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[T. J. Albrecht]

I purchased my first old house about a year and a half ago, and stumbled unto this site browsing through another old house website. I was thrilled to find an old house forum! My house is an old farm house built around 1912 in the Thumb of Michigan. I thought that being I grew up in an old house it would be a breeze, but boy, oh, boy is it a lot of work. I'm slowly getting there, though. There had been little done to the house (or so I thought) in the last 100 years, and that's really what attracted me to it. As I began tearing into the kitchen, I found that the house had been altered. As I picked away in other areas I found that it was significantly changed (the original stair case removed, new one put in different location, doors moved, walls moved etc.) in the 30's because all of the 'new' construction is done in sheetrock and plaster. The past year and a half has consisted of slowly picking away at demolition to figure out what was changed, what wasn't, and how things should really be. And of course all of the alterations were done VERY poorly by some two-bit fly-by-night carpenter once you get under the sheetrock and plaster.

But, the house is in a very nice country setting with an old barn still on the property. Once I get some pictures I'll post them. I am finally getting to the point where I can start fixing, and putting things back together.

[Gothichome]

T.J., welcome to the District, changes in our old homes happen. They change to suite the times. Glad your discovering your homes history. You have read other threads so you are aware we are all in the same boat and of the same mind. Feel free to ask questions. Look forward to hearing and seeing more of your old home.
Ron

[awomanwithahammer]

Welcome, TJ! You'll get lots of help here if you need it, and encouragement when you hit the rough spots.

[GinaC]

Welcome! I know it's disappointing to find stuff that isn't original to the house, but since my house was built in 1939, I wouldn't call the changes "new". I am sorry to hear that they were done poorly, however.

My house wasn't really built completely correctly, either. After ruminating on what I've found by living in it and researching for the past year, I think I've figured out what happened. The cement foundation was poured, and it cracked and moved upwards right near the garage because the grading was done improperly. Depending on the time of year that was done, it might have even been frost heaves right from the start. Since the city records say 1939, and the deed says 1940, it very well might have been poured in unsuitable weather. Anyway, undaunted, the carpenters went right ahead and built the house unlevel, like a fun house. I was freaking out about this, thinking that the sloping floors meant extreme settling, but from outside, one can see that the siding is level, but the windows are not. All the wood trim inside still fits together perfectly as well.

I've noticed that the front pavers I put in this past summer have moved upwards a bit this winter, and I'll see if they come back down when the weather warms up. I put a pier under the front mudroom to prevent it from moving, but we'll see if I was entirely successful. I may just have to embrace the frost heaves as long as they're not doing any new damage and build any new stuff accordingly.

TL/DR: Congratulations on owning an old house with all its quirks, and thank you for preserving it.

[T. J. Albrecht]

Thanks for the welcome! What frustrates me the most is that the original stairs were open, coming up from the front parlor. When they were moved, the old stars were demolished and different enclosed stairs were put in coming up from the dining room. The different location didn't leave enough head room and I had to duck. I ripped the new stairs out, and opened up the old stairwell hole. Luckily a piece of the old banister found its way to the barn, so I have some idea of how to replicate the original stairs.

[JacquieJet]

Welcome, TJ!
I can totally relate to your plight- we are constantly undoing renovations here, in favour of restoration. Usually, we get it "good enough", but it will never be exactly as it was, which is frustrating. Once a feature is lost, it's gone for good, and that sucks.
I am excited to see some photos! Best of luck with your house!

[GinaC]

Thanks for the welcome! What frustrates me the most is that the original stairs were open, coming up from the front parlor. When they were moved, the old stars were demolished and different enclosed stairs were put in coming up from the dining room. The different location didn't leave enough head room and I had to duck. I ripped the new stairs out, and opened up the old stairwell hole. Luckily a piece of the old banister found its way to the barn, so I have some idea of how to replicate the original stairs.

Haha, yes, the low stairs! Apparently they were the thing in the '30's. I'm just short enough that I don't hit my head on mine, but anyone a bit taller will. Anytime I have anybody come in to do work up there I warn them again and again, but it's inevitable that they hit it. There's a little divot in the drywall that I'll have to smooth out before I paint. Mine are low because the master bedroom closet was built right over the stairs!

