With the demolition and foundation work out of the way on the Kuppersmith Project, we’re finally ready to start renovating our 1926 Tudor style house to turn it into a practical home any family would love.
Addition Framing
First came the framing for the master bedroom addition which wraps around the back and side of the existing house. To make a seamless transition between the two, it’s important that both the old house and new addition are even and level.
Once the floor joists were in place, plywood subflooring was glued and nailed down to form a sturdy floor. Two by four sole plates were cut to length and secured to the subfloor to form the base for the walls.
The walls were assembled on the floor, then raised and attached to the plates. Temporary diagonal braces kept the walls plumb and square until plywood sheathing and ceiling joists were added.
The rafters for the steeply pitched roof were next, followed by plywood decking and roof underlayment to keep out the rain until the roofing was installed.
Eaves and Windows
One of my goals for the Kuppersmith Project was to make the house as low maintenance as possible, so I used composite fascia boards from MiraTEC and urethane foam crown molding from Fypon on the eaves of the house.
To improve energy efficiency, the drafty old windows on the house were replaced with insulated glass wood windows from JELD-WEN Windows & Doors. The outside of the window frames came clad in vinyl coated aluminum for low maintenance. To seal out any drafts, a special tape was applied around each window.
Kitchen Expansion
Big changes were taking place inside the original Kuppersmith Project house as well, including a major expansion of the kitchen. Merillat
will be designing all the cabinets for our new kitchen, while Better Homes & Gardens magazine will be in charge of the overall décor for the house.
While the footprint of the house upstairs remained unchanged, some of the walls were modified to add closets and doorways. To see all the changes we made, check out our before and after plans for the house.
Roofing Change
One unexpected change I decided to make was to increase the pitch of the breezeway roof that connects the house and garage to enhance the curb appeal of the house. Since a lower pitched roof had already been constructed, we had to tear off the brand new decking and rafters, and start over from scratch.
Exterior Siding
We replaced the deteriorating wood shake siding on the house with cypress wood shakes from the Southern Cypress Manufacturers Association. While synthetic siding shakes are available in composite, fiber cement, and vinyl; the look of natural wood is hard to beat on such a prominent feature.
Each shake was cut around any obstacles, then nailed up with a Paslode staple gun. This attention to detail makes installation of wood shakes time consuming, but the result was well worth it.
The gables on the house which weren’t covered with wood shakes were given a stucco finish. A layer of cement backer board was installed first, and the seams covered by fiberglass tape. Next a base coat of stucco was troweled on, followed by a finish coat.
Roofing
An architectural asphalt shingle roof, which is thicker and more durable than standard three-tab asphalt roofing, was used on the house.
As a final touch, Velux skylights were installed to brighten up the back porch.
Watch Videos from This Episode
- Tour Additions to the Kuppersmith Project House
- Cypress Shake Siding for Kuppersmith Project House
Other Tips from This Episode
Simple Solutions with Joe Truini:
Covering Plywood Edges
Banding with veneer is a great way to hide edges on plywood. Use a household iron set on cotton (no steam) to activate the heat sensitive glue on the veneer. Once the veneer has cooled, use a single cut mill bastard file, followed by 120 grit sandpaper, to remove any excess veneer and smooth the edges. (Watch This Video)
Best New Products with Jodi Marks:
LG Wave Series Clothes Washer
The LG Wave Series top loading clothes washer combines rapid drum movement with powerful water jets to gently but effectively clean clothes even in cold water. The EasyDispense system lets you to add detergent, softener, and bleach at the start of the wash cycle. LG Wave Series clothes washers are available at The Home Depot. (Watch This Video)
Thinking Green:
Heat Pump Hot Water Heaters
Standard electric hot water heaters can be costly to run. The solution is to install an electric heat pump hot water heater, which is up to three times more energy efficient. Just like heat pumps used to heat and cool your house, a heat pump hot water heater draws heat out of the surrounding air and uses it to heat the water in the tank. (Watch This Video)
