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| 506 Elgin |
Merrickville has its share of uniquely constructed and clad buildings. Plank on plank, log hidden under subsequent refinements still to explore.But these two houses got my attention - for they are clad in flush-board - wood siding applied flat, without any overlap. In some high-style buildings like Barnum House, flush-board attempts to simulate the smooth whiteness of marble. 506 and 306 Elgin Street were built by Samulel Langford, a gifted English mason identified with some of the town's finest stone houses. Turns out he was a dab hand at frame building as well.
This beautiful frame, with its lovely Gothic inspired barge-board and trims is gradually being restored. Patience my friends, you are doing important things here.
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| 306 Elgin |
The flush-board cladding of this second house, a block away, appears to be disappearing under vinyl siding? Now I'm not being judgemental - we too have stared into the eyes of the financial demands of an old house, and blinked - I just hate to see house history lost forever.
February 2015 update
Please read the comment just posted below. Not only have I been outed for my lack of research on this house which, in my defence, I wandered by on a day trip to Merrickville, but more importantly, the response contains a detailed description of the great pains being taken by conscientious owners to restore a worthy house. My apologies dear readers, and my congratulations. Perhaps next visit, I will knock on your door.
You state, "The flush-board cladding of this second house, a block away, appears to be disappearing under vinyl siding? Now I'm not being judgemental - we too have stared into the eyes of the financial demands of an old house, and blinked - I just hate to see house history lost forever. "
ReplyDeleteThis comment is farthest from the truth. Since 1992, my wife and I have painstakingly restored elements of Langford original construction. We began with the exterior foundation, above and below grade to the bottom of the foundation using a white lime plaster sand mortar mix. All joist were rebuilt as the dew point had rotted the first 3 inches.
We then began the inner foundation restoration converting the damp smelly crawl space into a beautiful space with 8ft, 7inches of headspace, in floor radiant (all professionally engineered by John Silburn from Brockville.
The roof has also been restored with a new rafter system and fully insulated. Enviroshake, an Ontario made recycle product was used as actual roofing.
In 2011, the window were removed, casings were restored. restored sashes will be re-installed next summer.
All of Langford's original work has been stripped of its lead paint, restored with epoxies, zinced, primed with an oil based primer and then two coats of latex were applied.
In 2012, we constructed an addition to the house, using a tradition timber frame crafted by Oliver Marx, SoulCraft TimberFrame from Gosford Road.
All lumber, posts and beam were generously given to me by my father and mother from the Shawville area. The pine maple ash and oak were felled by a neighbor and sawed by the Twolan brothers from Bristol, Que.
As to the siding, we have already begun to install white pine tongue and grove Vjoint to the exterior walls. This siding was milled by Vintage Trim in Arnprior to match exactly what Langford originally installed. NOT VINYL.
As to your comment, " I just hate to see house history lost forever" my wife have also taken steps to pay tribute to Samuel Langford, making a presentation to the local historical society in which we have detailed the craftsmanship expressed by Langford, the history of the house and our restoration efforts.
So, I suggest that in the future, you investigate more fully the efforts of those homers and their homes on which you comment in your blog.
P.S. It 506 Elgin Street not 306.
Kindly regards
George Clarke, proud homeowner of a Langford House, Designated Historical Properties, Ontario