Setting columns at Hilary Baker house

These solid wood columns took weeks of restoration, but where can one buy entire trees to set on their deck anymore? We took extra care in setting the columns because we don't want to undo any of our hard work on either the columns or the ipe deck.

Rebuilding columns and bases for two different porches

We are building bases from reclaimed antique pine for the solid columns that we repaired last week. While I've been getting these bases and capitals ready for installation, we've has been putting the final touches on the ipe deck. [The beautiful wood you see underneath the capitals and bases is heart pine tongue and groove deck board, fabricated by Van Jester Woodworks and to be soon installed in Eppington Plantation.]

The following salvaged columns are being restored for a mansion on Monument Avenue. We are rebuilding the front porch which was unfortunately removed years ago. The techniques used to work on these columns are partly inspired by the writings of John Leeke, though Mr. Leeke has nothing on RBVa's very own. 

Rebuilding round columns on 1813 house for back porch

The columns are solid heart pine. At some point one column was cut off and the last two feet replaced with an inferior wood. The built in gutter problems were not addressed, so the replacement rotted. We will rebuild these components with heart pine salvaged from the deck framing of the porch.

Updates from last week on the porch restoration:

 We're using heart pine to make the new column bases as well- luckily we have one original on which to base our design.

 The masons have been working on mortar issues behind our new deck framing.

 The column jigsaw puzzle.

The joined heartpine goes from square to round in a few hours, thanks to the hard work and (much appreciated) slightly obsessive attention of our latest apprentice, Chad.

Ben is using our limited tool resources to turn these antique pine disks into column bases. We will modify the profile just slightly for two reasons: future historians will be able to tell which are modern fabrications and which one is original, and to improve the bases' ability to shed rainwater.

 We use an old draw knife found in the office to rough shape the dutchmen on the columns.

 Very last, another antique tool hones the outer curve of the new wood to match the old: a Stanley bench plane.

The dutchmen are pinned in place with hardwood dowels and waterproof wood glue. We feel that these solid wooden columns deserve the Cadillac treatment because they're rare and they've stood the test of time.

 Jerrett shapes the column bases with a wood rasp.

Chad makes our square dutchmen round on the columns.

The new/old handrails and columns

Reinstalling these columns was a bit like a giant life-size jig saw puzzle. Using the original heart pine columns really adds something to the facade of the house.

Column/baluster work progresses.

All of these balusters were rotten on the bottom. We milled and doweled new fir on the bottom, and repaired any cosmetic blemishes which would hold water with Abatron's Wood Epox. We left a lot of 'character' marks, though.

Each baluster is primed, taking care to fill the end grain with primer. This is where outdoor elements always fail; when they soak up moisture through their end grain.

The final sanding before we spray the first top coat. The second top coat will happen in the field after installation.

This doesn't look like much, but this is our super high tech dehumidifying tent. Under masonry blankets for insulation, 2 dehumidifiers with hoses to drain them and all of the wet historic material sit for days. When their relative moisture content has dropped below 12-15%, they're ready for epoxy and primer. I like to let chemical dipped material get very low, 10-12%, but wood that's just acclimated to Virginia's humidity, 15% is fine.