Saturday, March 25, 2017

Repairing Hand-Planed Wall Boards



Original Cape Cod homes had hand planed wooden walls built to create a bedroom for children
upstairs in the attic. At one time, the wall over this door to such a bedroom, was removed to allow for a drop ceiling. Bill used antique ship lapped/custom fit boards to finish this wall to the roof peak again.


Here is the other side of the extended wall with a reinforced roof beam.

 

For the past year, Bill has been replacing the old roof beams around the center chimney in this same area. I found similar aged and length replacement beams from an old farmhouse in Rhode Island which have tapered ends like ours. It has taken Bill many monthly visits here to carve and notch the stronger beams into place around a newer; larger chimney of three flues. Each beam was mortised in place and removed continually as another was added, until all four sides were fitted and complete. The roof was supported during the process which raised it nearly an inch. This 1717 house is now finished. WHEW!

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