1782 Stockburger Farmhouse Renovation

[Reference Handiwork]

Hey team,

I thought that some of you might be interested in a massive project that my wife and I have recently undertaken.

We're restoring and updating the 1782 Stockburger Farmhouse in Winston Salem. It's located in West Salem and was originally built as a 1 1/2 story log home. The Stockburger Farm was supposed to supply raw goods to the Salem community, but it was never particularly successful. In the 1820s it became the house for millers working the Salem (aka Blum) Mill. We have a photo of it serving this purpose circa 1880.

The house is sort of a Russian nesting doll of a house. The outside roughly showcases the form of a renovation from about the turn of the century (circa 1900), but inside the walls of the interior the log home is largely intact. There are lots of amazing surviving features, including the original roof structure, which was recycled by some enterprising carpenter during the 1900 update.

Let me know if you have any old log home advice, know a plumber who might be interested in bidding on a total home reno, or if you're a chinking and daubing expert!

Here are a few photos, but you can find many more on the house's Facebook page, or via its Instagram.

Here is the current state of the house:

Here is a peak at the log guts. If you or someone you know has experience with original chinking and daubing, let me know.

A look at the original kitchen and the massive fireplace for open fire cooking:

Hand hewn oak beams, blacked from open fire cooking, alongside early dimensional lumber:

Our pump jack setup for scraping, sanding, and making repairs to the pine siding. Lots of work:

Pegged joints in the roof structure:

Photo of the home (foreground) circa 1880 when it was being used as part of the Salem Mill operation. The mill is seen in the background:

Rendering of what it would have looked like at the time of construction (though it would have been entirely clapboarded):

 

[Hmerkle]

Amazing!
Thank you for sharing @Reference Handiwork - looking forward to the journey!

 

[waitup]

Very cool! As someone who pays the bills by remodeling modern houses, I look forward to updates on this project!

 

[Reference Handiwork]

Very cool! As someone who pays the bills by remodeling modern houses, I look forward to updates on this project!

Thanks Matt! As someone who pays the bills by reading Pete The Cat (I'm a children's librarian), I am open to any and all advice!

If you're ever in Winston Salem and want to swing by, let me know. I'm there most weekends and many evenings.

 

[waitup]

My wife is from Burlington, so we do get up that way periodically. I am also quite familiar with Pete the Cat my son (pictured <---) is very much a fan of his magic sunglasses!

 

[Graywolf]

This is looking to be a fun one to watch.

 

[Craptastic]

This is looking to be a fun one to watch.

I'd agree.

I have had experience doing some remodel work on log homes. Usually ones that were built in the early half of the 1800's and then upgraded and sided and plumbed and wired in the early half of the 1900's. Most of my work was in insulating and creating proper warm zones and cold zones. Also my work was up in the frigid north where, for the most part, logs were matched very close together so chinking and mudding was pretty much on the minimal side. A little bit of woven hemp and splurge some grout in there They wanted more of the insulating properties of the log more than the cold conducting properties of the mud when they originally built them. Sometimes they even concaved one log to fit more snugly over the top of the previous log. That had to have been some hard work to do.

I know electricians who would run away from work on old log homes due to the difficulties of setting boxes properly. Plumbers didn't mind working on them as much since most of their work was through flooring. Insulating was tough to do since there is no space to provide sidewall insulation, and ceiling support construction usually resulted in a very closed in attic due to the snow loads up there.

You have taken on quite the project and I look forward to updates and pictures as it progresses. Good luck!

 

[kserdar]

The door knob photo reminded me of a house remodel I was part of in central Illinois.
House was originally very upscale, stained glass over the picture window, pocket doors to one of the rooms, copper dust corners on the stairs, crown molding everywhere down stairs, etc.

When I removed the front door knob and plate. There was penny underneath from the year the house was built. The owners decided to return the original penny and add a new penny from the year of their restoration.

 

[JNCarr]

A grand project to be sure. Keep us posted.

 

[Reference Handiwork]

They wanted more of the insulating properties of the log more than the cold conducting properties of the mud when they originally built them.

This makes perfect sense to me! I'm not exactly sure what we're going to do in the places where there is missing chinking. I am completely fine with a modern chinking, but I'm still waiting on feedback from some historical experts at the state office. In places where we'll clapboard over (as was originally done), even some fiberglass insulation would be fine.

 

[Reference Handiwork]

The door knob photo reminded me of a house remodel I was part of in central Illinois.
House was originally very upscale, stained glass over the picture window, pocket doors to one of the rooms, copper dust corners on the stairs, crown molding everywhere down stairs, etc.

