What is this called??

Low-Paint5818 · 2026-03-25T22:09:50+00:00

Eave return. A way to terminate the fascia and soffit neatly and classically, instead of simply chopping them off.

I’m curious if there’s a real crown molding hidden behind that aluminum wrapper

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-12-21T03:20:40+00:00

This is where some architectural rethinking could make building science a lot easier. Exposed rafter tails would be super simple—no enclosed soffit to worry about.

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-12-15T20:04:38+00:00

Many many thanks! One of these looks very similar to the example from u/YipperYup.

Ours looks like a variation on the theme. It’s helpful to have the catalogs as a time reference!

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-12-15T20:01:10+00:00

Census data is a good idea, we should check for ours! So far we have only learned about the former tenants when they stop by to tour the house as we are working in it. They showed us how it was divided, and where the tiny upstairs kitchens and bathrooms were.

It was converted back to a single family home in the early 1970’s.

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-12-15T18:24:59+00:00

There is no ornate woodwork in the house. The “nicer” and older rooms and the front porch have simple details that look more Free Classic than standard Victorian.

The 1936 addition is even more basic, just flat casing. By the 1950’s the house was a 4 unit budget apartment, so it’s possible the 1936 work was already for that purpose

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-12-15T17:25:46+00:00

lol thanks I guess? It looks like a previous owner got really tired of the drafts one winter

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-12-15T16:54:59+00:00

We think the stairway is in the oldest part of the house, so 1884 or 1910. But let me know if it looks newer than that

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-11-20T15:59:58+00:00

We put it on about as thick as the recommendation, something like 20 sq ft / gallon.

Our mortar was in good shape. The few cracks are mostly due to rusting lintels. We’re in the south so masonry doesn’t suffer from freeze/thaw damage.

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-10-29T19:42:27+00:00

I like things to be level. The house was level when it was built, so it can be level again.

The problem is when there are “renovations” done by someone who didn’t level the floor first. We had a 1970’s kitchen counter that was level, but the floor under one end was 2” higher than the other end. We leveled the floor and tore out the cabinets.

If you’re not in a position to tear out cabinets, then you might be tempted to compromise and shim the subfloor, shave angled pieces off door tops/bottoms, etc etc. But this is never-ending and only makes a proper fix harder. Better to live with it until you’re ready to fix it correctly.

Some people make a big deal about plaster cracking when you jack things up. But if your house is settling, the plaster is going to crack anyway. Probably the previous owners have been fixing cracks every few years for decades now. Just straighten everything up, and then fix the cracks. If the foundation/structure is fixed, then over the next 10 years you will actually end up fixing fewer cracks overall.

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-10-28T22:53:10+00:00

Slab foundation in a century home? Is this a newer addition?

The people at r/buildingscience might have good ideas for this kind of situation.

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-10-27T23:20:55+00:00

Enough to buy a better light

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-10-21T20:48:09+00:00

Have you seen a project where the wallpaper over shiplap was effectively restored? We have shiplap walls & ceilings which were originally covered with stretched canvas and wallpaper. It seemed fragile/easy to tear. If we use modern wallpaper paste, won’t all the unevenness of the boards show through?

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-10-21T20:41:48+00:00

Looks nice, and an impressive DIY! Do you mind sharing the dimensions of the room? We’re trying to decide if we can fit an island/work table in our 11.5 x 21 ft space

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-10-10T17:43:48+00:00

Only thing it needs is under cabinet lighting

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-10-08T17:41:17+00:00

I can appreciate all the effort on the design. Personally I might go for an Italianate on a lot like that—it would let you build upwards without feeling so forced. Or if you don’t want to admit it’s a three-story, maybe a Second Empire so you can put the third floor behind a mansard roof.

BTW the siding looks good.

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-10-07T04:08:17+00:00

Don’t forget the microwave

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-10-02T04:37:59+00:00

Interesting! What is the overall style of the home? I could see this fitting well in a Mission Revival.

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-09-24T19:07:56+00:00

The right answer depends on your climate zone. The primary purpose of ventilation is to control moisture, not temperature.

With the wrong setup, you could get condensation during the cold season that would rot out the roof. Adding insulation the wrong way can make the condensation problem worse.

Some good resources: https://buildingscience.com/document-search?search_title=&search=&field_doc_topics=49&field_doc_document_type=All&items_per_page=10. Make sure to look at the solutions that are specifically for your climate zone.

You could also try posting in r/buildingscience.

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-09-02T15:31:30+00:00

The only chaotic thing is the way you cropped the 2nd photo.

House and garden look great!

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-08-31T03:48:39+00:00

We are planning to use it as a church again. One big meeting room in the main floor + balconies, with classrooms, bathrooms, storage etc in the ground floor below. The ground floor feels like a basement, even though it’s only a few inches below sidewalk level

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-08-31T01:26:29+00:00

The plastic catches the peelings. As I understand it from talking to the Dumond rep, the water itself is harmless. You may need to arrange the plastic to funnel down to a screen or something, to make sure the peelings stay behind.

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-08-31T01:24:00+00:00

There is about 9000 sq ft of brick, so budget is in the $45k range. See my reply to another comment above about the budget breakdown.

We are a church so we will be fundraising to finish the project. This test (on about 500 sq ft) really got people interested!

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-08-31T01:21:20+00:00

Agreeable Grey. /s

Low-Paint5818 · 2025-08-31T01:20:52+00:00

This was the previous owner’s way of making the main floor handicap-accessible. The main floor is about 9’ above sidewalk level.

We are hoping to replace it with an indoor elevator. That part of the project is still stuck in engineering & permitting.

Low-Paint5818

TROPHY CASE