justjunque
Well-known member
I really like that yellow laminate too!
Barry
Barry
Sarah's Country House Update
- Thread starter sarahperdue
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blackstone
Well-known member
Gas lighting fixtures
This might be unique to northern U.S., but my house used natural gas fixtures for lighting (prior to the introduction of electricity). The house was built around 1890. I have left the old gas piping in the ceilings and walls, along with the gas light fixture that was used above the kitchen sink. The gas fixtures that were in the ceiling are long gone. Of course, the piping is no longer connected with gas; just remains as history of a bygone era.
This might be unique to northern U.S., but my house used natural gas fixtures for lighting (prior to the introduction of electricity). The house was built around 1890. I have left the old gas piping in the ceilings and walls, along with the gas light fixture that was used above the kitchen sink. The gas fixtures that were in the ceiling are long gone. Of course, the piping is no longer connected with gas; just remains as history of a bygone era.
justjunque
Well-known member
Hi Fred,
Seeing that fixture, I bet the modern-ish electric fixtures in my upstairs bathroom are inspired by gas lights.
I always wondered, because the design looks like a little knob that would open and close a valve.
Granted, on my fixtures, it's mounted on top, and it's purely decorative. Nothing actually turns.
Barry
Seeing that fixture, I bet the modern-ish electric fixtures in my upstairs bathroom are inspired by gas lights.
I always wondered, because the design looks like a little knob that would open and close a valve.
Granted, on my fixtures, it's mounted on top, and it's purely decorative. Nothing actually turns.
Barry
Acetylene
Bruce's great-grandparent's home has been continuously occupied by the family since the turn of the 20th century. At one time, it had acetylene lights, and there is still an out building--now used for storage--called the light house because that's where the acetylene was kept.
Sarah
Bruce's great-grandparent's home has been continuously occupied by the family since the turn of the 20th century. At one time, it had acetylene lights, and there is still an out building--now used for storage--called the light house because that's where the acetylene was kept.
Sarah
warmsecondrinse
Well-known member
Gas lights:
I've seen a few houses in which the gas pipes were disconnected, the fixtures removed and electric wiring and fixtures installed. So you had a lamp that looked exactly like a gas light, but the valve was actually now a switch. I'd imagine that was pretty labor intensive and therefore expensive. At a guess I'd say it was people who had money to burn and were really resistant to giving up their gas lights.
IIRC the 1902 Sears catalogue reprint has all sorts of lamps that run on all different fuels. I remember gasoline and naphtha, but there were a few others in addition to the usual kerosene.
the 1960's development I grew up in had outside gas lamps on a post near the driveway. I recall outdoor gas lamps in the Beacon Hill area of Boston. Maybe 5 years ago I saw a house somewhere in the mid 90's between Lex and Madison (in Manhattan) that had an outdoor lamp on the corner. Weirdly, it appeared to have no mantle, just a jet with a naked flame.
I've seen a few houses in which the gas pipes were disconnected, the fixtures removed and electric wiring and fixtures installed. So you had a lamp that looked exactly like a gas light, but the valve was actually now a switch. I'd imagine that was pretty labor intensive and therefore expensive. At a guess I'd say it was people who had money to burn and were really resistant to giving up their gas lights.
IIRC the 1902 Sears catalogue reprint has all sorts of lamps that run on all different fuels. I remember gasoline and naphtha, but there were a few others in addition to the usual kerosene.
the 1960's development I grew up in had outside gas lamps on a post near the driveway. I recall outdoor gas lamps in the Beacon Hill area of Boston. Maybe 5 years ago I saw a house somewhere in the mid 90's between Lex and Madison (in Manhattan) that had an outdoor lamp on the corner. Weirdly, it appeared to have no mantle, just a jet with a naked flame.
cornutt
Well-known member
Two prong receptacles
It's still okay to install them as long as they are protected by a GFCI receptacle or circuit breaker. In theory, you are supposed to put a sticker on them that says "GFCI protected", but no one ever does.
It's still okay to install them as long as they are protected by a GFCI receptacle or circuit breaker. In theory, you are supposed to put a sticker on them that says "GFCI protected", but no one ever does.
If you are trying to make it authentic to the mid - late 50's, there's no reason to not use grounded receptacles. The church I belong to has an addition constructed in 1959, and has always had grounded receptacles. They have been available since the early 50's.
Many appliances have 3 prong plugs, especially mixers, blenders, and especially microwave ovens. Why install something that may prove inconvenient, and wasn't considered ultra- modern even in 1959? Also, to the best of my knowledge, no 2 prong receptacle is available in the tamper-resistant type, which recent codes require. They also are the less durable residential grade, but cost nearly as much as commercial grade grounded models.
