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As part of my garage refurbishment and workshop prep, I wanted to level and smooth the floor. For the most part, the floor was already relatively smooth but it has plenty of small divots and runs out in places. There is also a roughly 2.5" step about 2m in from the back from where the floor has been extended in the past, and who ever did the extending did a poor job of keeping it level with the existing slab so there's a rise in the middle and a big drop to the door at the back. The slab is made of up of 5 separate pieces, and there's a manhole cover in the back section too. For the previous owners, it was just a garage and the uneven floor didn't matter. But rolling engine cranes and the like around would become a right pain over time. So I decided to bite the bullet and level the floor. Following some drainage work needed for a new ensuite, there was a massive hole to fill with concrete. This was done at a depth of 400mm, which is huge overkill, so that I could have a 2 post ramp in the future. This has now had 8 weeks to dry out, and whilst not fully dry it is dry enough to make a start. Having dug the floor out, I also know that there's no DPM under the floor. Thankfully, the floor is in generally good condition, not cracked or dusty and so its pretty much ready to go. Since there's no DPM under the floor we dug out, I've had to assume there isn't one anywhere under the floor. As such, the first step needs to be putting a DPM down. There are a few way of doing this, and following quite a bit if research I decided to use some of the UltraFloor products from Instarmac. They do an epoxy paintable DPM that I've used before. You mix the tubs, pour it on the floor and roll it about a bit. Once that's down and cured, I'll be using their Base layer product to take out the worst of the dips and runs. 24 hours later, I can pour a layer of HD Top, which is a wearable fork truck rated layer. This stuff is expensive at £25 a bag, but worth it. The Base is there to take out the worst of the rear section of the floor first. The front larger bit will just need the HD Top layer. Today was put aside for doing the DPM layer, and I had ordered what should've been enough to put two thin layers down. The prep was straight forward, just needing the floor sweeping twice and then hoovering. I have a trusty garage hoover that gets regularly abused for things like this! This is also not a job to attempt by yourself for a double garage, as the epoxy has a pot of life of roughly 45 mins. As such, my fiancée was roped into helping. I reckon a single garage could be achieved solo on a warm day, but it would still be tough going. Once we started working, it became apparent that the stuff was just going down thicker and thicker as we went. I suspect it was a little too cold for it to flow properly and we ended up using three of the four tubs to cover nearly all of the floor. However, due to the thickness of the covering, we won't be doing a second layer as it won't be needed. The rear section of concrete was much, much bumpier than I realised and we couldn't roller the epoxy on at all, instead having to scrub it in with a 2" brush. This was very slow work, and the temperature was dropping too quickly now it was dark to allow the epoxy to flow so we stopped just shy of the end and left the fourth tub to finish off tomorrow and cover the back of the garage floor again. We could've carried on and finished, but I wasn't willing to open a £50 pot of epoxy to do the tiny section that's left. Instead, I will start again in the corner that's missing the epoxy and recover the whole of the lower rear section. More to follow as the steps are done! Any questions, or suggestions, please fire away.

Hi all, As we're unlikely to meet face to face any time soon, let's have another virtual meet to talk cars, cake and NOT Covid-19! It will be good to hear what everyone's been up to and find out how the winter upgrades are progressing etc. We'll use Skype for this (free if you use Wifi) PC Version here- https://www.skype.com/en/ Iphone version is here: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/skype-for-iphone/id304878510 Android version here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skype.raider&hl=en Please send me a PM with your Skype ID and I'll set up the meeting. If anyone wishes a test call or help with Skype, just PM me. @Julie Hall - Peak District AO @AndrewBClarke @Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Secretary @Si.Dalziel@Scotty72 @Greenstreak-Andy D @Patrick Costello @BillyPee @RobH72 @6carjon @Andy Westwood@westyjord87 @Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO @Trevturtle @Stu Faulkner @NigelO @stephenh @RallyVW @Snowy Steve @MattV @Andy_R @Robin (Red Spider) - Yorkshire AO @LukeW @aeg Apologies, If I've not tagged a usual suspect, I've tried my best!) N.B. this isn't limited to Peaky members, all welcome including new comers!

hi martyn , from dave , im getting my westfield from TOYBOX CARS , ashby in feb 2021 , just signed up here , an looking forward to meeting you sometime in 2021 im in hinckley right by the TRIUMPH FACTORY , also got a bike from there i take it your my closest contact

Thanks for the handy tips everyone. I'll go for a Luton with tail-lift. Be prepared for another build log soon!

