 The
first thing to do is to make sure your design has a steep roof
pitch...4"
in 12" being the minimum. The slight extra cost will be
offset by the
longer wear you will get from your roof.
Second stay away from
"fake" multi-pane windows with plastic grids. If your
going to have
multi-light, and they do make a house look wonderful, have a
wood shop build
you true multi-pane windows.
Thirdly and most important
find a designer that knows Victorian architecture.
This will be the hardest and I dare say you may have to
educate yourself
here. Victorian design may look like a hodgepodge but
features do fit
together. The plinth block is a play off the base board,
the casing a play
off the plinth and the rosette a circular representation
of the casing!!!
 Is
it possible to change out the weight ropes on double hung wood
windows without calling in a contractor?
Yes
but it is a little tricky. First carefully remove the sash stop.
This is the piece of 1/2 x 1" between the bottom sash and the
inside wall. Now the bottom sash will lift out. A screw will be
found in the sash groove about 6" up from the bottom on both
sides. Once this screw is removed a sash weight door is exposed.
It is here that the weights will be lying. With the sash out you
can feed cotton rope through the pulley down to the weight door
and tie onto the weights. Then pull the weights up and install the
rope onto the sash with a knot just like the original was. Now is
a great time to rub Bees Wax into the sash grooves, then put all
back together and you're working for another hundred years.
I
have seen in pictures, a siding that looks
like shingles with different patterns in it. How is that made and
where can one find it?
I
have seen a siding which consists of a plywood sheet about 3' x 8'
with shingles
attached to it by the manufacturer but I haven't seen a decorative
style for this
type of siding. This company is out of Oregon or Washington
State and I
believe it is called Cedar Valley Siding System.
Decorative shingles on the other hand, are individually made by
first cutting 6" wide or larger shingle blocks into shingles.
Then all the shingles are trimmed to a full 6" and their ends
are then cut to pattern using a band saw with a special jig. Used
in different combinations these shingles can be used in a wide
variety of patterns including fish scale, "ice cream
cone" etc. Different patterns of shingles can also be
combined into horizontal bands to provide an even more complex
ornamentation.
I am a beginner woodworker. Do you recommend a book to help
me understand and build Victorian interior trim work,
fireplaces, built-ins and paneled rooms? Thanks. Joe
I
usually go into used book stores and head for the Architecture
section where I have found such wonders as "The Gingerbread
Age" by John Mass, "Architectural Drawing" by
Harvey Waffle, and "The 1920 Catalog #500 of the Curtis Door
and Woodworking Co." So you see this is where to start but I
think the first book I would suggest is the 1984 Lee Valley Tools
Ltd. publication "The Victorian Design Book",
ISBN#0-9691019-6-1.
By learning the basic
traditional woodworking skills, you will be arming yourself with
the knowledge necessary to make any of the projects that you
mentioned. Note that I said traditional techniques! This is very
important because if you are going to put your name on the
finished product then you want it to be the best and last. For
instance when you make doors use only mortise and tennon joinery,
the same with windows, etc.
What
should I do about the rotting bases of the wood columns on my
front porch?
The
first thing to do for rotten columns is to ascertain the cause
of the rot, because any fix will need to address this first or
you will have the same problem again. There are three possible
problems that come to mind. One, there is a be a joinery problem
in the construction of each column base. Because of the way the
columns are attached to your porch water is being trapped under
your columns and soaking the end grain. Two, the columns were
made from a wood that is not suitable for outdoor use (poplar
or pine,etc) And thirdly your columns have served you well for
150 years and finely time and the elements have taken their
toll. Once you have determined the cause and rectified it here
are two fixes. If you have round columns then measure the
diameter one foot above the rot and have a shop turn you a new
bottom out of Redwood. Then saw your old bottom off one foot up
and jack up the column 1/2" to 3/4" higher than need
be. Now drill both the new bottom and your old top in the center
to accept a 1/2" or 3/4" pipe that will go into both
pieces at least 1/2", (this keeps the two pieces centered),
now apply exterior glue (such as Liquid Nails) and let your
column down on its new base. If you have porch posts then a
"Dutchman" can be made like the drawing. Be sure to
glue and bolt and countersink and plug the bolts so no water
gets to them. (see photo)
We
have a 6-room Victorian in Westchester County, NY. I want
to create our
own decorative details at the rooflines, etc. Is there a
good source book, and can I do these on a router table?
First
let's look at the Source Books. This is a real problem for the
person wanting to design their own trim because there is a real
lack of information and probably always will be. This is because
this was an era of experimentation and self-expression, this
means there were few "stock" patterns and fewer yet
examples that made it into print. You can find photo books at
used book stores like The Painted Ladies series, A Gift To The
Street, The Victorian Design Book, and one book that may help
you immensely is Tiny Houses by Lester Walker, 1987 pages
48 to 57. Now for the mouldings, you said it would go along the
roof line. I would assume this then to be at the peeks and it is
called the "ridge cap". See the attachments
with samples of Ridge Cap from the Blue Ox catalog
and The Victorian Design Book, to help you get started .
Although most ridge caps and even barge boards are cut out with
a band saw or a fret saw you could use a router table and make it
in short sections. There is no harm in this at all but you will
need to use a Four Fluted Spiral bit, these are climb
cutters and will make your operation far easier. Be creative and
have Fun ! Eric.
We
have
purchased a Queen Anne Victorian home that was built in the
1860's. There are numerous hairline cracks in the
finishing
thin coat of plaster and places where the thin coat of plaster
has fallen out. Any
advise as to how to repair the finishing coat of plaster ?
