Saw something wild at a restoration site in Charleston last week

I was down helping a buddy on a old row house near King Street and noticed the original floor joists were all hand-hewn. No nails, just mortise and tenon joints holding everything together for over 150 years. Got me thinking about how we overbuild stuff today. Any of you guys worked with actual hand-hewn timber before?

3 comments

3 Comments

sage_moore377d ago

Ever notice how old stuff just lasts forever even when it looks rough? A buddy of mine was tearing out a wall in his 1880s farmhouse and found a hand-hewn beam with the bark still on it, solid as a rock. Made me wonder how many of these new builds will still be standing in 100 years, or even 50.

elliotm577d ago

Oh man, I've been there! If that beam is still solid after all those years, your best bet is to leave it exposed and just seal it with a clear coat to keep the character. Those old timbers were cut from old growth forests and seasoned naturally, so they'll outlast anything you can buy today. Just make sure you check for any bug damage before you cover it back up.

logan5617d ago

Ehh, is it really that deep? Old wood is just old.