hungry, so I warmed up a bit of left-over spaghetti. We tried watching TV but decided we were too pooped and went to bed and read for a while before lights out.

So, now we're actually ready for Monday. Time for a cup of tea, then brew some coffee, walk the doggies, and pick up breakfast from the fry-jack shop in the market. Slather on some sour cream and Sriracha hot sauce (absolutely addictive stuff), and we're good to go for the morning.

Shade Fabric on Frame

Finally, after a long time, our old awning shade cloth is being put to a new use as wall screen material for the pool. It's amazing how well it has held up for the seven or so years that it was in use covering the pool.

For those who remember, it ran on guy wires stretch between steel beams at either end of the pool. Carabiners held the fabric to the wires, with each end of the fabric held to the beams with half-inch white nylon line.

Endher Stapling Shade Cloth

I had kept the awning when we took it down for the last time in hopes that we might be able to use it in this project and not be stuck with tons of shade cloth that we just couldn't get rid of.

So Tight You Can Bounce A Shilling

I think we'll get at least another five or six years use out this material, if not more. It just shows no signs of solar or other degradation.

A little play on words. We know it as 'So tight you can bounce a quarter.' Well down here in Belize, the twenty-five cent piece is called a 'shilling' not a 'quarter.' So, it's 'so tight you can bounce a shilling.'

Cutting Out Old Crack Patches

One of the last things they have worked on is, naturally, one of the first things we had happen. Cracks in the pool. Several over the years.

Here Daniel is cleaning old patching material out that we had left slightly mounded in place over a crack. None of the cracks have leaked since the project started, they're going to re-work the patches so that the pool bottom is nice and smooth.

Prepping to Re-Patch

Daniel is widening out the patch area getting ready for new hydraulic cement. Then the whole pool will get a new coat of Diamond Brite.

Arrest-A-Pest Spraying

The other thing that happened Monday, that was supposed to happen on Saturday, but didn't, was Tulio Rodriguez' Arrest-A-Pest spraying the Mennonite house upstairs and downstairs.

Tulio got hung up over in Chetumal trying to get back. The border crush apparently worked both ways, so he didn't make it for the appointment.

Talking to him on Sunday, we rescheduled for Monday morning. That happened and the bugs are taken care of for quite some months now.

The other part of this is that Nelson, our boy kitty, loves to nap all day long down in the basement of the Mennonite house. We kept him out for Saturday, because of the spraying that was to take place. That upset him. Then Sunday, as we weren't having any workers, there was no need to lock up doggies or open the basement for Nelson. So, that pissed him off further. So, here comes Monday, with another spray appointment. Nelson was again denied access to his favorite hidey-hole. This really pissed him off, He moped around and slept on the bed and in the closet.

Poor Mr. Nelson

Here he is, asleep on the bed. Poor feller. I really felt sorry for him with two out of the three days he was looking forward to a good long nap.

One After the Next Step

Here's a couple of shots of the latest in our project. We're ready to start constructing some - five to be exact, concrete raised planter boxes to go under the shade house. It'll still provide enough room for Dianna to be able to have plants in pots, etc.

We started off with the shade cloth I had left over from the pool awning project. There was enough to cover half the length of the shade house (12-feet long by 14-feet wide). It was a bit awkward hanging the stuff at first.

Hanging Shade Cloth

 It actually went quite quickly. I had to make a trip to Lano's Supply to get about 14-feet more shade cloth to cover the other half of the shade house.

Little by Little

 Now, it's beginning to look like what I had imagined.

Taking on the Desired Shape

 I used a heavy monofilament line to tie the shade cloth into place - looping it around the curved bar every couple inches or so. To anchor the line to the bar, I used an arbor knot. You can see an animated example of how to tie that at Animated Knots by Grog (http://www.animatedknots.com/arbor/index.php?Categ=fishing&LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com). A pretty cool site that shows you how to tie various knots in an easy to understand animation for each knot.

Here's a shot of the monofilament I used, along with the curved needle I was going to use, which didn't work out. I tried using an awl to expand the eye of the needle in order to thread the needle with the monofilament. It turned out it was too brittle to do that and simply shattered as soon as I stuck the awl in the eye. I didn't need the needle in the end as it was easy to just thread the line directly through the shade cloth.