Where
I had cracks I used the premixed plaster just as it came and
with a wide steel trowel spread the plaster on smooth taking great
care to "feather" the edges out to nothing, I did not
want a visible bump at my repair. Then at those couple of places
where I had to pull out the old plaster and start from the lath I
let the premix dry out some to "stiffen up". Then using
enough power to make sure that plaster is squeezing through the
lath I applied the base coat, leaving it low by a 1/6 to an 1/8
inch of the finish. After this had dried I applied the smooth
coat. This proved to be very difficult to make it smooth and flat
at the same time so hopefully you don't have any large places
where this needs to be done. As for the texturing I think you may
want to call in a craftsman to do this for you.
Happy mudding .............Eric
After
stripping and staining my old woodwork I don't want to put
polyurethane on it. I want a hand rubbed look to it, even if
I have to hand rub it. How can I get the look I want?
Congratulations
on getting your woodwork striped, That was the hardest part of
the job!!! Now what you will want to do is to go to your local
Library and see if they have a video named "Wood
Finishing" by Frank Klausz. In this video Frank will take
you through many options that you have from Hand Rubbed Oil to
French Polish. Please remember though that these skills (like
riding a bicycle) can not be learned from a book or a video.
Doing is the only way to learn, so before you start on your
woodwork, go to the lumber store and buy a small piece of
the same type of wood and practice on this until you can do it
upside down and standing on your head because these are some of
the positions that you'll no doubt need to get into. Have fun
and may the "Finish be with you".
I
am trying to strip the wood bare on the outside of my 1900 Queen
Anne Colonial Revival Home in order to paint. I would like it
done in the gentlest way I can as to avoid damage to the surface
wood. I keep reading about the damage that cleaning by water
pressure will do to old wood. Yet
when I talk to folks that strip and paint for a living, they say
it's OK. What
is your slant?
First
I wish to applaud you for wanting to be as gentle as possible to
the woodwork
on your house that has served so well for so many years.
Here in our area, Redwood
decks are a big thing and because we are in a dense
forest environment these decks get mossy and very slippery, so the
first thing folks
do is to rent a high pressure sprayer and hold the nozzle
1 inch away from
the wood and blast away the moss. The trouble is they
also
blast away the
summer growth (or soft wood) in-between the growth rings,
which leaves a
rippled surface. So I would say YES on using the washer,
but
keep the nozzle
back two feet or more away from the wood and know that you
will have to do a
little hand work. It is only when we expect power equipment
to do all the work that they do damage. ... Eric
Our
house, built in 1895, had a simple widows walk which
was removed many years ago. I want to have a new one made.
Any
suggestions as to materials that will not need regular
painting-design
info. etc?
A widows walk will be a great
project and will add immensely to your house's look
and character. As for products that don't need paint, I am not
familiar with
any. You may want to contact Chuck Stinman at Architectural
Reproductions in
Oregon, 503-284-8007. Chuck's company makes millwork out of
fiberglass and
plaster, and you can ask about not painting this type of
material.
Otherwise I would recommend Redwood or CLEAR Cedar. Both of these
woods will give a
lifetime or two of service. Also you may find a local
Blacksmith that
has access to "Wrought Iron" that could make you
decorative members
out of this material.
Now the fun part, the design.
This can be as simple as looking through catalogs
and ordering "stock designs", or taken all the way to
coming up with
your own designs. There are a few items to keep in mind when
working up your
design. First is each house is special and has an individual feel
and style.
You wouldn't want to take a Queen Anne and use a colonial
balustrade. Second
is to try to carry the feel that your house's porch has, up into
the widow's
walk, This will tie all your work together and give continuity to
your finished
product.
For more
information and photos click here
We'll
be investing in painting the exterior of our 1890's wood-siding house this
fall. We live in Louisville, Kentucky where we can have cold winter nights into
the teens, and hot & humid summers. I have always used oil on
interior woodwork, but I've been told that Latex expands/contracts easier and
so is better for exteriors. What do you recommend, and how long should that
paint last? Also, I'm looking to replace 20 spindles on our front porch. Our local
architectural salvage shop does not have a match, can you recommend a source or
millwork shop?
You
are absolutely correct in knowing that wood never stops moving and as
such the film (paint) we apply over it also has to move. Older
paints were made with a base of Linseed
Oil which after time will dry hard. When this happens
the paint would crack. Lately (within the last 30 years) the
industry has gone to petroleum based oils as the binding agent that take
longer to harden off and thus stay pliable longer. The binding agent in
Latex is "Casein" which is found in milk. This casein is a
glue and is what holds the clay
particles (the color) to the surface and seals the surface
from water. As a glue casein is flexible and as such makes a fine
exterior paint, but after 10 to 15 years
it begins to "chalk" and loose its ability
to hold the pigment particles and then needs to be repainted. I would
use a "BEST" grade primer
undercoat (oil or alkyd) then Latex finish coats.
As for balusters, first go to
your local High School shop class. I keep pushing
this because these classes are being closed all across the nation
and the educational systems need to know that there is a demand for the
trades. Okay, baring that here are three places. Mad River
Woodworks 707-668-5671 (Tim) .......
Hass Turning in San Francisco, .......... and of course, Blue Ox
Millworks 800-248-4259
Ok, so that should get you on your way. Please try the school first and may
your end result be stunning. ..
I
built a Queen Anne painted lady eight years ago in northern
Minnesota.
We have a
covered , wrap around porch on the front. However, we have a
living space under it. Our wooden floor has rotted
and we are looking for
suggestions as to how to build a floor that will
not rot. I have had some
boat builders tell me I should use white oak and
put a v-groove in it and
fill it with a boat caulk/glue that needs to be
sanded with a floor sander
and sealed as to have no water enter the basement.
Any thoughts? It's
really
more complex than this but I abbreviated my thoughts.
