Back in 2000 we did a total kitchen renovation. By major I mean:
- Totally gutted existing kitchen. Kitchen is 9×20.
- Tore out existing floor down to the old 2×8 oak joists (below which is dirt crawl space). This enabled easier access to run underfloor plumbing/electrical and to insulate crawl space.
- Tore out the existing ceiling including 2×6 oak joists. This exposed the 2×4 oak rafters supporting the metal shed roof. This area was at one time a porch. This enabled me to reinforce the roof by installing 2×8 rafters. The additional cavity here allowed for an air space and R19 insulation. I then installed full thickness (3/4″) beaded porch ceiling lumber on the underside of the rafters following the shed roof slope. I stained this to complement the new hickory cabinets which we had made by an Amish cabinet maker (Yoder Cabinets).
Tore out interior walls, exposing the old oak studs. These were rough sawn and there had been no evidence that plumb bobs, tape measures, etc., had been available during the original construction. The studs varied not only in thickness and width one from another, but also from end to end on each individual stud. IOW, some might be 3-1/2″ wide at bottom and 4″ at top. Some might be 4″ wide, some 3-3/4, etc. None were on center. They might be 12″ apart, or 17″, etc. No pattern whatsoever. To rectify this, I also removed the outside siding and sheathing, this exposing the inside to the outside. I was then able to straighten the wall by adding additional studs as necessary (on center). Then I was able to properly insulate the area with R13, re-sheath, re-side as necessary. This also enabled me to relocate a large double casement window, remove the old kitchen exterior door and install a new single casement window. Since the walls were now proper, I was able to install drywall.- Opened up this area to the dining room. This meant tearing out what little remained of a bearing wall. I ordered a 20′ 6×8 Douglas Fir beam and 6×6 posts to support it. This was also stained to match the hickory cabinets. Since this beam was so heavy, in addition to being unwieldy due to its length, I enlisted the help of a couple of my sons to set it in place. Now the west wall of the main house was properly supported structurally for the first time in I don’t know how many years. This part of the house is over 100 years old and previous remodeling attempts by various previous owners left you wondering what kept it from collapsing. Various structural members had been removed, etc., but not replaced. This has now all been rectified. The rest of the house might collapse but: The Great Pyramids, Parthenon, Great Wall of China, my Kitchen are here for the ages.
- In the dining room, we removed the 2 existing double hung windows and installed a French outswing double door. This now exits to a roofed 10×15 deck which I built about a year later. About a year after that, I screened this area in as a back porch.
Next post: Tiling the Kitchen Floor
Babe- another thing we forgot to include in our recounting: filling in that old cistern that was open partly to the outside and partly underneath that old kitchen floor. Remember that?!
Oh the drafts, the midwinter mosquitoes… the smell… I don’t miss them one bit- except thankfully:)
aThanks for the reminder. It is easy to forget some things. Especially those that you don’t want to remember and aren’t immediately recognizable.
With this old flat-bottom, somewhat spherical (about 6′ diameter, 5′ deep) I had to pump it out, break the bottom and sides up somewhat with a sledge hammer to allow drainage, then fill in with alot of large rocks, topped off by dirt on a regular basis (as the dirt settled).
Since it did not have a decent cover, it was a breeding ground for mosquitos. Also, toads, frogs, rodents, etc., that fell in it could not get out – therefore they drowned, contributing to the occasional bad smells.
This was GOOD RIDDANCE!!!