[phil]

Often its the little things that make an old house special. In mine I dont think the attic was intended to be occupied , so they moved the back stairs, cut a beam and put steep stairs down and above them equally steep stairs to the attic. both staircases sort of add structure so the house didn't shift even they cut this huge beam to make way for stairs down. they lifted the roof over the kitchen and pushed an outside wall over 4 feet. the space below that is partly boxed in and I'm wondering if I should open the box or what.. structurally all seems ok and I left it as is. I started peeking in there and found a little silverfish which means there is some moisture in there. Its a molehill that could become a mountain I guess.


I was at a garage sale and found a neat tin sign it was from an old bus and reads "step safely" so I put it on the staircase down. I should get a picture of that sign maybe others would like to reprint it. It has nice styling. Its round.

the box downstairs has sort of a wall where the original outside wall was with a sort of stage area. maybe they had a bed in there for kids. I suspect its hiding some of the old staircase. I don't think its worth trying to change back because it was done for a reasonable intention. originally I think you had to go outside to get to the basement. If I were able to get rid of whatever the box is covering maybe Id get more space int he basement but Its basically a hole about 5 feet wide to access the area with some posts that support the kitchen. it's all covered up from about 3' up to the floor. I think they did that instead of jack hammering the old concrete steps. They sistered the floor joist above these supporting posts and added a beam under the joist. maybe I could put a couple steel beams there instead of the posts it has, and open the space up but I'm not sure if it's something I should delve into.

the average height of a man has grown over the last couple of generations. I guess some of these situations didn't seem as worrisome for people of the past. my house has a short basement, short attic and 9 foot on the main. a lot of that is grandfathered but wouldn't pass code now I guess.

my front steps are 7' wide. I wanted to use thicker lumber so I got some full dimension 2" fir and some 1" for the risers from a little mill. I dried it and planed it and built a nice closed staircase. rounded over the treads at the front edge. I cut a groove in the bottom of the front tread to accept the riser so they are basically built properly. The difference in dimension sort of helped a bit for it to look a bit more robust or so I thought. older houses had thicker 2x material. the old staircase was fir out in the rain still lasted 90 years. the stringers got to the point of it being a safety issue but I knew they had never been changed because they made an imprint in the concrete with them and it's an old pour with big rocks in it. I put some thick plastic from a truck mudflap on the bottom of the stringers so they wont suck up moisture from the cement but they didn't even do that.

another good way is to buy thick stringers. Like 3 inch and then use a router to cut notches in the stringers to accept the treads. they usually stick wedges in the gap to press the treads up against the top of this pocket. a lot of indoor staircases are built like that, with outdoor there is more wood movement so it needs to be allowed for.

with my back steps I got some made from plywod , they were free and about the right height. i wrapped them with fiberglass and really encased the top side. I used thick fiberglass so I used some MDF to force the glass tight into place. I put plastic between to prevent the fiberglass sticking to the MDF and threw away the MDF once dry. I added a roundover and glassed it all in. It seems ok and should last well.


I saw one guy with a rotten old staircase. he stapled chicken wire all down the staircase and just went about fiberglassing over that. If he laid that fiberglass up thick enouggh that would give lots of strength .. I thought it was sort of ingenious and mickey mouse at the same time.

[1918ColonialRevival]

Welcome!

It's interesting that your house went through such a radical transformation relatively early in its life. Have you tried researching its history to see if there was some event (storm, fire, tree trauma, or other) that may have preceded it?

One thing a lot of people don't realize is that a product very similar to modern sheetrock was available as early as 1906, possibly earlier. I've personally seen it in houses that were built for the workforce of a coal company in the 1910s and 1920s.

[GinaC]

One thing a lot of people don't realize is that a product very similar to modern sheetrock was available as early as 1906, possibly earlier. I've personally seen it in houses that were built for the workforce of a coal company in the 1910s and 1920s.

Thank you! My house is all sheetrock, and never had plaster. I know this because every wall I've opened up has no sign of lathe on the studs.