The
boat caulk/glue won't work although your friend is on the right
track. The problem with using any kind of
glue is that your deck is dry then wet and
the wood is always moving. What I have seen done here in Eureka
where we had both wooden water tank builders
and boat builders is the two put their heads
together and came up with a "fix" to this problem that
has worked for the last 150 years. That fix
is to make 2" to 3 1/4" by full 1" (or better)
thick T&G Redwood flooring ( Cedar would also work, both must
be clear ). Then slope to floor 1" in
10' to the outside to shed water off away
from the house. Now you have a flow that can shrink when dry and
swell ( to water tight) when wet. Oh yes run
the boards from the wall to the outside
not parallel to the wall. Eric
We
are in the process of designing a two story "addition" -
24'X36' -first floor is garage & workshop, second floor is
"detached bedroom." We are looking at window design, and
trim as a way to make it look like a
craftsman (arts & crafts) style building on the
outside (no thanks on the inside - we are
clear on our need for light). Also, we have
planned a pergola. Do you have any ideas, ways to do these or
others, that we can utilize to create this style without breaking
the bank
(I was inspired to ask this question by the one I read on your
previous question and answer list)?
Thanks so much for your time and energy!
Your
job with regards to your windows is fairly easy. The Craftsman
Style window trim was flat 1x6 header and
sides, a sill with horns protruding past the
sides a full 1" and NO orientation under the sill (i.e..
plinth blocks and spreader molding). Where
the craftsmen put their attention was the window
sash itself. Here they were as elaborate as possible with curved
mullions that forms a diamond pattern etc. I will
include a couple of drawings
for you. Your trick will be finding a window maker who will take
on a complicated mullion job but I'm sure
you will find one in your area. If you have
trouble let me know. This will add some over say a factory window
with snap in plastic dividers but remember that
when you sell you'll get out what you put in
and true divided windows will add a great deal to the value.
I don't have any designs for a pagoda but I don't
think they will be hard to find.
Again if you have trouble here let me know...... Eric
Our
home was built sometime between 1910-30, and I think is classified as a
"Folk" Victorian. A lot of the wood trim has the
original finish, i.e. no paint!
My question is, what's the best way to restore that dark stained finish,
and what's the easiest way to remove layers of paint on wood trim?
Interestingly
enough that dark-stained finish is exactly what the original builders
wanted, for it was thought "cheap" to have light wood in your
house! All that oak
furniture that we covet at the antique stores was the cheap
stuff when it was made. Even here in Eureka, when we used Redwood
mouldings we either
painted them or stained them dark! Well, tastes change and
to get to your question
if there is a finish on your dark-stained woodwork then
the answer for paint will be the first step.
Now first off, no one knows me well
enough to get me to work with paint so I asked
a customer that recently did just what your doing and he said a
product called "Peel
Away" worked like magic. You paint it on then apply this
special paper and let it "cook" over night. Then you peel off
the paper and
up to 32 layers of paint with it. What's more, after it is dry it is
non-toxic and you can
throw away the paper; paint and all! Even if it's lead base!!!
Now I'm just telling you what he said and his trim is beautiful
redwood with a clear
finish now ~ you can't tell it was ever painted. He says
this product can be had at a paint store. One
thing to check.... If your clear wood has a finish it is probably
shellac, so make sure
this product removes that also....... Have fun stripping!.....
Eric
I
have been asked to restore a Victorian conservatory for a customer of mine. unfortunately
when we started to remove the frame work and roof members so the brick
work could be repaired) it became obvious that all of the main frame work
was not original and therefore all the original
mouldings have been lost. it looks like the sashes are
original and they have a
elongated ovelo mould on them. do you think I should repeat this mould on
the frame work and roof members? and what kind of sill
section do you think I should use? the house is in Ramsey, Southampton,
England, and it is thought the
conservatory was added in 1870.
What
a great project for you! A conservatory is such a wonderful
"space" addition
to a house and to rebuild one that your grandfather's father ( if
he were a wood worker )
could have built is an honor. Yes, if the mouldings you
are talking about are the sash stops, I think you are on the right
track using the
elongated ovelo. I think this would work well on any
moulding up to about 3" wide.
As for the sill I'm not sure of your question. I think a standard 2"
stepped (so the sash beds
in) set at a 15' or steeper angle would be original.
The best to you and enjoy the honor of this project...... Eric
I
recently bought an old farm house in rural north Louisiana. I know
it was there in at least 1898. It appears to be the folk Victorian
style - very simple one story with cross gables and steeply
pitched roof. The front porch was altered and I want to put
it back in original condition. Can you recommend a book with photos
of the post styles, trim, etc. or have any suggestions?
In
a majority of the questions I have answered on this site and for
tours here at Blue Ox an underlying theme
keeps re-occurring. That is the question of
Victorian Architectural Design. There are no photo books that I
have found, in the past 30 years of looking,
that show samples of each element of trim,
save for A Gift To The Street published by Antelope Island Press
1976. This book deals only with big city (San
Francisco) embellishments so would not help
you. I hope an entrepreneurial photographer is reading this
because there is a tremendous demand for such photo
references. To help you and others I have
made a drawing showing the elements of a porch.
You can make up your own designs using some of these elements.
Click here for drawing
A = Spandrel;
can be of any design, from up and down turnings to fancy cutout
and carved work.
B = Turned Porch Post; having
a flat both top and bottom to accept the
spandrel
and balustrade.
C = Handrail
D = Turned Balusters
E = Bottom rail;....This
whole assembly including c,d,e, is
called a balustrade
F = Corner Bracket; is used
in lieu of a spandrel
G = Turned Column; these are
round to the ground and sit on a Base with a
Capital at
the top.
H = Square or Sawn Porch
Post; this one has fluting.
I = Paperdoll Balusters or
Sawn Balusters. Here it is a repeating pattern.