The above comment by Cornutt is true for replacements, but not for new construction. Since you have the walls open, it is considered new construction. Regardless of what kind of receptacles you use, there must be a ground in the box to meet code.
Many appliances have 3 prong plugs, especially mixers, blenders, and especially microwave ovens. Why install something that may prove inconvenient, and wasn't considered ultra- modern even in 1959? Also, to the best of my knowledge, no 2 prong receptacle is available in the tamper-resistant type, which recent codes require. They also are the less durable residential grade, but cost nearly as much as commercial grade grounded models.
The above comment by Cornutt is true for replacements, but not for new construction. Since you have the walls open, it is considered new construction. Regardless of what kind of receptacles you use, there must be a ground in the box to meet code.
3 prong grounded vs GFI
All of my outlets will be three prong grounded except vintage accessory plugs on lights or appliances. Kitchen and bath will either be GFI or slaves to GFI.
Sarah
All of my outlets will be three prong grounded except vintage accessory plugs on lights or appliances. Kitchen and bath will either be GFI or slaves to GFI.
Sarah
Another update. It's been a while
Hi Everyone,
Here's a long belated, kind of brief update. My mother began funding some of the renovations last spring, and the speed of progress has rapidly increased.
The kitchen is has sheetrock and a coat of primer. The reclaimed floor from my grandparent's bedroom has been installed. Cabinets are being cycled through the powder coating shop.
The addition we planned to remove has been removed, but it doesn't look quite like the photoshopped picture earlier in this thread. The bedroom was added first then the bath/laundry & storage was added later on a separate foundation. I decided to tear out the bedroom and keep the bath/laundry & storage portion as the workshop. Not quite the view I wanted, but it definitely beats tearing down a large building and building a new one in a different location.
Monday, I went through the whole house with a new electrician. He was very apologetic about the time he is going to need to trace and double check the wiring that has been done by other electricians. I told him I was prepared for that and very happy to have him double check everything.
All of the rotten siding has been replaced with siding harvested from the future workshop.
About reclaimed house parts--we used flooring from the tear down in the kitchen. We also reused joists & beams to repair foundation issues in the kitchen and breakfast area. We have a house in the back pasture that was built for the help in the 60's that we will salvage windows and siding from.
My turquoise wall fridge is humming away in our basement here in Tuscaloosa.
So, here are some pictures! As ever, thank you all for your support and enthusiasm.
Sarah
Hi Everyone,
Here's a long belated, kind of brief update. My mother began funding some of the renovations last spring, and the speed of progress has rapidly increased.
The kitchen is has sheetrock and a coat of primer. The reclaimed floor from my grandparent's bedroom has been installed. Cabinets are being cycled through the powder coating shop.
The addition we planned to remove has been removed, but it doesn't look quite like the photoshopped picture earlier in this thread. The bedroom was added first then the bath/laundry & storage was added later on a separate foundation. I decided to tear out the bedroom and keep the bath/laundry & storage portion as the workshop. Not quite the view I wanted, but it definitely beats tearing down a large building and building a new one in a different location.
Monday, I went through the whole house with a new electrician. He was very apologetic about the time he is going to need to trace and double check the wiring that has been done by other electricians. I told him I was prepared for that and very happy to have him double check everything.
All of the rotten siding has been replaced with siding harvested from the future workshop.
About reclaimed house parts--we used flooring from the tear down in the kitchen. We also reused joists & beams to repair foundation issues in the kitchen and breakfast area. We have a house in the back pasture that was built for the help in the 60's that we will salvage windows and siding from.
My turquoise wall fridge is humming away in our basement here in Tuscaloosa.
So, here are some pictures! As ever, thank you all for your support and enthusiasm.
Sarah
Sarah,
It's looking good! The house is much larger than I had thought. It's going to look great with a fresh coat of paint and landscaping!
lawrence
It's looking good! The house is much larger than I had thought. It's going to look great with a fresh coat of paint and landscaping!
lawrence
Nice to see the pictures, and hear that things are moving forward!
Happy that the wall fridge is working well. I bet it will have to do overflow duty for Thanksgiving this week!
Sincerely,
David
Happy that the wall fridge is working well. I bet it will have to do overflow duty for Thanksgiving this week!
Sincerely,
David
turquoisedude
Well-known member
Thanks for the update, Sarah! It's looking good!!
Great progress looking good
Can’t wait to get down there and visit someday when you’re ready to have company.
Always fun to see nicely re-purposed vintage appliances Hooked up and ready to use.
John
Can’t wait to get down there and visit someday when you’re ready to have company.
Always fun to see nicely re-purposed vintage appliances Hooked up and ready to use.
John
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