Some basic preventative restoration (inside)

In order to repair the roof and make the cabin solid enough to move we need to make some basic restorations in order to protect what is still intact. One of my biggest concerns were the treads of the steps going into the attic.

They are original, over 200 years old, and less than an inch thick with no middle support.

In order to ensure the longevity of the steps and the safety of future visitors I have reinforced the steps. The reinforcement is not readily visible from the front and is repaired in a period correct fashion by putting two end boards to support a new tread immediately under the original.









Another cause for concern is the general wetness of the building. The attic was full of junk (some interesting junk including an original period rope bed-somewhat rotten) so we had to clear all that out as it was soaking up the rain and keeping the attic wet constantly.

With all of the junk out of the attic we can start to see what needs to be done in order to make it safe to work on the roof. There are several boards that will need to be replaced or patched.

A big concern is this rotten beam. It must be repaired before the roof can be fixed. luckily further up the beam from this picture it is still solid. I will be able to take a piece of locust and hew it down to the right size and splice it into the original piece.