dlarnewman
01-06-2010, 08:33 AM
I'm not sure I am posting this in the correct place, sorry if I'm not.
We just purchased a house in the country in Northwest Arkansas that had a complete (so they call it) remodel in the 1990's. County tax records indicate the house was built in the 1960's. I know that is incorrect but am not sure how to date the original structure.
From what I can see in the house, under the house and in the attic, it is much older.
The original structure appears to have been 16X40 probably 3 room (maybe what we would call a "shotgun house"?). It has 2X6 walls ("real 2X6's), rough sawn, probably oak. It does not had a ridge board, the rafters but up against each other and are "real" 2X4's, rough sawn, same lumber, probably oak. The attic is about 8 foot tall. It had a shake roof, because I found a few shakes under the blown-in insulation in the attic. Plywood (and shingles) were later added over the original slats of 1X4's that I assume the shakes were nailed to, the slats are spaced out maybe 4" apart.
The structure had 10' ceilings, which have been dropped to 8'. The original interior walls were beadboard, running across the wall instead of up and down, it appears that most of it is still behind the sheetrock or paneling, (depending on which room it is, so probably NO insulation under it (I asume the beadboard is the original, I suppose it could be covering up something else!). The original 10' ceiling had 1X4 tongue and groove ceiling, which are mostly intact, someone stomped some of it in, over the kitchen during some remodel, I guess that was easier than cutting it out, (maybe during electrical renovations). This part of the house also had a stone foundation, with a stone wall covering the crawl space. It probably also had an old "lean to" porch off the side, which is now a utility room. The first addition appears
s to have had a room (or two?) added on to the side, with another porch, and somewhere in the same timeframe, the lumber is same size and appears also to be oak, also with 10' ceilings. The addition added in the 1990's was built to mirror the original structure which makes the house now shaped as an H. The right "leg" of the H being the oldest structure, the - of the H being the second addition and the left "leg" being the new addition. They added steel siding and a metal roof, so I haven't yet seen the original siding, which I believe may still be on the house. Also from under the house it appears the original floors were 1X4 tongue and groove, not enough light to tell if they are pine or oak, for the area, I'd think pine floors and ceiing.
So, my question is what would be the best guess of when a 16X40 house, with 10' ceilings, shake roof, rough sawn 2X6's and 2X4's, beadboard interior walls and a tongue and groove 1X4 ceiling. Or, what other clues I should look for. I didn't get a close look at the nails, I'll try to do that later, but doubt I could tell much from them. The 10' ceilings just really doesn't fit with what I know of most Arkansas farmhouses, of that size, for that matter neither does shake shingles.
Thanks for any help, suggestions or thoughts!
We just purchased a house in the country in Northwest Arkansas that had a complete (so they call it) remodel in the 1990's. County tax records indicate the house was built in the 1960's. I know that is incorrect but am not sure how to date the original structure.
From what I can see in the house, under the house and in the attic, it is much older.
The original structure appears to have been 16X40 probably 3 room (maybe what we would call a "shotgun house"?). It has 2X6 walls ("real 2X6's), rough sawn, probably oak. It does not had a ridge board, the rafters but up against each other and are "real" 2X4's, rough sawn, same lumber, probably oak. The attic is about 8 foot tall. It had a shake roof, because I found a few shakes under the blown-in insulation in the attic. Plywood (and shingles) were later added over the original slats of 1X4's that I assume the shakes were nailed to, the slats are spaced out maybe 4" apart.
The structure had 10' ceilings, which have been dropped to 8'. The original interior walls were beadboard, running across the wall instead of up and down, it appears that most of it is still behind the sheetrock or paneling, (depending on which room it is, so probably NO insulation under it (I asume the beadboard is the original, I suppose it could be covering up something else!). The original 10' ceiling had 1X4 tongue and groove ceiling, which are mostly intact, someone stomped some of it in, over the kitchen during some remodel, I guess that was easier than cutting it out, (maybe during electrical renovations). This part of the house also had a stone foundation, with a stone wall covering the crawl space. It probably also had an old "lean to" porch off the side, which is now a utility room. The first addition appears
s to have had a room (or two?) added on to the side, with another porch, and somewhere in the same timeframe, the lumber is same size and appears also to be oak, also with 10' ceilings. The addition added in the 1990's was built to mirror the original structure which makes the house now shaped as an H. The right "leg" of the H being the oldest structure, the - of the H being the second addition and the left "leg" being the new addition. They added steel siding and a metal roof, so I haven't yet seen the original siding, which I believe may still be on the house. Also from under the house it appears the original floors were 1X4 tongue and groove, not enough light to tell if they are pine or oak, for the area, I'd think pine floors and ceiing.
So, my question is what would be the best guess of when a 16X40 house, with 10' ceilings, shake roof, rough sawn 2X6's and 2X4's, beadboard interior walls and a tongue and groove 1X4 ceiling. Or, what other clues I should look for. I didn't get a close look at the nails, I'll try to do that later, but doubt I could tell much from them. The 10' ceilings just really doesn't fit with what I know of most Arkansas farmhouses, of that size, for that matter neither does shake shingles.
Thanks for any help, suggestions or thoughts!