Memoirs of a remodel... 1898

[Justin Ludwig]

I don't usually take on remodel jobs. In fact, this job started out as just putting a crown stack of MDF and paint grade soft maple in a dining room and breakfast room... of a home built in 1898.

I knew I'd get into something. It never fails.

I was simply going to remove some old pine headers from a bay window and 5' window pair, replace those headers with some MDF and create a crown stack to run around the room. Once I pull the old material (which had 1/8" thick coat of paint, multiple colors) I found there was no insulation. I got approval to remove the window casing and see if the rest of the jams need insulated. They did. I don't know who installed the windows, but they did a HORRIBLE job. I hate hate hate hate shoddy carpenters. At least it pays me well to fix other peoples lack of integrity and skill.

Have a look. I did find 8 window weights stuck in the jams. The strings were cut and they were left sitting in there. 4 of them were 12#'ers! Love old houses, but man can they test a fellers patience.

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Insulation is so over rated. R rated that is.
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The center bay window jam is 5/16" higher than the left window. I'm holding up a board for reference.
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This jam is raising it's eye brow. I guess it had to be done to get it level with the center bay window.
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AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

[Yonak Hawkins]

I hope they recognize the extra effort you're putting in and agree to pay you for it.

[scott vroom]

I was simply going to remove some old pine headers from a bay window and 5' window pair, replace those headers with some MDF and create a crown stack to run around the room.

Window/door headers are intended as load bearing support and are typically 4x lumber (or doubled 2x). You're replacing with MDF?

[Dave Zellers]

He's just talking about the header trim.

[Justin Ludwig]

Correct, Dave. There are no timber framed headers that I could see, just a running top plate that's rough milled 2x material. The house still house it's original siding, though, it has been painted over so many times it looks acne scared. I guess people around here don't strip before they paint. From 100 yds, it looks great.

[Tom M King]

It's about what I would expect. We just finished completely redoing a 1964 house, and I'd say it was probably worse than that. One 1828 house we worked on had everything about as plumb, level, and square as the best built today. It varies a lot. Like an old carpenter told me when I was a young carpenter, "If everything was plumb, level, and square, anyone could do it."

[scott vroom]

He's just talking about the header trim.

Got it. In my neck of the woods we refer to that as casing.

[Dave Zellers]

Same here on the other coast. :)

Head casing, side casing, sill or stool and apron.

[Jason Roehl]

Correct, Dave. There are no timber framed headers that I could see, just a running top plate that's rough milled 2x material. The house still house it's original siding, though, it has been painted over so many times it looks acne scared. I guess people around here don't strip before they paint. From 100 yds, it looks great.

Fully stripping the paint is very expensive. The people who could afford to do that typically don't buy old houses that have paint that has peeled, been scraped and covered multiple times, at least in the Midwest. Most of them prefer to build new instead. And I don't blame them. There is certainly plenty of room for shoddy work in modern (1970ish or newer) houses, but I'll take them over an older house any day. As a painter, I've just seen too much...

[Justin Ludwig]

Now they're hitting me up to paint/glaze their shaker inset kitchen cabinets. Good news is, I've already procured another job (not a remodel, but a new home) from this couple's friend base.

As for terminologies: I learn new words or terms everyday on here. I most probably learned wrong in the beginning. When I first started using my cabinet program, I spent a few weeks trying re-associate what was what.

I saw Peter mention a boat scarf joint yesterday. I didn't know I've cut a million of them.

[Keith Mathewson]

A house built in 1898 and you're installing MDF, I wouldn't complain about those who have gone before you.

[Rick Thompson34]

A house built in 1898 and you're installing MDF, I wouldn't complain about those who have gone before you.

It's easy to make a snarky comment, but sometimes MDF is a reasonable choice even in an old home. Keep in mind that the original builders had access to old growth pine that was far more stable than we can get today. Also remember that not every homeowner has a big budget and perhaps MDF was presented as a cost-effective option that would still produce a nice looking finished product, albeit not period correct.

Rick

[Dave Zellers]

Yeah- every generation uses the materials available to them at the time. My line is: if the colonists had vinyl siding available to them, they would have embraced it with both arms.

[Justin Ludwig]

I presented the homeowner with options. If I had it my way, I would have ripped out the jams and windows, reset everything. Everything in the room is painted and who ever installed the fireplace mantle trimmed it out in MDF. I'm keeping with the theme.

Again, their budget and time constraints prevail.


The homeowner gave me some quick history on the house: built by a judge in 1898 who lived there for approximately 7 years. Sold it to a fellow that was the leader of the local KKK. Some time later it was converted into a hospital and renovated by the local Mennonites. There are some amazing carvings and pieces in this house that blow me away. The front door is QSWO (a wood heavily available in my area). Home owner told me he bought the house in 05 and the door was painted white. The hired someone to strip it and it now has no finish on it. I'll take some pics today. I'm assuming the Mennonites build the door, but he doesn't know for sure.

The stories this house could tell...