 And here's some views of the completed shade cloth hanging. I also used cable ties to secure the shade cloth. Hopefully, the mono and the cable ties will last a while before having to be replaced. We'll see.

Long View of the Shade House

A Different Perspective

From Underneath

Back The Other Way

From the Edge

And From Below

Here's a diagram I put together showing the concept for the planter tables. We thought about using hard woods here to make raised beds but cost and longevity are two major factors. We're going to build five tables under the shade house, still providing plenty of space to have room for other containers and taller plants.

Planter Table Diagram

Finally, A Roof Over Our Heads

I thought yesterday was going to be a busy day. I mean, my appointment calendar looked like this:

• 5:35 - Walk the doggies
• 7:15 - Take Shower
• 8:10 - Move Generator Out From Its Cubby
• 8:30 - Terrence Here To Check Out/Repair Generator
• 9:00 - Pick Up Edna (Housekeeper)
• 12:00 - Kent Here To Deliver Sewn Shade Cloth
• 12:30 - Eat Lunch
• 1:00 - Begin Setting Up Shade Cloth Over Pool
• 2:00 - Return Edna Home
• 5:30 - Appointment For Install of Permanent Crown
• 6:15 - Jing Jing Store
• 6:25 - Chon Kong Chinese Restaurant

Looks pretty good doesn't it? It was all just going to happen like clockwork. Instead, here's what actually happended:

• 5:35 - Walk the doggies
• 7:15 - Take Shower
• 8:10 - Move Generator Out From Its Cubby
  
• 8:30 - Terrence Here To Check Out/Repair Generator
• 9:00 - Pick Up Edna (Housekeeper)
  
• 12:00 - Kent Here To Deliver Sewn Shade Cloth
• 12:30 - Eat Lunch
• 1:00 - Begin Setting Up Shade Cloth Over Pool
• 2:00 - Return Edna Home
• 5:30 - Appointment For Install of Permanent Crown
• 6:15 - Jing Jing Store - Purchase Canned Cat Food
• 6:25 - Chon Kong Chinese Restaurant - Purchase 2 Fried Chicken Dinners

Notice there's a couple of key players who are missing from the list. I called Terence. His wife had the car and he was almost done with the shade cloth.

Edna wanted to come yesterday so she could get a jump on the Easter holiday. I kept my appointment at Dra. Monica's for her to fit and install my permanent crown.

Kitties were about to experience a severe food shortage. They were completely out of canned cat food. I also had to stop and get some fried chicken for us.

Here's what happened today:


5:35 - Walk the doggies
7;15 - Take Shower Thought I'd take one after Terrence and Generator

8:00 - Set Empty Belikin Cases Out For Exchange

8:10 - Move Generator Out From Its Cubby

8:30 - Terrence Here To Check Out/Repair Generator

12:00 - Kent Here To Deliver Sewn Shade Cloth
12:30 - Eat Lunch
1:00 - Begin Setting Up Shade Cloth Over Pool
2:00 - Visit Shanti To Change Money
2:20 - Visit Kent, Pay Remainder
3:30 - Put Ladders And Tools Away

I thought I'd be smart and wait till after Terence was finished to take a shower.

Of course like any proper piece of machinery, the generator fired on the first pull for Terrence, after baffling me for a couple of months with no luck in starting the generator. Perfect. Terrence's visit here was so short, he refused to accept even a token payment, saying he was just glad that the generator was working and wished me a happy Easter. A nice guy, for sure.

I got sidetracked on a couple of small projects after he left. I figured I could take a shower at noon, because Kent wouldn't show up during the lunch hour.  I was just ready to step into the shower when I heard "Hello?" coming from the vicinity of the front gate. I hurridly threw my shorts back one and opened up the back screen door. Sure enough. It was Kent with the shade cloth.

