We are in the process of renovating and have taken down an old timber wall to create a more open floor plan. However, the engineer recommended keeping the top beam and about a meter from the outer wall as it is interwoven and could bring other parts with it if removed.
So we've followed his recommendation and intend to keep a piece, thinking it can be stained? very dark. But it has been clay plastered, so it is naturally clayey and also notched for the clay to adhere.
How do you best treat this to achieve a dark and nice finish? Ideally, we don't want it to produce splinters. But if we sand too much, the old style will disappear as well.
Interesting because I'm also considering enlarging doorways in my log walls. According to some on the forum, it's strictly forbidden to even touch log walls since they are an essential part of the structure. Tampering with these walls can eventually lead to issues with bulging walls. I don't know what to believe, but I think it varies from case to case, and one can't make a general statement.
But if you read, for example, http://www.hallahus.se/renovera/interioren/invandiga-andringar/planlosning/, that theory seems to hold up, for instance, "For the log house, it is the material and technique that have provided the conditions for the layouts. The available length of the logs has been a limiting factor, and the need for connections, joining to create stability, has led to the floor plans we can see."
Clay plastering in the outer wall is very important for windproofing and insulation, so I would never remove it. In my house, some traditional double doors in the timber frame were converted to sliding doors in the late 20s, so naturally, a lot of the timber was cut away then. We haven't noticed any settling from that action, but of course, 3-4 courses of the timber were kept intact above the door openings.
Open floor plans do not belong in log houses, and it's not preservation to destroy the architecture. It has nothing to do with preservation, so you are posting in the wrong forum.
Even if the house you're renovating/destroying happens to be old, your questions have nothing to do with preservation. Making the surfaces "dark and nice" on log walls was not something done in the past.
Moreover, it's extremely ugly with large rooms that were previously two rooms. It's very clear that it used to be two rooms since the wall is not removed all the way up. Having a wall sticking out a meter from the outer wall, as the thread creator intended, isn't very nice and reinforces the impression that it used to be 2 rooms. A chimney in the middle of the wall may not be optimal either.
Here's a heavily renovated house for sale where they've removed the log wall between the chamber and the kitchen. Who would want to live like that?
Do you think this looks nice? Why is the need for an open floor plan so important in 2016?
Agree that the thread is posted in the wrong section of the forum. But the fact that one can't do as they wish with their house, I find strange. There is no reason to criticize TS for their opinions on what is attractive.
What you find ugly or not is up to you. It seems a bit unnecessary to make such a demonstration of your subjective opinion in response to TS's question.
Take it easy. You have your opinions, others have theirs.
Open floor plans do not belong in log houses and it is not building conservation to destroy architecture. This has nothing to do with building conservation, so you are posting in the wrong forum.
Even if the house you happen to be renovating/destroying is old, your questions have nothing to do with building conservation. Fixing the surfaces "dark and nice" on log walls was not something done in the past.
Moreover, it is extremely ugly with large rooms that were previously two rooms. It is very clear that it was previously two rooms because the wall is not removed all the way up. Having a wall that juts out a meter from the exterior wall as the thread creator intended is not so nice and reinforces the impression that there used to be two rooms. A chimney in the middle of the wall might not be the optimal either.
Here is a poorly renovated house for sale where they removed the log wall between the chamber and the kitchen. Who would want to live like that?
Do you think this is nice? Why is the need for open floor plans so important in 2016?
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Thanks for your opinions, but I will do whatever I want in my house.
It's me who will live there, and others can feel free to have their opinions on what I should not do.
So far, it looks very nice, and the reason is that we want it open so we can see the children when they play while we cook.
and cook together with guests instead of someone hiding in the kitchen and not being able to see the rest of the company.
I will post photos later so you can decide for yourself if it was wrong to tear out an old worn-out bathroom and make it an open room instead.
Thank you for your opinions, but I do exactly as I please in my house. I'm the one who will live there, and others who think I shouldn't do it can feel free to have their opinions.
So far it looks really nice, and the reason is that we want it open so we can see the children when they play while we cook.
and cook together with guests instead of someone hiding in the kitchen and not being able to see the rest of the company.
I'll post pictures later so you can decide for yourself if it was wrong to tear out an old worn-out bathroom and create an open space instead.
No one is questioning your right to do what you want with your house. But please ask a moderator to move the thread to another forum. You'll surely find more like-minded people who appreciate what you're doing. We don't here because it doesn't concern building preservation.
As far as I know, there is no rulebook that determines what can be classified as building care and thereby gain access to this forum, and what must unconditionally be relegated to other forums because it doesn't suit everyone. We can certainly have completely different views on what building care is, but a person who takes on an old house, cares for it, and secures a future for the house - whether it is done with flat glass, plastic paint, modern installations, and God forbid - open plan layout :eek: is welcome to my advice and respect!
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