I know someone who could be interested in this, will come back asap Andy

@Rich201060, thanks! Having seen another garage floor finishing thread recently that we didn't get to see the end results of, I'm hoping this will show what I've had to do from start to finish. I'm by no means a pro, but I do expect to be able to improve the floor quite a bit over what it was like. Hopefully others will see it, and decide if they can plunge and tackle similar projects themselves.

@Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO

Absolutely, multiple sub sections also helps make navigation and finding things even harder after a while, especially on mobile devices with smaller screens. It also leads to increasing issues with people knowing where to place posts, something we get enough od already between wanted/for sale and Tech Talk/Starting Line/Stuff and Nonsense.

But the whole point is surely that the different build threads interest different people???

If you hit the follow button: You can then view the threads you follow using my video guide here: Does this help?

What happens when you hire people suffering from amnesia:

We went for a walk into town today. this is second rd probably one of the busiest roads in Pattay in "normal" times. then we cut through to beach Rd for our return journey. There are no problems social distancing here.

1. To me: “Drink responsibly” means don’t spill it. 2. Age 60 might be the new 40, but 9.00 pm is the new midnight. 3. The older I get, the earlier it gets late. 4. When I say: “The other day”, I could be referring to any time between yesterday and 15 years ago. 5. I remember being able to get up without making sound effects. 6. I had my patience tested. I’m negative. 7. If you lose a sock in the dryer, it comes back as a Tupperware lid that doesn’t fit any of your containers. 8. If you are sitting in public and a stranger sits next to you, just stare straight ahead and say: “Did you bring the money?” 9. I finally got 8 hours of sleep. It took me 3 days, but whatever! 10. I hate it when a couple argue in public and I missed the beginning and don’t know whose side I’m on. 11. When you do squats, are your knees meant to sound like a goat chewing on an aluminium can filled with celery? 12. I don’t mean to interrupt people. I just randomly remember things and get really excited. 13. When I ask for directions, please don’t use words like “east”. 14. Don’t bother walking a mile in my shoes since that would be boring. Just spend 30 seconds in my head. That’ll freak you right out. 15. Sometimes someone unexpected comes into your life out of nowhere, makes your heart race and changes you forever. We call these people cops. 16. My luck is like a bald guy who just won a comb. 17. When one door closes and another opens, it probably means you are in prison. 18. It’s the start of a brand new day and I’m off like a herd of turtles.

The problem is that for the minority that don't care if it causes them inconvenience is there is no real consequence of being an Ar$e. High profile stars of pop and football don't care. they get caught say sorry (not sorry at all just sorry they got caught) pay the fine, if implemented, out of loose change and carry on, being a little more careful about being caught but not changing their ways. (some have been caught out multiple times and are sorry each time). If football/rugby clubs etc had to prove that any postponement of a match due to covid was not down to staff breaches otherwise they would forfeit the match, they would be clamping down on their players somewhat more as the consequence to the clubs would no longer be loose change. as for GPs providing exemptions, that's not too difficult. that exemption would be registered against you, via you're name/Address/Ni and medical numbers etc so should it be needed it could be checked. If there had been a short sharp crack down early in the process where those not complying and just relying on intimidation and abuse of shop workers and security staff then had to deal with the police and face a fine there would not be an issue now. It would have only really taken co-operation between a number of key supermarkets and the local police to get the message over.

Much the same here, 30 years this year, SORN when the weather turns, usually back on the road in May as we (used to) holiday late April/early May.

As you can SORN on line now, it’s so easy to to go on and off road at your leisure. I’ve even Sorned a month for my summer holiday.

Had mine for 20 years. I drove it in the winter for the first 4 or 5. That novelty wore off and ever since it has been sorned from 31/10. Every April 1st is like driving it for the first time all over again.....