Not a problem so far, right? Wrong. When I set out the Belikin cases, I set out 4 since we have a long holiday weekend staring right at us (Good Friday and Easter are official holidays here). In order to get four full ones back from the beer truck, I had to part with two-hundred Belize dollars. Which meant that I didn't have enough cash to pay Kent.

I told him I'd bring the remainder by his house right after lunch. Of course, Dianna and I began attaching the shade cloth to the awning support wires. Long about 2:15 PM, I remembered I still owed Kent a pile of money.

So, Into the car I jumped and hit Shanti's, then over to Kent's to pay the final tally. Then it was run back to the house and jump into the pool for a while and eventually, to put the ladders and tools, etc., away.

Here's some shots I took of the awning.

Here's the piles just as Kent and I had dumped them on the deck. All nicely sewn and clean.

Shade Cloth Has Arrived

A little different view showing there actually are two separate piles and Dianna keeping an eye on everything too.

It Is In Two Pieces

Dianna and I mounted our ladders and began the job of attaching the caribiners to the wire rope and and shade cloth. Here's the result. It's still kinda of rough, but as we really don't know what we're doing (shhh! That's a trade secret right there), there's still plenty of things we have to figure out about installing an awning.

One Part Suspended Looking East

Here's a nice view showing what it's like under the shade cloth. Dianna was testing things out to see if it made a big enough difference. She said enthusiastically that it really did!

Looking From Underneath

 And another view. Not bad, if I do say so myself. I've developed a shopping list of more bits and pieces I need to get and install prior to it being used.

Looking West

 Of course when I took the girls for walkies this morning, I bought six nice green apples, so we could slice them up and give them to the iguanas on the dock. Of course, wasn't till late in the afternoon, that one of the big guys came back and we could toss him a bit of an apple.

Our Friend Is Back

 Unfortunately, I think it may have spooked him and he took off. Before he did, I managed to grab a couple more shots of him (or her - How do you tell"?).

Not Sure He Trusts Me

Right after this next one, he jumped into the canal and swam to the other side.

Almost Ready To Run

Pool Awning Project - Part Two

Contrary to some rumors apparently circulating, I do do some work. (Isn't English wonderful - how you can mix a scatological thought in with a serious comment on work? Maybe there is a connection, hmmmm...)

As you can see from the following shots, I'm hard at work dragging and connecting the 1/8" wire rope, vinyl-clad cables to the framework. The shade cloth fabric will be suspended from these.

First, I had the good folks at National Hardware cut four lengths of the cable to length, each about thirty-eight feet long. Then, when I was ready, I laid out the cables on the deck. As you can see, I wore leather work gloves for part of this project. The wire or cable (here the terms are interchangeable) had a coating of some really sticky oil on it - I assume to protect the vinyl, but, who knows

Working With The Cables

Anyway, after laying it out, and beginning to work with it, the didn't seem to be much of an issue, so the gloves went away when I began attaching the fittings to the wire and the stanchions.

Laying Out Cables

As you can see, I even work from the dizzying heights of the pump house rooftop. Here I'm connecting the first of the cables to the stanchion, using what are called thimbles - metal tracks the cable runs in as it goes around a tight bend. The thimble prevents the cable from making too tight a turn through a curve, thus protecting the cable from needless abrasion and other wear.

Connecting Cable to Anchor Point

Assuming that at least some of you didn't know that a thimble could be anything other than a metal thing that fits over your finger to keep you from jabbing yourself with a needle, the picture below shows, on the left, a wire thimble. The item to its right is a threaded shackle, a very strong item used to connect all manner of rigging. The shackle pin is threaded and one leg of the shackle is tapped so that the pin can be inserted.

Wire Thimble and Shackle

 The turnbuckle, which you see below (along with a thimble and a shackle) is used to tighten the wire. It's done by inserting a screwdriver or other rod into the long hold in the middle and turning one direction or the other to loosen or tighten as the case may be.

Turnbuckle

And lastly, for this segment, if you look closely (you can click on any of the photos to expand them) you can see that all the wires or cables have been drawn up taught, ready to have the shade cloth and caribiners attached. I have the caribiners, but we're still waiting for Jose, the upholsterer, to return from the States.

Wires All Tight

Till next time, Cheers.