Tempe Adobe: A restoration is more difficult when homeowners have no restoration experience and are working with an unfamiliar material, such as adobe. But these hurdles didn't deter homeowners Pat Alexander and her husband Norm Drazy from restoring their 115-year-old Tempe, Ariz., home. They rose to the challenge, with Alexander developing her own formula for adobe bricks while Drazy added plumbing to the second floor. Their goal is to turn this once-dilapidated house into their dream home and a working bed-and-breakfast.
Classic Queen Anne: Kathy and Leroy Looper have restored their classic Queen Anne not once, but twice. A fierce fire ruined the 1881 San Francisco home's details and wiped out much of their hard work after the first restoration. Following the flaming setback, the Loopers didn't lose hope but called on the help of contractor Frank Vieira to restore the home a second time. Vieira diligently restored the home's doors, ceilings and walls while Kathy focused on restoring the stained glass in the foyer. Before they knew it, the Loopers had completed their second restoration.
Tips, Terms and Tradesmen
In the Details: Shingle Maker
To get the most authentic recreations of items like 18th century hand-split shingles, it's best to use tools and methods from that period. Shingle maker Kerry Shackelford does just that by using a froe, a kind of wedge with a handle, to split cedar shingles and then by finishing the shingles by hand. He's one of a handful of artisans who continue to make replacement shingles using Old World techniques and tools.
Problem Solver: Chimney Fix
An old brick chimney that has deteriorated doesn't necessarily need to be replaced. John Adams, a chimney restoration expert , specializes in making old chimneys functional again by rebuilding the flue from the inside out. He inserts a 40-foot long inflatable rubber sleeve into the old chimney , then pours in a mixture of special high-temperature, lightweight cement. The next day the rubber sleeve is removed, leaving a continuous masonry lining that adds structural integrity to the chimney.
How To: Prep Plaster for Paint
Plaster walls are a wonderful feature in older homes, but not when the paint is peeling off. Fortunately it takes only a few steps to repair the damage.
First scrape off loose paint with a putty knife or scraper. Put on protective gloves and mix together setting-type joint compound and water according to package directions. Apply the mixture to exposed areas of the wall or ceiling using a trowel. Allow the compound to dry overnight.
Sand with an orbital sander with finishing-grade sandpaper or sand by hand. In either case, be sure to wear a particle respirator to avoid inhaling dust. Wipe down the surface, throw on some primer and paint and the wall's as good as new.
Terms:
- Fascia: The flat, white trim board below the roof.
- Househead: A term for the topmost part of a home, such as the roof.
- Ridge Roll: A semicircular piece of metal covering the ridge of a roof.
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