More History Than You Can Imagine

Tag: Andersen Windows

Week of August 10 Updates

Last week saw a lot of progress. All of the new Andersen windows went into the full log portion of the cabin and the remaining areas of the porch were trimmed out.

New windows were put in in the kitchen area to round out all new windows all the way around.

The garage also was completed with LP Smartside lap siding and shake being installed over the existing plywood siding to give the garage a better look. All of the LP siding will get some coordinating paint colors.

New LP Smartside, trim, windows, and a fresh concrete apron for the garage.

We also saw the new entryway overhang take shape with the new log columns going in as well. This is a new element that the old design did not have. Since that entryway will now come into a mud/laundry room when we use the garage, we wanted something to protect it from the weather and give us more of a true entryway to come in. The most exciting part of this is that we will have found a Jeff Ayers hand carved door to install here. Jeff is known around the area as a top craftsman with his unique doors and we are excited to have found one that a homeowner was selling to use in our cabin!

A new entryway overhang with log columns (and yet to be installed log going across as well) is taking shape and will get Trex decking and a Jeff Ayers carved door.

New concrete aprons were poured as well for the front door to the cabin as well as the garage. The old concrete was not pitched properly and was cracked, so it was time to replace it and pitch it properly. We also pre-buried PVC piping underneath it for future downspouts to go into. With a ton of water coming off the roof, we wanted to get the water away from the wood with gutters and downspouts draining into piping versus just into the ground below.

New concrete apron poured in with the proper pitch, a bit higher than the old concrete and with PVC piping underneath (see the stub to the left) for downspouts. The stone wall will be rebuilt by Willie Otterpohl after the logs are stained and sealed.

This week we get the gable end vents (six in total) that have been color matched to the Andersen windows and will be installing them all around and finishing up trimming them out and the remaining cedar siding around them.

We will also be testing some of the Sascho stain colors, getting the Duragroove paneling in (try #2, no thanks to US Special Delivery in Iron Mountain who completely botched the first delivery), and beginning to get some interior walls insulated and paneled.

The Cabin is Naked!- August 3 Update

What a week last week as the Weatherwize crew was on-site to begin removing the old stain and finish from the full pine logs. Remember, these logs are over 100 years old and solid pine. Nate and crew blasted them with some glass media to get them down to the original wood and then they treated some of the problem areas with their borate solution to prevent future rot.

Burning some of the wood, wood shavings, and other items in the foreground with the sun peering through the “Twin Pines.”

Stripping the Logs

So, at this point, the cabin is naked without any finish on the original logs or the new cedar siding.

The cabin stripped of all original stain/color back down to bare logs with the new Andersen windows installed (and moving toward the green, not white windows as well)

They also stained the soffits and fascia board with “Mission Brown” stain which matches the historical and original stain.

View of the back of the cabin with the stripped pine logs on left and the new white cedar siding on right with the stained fascia and soffit trim. Still awaiting the gable end vents to finish things off.

Siding the Garage

Meanwhile, Bob and crew were busy siding the garage with new LP Smartside lap siding and shakes, installing new garage windows, and installing new soffit venting and aluminum fascia trim on the garage.

Garage getting some new LP Smartside, aluminum fasica trim, new continuous aluminum soffit venting and fresh insulated casement windows. All other trim around the door and garage door and windows is also LP Smartside as well.

Installing the Windows

They also began removing the windows from the original cabin, adjusting the openings (which requires a chainsaw and some log “adjustments” and installing the new Andersen Woodwright windows.

Out with the old windows and ready to get framing for the new windows to go in.

Bob, Dan, and Matt also framed in the new basement entry door which went from a piece of plywood door, to a real insulated door. The logs in that area were in really good shape, for not having seen air or light for many years while under the deck(s).

Cleaning out the Attic and Crawl Space

I was also busy in the attic (ugh) getting rid of the last of the cellulose insulation which is now complete!

Attic before
Attic after removing the insulation…

I also began attacking the crawl space under the fireplace room, which was filled with over 3 feet of wood shavings above the ground. Not a fun place to be for someone over 6 feet, but need to clean it out so we can get plastic down and treat the logs under the floor boards with similar borate and other preservatives.

Why would someone just think, “What should I do with these wood shavings? I know, let me fill the crawl space with them…” Well, that is what happened with them being 3 feet deep in some spots. Sucking them right out to the fire pit area. The logs underneath are in good shape.

I also need to use caution as the ceiling for the root cellar is actually UNDER these as well and is made of logs, so I need to tread lightly to not fall through.

Old ductwork piping on top of, yes, 3 feet of wood shavings which basically fill the entire front half of the crawl space. Time to get out the insulation vac contraption for another round!

This week (August 3), we await the new gable vents to arrive from American Vent and Louver who was able to get the exact match of the Andersen Window Forest Green color for them. Once we receive those, we can frame them into the upper openings and get the log siding completed for the Weatherwize crew to return to begin their final prep, cleaning, staining, and sealing.