Need some insight on project

[jfh28]

I saw that beam.....thats a nice looking piece of wood.....looks hand hewn.....people will pay big bucks for that look.........you are right that the older wood has higher structural values then what we can get today......more then likely those joists were milled from old growth trees hence the higher values.......also the type of wood will make a difference......the older wood dimensions use to be truer to size......so a 2 x 12 measured 2 x 12...then it went down to 1 3/4 .....and then 1 1/2 .....and I've even seen some at 1 3/8.....sign of the times......the one thing that has gotten better is the connectors we have today......like simpson hangers.....they can really make a difference.......I've had my fair share of older houses and I don't envy you at all......haha......make sure you keep us updated with finished pics.........Jack

 

[17 Oaks]

I saw that beam.....thats a nice looking piece of wood.....looks hand hewn.....people will pay big bucks for that look.........you are right that the older wood has higher structural values then what we can get today......more then likely those joists were milled from old growth trees hence the higher values.......also the type of wood will make a difference......the older wood dimensions use to be truer to size......so a 2 x 12 measured 2 x 12...then it went down to 1 3/4 .....and then 1 1/2 .....and I've even seen some at 1 3/8.....sign of the times......the one thing that has gotten better is the connectors we have today......like simpson hangers.....they can really make a difference.......I've had my fair share of older houses and I don't envy you at all......haha......make sure you keep us updated with finished pics.........Jack

Thanks Jack. As for hangers, those joists are free, they just sit atop the Hickory beam (yes its hand hewn with wooden dowels, no iron) by weight alone. I did pre-load. When I installed the beam I jacked up the top floor under it and then cut my 3 vertical supports to an exact fit, the sit the beam on them. The 3 verticals are old cedar that came out from under a very old hunting cabin on the ranch. It was a 24 foot center joist that supported the cabin. The beam and the verticals are all free, not nailed or affixed to the house other than weight bearing.

 

[teejk]

I saw that beam.....thats a nice looking piece of wood.....looks hand hewn.....people will pay big bucks for that look.........you are right that the older wood has higher structural values then what we can get today......more then likely those joists were milled from old growth trees hence the higher values.......also the type of wood will make a difference......the older wood dimensions use to be truer to size......so a 2 x 12 measured 2 x 12...then it went down to 1 3/4 .....and then 1 1/2 .....and I've even seen some at 1 3/8.....sign of the times......the one thing that has gotten better is the connectors we have today......like simpson hangers.....they can really make a difference.......I've had my fair share of older houses and I don't envy you at all......haha......make sure you keep us updated with finished pics.........Jack

Working on old stuff probably explains why so many of them get torn down! "Level/plumb/square" should always be the rule strictly from an engineering perspective but "close enough" would work in the days of lath and plaster.

 

[teejk]

If you have never used or seen the Ditra products in use, check out some of the Mike Holmes programs (Holmes on Homes, Make it Right) - he's from Canada, but he always prefers over-engineering and above minimum code. Watching his programs over the past decade was where I first heard of the Ditra (bright orange, waterproof, waffle sheets for tile underlayment). Schluter-Kerdi (mfr of Ditra) now makes the heat mats which are another tile underlayment called HeatMat (I think), but it allows for the snap in of heating element cable for under tile heated floors.

I think Holmes was the guy that introduced me to the product also (used to be a very informative show but he has since tended to spend much more than what most people can afford but maybe that's because he gets the worst case situations like that marijuana grow house and has to start from scratch and is largely spending other people's money). Anyway, we used the Ditra here (our local tile supplier had it in bulk and supplied what we needed so I guess it is not unknown to the trade). He also led me to their shower systems that use a Styrofoam base/curb and waterproof fabric that eliminated the need for cement backer board. Besides the obvious weight advantage I was able to customize it to my application with a hand saw. I used it here when I built (4'x6' shower) and again when I gutted and rebuilt my MIL's bath. They are sold as kits that include the pan/curb/fabric/joint pieces/drain/valve and shower head gaskets. Not particularly cheap and takes some time to install before the tile goes on but I like it.

 

[mikeman1]

couple of other things i did in preparation for senior folk. i put 2 x 12 blocks between joists about 36 inchs up in wall behind toilet so i could put in fold down grab bar in future. as it turns out glad i did. also put in pocket doors so if needed to use walker it is more convenient. glad i did.

 

[teejk]

couple of other things i did in preparation for senior folk. i put 2 x 12 blocks between joists about 36 inchs up in wall behind toilet so i could put in fold down grab bar in future. as it turns out glad i did. also put in pocket doors so if needed to use walker it is more convenient. glad i did.

We did the blocking for the grab bars here also. Requires one to purchase the bars in advance and map out where they are needed... Don't forget that measurements will shift by the thickness of the added wall/tile (don't ask me why I would know that).

 

[mikeman1]

actually i just put the blocking pretty much around the entire bathroom so i wouldnt have to wrry about which I buy later on.

 

[17 Oaks]

GOOD ideas!!!

 

[teejk]

actually i just put the blocking pretty much around the entire bathroom so i wouldnt have to wrry about which I buy later on.

Some of them install at an angle. If one or more of those is in your plans, you might want to buy them in advance so you know where the blocking needs to be.