Refurbishing The Portakabin

Due to neglect the Portakabin had suffered over the years. The roof was damaged and letting in water. As a result, tsections of the fibreboard floor had become soft and was falling apart. To reinstate the roof would cost £1000 upwards. Nev came up with an alternative solution of putting a steel sheeting roof over the existing roof by fixing to the metal frame that surrounded the hut. Material was available second hand for £200 which was paid for by a benefactor. Nev covered the cost of the fixings and put the the new top on the hut on Wednesday afternoon with minimal help from Les and I who were lifting the sheets from the van and passing them up to Nev for fixing in place.

Since then with the help of other volunteers from the association the inner walls and ceiling have been washed down and painted with emulsion paint. Four bucket loads of soil and rubbish were removed along with four bucket loads of dirty water almost like mud from washing the walls. A call for unused spare emulsion paint provide material to put on a coat of pale yellow for the walls and ceiling with a contrasting olive green for the end walls and door.

I managed to find about two litres of the green masonry paint used on the outside and mixed with some white masonry paint I had at home there is just about enough to do the external surfaces in a paler green that is a similar shade to the green contrast walls inside. We are now waiting for a window in the weather for a few dry days to get the outside done.

After a few days with roof on the floor is starting to dry. The inside of the hut is now beginning to look respectable.