Sustainable Living
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If you are like us, you have been scouring the net for information on products and ideas for handling your renovation needs as responsibly as possible. Hopefully, this page will give you some ideas or help answer some of your questions.
Period-Appropriate Renovation Decisions
Barnard Notes
Accomplishing a period-appropriate renovation in an historic home is quite a balancing act. We began our process in the Apple Suite by simple demolition in order to uncover the original layout. Over the past century, our house was converted to a duplex, used for a convalescent home, and was finally used as a boarding house. With the passing of time, the flow of the original layout had disappeared.
Upon uncovering some of the house's secrets, we found it easier to finalize our design decisions. We kept what we could of the original layout, while improving and modernizing where appropriate. For example, the pass through between the bedroom and entry was made taller to match the height of the windows and transoms. We also added the arch to the kitchenette to match the use of the original arches throughout the home.
Demo before design does have its drawbacks though. The biggest issue is the time between demo and completion increases considerably. In our case, we did not mind the time increase since we had another 1500 sf to live in while the suite was in chaos.
Waldburg Notes
Luckily, the new Waldburg Apartment didn't pose as much of a challenge. While some layout modifications we didn't like had occurred over the years, few of the original details were destroyed. For example: when we removed an offensive closet from the bedroom, we were pleased to discover that the plaster molding had not been destroyed. The thoughtful remodelers of the past simply built the framing around the molding to allow for removal at a later date. Many thanks to you.
Waldburg Kitchen
The biggest decisions we had to make were with the kitchen. The vinyl floor was not an option, and we kept our fingers crossed that the original hardwood would be intact. To our surprise, 90% of the floor was perfectly salvageable. The other 10% involved salvaging old heart pine for flooring, and we love the end result.
Besides the floor, dealing with the 30 gallon water heater in the kitchen was the next biggest challenge. With few options available for a new location, we needed to go tankless. After some research and trusted recommendations, we opted for a Rinnai Gas Outdoor model. Not only is it an improvement in efficiency, but it's outside the house! No compromise in layout or loss of valuable closet space.
Waldburg Bathroom
While the bathroom is nothing compared to the grandeur of the Barnard Suite, we made a few changes for a dramatic improvement. The original bathroom felt like a tiny cave. By adding a frosted glass panel next to the sink, we allowed natural light to enter the room, and gave a sense of depth that didn't exist before.
The next question was what to do with the tile. It wasn't completely terrible, but it wasn't very good. The odd color combined with the unsightly cracks meant something had to be done. Rather than gut the room, we opted to tile over the existing tile. The new tile is a simple, crisp, stock 6x8 white tile laid in a subway pattern. The end result is a mix of modern and "old school" that is a running theme to all our design choices.
Bathroom Design
The bathroom was originally a porch, and had been converted to a bath some time ago. The inherited bathroom layout was so unfunctional that we had to re-plumb the entire room to create our period-styled bath. A salvaged tub was refinished and Strom Plumbing's Sign of the Crab fixtures were used to create the clawfoot tub/shower.
For the double sinks, we found Renovators Supply to be the best value in town. We ended up with 2 Belle Epoque consoles for half the price of one from most other retailers. Reusing a vintage sink is always preferred, but finding 2 matching sinks in good condition proved too difficult this go around.
Above the sinks, we were able to use matching salvaged medicine cabinets. These cabinets were saved from a home in New Orleans after Katrina, and it was great being able to provide them a new permanent home.
For the floor, we used a DalTile 1.25" Hex tile. This product line does not have a beveled edge, which was very important to us for keeping a vintage feel to the room. The walls surrounding the tub were tiled with a DalTile subway field tile.
Insulation
Recycled Blue Denim Insulation. This product is a great alternative to fiberglass insulation. In addition to the benefits of using a recycled material, we have been extremely pleased with the sound and temperature insulating properties. We used bonded logic's UltraTouch Insulation since we could pick it up en route from Atlanta to Savannah, and we found the supplier to be quite helpful during the ordering and pick up process. Luckily, there are local suppliers in Savannah now that the prouct has become more popular.
The best thing about this insulation is the lack of fiberglass. No need for masks or protective clothing when you install. Cutting may be a little more difficult, but they do sell a special saw or you can simply use a circular saw with the blade installed "the wrong way".
Let us know your experiences with blue denim insulation. Guiness, our terrier, grudgingly posed for the picture above.
Floor Finish
After going through so much effort to be as responsible as possible, the thought of polyurethane over this beautiful old heart pine just didn't sit right with us. So began an extensive search to find the best balance of durability and sustainability.
Shellac:
Our first pick was an old school shellac. Shellac brings out the most color from the century-old floors, and really can't be beat in aesthetic appeal. To test this option, we applied shellac to a couple of rooms in the main home.
For those unsure of what shellac is, it is simply the leftover shell of the lac bug. To make it liquid, the abandoned shells are dissolved in mineral spirits. Once applied, the mineral spirits evaporate and leave the lac shell behind as a protective surface.
As beautiful ad natural as shellac is, there are some drawbacks. The first being durability. Any alcohol will dissolve the finish, so be careful with parties. Water drops also tend to leave marks on the finish, even though we used wax-free shellac (highly recommended).
While shellac may not be very durable, it's simple to apply patches where needed. Just sand an area with feathered edges, and apply shellac in thin coats to blend into the existing finish. Basically, the question you need to ask yourself before using shellac is this: Is aesthetic quality more important than durability?
Osmo Polyx-Oil
Osmo Polyx-Oil was the finish we chose for the suite. Like shellac, this finish is natural and more sustainable than traditional floor finishes. We also found polyx-oil brings out the beauty of wood almost as well as shellac.
The primary advantage of polyx-oil over shellac is durability. Polyx-oil is about as durable as polyurethane, and stands up well over time. This product does not lay on top of wood like most finishes, but soaks in to become part of the wood. This nature makes it perfect for patching the finish without having to strip the whole floor. By soaking into the wood, the "feel" is very natural to the touch.
We love this product and highly recommend it to anyone. Application is fairly easy as long as you don't over apply it in any one coat. It's crucial to apply a very thin coat each time to ensure an even finish. It's better to apply more coats than to have to patch an area after you're finished.
We found the easiest way to apply the finish is by using an electric car buffer. Once the floor is sanded and prepped for the finish, simply apply a small amount of finish to the cotton buffing pad. The buffing action really gets the finish into the wood, and saves a bunch of time and effort.