The logs on this old house were filthy after spending decades behind the wood siding.

They would need a good bath with the help of a powerwasher.

The logs also showed a great deal of wear and aging from exposure to the weather over the course of many years. My best guess is that this cabin was originally built somewhere in the mid-1800’s her beautiful logs were seen by everyone that visited. Then, likely somewhere around the 1920’s, the back addition was added on and the entire house was covered with siding.

I would imagine that this house will now likely once again show off her logs to the world for a few decades and then, as she was before, be covered over with siding.

Originally posted 2015-06-10 14:21:59.

The back of the cabin was also in amazing condition.

I can say that I’ve rarely seen a cabin with less foundation underneath it. Luckily, there were plenty of native stone to be found in the surrounding area which we gathered and then put a full stone foundation underneath of her.

Notice the minimal framing found in the old addition off of the back as revealed in this photo. I’ve seen barns framed with more wood than this.. I would say that this was the poorest example of framing that I’ve ever seen in a home… They put up just enough wood to hold the siding into place, and no more.

Originally posted 2015-06-10 13:23:44.

We took the siding off the old gal and discovered that the logs were in very good condition…. but we also found a unique pattern of whitewash… one that I’ve never fully figured out… any ideas what is going on with these two sections of white logs?

Originally posted 2015-06-10 13:14:07.

There was a loving “presence” about this house.

Her design didn’t broadcast to the world “I have more money than you” but rather she whispered… “welcome home”.

Originally posted 2015-06-08 16:51:49.

I liked the look of the addition off of the back of the house. It was pleasing to the eye and really gave the impression that this was a huge home, and I suppose at the time that it was built, this was indeed, a grand home, likely filled with a large active family.

But this rough-sawn framed addition, upon closer inspection revealed a lot of problems and no redeeming materials, nor craftsmanship. It was clearly built by “the lowest bidder”. So sad.

The addition would need to be removed and a new improved back-section of the house added back.

Originally posted 2015-06-08 14:41:58.

Houses in this condition are rare today.

It seems that homes are either well maintained and improved as the years go by. Or they fall into disrepair and neglect, and then are trashed by renters before they are finally destroyed.

This home’s occupants though always cared for the house, seeing to it that it never leaked or went cold during the winter, but beyond that most basic level of care, no upgrades were ever made.

Originally posted 2015-06-08 14:29:23.

The bride was barefoot.

Way back in the 1980’s, when I was a carpenter, a dear friend of mine rented this old house which was located up a local holler here in the Piedmont region of Virginia. That friend eventually got married to a fine young lady in the back yard of this house and there I witnessed my first barefooted bride.

I remember little else about that wedding. I’ve attended so many over the years that they all tend to blur into one giant celebration. But for some reason there is something memorable about toes sticking out beyond that elegant dress.

It was about 20 years later that I received the call from the owner of this home that he wanted me to restore this home to her former glory for him to use as his primary residence. I had previously built his brother’s house and he was pleased with my work and his brother’s praise of the experience.

It’s funny how things work out in this life. There are so many “dots” in this life that one day connect, or so it seems.

Originally posted 2015-06-08 14:04:42.

Coming up this week… how I “upgraded” this home.  The photo above was taken near completion… the photo below was taken on Day One.

Originally posted 2015-06-07 19:59:58.

After five years the cabin had aged well. The siding was well on it’s way to turning grey. The copper roof was now a chocolate brown… the “new penny look” of fresh copper was gone.

That’s one of the great things about building a home with a traditional design and in using antique materials… the home improves with age… every year that goes by your home gets better.

Wouldn’t it be great if everything worked that way?

You can see the cabin’s addition rising on the far side. I’ll share some photo’s and stories of that addition with you over the coming days.

As always, thanks for letting me ramble on!

Originally posted 2015-05-27 13:18:30.

So, we finished up this little cabin.

We packed up our tools and went on to build many other structures, some that I’ve already shared here with you.

On occasion over the coming years I’d run into the cabin’s owners at the local deli and they would share how much the cabin meant to them… how it had created so many precious memories for them. It always warms my heart to hear such things.

I had left this side of the cabin rather plain, but prepared for an addition that would one day occur which would convert this weekend cabin into a full-time residence. I wondered if I would be the one that they would call. I wondered if I would still be building twenty years later.

But that call came only five years later.

The pull of rural life grew stronger for these folks. Each weekend stay at the cabin had grown harder and harder to leave for their return to the urban lifestyle. They had figured out a way to make the transition sooner.

Originally posted 2015-05-27 12:55:35.