As if there weren’t enough things around here that need attention, I unexpectedly found myself involved in a new project: the renovation of someone else’s house. It’s an early twentieth-century house which has been empty for a long time. It will be a sensitive renovation but not a purist restoration. Jim of Bunkhouse fame is also working on it – as will be many others. We know up front that it will take at least a year to turn this place around, but it will probably go well past that amount of time. It’s not always easy to get help when you need it in a rural area; there is often more demand than there are available and qualified tradespeople. I guess my greenhouse project will have to wait a bit… it has come to a screeching halt but I will continue to work on it as time and weather permit!
Let’s take a quick look at the new project:
The front and side. Mid-century iron porch supports replaced traditional Tuscan columns while galvanized steel siding covers the original narrow clapboards. The wood shingled roof is at the end of its lifespan. Never struck by lightning, the original lightning rods retain their glass balls.
Paint has worn from the steel siding. Built without indoor plumbing, the vent stack was placed outside when plumbing was added. The side porch was clearly used as the primary entry.
The porch has seen better days. Yes, we have to get rid of all of this stuff.
A new porch floor will be one of many projects.
Most of the “issues” this house has are merely cosmetic. Because the steel siding is in good shape overall, it will be repaired and painted.
Breakfast room. The updates seemed to stop in the 70’s or early 80’s.
The dining room features a 1960’s light trough just below the ceiling.
A pull-down fixture (sans shade) from the 60’s is found in the living room.
The front door.
The house had a dual lighting system when built, each room had both electric and acetylene gas light fixtures!
An upstairs bedroom with 60’s wall paneling and 70’s shag carpet.
Yes, we have to clean the basement, too. Some day this space will be bright, cheery and clean!
An interesting attic space. The house will be entirely re-wired during the renovation.
A frayed and broken window sash cord had been repurposed as a pin holder!
The screened portion of the wrap-around porch has always had square columns while the open front portion originally had round Tuscan columns. We will likely replace the iron supports with modern versions of the originals, but made of fiberglass.
A better view of one of the lightning rods. They will be coming down for a new roof installation, but will be saved.
like you didn’t have enough to occupy your time. well, it will be a refreshing change from that thing you’ve been trying to resurrect.
so, on this one what’s up with the narrow windows and why is the door on the end with no paint off center. this place wouldn’t be my first (or last) choice but once you rip out all the stuff from the 70s and 80s, it shouldn’t be too bad.
The off-center door leads to the basement. Eventually it will be replaced with a new (or old) door with some glazing in it… the stairwell is very dark at present. The narrow windows are a bit odd on a house of this age; the trend at the time was going toward shorter and wider windows. I like them, though, as they make the place feel a bit older than it is. And they let in lots of much-needed light. While I would rather be working on my own house (what you refer to as “that thing”), I do enjoy this place because it is so much older than mine. But I like mine, too, because I am not constrained by history; I can (and intend to) make it as outrageous as I like! Both are fun, and I appreciate having the option of two different eras to work with simultaneously!
Glad you are helping to take it on! Worthwhile project. Lots of work. . . it will feel so much better to get some of the debris out. I appreciated the pin photo! Re-purposed indeed!
This looks like a fun project! It appears most of the important original stuff is still there (doors, windows, hardware, etc), and what needs to be rebuilt or made new to match shouldn’t be too hard. The baseboards and casing are virtually the same as our Foursquare in Omaha, which I was able to reproduce quite easily with standard stock lumber and a bit of work on the table saw and router table.
I like the japanned half-mortise hinges. They’re a nice touch.
I’ve seen a lot of broken sash cords in my time with old houses, but that’s the first I’ve seen used as a pincushion! On the subject of sash cord, I HIGHLY recommend using genuine Samson Spot cord for replacement. It’s the only one I’ve found that matches the quality of original stuff. I used standard hardware-store sash cord on the first few windows I restored, and won’t go back now that I’ve found the real deal. It’s more expensive, of course, but cheap considering it should last over 75 years. It’s available from a number of old-house hardware suppliers, but here’s the manufacturer’s descritpion page: http://www.samsonrope.com/Pages/Product.aspx?ProductID=001
Finally, while restored wood clapboard siding always looks best, I understand the approach of rehabbing the steel residing. It’s better quality and looks better than the vinyl installed today, and should hold paint for longer intervals the the wood beneath. For people in that situation who aren’t committed to an original restoration, I recommend repairing and repainting the steel or aluminum siding rather than removal and replacement with vinyl. Just make sure to identify any areas where water is getting in behind that and address it with proper flashing so it doesn’t cause further deterioration of the wood behind.
I’m excited to see more posts of your work on this place! It’s so easy to get caught up in the glamour of grand mansions from centurie(s) ago to realize that the vast majority of housing from that era was simple and modest. It has it’s own special beauty, and often reveals interesting facts about life from those eras. I enjoy seeing the little flaws and poor carpentry in them and the stories they tell just as much as a grand showplace.
Thanks very much for the link to Samson – I’ve been looking for a good source for replacement sash cord. I’ve redone one window already using some old stock I had, but now I’m out of it. I don’t really like the red spots in the cord, but maybe it won’t bother the new owners. I talked them into saving the original windows, so I’ve got to make them look good and function nicely!
Good point about the steel siding. I haven’t found any problem areas so far, and the original installation seems to have been done well. I like the fact that it is protecting the original siding so that it might be revealed at some point in the future.
Glad you appreciate the commonplace architecture featured in many of my posts. There are plenty of people blogging about mansions and high-style architecture but most of us live in these more ordinary places. The fact that they are more plentiful makes people take them less seriously, I think. You will have many opportunities in the future to see modest craftsmanship from a century ago in following this project!
I bought mine from Smith Restoration Sash: https://www.srshardware.com/product/sash-cord/
It looks like sellers have it on Amazon too: https://www.amazon.com/Sash-Cords-spot-cotton-sash/dp/B002C3NBDQ/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_60_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=V695HQKH9GCPEQV6SDMP&dpID=31VLvvB2kfL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail
I believe I purchased the #8 size, which matched the original sash cord. The colored spots did stick out to me at first, but quickly looked appropriate.
I like to use flat spring-bronze weatherstripping attached to the sides of the channels the lower sash rides against. I install it only along the height of the lower sash, so it’s invisible when closed (round over the top so the sash or cord don’t hang up on it). It can be “sprung” by running the edge of a screwdriver in the crease to provide the right amount of friction against the sash that really makes it operate smoothly and eliminate rattles.
Some people use spring bronze for the upper sash, but I don’t like the ugly notch required to clear the pulley. Instead, I use adhesive plastic V-seal weatherstripping, installed on the inside face of the exterior stop (with the folded crease towards the inside of the opening). I usually use brown, which blends right in to the wood color. Since the upper sash is operated much less frequently, it works pretty well.
I also use V-seal along the bottom of the lower sash, on the back side of the stool, where the sash crosses behind it. I install it with the crease facing up.
I don’t use anything along the meeting rail, as a well-fitted meeting rail will get pulled pretty tight by the sash lock.
If you really want to get detailed, you can mess with bits of foam where the meeting rails are notched around the center stop, but I’ve never gotten that obsessive. You need a little fresh air in the house somewhere!
I also do believe in good storm windows. Not only will they make a traditional sash window about as energy-efficient as the latest double-pane units, but they also protect your hard restoration work! If exterior appearance isn’t a concern, a good-quality enameled aluminum storm will do nicely.
https://www.frostking.com/products/weatherstripping/king-y-seal-weatherstrip