old house

Not all old house, but many of them have a fireplace. Exposed, or marginalized, thought of as the center of the house, or just as an utility, if you have a fireplace in your home you can consider yourself lucky.

Usually they blend in the decor quite well without redecorating, but when they do not, you can refresh them to match exactly your interior design concept.

To illustrate what we mean, take a look at this example:

Photo source: This Old House http://bit.ly/2AoJqDF

An Outmoded Fireplace Gets an Upgrade

If this gets you thinking about what you can do with the one in your house, here a couple of more examples and ideas:

15 Ways to Refresh Your Fireplace on Any Budget

We would really like to know if you have a fireplace and what it looks like. Leave a photo in a comment and maybe we can suggest some easy DIY ideas for a new look!

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Photo source: PXHere http://bit.ly/2wtCBwL

If you love the period charm and heritage innate in your wooden sliding sash windows but hate the draughts, rattles, rot and heat loss that can also be part and parcel with an older property then.

You need help from experts. Traditional timber sash windows are an essential feature of a period buildings character. Therefore, it is vital to retain them, not only because of the appeal, but because they add value to your property. Also, known as a sliding sash or vertical sliders, they rely on a weighted system that allows the heavy sashes to lift and fall with ease. In order for the sashes to move in the box and operate smoothly there is a 3mm gap between the sash and the frame which is often the cause of draughts, rattles, dust and rain ingress and heat loss.

Dating back over 300 years, sash windows as we recognise them today have steadily evolved as technology and fashion have changed. At one time, due to a punitive window tax, the size of your panes was seen as an indicator of your wealth and interestingly the design was influenced by the Great Fire of London when post fire legislation required the windows to be recessed in to the brick work.

The most common cause of decay is water penetration. In a high percentage of cases, water penetration has often been caused by one or more of the five common problems listed below.

  • Failing of the exterior paintwork to the sashes and box frame.
  • Holes drilled into the window sills for cables.
  • Gaps between the window sill and the stone threshold.
  • Failing of linseed oil putty allowing rain water to sit on the glazing rebate to the sash, normally to the bottom rail and top meeting rail as water runs down the glass.
  • Failing of the perimeter pointing allowing water to build up and decay timber members inside the reveals of your sash windows.

All of which are very easily repaired.

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Photo source: Ficklr http://bit.ly/2wtCBwL

Original reclaimed timber flooring has a truly authentic appearance, which celebrates the marks, dents and scuffs of its age and radiates the richness of its historic past to add a layer of depth and warmth to the home. It also works exceptionally well with under-floor heating or in kitchens with range cookers, as the age of the wood means that it is stable and has already been acclimatized for centuries.

Reclaimed timber can also be a good choice if you need to match existing floorboards to extend flooring into other rooms, or replace damaged original boards. Go for the thickest boards you can accommodate and then maintain them with a light sanding every 15 years or so, to bring the floor back to how it was when you installed it.

Unique history

Reclaimed flooring is often rescued from historic houses that are beyond repair, industrial buildings, factories or dockyards. The majority of available boards are Victorian, made from timber originally used as floorboards, joists, beams or close boarded roofs, but the wood can be more than 400 years old, sourced from anywhere in the world. The planks must be dried in racks to ensure they will not shrink, split or expand when fitted. They should be moisture tested before being installed, but with already so many years’ drying out, the wood is usually dry enough. In order to retain the patina of the reclaimed floor, the wood is passed through a drum sander and lightly brushed, leaving the aged marks undamaged.

Care and attention

Personally, I love the look of a waxed floor but it does need more regular attention than other finishes. A fresh wax every year would be ideal. Water-based varnishes are a close second choice, and will last up to five years without doing anything other than sweeping.

Creative uses

I’ve noticed an emerging trend over the past few years of people getting more creative with reclaimed wood. Such examples are cladding walls to create an alternative focal point, or using it to custom-make a rustic-looking headboard.

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