What is important about the
design is the hole not the baluster, for it is
the spaces
that are seen.
J = Corbel; the corbel takes
up the entire space of the corner where as
the
bracket does not.
We
recently purchased an 1880 Victorian in Connecticut and need to
replace the windows.
Presently, they are the original pulley windows without any grids.
Are vinyl replacement windows the only way to go, and are the
grid less panes
customary for the era? We also found a pair of 8 foot solid bi-fold
doors in the
attic that we think must have been interior dividers to
the parlor. Does that
seem to make sense? There are no locks on them.
Congratulations on your 1880
Victorian! As for your windows, Vinyl is NOT
your only choice and in my opinion vinyl is your last choice.
Those windows
that you are about to replace have been in service for the last
120 years.
I believe the vinyl clad aluminum windows so prevalent today will
be oxidized
away to nothing in the next 40 years. For proof that aluminum is
not a long
lived metal look at the bed of a 15 year old lawn mower and you'll
see corrosion
holes where the metal has been eaten away. As for price, we are
building
replacement Redwood sash windows with thermal glass for a 110 year
old house right
now, and because these windows were not "standard" sizes
our bid
was even with the vinyl clad!
As for the
single light (grid less panes) this was a very standard
Victorian design
in the late 1800's.I think your guess about the bi-folds being
used as room dividers is a good one and you were very lucky to
have these still existing.
Good luck with your new house
and may your project be fun each step of the
way......Eric
What
are these "sunbursts or rays of sun" I see on so many
homes? I would like to make one for my home.
This
is interesting that we should get two questions regarding sunburst
treatments at the same
time. This is not a coincidence however, for like some
other architectural details the sunburst is an architectural archetype.
This means that it is a pattern that keeps reappearing throughout
history and through out
different societies. There ceases to be a known connection
to their origins and true meanings, and yet each time they reappear
they are embraced by the current society as if a long lost friend!
Somehow it
harkens back to our historic roots. Another archetype is the "Green
Man", the face of a human with plant vines
or leafs for hair. Here in Eureka there must be over 100 different
houses with sunbursts,
maybe even double or triple that number. It is without
a doubt the most common architectural portrayal here.
I have drawn
two different styles of sunbursts that can be made in a home shop. They both
start out with a circular cut piece of wood in the center.
This piece can be turned with a detail in it or just cut out flat.
Then the rays come out from
this center piece. The rays can be 1/2 round pieces
cut from turned stock or wedge pieces cut from rectangular stock.
In either case they are cut on a taper so as to look like sun rays.
They can either be
separated which shows some of the field between each ray
(as pictured) , or they can fit tight to one another so as to make
a solid mass of rays.
Either way the end product is stunning. I
am really happy that in both questions you each wanted to make the
decorations for yourselves.
This wonderful web site is working!!!!!
Click here for drawing
Eric
We
will take possession of a ~1906 Victorian / Arts and Crafts home by
mid-December 2000. It has the original Chestnut trim and doors
throughout. None of the
woodwork has had any sort of refurbishing and, as a result,
the varnish has dried and become "pebbled."
Is there a process by which the finish can be "refreshed" without
stripping.
Yes,
you are in luck. If the "bright" finish is original than it is
Shellac, which
is derived from the Lac bug. Shellac is dissolvable in strong alcohol.
Go to your drug store and have them
order you a gallon of 99% rubbing
alcohol. Next wet a rag with the alcohol and in an
inconspicuous spot see if this won't dissolve the old
finish. If it does then get a quart can of Amber Shellac
and in another container thin a small amount of the shellac with equal
parts alcohol and paint this onto a small spot of woodwork. This should
dissolve the old finish right into the new and then should dry smooth.
Next with FINE steel wool polish this spot when dry and put
another coat of shellac right from the original can
(not the thinned mixture). You can repeat this until
the desired smoothness and finish is reached. This is
why I think shellac is the finest wood finish there, because years
from now it will still be workable................ Eric
We
own a 1905 Victorian in Eureka. The floors are wide redwood planking.
Currently they've covered with carpet; they've probably had some sort of
covering on them for decades. Is it possible to refinish and use these
floors as they are? I've heard that redwood is too soft for interior
floors, but a "distressed" look would be fine with me. I've
also heard that we would need to either caulk or add insulation under
the house to prevent drafts.
I
too have heard that Redwood floors are too soft but I have lived in a house
with redwood floors and they held up fine providing you put the furniture on
those small rubber coasters you can buy at most hardware stores. The cracks
between the boards are easily dealt with. The traditional way (and the
one I like the look of the best ) was to mix plaster of Paris with shellac
into a paste. Then this paste was spread into the cracks and the floor was
sanded after the paste was dry. Then your clear finish is put on. The amber
shellac turns the plaster from white to a off yellow and gives the floor a
true antique look, and doesn't look like your trying to hide the cracks.
Another way, if the
cracks are small (1/8 or less) is to sand the floor first but don't clean up
the dust. Then began "floating" on your first coat of finish
picking up the sawdust as you go and forcing the resulting paste into the
cracks. After this has dried re-sand and put on your final finish coats.
I have always thought that wide floor boards were a great look.
Good luck........Eric
I'm
looking for simple wooden rain gutters like those
you see on many European farm house--for example in
Austria.
I
try very hard not to mention Blue Ox Millworks as a source when
answering these questions but here I am stuck. I know of no one
else who will do this for you. All you need to do is make
up a simple drawing , put on the drawing the dimensions of the
finished gutter, so I know how big a piece of redwood I need to
cut to get the produce, and the amount of linear feet that you
are thinking of. You can then either email this information or
fax it to 707-444-0918. I will quote you a price in three
days. Eric
I
would like to know the materials generally used on roofs during
the late Victorian period. Shingle?
asphalt? slate? other? And also would like to know the
historical colors of roofs of that period. Thanks for any
help or recommended sites.
