The Reiwa Rennovation of Shima Kitchen Is Completed!
This is the artwork maintenance task in its largest scale of the year... to replace approximately 3,000 wooden panels of the awning of Shima Kitchen.
All the panels were to be removed, duly cleaned, applied with wood preservative, and then reattached to the roof.
This time the process took about one month.
On the first day, we started with removing all the panels. Although it was raining, many Koebi-tai members participated, and removed the panels at an astonishing speed.
From the second day onwards, we cleaned the panels single-mindedly. As we used scrubbing brushes to scrub them, the soiled panels became shiny!
We had cleaned about 1,000 panels by the fourth day! Let’s work hard to make the remaining 2,000 panels shiny as well!
As we replaced the panels during the rainy season this year, there were many days with heavy rain. In spite of getting soaked, Koebi-tai members and islanders worked hard and completed the cleaning task in eight days!
After cleaning, the next step was to apply the wood preservative. This will make the panels usable for several years without damage.
At last, once all the panels had been applied with the preservative, it was time to place them back to the roof.
First, we attached washers and cable ties to the panels. While it looked simple, there were about 2,500 pieces in total! We just kept working on it.
Although the installation of roof panels is not difficult, there are rules for how the panels are layered. In the past, there was an unfortunate incident when the panels needed to be removed and replaced all over again. Therefore, we proceeded very carefully, bit by bit.
Looking around, the panels are shaped differently. Each panel is numbered and must be installed in its original place. If the panels are installed in an incorrect order or at wrong places, there will be gaps on the roof, or the panels will stick out. Therefore, we checked the number and location of each panel when we installed them.
After placing all the panels back, the final step was to tighten and cut the cable ties.
So, the roof panels replacement task at Shima Kitchen is done! With 2,500 pieces of cleaned panels installed, the terrace of Shima Kitchen looks refreshed!
The roof panels replacement task at Shima Kitchen, which took about one month to complete, was thought impossible to carry out as planned due to continuous rainy days in the beginning. However, thanks to the participation of more than 120 people in total, the task was completed as planned by July 12.
From people from distant places such as Fukuoka and Tokushima to locals from Teshima, many people came and took part in this maintenance task! Thank you so much!
