When we returned to the West Wall, there were several tasks to do:
- Clean up the junction of the old and new structures
- Install windows and siding on the Outback West Wall
- Finish repairing & renovating the siding on the old building
New Windows
Two windows were added, one in the upstairs bedroom and one at the stairwell landing
the Juncture
When the new addition (the “Outback”) was added, the builders/vandals chopped off the returns at the gable ends of the old structure and just patched up the hole. Squirrels were getting in.
The walls of the old and new structures joined at a slight angle and were not quite in the same plane, so there was no way they could ever join in a continuous surface.
At the foundation, they never joined the structures, but left a hole closed up with spray foam and bits of sheathing.
My solution was to clean up the mess, and then construct a pillar to differentiate the two surfaces. There was an original bracket on hand that I think came from this spot, it would be used to crown the pillar as a nod to the original architecture.
Step one was to fill in the gap in the foundation and add nailing strips for sheathing.
Up top, I needed to make a different cover for the gable end (note the old wooden rain gutter), and repair the soffit.
This is the solution I came up with. You can see the bracket on top of the pillar.
Siding
Siding on the Outback wall began in October…
…and by mid-December had reached the eaves
After that, the walk boards came down and everything was buttoned up for the winter.
2020
Work resumed in May, 2020. Here, Chris contemplates the job
Chris and Patrick came in for the high work. Judy is the head painter.
By the end of June, the Outback section was complete.
the Old West Wall
In August, we moved on to the old section. We elected to strip and sand most of the clapboards, rather than replace them. It’s a tedious process – all the old nails have to be driven down, then the Paint Shaver was used to strip the paint.
The boards were re-nailed with stainless steel nails and the heads filled in. Here, the window casings have been removed, you can see the ropes and counterweights. The casings will be replaced with new wood and new mouldings that were replicated from the originals. The stained glass windows were (we think) a later addition, dating to around 1900 or so.
The clapboards on the back of the bump-out needed replacement. Underneath, we found there was no insulation under the floor. No wonder water used to freeze in the bathtub before we did the Downstairs Bath Rehab. I glued in several inches of polyisocyanurate. Also, note the iron support rod, which is common for that era. We chose to not touch that.
By early October there were two coats of primer on the wall (one oil, then latex) and the first of three top coats was on its way. OSHA would probably have a conniption over some of our work supports. Fall harnesses were a must.
By late October, the entire West wall was (finally) finished.