Everyday Old House Blog

Be sure to check out Everyday Old House especially if you own a foursquare.

Jen has lots of great information about American Foursquare homes as well as a list of blogs to follow. Nice of Jen to add my house to the list!

Window Awning

I will have two window awnings and one door awning to replace on this side of the house. I originally thought I'd build a large awning over the door, but it looks like the original was quite small, just like the windows. I did one on the other side of the house, but I think the awning extends out a bit too much. This time around I'll keep it much shorter and use the same Azek moulding I used for the soffit up top. I think that will be perfect.

Windows Painted

Here are some pictures of the windows painted. I purchased new screen windows as well. The clapboard will be coming off soon.

Sill Repair

All of the sills on my house were hacked off at the ends when the aluminum siding was installed. The first sill I replaced I used wood from Home Depot which was a bad idea since the wood didn't have time to cure. That part of the sill shrunk within 6 months. Luckily it was just that one window. It's best to go to a lumber yard and get the correct size wood that has already cured.

 The process here is to cut the ends flush with an oscillating tool or hand saw if you can manage. I'll then cut the wood to size and coat the wood with Gorilla Glue and the house/window with water. I use a spray bottle for this. Once in contact I send a nail or two up through the bottom. This process is sometimes easier if you use a screw that is already counter sunk. You can take the screw out after the glue has cured.

 After the glue has cured I use bondo to fill any gaps and nail holes and sand with 80 grit. Once that's done I paint the entire window in oil base paint. I then use bondo again to fill any holes. Easier to see when it's painted white. Sand again, and then cover in latex paint. Oil base paint (I like Zinsser) sands easily and will leave you a nice smooth surface before painting with latex.

Power Venting

Just about all of the new homes I photograph power vent the furnace and hot water heater out the side of the house. Anyone that has a foursquare with a chimney going straight through their house could benefit greatly by using one of these including myself. I'm trying to find out the downsides of using such a contraption. I asked this question to the Fine Homebuilding podcast and I'm crossing my fingers that it will be used. I'd be curious to see what they have to say. Does your house use this?

Exterior Baseboard Trim

Here is a picture of the exterior baseboard trim that I will recreate for the rear of the house. It's critical that the water shed away from the house. Some exterior renovations get this part wrong and end up just caulking the bottom between the clapboard and base trim. That's just silly. Not the easiest cut to do on a table-saw though.

Siding the old porch

 Fun times. OK,...so I'm back at it. I've removed the remaining aluminum siding from the house and recycled it. I wasn't sure what to expect when I got to this section of the house and unfortunately the clapboard didn't line up flush with the clapboard on the right.This used to be the back porch to the house. Complete mess with no insulation underneath! I'll be removing the wood studs and replacing with new to make it flush with the siding on the right. I was thinking of filling the cavity on the bottom with foam, but now sure what insulation I should use between the studs. It will be fairly shallow. If you have any recommendations please let me know. I'll be removing all of the siding on this side of the house and wrapping in Tyvek and then re-installing the siding once it's stripped, though much of it will be thrown away because of cracks.

 The red door on the bottom needs to be replaced too but have to figure out what type of door would be best. It's a small crawlspace.

Looking for help on building a cushion for this Stickley Brothers (Quaint) rocker or simply one that has slats like this one. I have an idea on how to make it, but just want to see if anyone has this type of chair and can offer assistance.

I found DIY Upholstery supply (See links below video) that has much of what I need to make this, but if you have a favorite please let me know.

Burlap: http://www.diyupholsterysupply.com/burlapyard.html

Cotton: http://www.diyupholsterysupply.com/CN50.html

Spring Twine: http://www.diyupholsterysupply.com/SPT0011/supplies_spring_twine.html

Bar Springs: http://www.diyupholsterysupply.com/BAR21-5/supplies_spring_bar.html

Jute Webbing: http://www.diyupholsterysupply.com/JW11/supplies_webbing.html

Horse Hair: http://www.diyupholsterysupply.com/HH1lb/supplies_horse-hog_hair.html

Needles: http://www.diyupholsterysupply.com/supplies_needles_pins1.html

Coil only: http://www.diyupholsterysupply.com/912coil.html

 The coil spring frame on this Quaint rocker are incorrect. It doesn't go back far enough and the coil springs in the center bend down and touch the wood slats on the bottom. would love to see an original for a chair or rocker with slats so that I can re-create properly. I'll also have to figure out the back, but thinking that's just cotton. If anyone has info. on this chair please let me know. Thanks.

Since finding more Quaint furniture, I've been spending time watching upholstery videos and came across a real gem. Buckminster Upholstery. I had no idea just how much craftsmanship went into their work. If you live in Kansas, it looks like he has classes
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZPmM8kQ43b21kSjifg0aQA

http://www.buckminsterupholstery.com/

Found this beautiful Stickley chair for 15 bucks. Just needs a new leather seat and some fill for cushion. Anyone know of a good leather supplier for this kind of work?

Cut about 40 hip slates. All bevelled and ready for installation. Installing hip slates is my least favorite thing to do, when it comes to roofing.

I'll be doing my hip slates soon and found this great video that explains how to do it properly.

Thanks goes to Slate Roof Contractors Association of North America.

I really like that star ridge, but I'm uncertain what you do with the ends. Just cap it I guess?

Nice that I can use my scaffold for other projects unrelated to my house. Works perfect for bike repair. Heck I can work on 4 bikes at the same time!

Also, one pic of my progress. Very grateful for cloudy days. It gets plenty hot up there.

 Trying to decide if I should get a copper roof vent or a powered or a powered attic ventilator. 


I'm leaning towards just having the copper roof vent and leaving it at that, since there is a debate as to the effectiveness of a powered attic ventilator.

I thought it would be great to install a whole house fan in my attic (once it's finished) and having it vent through the copper vent, but I'm guessing it wont be enough to vent through even with my circular vents at the eves.

Slating the left side and I've decided to use stainless steel screws to mount the snow guards.

I really like the star bit heads over phillips.

I've started making slate bird houses as well as copper jewelry.

This birdhouse will be going up for auction tomorrow to benefit a local school sports program.

Just some pics of the front of the drip edge that was completed last week.

Boy, my chimney sure looks a whole lot better from the ground. Looks like I'll be hiring a brick mason when I get to the back (and final) side of the house.

Well I took pics with my phone while making my drip edge, but they appear to be gone, so here are some pics of my 8' copper sheets installed and downspout installed. We've had some storms since installing and it's working great.

Rebuilt my soffit on the left side and installing crown molding.

Since I'm working by myself, I created these crown holder thingies to keep it in place.

The crown molding can be quite long, and can be hard to handle when working alone.

Going to be installing my copper today. I'd like to get it on before winter comes.