Historic Design Consulting LLC

We are back at the bay window project and I am replicating the original finish on the new lath and plaster. This is one of those things that seems so simple but isn’t. You have to get the mud the correct consistency, apply the correct amount and manipulate it like the old plasterer did. One skill from wood graining that is especially useful is the ability to create a random finish. Regular brush marks stick out like a sore thumb.

One way to get the pants scared off you is to have a router collet break, fly apart and hit you on the hand at 15,000 rpm. Even when you’re trying your best to be safe things can still happen. Thankfully the bit stayed under the router base, so no real damage, although I’ve got a really sore thumb. 🫤

This week’s architectural term is BALLOON FRAMING. This is a term I am revisiting, as it comes up frequently but isn’t always understood. Balloon framing is a (largely) 19th century framing method where vertical wall studs run continuously from the foundation sill all the way up to the roof plate, spanning multiple floors. Floor joists are are supported on ribbon, which is let into or nailed onto the studs. The photo shows a home with original balloon framing and a modern, platform framed addition to the rear.

I’m checking the measurements from the column base one last time. It’s a challenge since half of the base for this 20’ ionic column had become compost and carpenter ant food 🐜. The bottom torus is 33 1/2” wide, which is a pretty big donut, and the scotia is 3 1/4” thick. Going to need some big timber!

The Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps crew and I are continuing at the 1857 Strait House near Jordan, MN. Today I’m helping out with glazing the 6 - light sashes. Here we see Finley glazing and Jarett priming. The weather has been perfect and the crew has learned a lot about window restoration.

We are continuing our window work at the Strait House. Here we see Blern using a Speedheater to remove paint from a sash and a HEPA vac to clean up years worth of dead bugs. The whole Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps crew has been making lots of progress restoring the 6 light sashes. Blern’s name is actually Ben, but I’ve misspelled the names of all the other crew members, so I gotta be fair.

Here we see Ady from the Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps posing with the results of some fine window restoration work. The sash had a rotten bottom rail and both stile ends were compost along with the muntins. Ady made a brand new bottom rail and two stile ends, all with traditional joinery. Tomorrow we will work on the muntins. This was Ady’s first attempt at window repair and it turned out great.

This is the most egregious use of silicone ever. It’s like they were frosting the bottom rail like a cake. 🙄

I am working with an Americorps Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps crew this week to restore the windows on the 1857 H. B. Strait House near Jordan, MN. We’ve removed the 6-light sashes from 6 openings and the crew is going to town on removing the glass, scraping and prepping for primer, glazing and paint. Great work Finley, Ben, Ady and Jarett!

I’m spending a few days in Shakopee, MN working on a restoration project and took a drive around town. Shakopee was settled early in Minnesota’s history and has a number of vernacular, settlement-era buildings. And that would include this one. The wide frieze and eave returns are clearly Greek Revival, and the piers on the side elevations and fenestration suggest this originally was a school. The stone lintels and sills show there is brick under the stucco (as do the piers), and I’d bet the porch hides a centrally located entry just like a school would have.