This
was an interesting question for me and I did some looking. I
was unable to find any mention of comp shingles for roofing
before about 1910, I found mention of corrugated steel used on
buildings as far back as 1898 but this was used for siding and
no mention of roofing.
The roofing most used
throughout Victorian Buildings was wood shingles.
Mostly 16" long and 5/8" on the butt. The species used
was whatever the most durable local wood was and ranged from
Redwood, and Cedar to the Oaks and Walnut.
We at Blue Ox are working
up samples right now for the Ford Museum ad,
Dearborn Mi. These are 36" and 5/8" butt White Oak for
a renovation.
One point of interest, in our area there were 390 sawmills
in 1950 and 75%
of these were shingle mills. The mill produced two products, one
the
shingles and second the sawdust which was long and stringy and
called
Excelsior! Our shingle mill here is a 1903 Summner.
Mostly the shingles were left to weather but when painted Brick
Red and a
very "earthy" green seemed to be the two colors
used. On rare occasions
pattern shingles were used to highlight a portion of the roof.
Where
can I find peak fretwork designs for
our home
Built in 1830? It's basic structure 1-1/2 stories.
I
have copied some pages of Gable Decorations
that we have made over the years. There is no source book for this type of
design work so we are going to be creating one at our web site www.blueoxmill.com
. This is going to
take a while so you will just have to keep checking but we have an architect
who can draw them using a cad system and we will make them available. In the
meantime I hope these designs help. ...... Eric
We
purchased a house last summer that we just found out was built
in 1875!
We still have all the original
windows & a VERY high gas bill! (We also
have a 70 year old steam boiler!) I don't want to
lose the unique windows, but would also like more energy
efficiency! I read that you were building wooden
replacement windows for an old house. Would it be worth
the trouble of replacing them? (We have a LOT of
windows!)
Yes
you can get the insulating value of thermal pane and still keep
your wooden windows. It requires that you have new sashes (the
frame that holds the glass) made to replace your existing. These
have a deeper rabbit and profile to accept the wider glass and
instead of putty to glaze the window we use wood stops. Once you
receive these you can then order thermal glass units made to fit
from your local glass company, install these in the new sashes
and then trade out the new sashes for the old. This
is much less expensive than replacing the whole window with new
metal clad, and you can do all of the installation yourself.
Where
can I find the tools that cut the tennons on the ends of
rails for post and rail type furniture and ornamental rustic
style fencing.
This
is a great question and I thought that all I had to do was go to my catalog
shelf and I'd have the answer for you. This isn't the way it worked out and
now my office floor is piled with old catalogs. I was looking for a spoke
pointer and hollow auger ( like mine in this photo)
but I wasn't able to find any. If you are looking at bent wood as a small
project then Woodcraft 1-800-535-4482 has a Plug and Tennon Cutter that fits
your electric drill. If however your needs are more and you don't mind the
capital costs then Daniel Mack in his book Making Rustic Furniture has a
professional electric setup on page 130. If this is what you are looking for
let me know
and I'll help you find it. By the way I got my set at antique shows.
Eric
I'm
about ready to buy an old house with all the original unpainted
trim. It was of course stained very dark, and
probably has become darker over the years. I don't
want to strip it and stain it light. I just want to
"brighten and hopefully lighten" it up a
bit. What should I use?
If
the finish on your home is to be original then it is no doubt
Shellac. This is a good thing, for any other "bright"
finish you would be forced to sand off and start over. Shellac
however has the marvelous property of being soluble in strong
alcohol no mater how old it is. So go to your local pharmacy and
order 98% alcohol, then in a corner where it won't show, wipe
some alcohol on with a rag, let it set a minute then wipe it
off. If the finish is Shellac this will begin taking off the
outside layers. When at the point you like you can paint
on a fresh coat of "white" Shellac for a
"new" finish....Good luck... Eric
I
am not sure if this is the right place to ask this
question. Our house was built in 1865,
according to the deed. It is a 6-room, working class home,
quite small. It has a turret, and pocket doors, and the hardware
on the doors is aesthetic style, with diagonals, fans &
floral decorations. The house retains much of its original
interior woodwork, although it has been painted over many
times. The exterior has been covered with asbestos
shingles.
We would like to restore the house to 1865 appearances, but I am
confused by the presence of the aesthetic hardware. Was
this style used in 1865? I thought it came into use later,
around 1880 or so? Also, how can I care for the wooden
banister & oak window frames? The frames were
varnished and in still quite good condition. Can I
varnish over them when they need it? The stair railings do not
appear to have any remaining varnish, and are quite dirty.
Someone told me that grain alcohol will clean wood quite well.
What would I do next - varnish? Polyurethane?
When
you start on the outside I am confident that you will find the
paint marks from the original wood work. These will show you
what to look for in your area as far as a match on other houses.
This deactivate work is enjoyable. The oak sashes are coated
with shellac if they still have the original finish. Your friend
was right about the strong alcohol (98%) will strip the finish,
but only if that finish is Shellac. It is for this reason that I
recommend reusing only shellac and not any plastic finish that
once it cracks sanding is the only answer. Same for the
banister. The hardware is a puzzle being so ornate and yet in a
working class home. But here in my part of the woods a working
class home wouldn't have a turret either so maybe this was a
rather flush working family. Because of the turret and pocket
doors I would think the hardware is probably original. That's my
guess..... Eric
I
have purchased a Victorian that is 114 yrs
old. She's in need of
a new roof and I could use the extra space so I am adding a
tower and dormers in Victorian style. However the back of the
house is lower than the front because the back of the house is
narrower therefore the ridge on the roof is lower. If I raise
the ridge then the pitch will differ from the front of the
house. Is this aesthetic to Victorian exteriors or am I destined
to a low ridge and little head room for someone over 6 feet.
