"Furring out" is the process of building a wall inside another wall. In renovations, this often takes the form of a new 2x4 stud wall built adjacent to an existing exterior masonry wall (see photo). Furring out allows for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems to be run easily and also for insulation to be added to increase energy efficiency. Carefully consider the following implications as you are deciding whether to fur out the walls in your project:

1. You will need to drywall the new wall (even if the plaster on the existing exterior wall is in good condition)

2. You will need to install new window sills and casings because the new wall is thicker than the existing
3. You will need to remove and reinstall all the base moldings and trim
4. The room will be made smaller
5. You may need to move doors, switches, radiators, or other elements that are too close to the existing walls

Benefits include better energy efficiency, ease of installing new systems, you can provide a new flat wall surface, and you can cover damaged plaster easily. Carefully weigh the costs versus the benefits.

This relatively simple project involved installing a chair rail made from 1x3 clear pine.

Tools

• Hammer and nail set

• Miter saw / miter box
• Chalk line and carpenter's pencil
• Tape measure
• Level
• Caulking gun
• Air nailer and/or cordless drill
• Paint brushes, rollers, trays, and rags

Supplies

• 1x3 clear pine or poplar (measure twice, cut once)

• 2" finish nails
• Wood filler
• Paintable latex caulk
• (optional) Construction adhesive
• Spray primer
• Wall primer and paint
• 120 grit sandpaper
  

Des Moines Rehabbers Club member Kelli Griffis edited together footage she took at the April 2008 DSMRC meeting and created this great "how-to" video. The video is about 50 minutes and takes you through the process from removing the sash to removing old glazing, taking out the glass, cleaning/repairing the sash, and finally reinstalling the glass and reglazing. Also listen for some great information and advice from Jack Porter of the Iowa Historical Society.

Angela Thorne demonstrates how to reglaze a historic wood window sash:

Before you replace your historic home's original wood windows, consider the historic, economic, ecological, and technical benefits of repairing the ones you already have. Despite what the salespeople tell you, replacement is NOT necessarily the best option... The original wood windows in your house may have been there for 100 years already - with proper repair and maintenance, they may be able to serve you for 100 more!

Once the decking is on, it is time to build the guard rail. Hopefully, your posts are all in the correct locations (plumb and true) and are cut to the correct lengths. In most situations, a guard rail has to meet the following conditions:

• At least 36" tall

• No openings greater than 4"
• No horizontal pieces that create a "ladder"

Other than that, there are few other restrictions. Some local historic districts may require that your railing be of a specific type, compatible with the historic railings in the district. If your project happens to be in a locally ordinance historic district, make sure that your proposed rail is approved.

The railing I built is a substantial rail with a 2x6 top cap, 2x4 rails, and 2x2 pickets. I built the rail in three steps - see the image below for a close-up of the rail construction.

First, I measured and cut the 2x4 rails and toe-screwed them into place. These screws simply held them in place until the actual supporting piece was installed. The bottom edge of the bottom rail was 4" from the decking and the top edge of the top rail was 34-1/2" from the decking, This spacing allows for the 2x6 top cap to end up at exactly 36" tall.

Next, I installed the 2x6 top cap, screwing down into the top rail along the length. Installing the top cap at this point created a hard edge against which to install the pickets. If the pickets were installed before the top rail, there would be the possibility that they would not line up consistently against the top rail.

Many building materials like drywall, lumber, plywood, even siding make wonderful food for mold when wet. Bleach is the first solution that usually springs to mind when dealing with a mold problem.

[contributed to RenovateDSM by Jennifer Irsfeld James, MAHP]

Architect-designed houses rare. More commonly built by builders – and may have evolved over time. Especially for 19th-century houses, may have started with a cottage that was expanded over time.

Sanborn Maps

Look for the footprint of your house on the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, available online to Des Moines Public Library card holders.

The Sanborn company produced these detailed plans for use by fire insurance companies and fire departments during a time when fires were a common hazard.

[contributed to RenovateDSM by Jennifer Irsfeld James, MAHP]

These two questions can often be answered via the same research route. An important piece of the puzzle is to determine when the house was built – what’s listed in the assessor’s database is not always accurate. A lot of the history of a home is the history of the families who have lived there.

Rough Layout

You will actually have to lay out your deck twice. The first time is a "practice run" for digging out the footing holes. You want this preliminary layout to be accurate enough to place the corners of the deck within a couple inches of their final location. Mark the location of each post so you can dig the holes for the footings.

There are a variety of methods for performing this task: string and stakes and 2x4's are the most common. Each one has its pros and cons. With either method, the first activity is to locate where the ledger board will attach to your house. This will be the starting point from which you measure distances and angles to lay out the deck.

String and Stakes
With this method, you know that your lines will be straight (shortest distance between two points...) and you can start digging right away once the corners have been located. The major downsides are that distance and angles are harder to measure. First attach a string at one corner of the future ledger board. Stretch it out about two feet past the outside corner of the deck (at a right angle) and tie it to a stake. Do the same for the opposite corner. Stake out the outside edge of the deck in the same manner, overshooting each corner by about two feet. Overshooting the corners and using multiple lines will allow you to make finer adjustments to create right angles and even sides because you can pull up and relocate stakes individually. If your layout is square, the distance between opposite corners will be equal - check the opposite corners and each side to make sure they all match up as they should.

You will need a good selection of both hand and power tools to build a deck. The list below gives a general idea of the scope of tools required.

Power Tools

• Circular Saw - if you buy cheap ones, you will also probably go through at least three blades

• Miter Saw - for cutting pickets and other finish work
• Cordless Drill - with at least two battery packs
  • Masonry bits - predrilling for masonry anchors (if required)

  • Spade bits - drilling holes for through-bolts at posts
    

The procedure for building a deck is roughly as follows:

1. Drawings and Permit

2. Lists - Make lists of the materials you will need (add in about 10%-15% for waste) and the tools you will need.
3. Rough Layout - Block out the approximate shape of your deck using 2x4's or string and stakes.
4. Dig Footings - In Des Moines, footings must be a minimum of 36" deep to get below the frost line.
5. Hole Inspection - The building inspector may need to stop by to measure the depth of the holes before you pour any concrete.
   

In order to legally construct a deck, you have to get a building permit. As long as standard construction practices are adhered to and you aren't trying to do anything too "out of the ordinary," you will most likely be allowed to prepare your own permit drawings. You may find, however, that it pays to take advantage of the experience, design talent, and drawing skills of a professional to prepare your drawings.

A well designed and solidly built deck can help extend the usable living space in your house (as well as increasing its value). With a relatively small tool investment, some hard manual labor, and a willingness to "measure twice and cut once", building a deck is a home improvement activity that many people may have the capability to take on themselves.

This following pages outline the process I took to build my deck. As with any construction task, if you get four people in a room, you will have five opinions on how to best accomplish it. Accordingly, it is important to recognize that the materials and methods presented here are only one way of approaching this moderately complex task.

Even the best planned deck will necessitate some creative in-the-field problem solving - no measurements are perfect, no cuts completely accurate, and not all circumstances can be prepared for ahead of time. My basic advice would be to plan well, order extra materials, take extra time, and be willing to hop in the car to make several trips to the local hardware store.

This article was written by Greg F., a member of the St. Louis Rehabbers Club. You can contact him at thewatershed@juno.com.