When I removed the front door knob and plate. There was penny underneath from the year the house was built. The owners decided to return the original penny and add a new penny from the year of their restoration.

Cool story! That doorknob is, unfortunately, probably the nicest piece of surviving hardware. Most of the rest is from later dates, but that knob hints at the quality of the original upfit around 1900.

 

[Craptastic]

This makes perfect sense to me! I'm not exactly sure what we're going to do in the places where there is missing chinking. I am completely fine with a modern chinking, but I'm still waiting on feedback from some historical experts at the state office. In places where we'll clapboard over (as was originally done), even some fiberglass insulation would be fine.

If I remember correctly there were companies that were developing a fiberglass reinforced chinking materials that had air bubbles in it that provided a bit more r-factor. Same strength but better insulation. I believe Reynolds was one of them but not sure. Again, if memory serves, it was priced as a design feature for exposed chinking. Wasn't going to be cheap.

 

[Reference Handiwork]

Progress is slow. We've had multiple contractors ghost us for the foundation framing work. Pretty disappointing, but we're working along with other projects.

Here are a few photo updates:

Caulking the first exterior wall after one coat of oil based primer. The primer really helped see areas that need fixing and vertical cracks that need caulk.

Most evenings after work are spent scraping paint from window sashes and making various repairs.

This wall is nearly completely primed! Figuring out the Graco sprayer has been an adventure, but it's a pleasure to use.

My wife has been heat gunning scraping the original woodwork.

Kinda neat. The sashes are held up with these metal sash plugs.

Though wrangling sub contractors has been the single most difficult part of the project, we finally have a roofing restoration crew on site! This is just a primer, but it really brings the stamped tin design to life.

My main hired hand is a local woodworker and friend. Prepping these exterior walls is just nonstop scraping and sanding.

That's it for now. Wish us luck in finding a contractor to do the foundation framing.

 

[Mike Davis]

The Log Whisperer

256 Aubrey Thomas Ln, Dobson, NC

(336) 366-0399

thelogwhisperer@yahoo.com

 

[Martin Roper]

It's great to see historical houses like this being preserved. As much as I like woodworking videos on YT, the house restoration projects are the ones I find most fascinating.

 

[Cbozz]

If you're not aware of the ins & outs of historical listings and SHPO/NPS tax credit work, feel free to PM me. It's a hassle but those tax credits are worth it.

 

[Reference Handiwork]

If you're not aware of the ins & outs of historical listings and SHPO/NPS tax credit work, feel free to PM me. It's a hassle but those tax credits are worth it.

Thanks Chris!

Part one of the federal and state have both been approved.

Part 2 of the federal is ready to go, except for an addendum regarding some of our finish choices for the porch, kitchen ceiling, and internal walls. I'll finish it up and send it off tomorrow afternoon.

My biggest fear is having them come back at the end and telling us to redo something that we can't afford to. We're looking for as much as advice and guidance as possible.

Our biggest struggle is finding reliable subs. I'm looking at moving forward with the foundation work myself if I don't find someone in the next couple of days. after losing five months and five contractors I'm at a loss for what else to do.

 

[Reference Handiwork]

Hey friends,

Quick updates.

The good: We have a crack crew working on foundation shoring. They're doing absolutely fantastic work adding footings, columns, beams, and sistering old joists with treated lumber. It's impressive work and exciting to watch and learn. We also have a roofing crew restoring our old tin roof. There is also a team of plumbers working on the new sewer and supply lines to the house. Super exciting stuff!

The Very Bad: last Friday evening someone broke through a wall at the site and stole nearly every power tool that I've accumulated over the years. They also stole tools on loan from family and friends. My hand tools were also taken, including a few heirloom tools from my grandfathers. We're currently processing all of this and trying to figure out the best way to move forward after the loss. The Winston Salem community has been hugely supportive and this really helps us feel like we can keep on with it.

 

[Wilsoncb]

Sorry to hear you lost inherited tools. My most cherished tools are the ones that remind me of who I inherited them from along with my love for woodworking.

 

[Reference Handiwork]

It's slow going, but it's going.

Here are a few photos of our progress. We've been feathering in new siding with the original. I was able to custom order doug fir siding, but not in the correct size. so we rip down every piece though the table saw before cutting it to length. It's a time consuming process, but the siding fits in with the original pretty well.

I've begun replacing and/or repairing window and door casings, which is pretty satisfying. Our carpenter has completed the footings and block work for foundation repair under what will be our laundry room and has framed out the small addition that will me our primary bathroom. We're having a lot of fun and keeping busy. Managing sub contractors has been pretty difficult, let alone finding anyone willing to work on such a big project.