Raising the Carriage House
I posted this in my previous post. Note the T&G boards at the top of the image…
…well, what are these? And why are the adjacent joists ‘beveled’ on top?
John wrote in with the correct answer: “I have seen ‘peaked’ joists under historic poured concrete and ceramic tiled floors–the upper surfaces of the joists were not just beveled, they came to ridges. I’ve read this treatment was to minimize cracking. I’ve also seen T&G boards nailed between those joists to create a bottom for a mortar bed.”
While I have never before seen ‘peaked’ floor joists, I have seen plenty of T&G boards a few inches below floor joists, installed to accept a concrete mortar bed for tile. Indeed, the Cross House abounds with such a construction detail.
I should have recognized this as such yesterday. Silly me.
Justin also figured this out overnight. So, yea, silly Ross.
This evidence supports that the original bathroom of the circa-1921 conversion was in the same space. Cool. I love evidence.
Today, Justin installed a bottle jack pier to raise the sagging joists, which he first sliced in half so they COULD be raised (as one cannot otherwise unsag a sagging joist). The arched window in the background is the fanlight for the 1900 theater.
Justin did mange to raise the sagging joists a bit. Then he met resistance. Well, this is normal. It could take a month of micro adjustment with the bottle jacks to get everything back to level. The process can be terrifying with sudden SCREAMS of shifting ancient timbers, and EXPLOSIONS of plaster.
Snap! Crackle! Pop!
We concluded that a second bottle jack pier should be installed under the east wall of the turret room, which has sagged by 1-3/4-inches, dragging down the flooring.
There is no certainty that all this effort will result in a level second floor. If not…we will develop a Plan B.
But…Ross excited. I have waited seven years for this project!
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Oh, gawd I love the trim in the carriage house. It’s what my house should have had but mine is a much humbler and likely more economic build.
Are you sure the foundation of the carriage house is solid? Is it only the second floor that has the level problems and now the ground floor?
Well, a bit at a time, I’m sure you’re in no hurry to get the upstairs as close to level as you can. 5 inches is a LOT. If you can reduce that by 50-75% you will have achieved a great deal.
Are you planning on finishing the carriage house before Cody arrives or just get it to a certain point and then let him finish it? I know Cody loves old houses. He might enjoy getting a taste of what it will be like when he buys his own vintage fixer upper.
Snap, crackle and pop… just like one’s creaky bodily joints. Hahaha
It is the Carriage House’s turn to glow!
Good luck! Jacking stuff up is always scary and I know you do like perfection! I wonder if the floor was ever 100% level. Especially after its move from the back of the lot. I know the main goal of this project is to stabilize the framing (and redo all those hacked up joists! What we’re people thinking??) and stop the sagging. If it ends up sturdy, stable and 1″ out of perfect, I’d claim success!
Good luck. I think if you are able to get close to level, call it a day and claim success. Are you still moving the bathroom? How are you feeling Ross?
Can’t wait to see it finished.
Also, how is your own bathroom coming along?
If the sisters were added after the floor sagged they would actually be holding the sag in place, so wouldn’t it be better to remove them and then jack it up? I’m starting to wonder if it wouldn’t be better to brace, remove the offense and then replace. At some point there comes a time when saving the originals just isn’t worth it. I’m wondering if that is the case with that jigsaw puzzle of poor maimed joists. I am certainly no fan of demo and replace with a historic structure, but if the bathroom is being relocated to the turret, I would be tempted to just cut out the pipe work, open up the ceiling and floor and remove and replace those damaged beyond repair joists.