HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1979-09-27, Page 33SA
HE HURON' •1MPRQVEME
T SECTIO[
(Continued from Page 74)-
the brand new appliances we had purch-
ased. which were being kept for us, until: we
• were ready fqr delivery;" Shirley recalls..
The future gift shop -tea room had tap
priority. The three -levet choir loft was built
up to the highest level,:: and a kitchen was
installed,in the former hymnbook and choir
gown storage room. By .concentrating all
resources on this one task, the Smiths were
'able to open for business in July., 1973..
The first winter was difficult one.
camped in a 10' by 10' space, sleeping on
mattresses, no modern appliances,no
income. andtrying to get the main floor
ready. For the following two winters, the
Smiths rented a farm house, •
Work on the living quarters moved'.
ahead most rapidly during January,,Feb,
ruary and March, when the shop was:
closed, "We were doing everything for the
first, time" Mr. Smith said. They read
books, asked questions, and experimented,
W.' Smith admits now that the ceilings
evolved, and not too much imagination
went into the first one. Three-quarter inch
styrofoam was nailed to the original
ceilings with galvanized nails and washers,
Mr. Smith moulded the strapping with ;a
router.. then fitted in large sheets of 'i"
gyproc,
Bradley's room has stained beams,
made by 2 by 4's laminated together. By .;
the time Ross reached the master bed-
room, he was :becoming an expert. The
beams in this room were made by mitering
three 'pieces of pine boards over the 2 by
4`s so expertly that no joins are visible, lie
began to stipple the gyproc with a seaming
compound, but it dried so quickly that he
grabbed a trowel and smoothed out wide
borders around each section, adding
artistic swirls: in the centers. The result is
decorative and unique.
The kitchen has solid: cedar beams;. one
is from a piece of lumber 24 feet long. Ross
used his router to run a 5/8" groove down,
the center of each beam, intending to fit in
moulding. but the grooved beams looked.
so good he left them that way.
The original floor was made .of pine
boards over two layersof concrete, The
good boards were saved, to be used in the
attic. and the Smiths removed one layer of
concrete in an irregular 20' by 18' space to
create a sunken living, room,
The basement ceilings, being the under -
Side of the upper floor, had the same slope
as the former sanctuary, with an 18" rise
from the choir loft to the' outer wall,. The
living room ceiling, like the one up above,.
was made of narrow boards skilfully fitted,
together. Mr. Smith removed the boards
one at a time, numbered each 'one,.
insulated, lowered the 'ceiling, and. then'.
.painstakingly fitted eachslat back. 'into.
place. MI ceilings, once up to 12' high, are
now a uniform nine feet.
When Shirley returned from a craft and
hobby show in Texas in 1975 her husband
had a surprise for her - the kitchen- was
painted, papered, and finally completed.
However, the living room still: had to be,
used to store stock for the shop. and a large
saw had been •a permanent fixture in the
dining • room since work began. Both
Shirley and Ross' needed a workshop, Ross,
a.. pilot who owns his own Fleet Canuck,
takes `aerial photographs of farms, then
laminates and heat -seals the enlarged
•
colour prints onto ;particle board. The
purchaser can display his homestead on his
wall,or use the board as a serving .tray. as
it is impervious to heat, water and alcohol.
Shirley had taught classes in macrame',
decoupage, and flower arranging in; the
unfinished living quarters.
A 24' x 24' two-storey• workshop was;
completed in 1976, By using 2 by 6 studs.
packing in si,x .inches of insulation, choos•
-
ing a mansard roof which covers partof the
upper storey with an added layer of
protection, and omitting windows on the
windward side, the whole structure is
warmed with a little Quebec heater that
often makes the workshop uncomfortably
hot while Ross works downstairs on his
laminating, and upstairs Shirley teaches
floral' decor to women who travel from
Atwood, London, Lorne' and. Kintore to
attend her night classes.
When asked' what relatives- and friends
thought of the Smiths' • project, Shirley
throws upher hands • in . mock dismay.
"They 'thought we were stark, staring.
mad", she exclaims. "They started to
speak to us again after the rugs were laid."
• RUGS LAID
:'that momentous event took place two
years ago,'Twas the night before Christ -
bias, the Smiths were preparing to, host a
large family gathering the next day, the
dining room: and living room floors were
still bare concrete, and the dining room
carpet had not been delivered. A workman
'came out that night, cut the living room
carpet to.size,and• just put it down over the
concrete as a temporary solution:
"All small, children were instructed •to
fall nowhere, but into the living. room", -
Ain, A
Blyth house
A NEW PORCH—Mr. and, Mrs. Grant Elliott
have a new mansard roof porch on their house in Blyth.
•f
(Continued. from Page 1 A) •.
trusses for the roof and went
ahead ' and pre -fabricated'.
those. The roof will be
shingled later.
Grant said •there wasn't
any real major problems with
the porch ante they got going
but .they made sure that -it,
was built very strongly; •
• AU the cracks in an average
house taken together would,
equal a hole in the wall the sine
of a bakethau.
Proper corking and insulation
can save you. $200 per year in
heating costs and more than $50
per year in air conditioning.
costs..
• A hath .use three times as.
much t• titer as a shower.
Lntim�
b
And there are so many colors and varieties.
to choose from. Plant NOW and watch them spring
to beautifully. •
BAKER:'S
farm & Garden Centre
22 Isaac St., Clinton 482-9333
Mon - Fri. 8-6, Sat. 8-5 p.m.
"The gest Selection in Huron County"
home
Shirley grinned.
The final touch was added recently, an
extra layer of glass, giving each window on
the lower level triple glazing. The 'Smiths::
have compared their heating bilis with
those of friends who live in poorly, insulated
older- homes, and have found that their'
costs compare very favourably with those'
of a normal large house,
lf" they were starting again, the ,Smiths
would do some things differently, ;Instead
of insulating. the old walls, Ross would
build inner walls of 2 by 8's, and insulate
them with fiberglass Batts. Shirley, who is `
a petite five feet nothing; findsthe
standard cupboards a, bit too high. (Ross
has made her a ipw fold -down shelf to hold;
her bowl when she is mixing up large
batches of scones for the tea room.) If she
ever tackled' another renovating job, she
would make sure she had a lower
countertop.
Another time, they would raise the living
room, as hot air rises andcool aitstays
near the floor. "That's the reason for the
footstools" Shirley adds witha rueful
smile;
"Renovating has many advantages."
Shirley maintains. "You learn to appreci-
ate everything;- hot water„ 220 wiring, bath
tubs, all the. conveniences we • take for.
granted. And you never have to worry
about cleaning anything, as you are in a
constant mess:''
After recalling all the hard work and the
sacrifices; the Smiths look around', their
lovely :home at all'.they have accomplished,
then nod in:;unison. Yes. <even With the
benefit of.hindsight, they would do it all
again.
MANNING'S
BUILDING • SUPPLIES LTD
ILDING CENTRE
Opens the door
to all your building needs
a
hng'
• Limber
• Carpels
Plywood
• Power .Tools ;
large & small
Finish your.:..
aroweNONiuyvlptI-
;fdt Modena Equipment
• "Belvedere"
Kitchen
Cabinets Et
Vanities
�1) J
YOUR KITCHEN
Complete line of
'Pittsburgh Paint
• Insulation
BLYTH
5523