Here
in Eureka where we live we have over 1500 historically
significant buildings so we get to see a lot of models. Having
different pitches and different ridge lines on the same house is
not uncommon at all. I think as long as you keep with a good
steep roof pitch ( the Victorians did this to run water off the
wooden shingles fast) I believe you will meet your interior
requirements and keep the aesthetics...... Eric
How
do you frame a corner tower octagon
style or round with a cone?
The
wall framing will be fairly simple using 2x4 vertical studs in a
circle and 2x6 horizontal fire blocking with the outside edge
cut on a round to fit the finished siding from stud to stud. The
roof and floor are the tricky part and for this I am going to
refer you to the 1923 Audel's Carpenters and Builders
Guide book # 3 " House and Roof Framing and Laying
Out". Pages 1010 to 1014 show diagrams of how to frame the
floor and roof of an Octagon and a Circle.
If you cant find this book email me with your address and I'll
copy the pages and send them to you.... Eric
I
am about to replace the windows in our home. I have gotten
several estimates and the best one came from a company using Moss
vinyl clad windows. I can't learn much about these windows.
How would you rate these windows.
There
are a few things all windows have in common. The questions
should be 1) How long is the warrantee against "fogging) if
there are thermal pane. 10 years is minimum and 15 is about the
best. Those that say - as long as you own your house are banking
on the fact that you are going to move before the windows fog in
15 years. 2) If a glass pane is broken can the sash be taken out
and the glass replaced without removing the entire window unit?
This means you can do most of your own repair work. 3) On single
and double hung units how long are the balances warranted and
are they easily replaceable? These are the mechanical devices
that help overcome gravity when opening the sash. These three
questions should arm you with the information needed to make an
informed decision.... Eric
Where
can I get patterns for sawn or paperdoll
balusters. I want something I can mass produce with a
router and/or jig saw.
Paperdoll
balusters are something that you will probably have to design
yourself. Please see these three
designs. The important thing to remember in designing
paperdoll balusters is that it is not the wood baluster that the
eye sees but the space that is cut out that makes up the design.
Practice on a folded piece of paper in in no time you will have
a design that you will be proud on your home... Eric -----
I
am looking for an historical profile for gutters.
I have been unable to find a diagram on such a thing. Do
you know any resources for this type of thing. My house is
a Queen Anne Victorian, built outside of Boston in the
1890's. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Please
click here for page 1 or page
2 out of 10 pages of gutter patterns from our pattern book.
I
have four sets of huge (read heavy) of pocket doors and they are
all off of their tracks. I've looked at it from every angle and
can't figure how to re-hang them without tearing off the
woodwork.
The
problem you are facing is in the design of the rolling hardware
itself and probably will require taking off the casing molding
on at least the first door. All the pocket door hardware I have
seen consists of a flat bar in edge ( this is the rail ) and a
cast hanger mounted to the door which holds the wheel . This
hanger does not hold the wheel ridge however, the wheel can
float down into the hanger more if the door runs up onto
something left on the floor. This is to prevent the door from
derailing, in this case however if the door does derail, the
wheel falls down to the low spot on the
hanger and has to be held up again in order to re-hang. To do
this you need access to the wheels. Sorry, but the casing should
be able to be coaxed off and replaced....
I also just yesterday saw a pocket door that was only rolling on
a track built into the floor, and moved freely in a wooden box
at the top. This design would be easy to re-rail when it jumped
the tracks but then you have
the problem of the floor being uneven because of the
rail.... Eric
I
own a 115 year old Victorian most of the windows and trim have
been restored by previous owner, the staircase was half
stripped I have removed 98% of the paint but some paint
has sunk into the wood, What is the best way to sand
this beautiful chestnut casing, it's about 2ft wide going up
the staircase with railing with a lot of lines and curves.
I
would like to see you not sand the Chestnut at all but you may
need to. First try one more time a striping product called
" Peel Away". I know you are tired of striping but if
you haven't tried this product I think it is worth a try. Some
friends used it on Redwood, which is an open grain like Chestnut
and the #6 grade( it comes in grades from 1 to 7 ) removed all
the paint including the specks imbedded in the grain. Try just a
small container and if this works then a very light once over
with fine steel wool will keep the crispness of your moulding
details.... Eric
I
have just purchased a 100 year old house with a third floor loft
.I would like to renovate the roof
line into a widows walk platform. My question is two parts, How
can I reframe the roof to a platform, and also how appropriate
would this change be?
I
think done authentically, this would be a wonderful addition to
your home. As
for how to do this I would refer you to the Audels Carpenters and Builders
Guide #3. This was a set of 5 small pocket books for the trades printed
in the '20's and '30's. They can be found at used book stores and #3 will show
you House and Roof Framing, and Lay Out.
Have fun with this project ,
it sounds great..... Eric
I
have 60 year old redwood gutters that are leaking
at the joints. We have had
them repaired a number of times but wonder if it has been done correctly.
How do you fix joints so that they don't leak and need constant attention?
Should fiberglass tape be used? Are you familiar with ProFlex Geoseal
product that was used with tape last time. Now someone recommends taking
that out and cleaning and using Henrys seal. Also, when they work on joints
how do I tell if it is time to replace the gutters versus just repair them?
Can red cedar be used instead of redwood if I need to replace since it
seems to be hard to locate old growth redwood and it is very expensive?
You
are in good company!! There was a "secret" way that the joints were
handled before WWII, this was abolished and now all the very old gutter joints
are still working and the "newer" joints are failing. The "
secret" was that after cutting the miter joint (either a 90' or running
scarf) the installers would carve a relief in the bottom of the gutter trough of
both pieces so as to create a small lake bed when the pieces were put together.
