For those brave souls who buy a house that is deteriorating, they will need to have the dwelling restored. The building techniques used back in the day were very different from what builders are doing today. In order to succeed in a period-accurate restoration, they need to find professional log home restoration contractors who specialize in identifying and replicating the old style.
Many of these old houses have suffered extensive damage due to seasonal water intrusion or dry rot from the hot days under the sun. Sometimes they are filled with holes made by carpenter bees, and the logs must be filled in order to prevent further damage. In order to check for soft or rotting wood, one must penetrate the logs with an ice pick to feel for softness.
When rain and sun cause mildew and dry rot, logs at the base may not be able to withstand the weight placed upon it once the structure is rebuilt. By filling the interior of the logs with an epoxy, the logs are saved and reinforced. This is most important when the logs are towards the bottom and will be responsible for upholding the entirety of the structure.
When restoring a living antique, such as these old homes are, it becomes vital to use the same kind of wood as was used when the house was built. Many of these houses which have withstood time were made of oak, and oak will need to be found. It is possible that, if there was not a great deal of logging done on the property, the exact logs will be found on the property.
Most of the truly early homes were built by European immigrants who were everything from Pennsylvania Dutch to the English Protestants. People from different parts of the globe had different building styles, so knowing where the original builders were from can help give owners a direction to go in. This is especially helpful if the original structure has deteriorated down to just a few logs holding up partial walls.
Being able to identify what corner notching technique was utilized can assist the owner when determining the style of structure it was. Various techniques were utilized, and this can tell them a great deal about who built the house. Corner notching techniques can vary not only by ethnicity, but the time period of the original construction as well.
A century ago people used whatever materials were around to chink and daub the outer walls of their homes. Unfortunately, it may be impossible to find an example of this on the structure itself since that would have been the first thing to deteriorate. Simply knowing if there is lime available, or if they may have been known to use mud and animal droppings can help.
For the owner who really gets into discovering the dynamic history of their house and the property that surrounds it, they might want to visit a local historical society or join an Internet group that specializes in historical records for the area. If they are really lucky, they might even be able to find a photograph of their original structure, or some hand-drawn pictures and blue prints.
Many of these old houses have suffered extensive damage due to seasonal water intrusion or dry rot from the hot days under the sun. Sometimes they are filled with holes made by carpenter bees, and the logs must be filled in order to prevent further damage. In order to check for soft or rotting wood, one must penetrate the logs with an ice pick to feel for softness.
When rain and sun cause mildew and dry rot, logs at the base may not be able to withstand the weight placed upon it once the structure is rebuilt. By filling the interior of the logs with an epoxy, the logs are saved and reinforced. This is most important when the logs are towards the bottom and will be responsible for upholding the entirety of the structure.
When restoring a living antique, such as these old homes are, it becomes vital to use the same kind of wood as was used when the house was built. Many of these houses which have withstood time were made of oak, and oak will need to be found. It is possible that, if there was not a great deal of logging done on the property, the exact logs will be found on the property.
Most of the truly early homes were built by European immigrants who were everything from Pennsylvania Dutch to the English Protestants. People from different parts of the globe had different building styles, so knowing where the original builders were from can help give owners a direction to go in. This is especially helpful if the original structure has deteriorated down to just a few logs holding up partial walls.
Being able to identify what corner notching technique was utilized can assist the owner when determining the style of structure it was. Various techniques were utilized, and this can tell them a great deal about who built the house. Corner notching techniques can vary not only by ethnicity, but the time period of the original construction as well.
A century ago people used whatever materials were around to chink and daub the outer walls of their homes. Unfortunately, it may be impossible to find an example of this on the structure itself since that would have been the first thing to deteriorate. Simply knowing if there is lime available, or if they may have been known to use mud and animal droppings can help.
For the owner who really gets into discovering the dynamic history of their house and the property that surrounds it, they might want to visit a local historical society or join an Internet group that specializes in historical records for the area. If they are really lucky, they might even be able to find a photograph of their original structure, or some hand-drawn pictures and blue prints.
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