Rude Mechanicals Press Blog

This picture is from six days ago. The detritus is still in the same place (because I’m out of room on both porches and in the garage). I need to rent a dumpster.

But for a tenacious few bits of rock lath (or whatever that old drywall-like stuff is called) on the side of the Harry Potter closet and staircase, I have the major tear-out in the hall completed.

I courted my own destruction last Friday when a quite heavy L-shaped joist/beam assembly, which spanned from the edge of the closet door frame to the dining room door frame on the right, came down in one piece. No pictures of that – I had both hands and arms, a shoulder, a thigh and a foot involved in keeping that piece from crushing me. And I’m sure it wasn’t pretty.

Also not pretty? the hack job on the dining room door moulding…and for what? That weird wall ruined the aesthetics by closing in the entryway and hiding the nice door frames, and it had no structural purpose.

Jerks.

I’m almost to the point where I can start rebuilding – using tools to create rather than destroy. But I’m still hopeful I’ll be able to find enough vintage handrail and spindles to match the short length of rail and spindles I removed (and will relocate) in the second-floor hall.

But I’ve looked in all the Cincinnati-area salvage and re-use centers. Time for a weekend trip to Louisville to check out Architectural Salvage and Joe Ley Antiques. And if neither of those pan out, perhaps I’ll drive north to Columbus Architectural Salvage then west to Doc’s and Architectural Antiques of Indianapolis.

I’m hoping to find 6′, 8′, 7′ and 3′ runs to match the original. Seems unlikely.

If you have a cache of these, call me!

I don’t really think I’ll find what I’m looking for – I’ve had a couple salvage guys tell me they’ve never seen that spindle pattern. But perhaps I’ll find the perfect leaded-glass door and sidelights I can’t afford right now.

I’m not quite ready to suck it up and start turning…but I’m close (now that the bruises and pain from the near-maiming have faded). I won’t let myself get started on the bathroom until the staircase is done. And man is that bathroom ugly. If that’s not a good reason to buy a lathe, well, I don’t know what is.

I highly recommend house renovation as a weight-loss regimen. Not only will you work your ass off (literally), you’ll use muscles you forgot you had (you’ll know, because they’ll hurt like hell the next morning), you’ll be too tired to cook, and be far too noisome to eat in a restaurant – and anyway, you won’t be able to afford it.

This railing should be back about 5′, aligned with the doorway.

Saturday morning, I began the labor-intensive job of putting the staircase and entry hall back to rights. The first task was to remove both runs of railing. One needs to be relocated about 5′ back; the other should follow the angle of the stairs.

The railing (the one still in place here) was a bitch to remove without damage. the right end was nailed into the newel post; the vintage bolt inside the half-post on the left end was frozen.

For this first bit, I had to work delicately; most of the pieces will be reused, so I had to avoid causing damage. Unfortunately, because the railing that should descend with the stairs was cut so it could tie in at 90° to two posts, it’s no longer going to fit in its proper location. So I’ll have to make a new one, or – if the home-rehab gods are good to me – I’ll find the right one at an architectural salvage yard.

Rather than use joists of matching thickness to the original ones, whomever added this floor built up the thickness using several layers. Thanks for that.

Then it was on to flooring destruction…and because that was all added in the 1950s, I didn’t feel the need to be too careful, until I approached the edge of the original pine floor. So yeah…I cracked off a couple tongues and splintered a few grooves. And that’s OK.

Here’s a view inside. Note the scabbed-on pieces atop the too-narrow aftermarket joists.

The next task got a little lot messy: Removing the ceiling. Back to the original opening location, it was more of that heavy combo of drywall and plaster that was on the walls (at which point, it appears to be actual plaster…glad I don’t need to take that down). So I cut it near the joists, tried my best to break it at the seams, then hung on to the studs for dear life as the weight of each panel threatened to pull me down with it (11′ ceilings…simply dropping it would dent the floor below. DAMHIKT).

Don’t jump!

One of the aftermarket joists was a little too short, so I had about a 1/4″ gap between the end and where it met the header. I was able to get a hacksaw in there and cut through the six (?!) nails, then wiggle the heavy piece of wood around to pull out the nails at the other end. But the weight of the wood breaking free almost put me over the edge.

I’m going to get help for the removal of the four remaining joists. The “easy” one was not so easy.

I’m going to have to find an at least semi-skilled friend (and possibly some scaffolding) to get the rest of the aftermarket joists out. Then, I can remove the two remaining studs. I thought it best to leave them on either end for now because they’re holding up the joists I can’t get out by myself…though I suppose cutting those out might take care of the joist problem (but in a manner I’m not willing to risk).

I should take a break and get some dinner. But I’m too tired/gross/poor (I’m saving my pennies for Sawzall blades; I’ve gone through 17 of them so far).

* Actually, it’s not easy. In fact, it’s kinda difficult. And you’ll need to know at least several tricks.