This lake was then filled with calking and gave the flexibility to allow the
gutters to expand and contract and not have the calking fail. You can create
this lake after the fact with a pineapple bit rasp on a drill motor. You must
first clean the gutter trough down to bare wood, since nothing should be put
inside the gutters. Then rasp a small relief at each joint line and fill this
relief to the level of the bottom of the gutter trough with a good grade of
calking. This will solve your problems (providing your gutters are still
sound)... Eric
I
am installing corbels and fretwork to my new Victorian house. Before assembling,
I am painting the components in multiple colors, but the thought of having to
repaint this trim in a few years makes me cringe. In your opinion, what is the
best latex paint on market for longevity? I'm currently using Sherwin Williams
Duration paint with a claim to be self-priming @$40/gallon.
I
am a big fan of Sherwin Williams paints and I don't think you could do better
but I would use a primer first anyway just as added protection... Eric
I
am building a new home. I
wanted to paint my brick and then distress the paint to look like an older
home. That is to wear away the paint with sand blasting or power sprayer to make
it look like it was painted 30 years ago. Some areas are more worn than others,
giving the home contrast. Can you help with a technique?
I
have asked all the brick people that I know and the consensus seems to be that
power washing will give you a more realistic look than sand blasting. One fellow
said he would try using a very light coat of primer in some areas and normal
amounts in others so the paint wouldn't have the same " bite " through
out... Eric
We
are installing interior trim on a window cluster of three
Rectangular casements ganged vertical with a curved head window unit on top. The
casing for the curved unit was supplied by the window manufacturer and does not
exactly match the profile of the trim supplied by the lumber yard. We have
decided to use a rosette block to unite the curved and the straight trim. Should
the block be set so the curved trim has a plumb cut or a level cut?
This
is exactly why the Victorian carpenters used corner blocks. They did not have to
miter the corners, and a added bonus is the corner block won't develop a
"paint crack" as a mitered joint would. As for how to die the curved
casing into the block, either way would be fine but a plum cut - though harder-
might look trickier. ... Eric
I
live in a 1928 New York building, so no it is not Victorian; I would call it
neo-Tudor. The historian Christopher Grey has written that its floors are redwood
blocks. They are about five inches deep and were used for soundproofing as
the building was made for musicians. Decades of settling, shrinking and
expanding created problematic gaps over the entire floor. I experimented and
found that "Acrylic Latex Caulk Plus Silicone" (DAP's Alex Plus) in
Brown worked beautifully. It dries quickly but stays permanently flexible and I
believe it will therefore stay in place for decades. The color is reddish-brown
so that is also a plus.
Here is my question: How
should I finish it? It is sanded bare it parts, and in others partially sanded.
There
is a product called "Gym Seal" that was developed for gymnasium floors
that I think would be just the finish you are after. If you don't want a
"deep" shinny finish like new perhaps a thinned down coat with only
one application would produce the desired results. I think you can work with
this product to get just the look and durability you are after. Eric
Is
there any good reference either photo or drawn of how a turret
is framed and sheathed? I've never seen the inside of one and would like to
build one.
Here
are scanned pages from Audels Carpenter's and Builders Guide 1923 showing the
roof framing for a round turret. The wall framing is standard only framed in a
circle. Hope this helps you may want to find the Audels book. Eric- Picture
1 Picture 2 Picture
3 Picture 4
I
have a two story saltbox I plan on making into a
Victorian. I want to add on a turret ,wrap around porch with a Second story
porch and bow window. How do I find out how much stem wall I need to carry that
kind of Weight, width and depth ? Thanks much, Mike
This
is where your local building department should come to your help. They can tell
you what the code gives as a minimum for your area. If they won't do this then
ask them for a copy of the code book and the name of a contractor you could call
to get your answer.... Eric
Our
house was built in 1902, we had new scroll work made
for our wrap around porch from an original piece, we now would like to find
Patterns to make one for the gables, it did have some but was gone when we
Purchased the house. We have a picture of the house when it had it. Can you tell
me where I could find patterns to make our own? Also, now that we have the new
scroll work done, should we put a sealer on it to preserve it before we paint it
and what kind of paint should we use? Thank you for your time. Terry
There
are no books of patterns for Victorian Scroll work because this was a period of
experimentation for the designers and craftsmen. This means that you must look
at the existing houses and pictures to get your inspiration. Your original house
picture may be what you want to follow. See some designs that we have done over
the years but this is to just get you started. As for priming your woodwork I
always Recommend doing this using a good ( the most expensive, for this is what
helps the paint hold) Oil base primer....... Happy Scrolling.. Eric - Picture
1 Picture 2
Picture 3
How
do you restore a wooden front porch floor?
From the pictures I have viewed on the internet, they were gray. What type of
paint should be used? What is the process? Would you use the old floor if not
too bad or would you cover the floor with ply for even surface then paint? I
purchased a three floor Victorian wrap around porch built in early 1900. Thank
you!
I
would never put anything over the existing floor boards as this is then a place
to trap water and start rot. if the floor is to uneven then you should replace
the floor boards themselves. The floor boards are no doubt square edge tongue
and groove with the tongue and groove being offset to the bottom side. This was
to give a few more sandings before you would open up the T&G. Also the floor
should slope slightly away from the house, all the way around for water run off.
You are right that gray was the floor color of choice in most cases, and Sherman
Williams has a very good floor paint that can be had in gray...... Eric
I
am wanting to build an eyebrow dormer. Could you
please tell me the best way to go about this. In particular, how does one get
the double curved fascia board laid out & positioned? Thank You,
You
have tackled a difficult task and I applaud you. Please see the pictures of
three pages from Audels Carpenters & Builders Guide #3 . My copy is 1923.
This shows you how to frame and the finish trim. I hope this helps, the end look
will be well worth the effort.... Eric
Picture 1 Picture
2
We
recently purchased a Queen Anne Victorian home built in 1910. It
Has a great double decker porch around the bottom and second
floor. We are rebuilding the porch where necessary and plan to
re-deck it. The second floor roof has gutters that need to be
replaced first, however. The problem is the porch is rounded to
go around a wonderful turret. Where does one find rounded
gutters today? The ones on the house look like they've been
hand made from regular gutters. (cut and soldered every 10 or so
inches) They are rusted through and leak. Any suggestions on
where to start?
Originally
your house had wood gutters including wood gutters around the turret. I don't
know about metal gutters but you will probably start by asking your local metal
gutter dealer who would cut and solder gutter around your turret in your area.
If the metal gutter man is no help ( I've seen such cases) then look for sheet
metal shops in your area. They can get the job done for you. As for wood gutters
we make round wood gutters for just such applications on a regular basis......
Eric
I
recently bought a house that was built in 1900. The lower
staircase handrail was removed by prior owners in the early 70's
and I'm interested In replacing it. The problem is, I cannot
find a matching handrail which is a 3"
full round rail (holes on the underside to hold the
spindles), along with gooseneck bends for attaching to the newel
post. Any suggestions on where I can find an old one or a mill
shop that can make one?
This
is when you call a custom job shop like Blue Ox Millworks. You can call with the
specifications, size, type of wood, design and amount needed, is the finished
product stain-grade ( more costly) or paint-grade, is it matching up to an
existing piece or does it stand alone, and your state and the zip code it is to
be shipped to. Or you can (and in many cases may need to) fax the shop an end-
view tracing with the above information. In a couple of days you can expect a
quote for the dollar amount and estimated time, you can also ask for estimated
shipping costs. In the case of something like your gooseneck, if its a straight
90 degrees that's easy to explain, but if it's compound turn, then one way to
get your shop the pattern is to straighten out a coat hanger then bend it to the
desired shape. Send this and tell if it's the outside of the bend or the inside.
Hope this helps....Eric
We
live in a 13 year old 2-story home in Washington, DC. From the
time we moved in we have had problems with our roof, but soon
isolated the source of the problem to the widow's walk. Ours
fits your description of "flat
at the peak of the roof with a balustrade assembly". It
is accessible from a hatch opening leading from the attic crawl
space. The leaking has been addressed by a number of
"roofers" over the years but with no real or total
success. The water drips from the beams that descend down
through the roof into the crawl space, and subsequently causes
leakage onto the second floor ceiling in multiple locations. Can
this be solved at all? -- or should we be considering it as a
(in your words) "...detail to go"? What do we need to
be aware of if we consider removal, and what range of expense
should we anticipate to do this kind of work?
This is an interesting
problem for the one thing that the craftsmen of the Victorian
era knew, it was the control of water, but here they punctured
the roof membrane for no real reason and made a potential leak
spot. I say for no reason, because the balustrade is decorative
only and doesn't need the strength of full length beams.
So now the fix ..... first
I would try wrapping the newel posts at their intersection with
the roof with "torch down", this is a roll roofing
material that is rubberized and you "melt" it onto the
posts and the roof. When melted all around each post, if this
material will stick to your posts and the roof, it will create a
leak proof barrier for 10 to 20 years. The permanent fix is to
cut the newel posts to flush with the roof, move the balustrade
over enough to seal the roof over the tops of your cuts then
replace the balustrade and re-anchor it to the roof with
brackets that can be tarred over. ...... Eric
Where
can I get some prints or templates for the making fancy
gingerbread brackets for my porch. I also need ideas for the
spandrels.
This
is a question that comes up a lot. As it turns out there are no
drawings for architectural details from the Victorian era, save
for a few blueprints saved by mistake in private collections. We
at Blue Ox have some 200 to 300 such blueprint drawings that I
found over the years in dusty drawers of local Redwood Sawmills
that were closing down. However, until we get time to scan these
and put them on disk they remain in the safe.
So until then please feel
free to visit our web site and use any of the designs found
there, also look for the "Painted Ladies" series by
Baer-Pomada-Larsen, "A Gift To The Street"by Olwell
& Waldhorn, or "The Victorian Design Book" by Lee
Valley. The hunting is half the fun....Eric
How
do you repair enclosed guttering on
a three story Victorian home? Is there someone in Missouri that
you could recommend to do this work?
By
enclosed guttering I believe you mean a gutter system that is built into the
roof slope, this is called a Yankee Gutter. This is a problematic gutter system
in that when it fails it fails into the house where a "Hung Gutter"
fails to the outside. A Yankee gutter should be lined with copper and made
secure by a local copper smith. To find said craftsmen contact a sheet metal
shop but because of the potential for water damage don't use galvanized metal
only copper. Eric
I
am looking for information on where to buy octagon
shaped roofing shingles. Why are they so tough to locate?
We
at Blue Ox can make octagonal, diamonds, fish scale or any pattern shingle for
you but only out of Redwood. The reason that they are not made much any more is
because only 6" wide shingles can be used. This means that we must take all
the shingles 6" and over and trim them to a standard width first then
pattern them. You can see that this takes extra time and material, so many shy
away. But not us!! If interested you can email us through info@blueoxmill.com
Eric
Are
Victorian houses more prone to extensive house fires due to
their construction? I remember hearing about double walls
that go from basement to attic without
fire stops, but I can't remember.
This
is called balloon framing when the studs run from the first floor sill through
to the second floor ceiling. A sill joist is let into the studs at the point of
the second floor wh | 
