Design my spandrels for me.

[MikeG]

Here is a drawing of my proposed internal front door (ie the one inside the porch), in oak:

The internal view is on the right (and I am unlikely to be using strap hinges). The area above the 4 centred arch and below the lintel is a spandrel, and although often plain, it was also often decorated in days of yore. I don't want an elaborate heavy carving, but a simple motif, trefoil, whatever, might look good here. Any suggestions?

 

[xanthe]

Have you got any motif that is present elsewhere in the house? Witch marks, nice carpenter/mason marks? Or even something particular to you or your family?

Just as an example, we're having a new roof put on next year and just for fun we are having one of the clay ridge tiles made with a copy of the witch marks from the bressumer carved in (5 interlocking circles forming a daisy wheel) and a 3 dimensional wood-mouse running up the side. We're forever catching the real thing in this place so seemed apt.

 

[MikeG]

There are lots of carpenter's marks, both from the "donor" house which supplied the timber, and from the construction of this house. But I don't see Roman numerals as being the answer. Indeed, it is likely I'll carve the date over the outside outside door (this being the inside outside door! ) so that takes care of the Roman numeral thing. Besides that, all other embellishment, if it ever existed, was lost when the house was butchered, sorry, renovated, in the 1970s. So I'm perhaps looking at traditional motifs, trefoils etc. I'm wondering about an acorn or two and one or two oak leaves, carved in relief. All suggestions welcome.

 

[plasticpigeon]

I'm sorry I have no idea, but I am interested to see the end result. What program did you use to draw the door design please?

 

[MikeG]

It's in Autocad. I'm an architect, so Autocad is my daily bread.

 

[DJH]

Foliage mainly Mike along with a simple moulding surrounding it. A rose might be nice?

Doug

 

[Penners]

What was the original status of the house, Mike? This would have a bearing on whether any kind of decorative motif on the spandrels is appropriate or not. If it was originally a low status cottage, I would leave them unilluminated.

However, if the house was perhaps of merchant status or higher, then a bit of decoration might be appropriate. Judging by the design of your door, I suspect it may be a Tudor (or Arts & Crafts) building, in which case, how about a simple Tudor rose on each side?

Alternatively this Google search might give you some ideas:-

https://www.google.co.uk/search?safe=off&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1670&bih=811&q=carved+tudor+rose&oq=carved+tudor+ro&gs_l=img.1.0.0i24k1.1298.6298.0.8927.21.10.3.8.11.0.102.838.9j1.10.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.16.848...0.cVHAqxCZLzs#safe=off&hl=en&tbm=isch&q=tudor+spandrel+carvings

Here's another source of pastiche ideas:-

https://www.thevictorianemporium.com/store/category/decorative_mouldings

 

[MikeG]

What was the original status of the house, Mike?....

Complicated. It was a farmhouse, farming 42 acres. They weren't wealthy. However, it then went downhill and became 2 worker's cottages, and is now, with a substantial rear extension, much higher status. Given that all the doors, windows, stairs, floors and so on were ripped out in the 70's, we'll never know it's status at the time. I am quite content to insert a higher status feature or two now given that they will be clearly dated, and in new oak. I am not trying to pretend that they were original, nor that this is still a pair of workers cottages. A full written and photographic history of the restoration of the house will be built into the walls somewhere for the next restorer to find. It isn't a Tudor building, as it was built around 1700.

 

[Penners]

I (and I'm sure many others) would love to see a few photos of the house, if you'd care to post some.

 

[MikeG]

It's been linked to before, but here is a 70 page long thread on a small woodworking forum covering the entire 2 year process of building the extension, then doing the renovation:

http://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=368

Here are a couple of photos just as a tease:

 

[Penners]

Now that's what I call a renovation! It reminds me of my first period property renovation in the 1970s, where I had to strip the medieval house right back to its skeleton and carry out some extensive frame repairs.

Some outstanding carpentry work - particularly that superb tenoned overlap scarfing joint in the top photo! Did you do it?

 

[MikeG]

Thanks. Yes, I do everything. Absolutely everything, alone, which is why this is taking a while. Electrician and plumber, plus digger driver, are the only guys who I use, although I am doing first fix electrics myself. Although I am an architect, I am a life-long hobby furniture maker, and have built a few houses previously, so I have some (self-taught) skills to fall back on.

 

[Penners]

It's a wonderful piece of joinery, Mike, although a great deal of work for a joint in the sole plate, which carries no bending or cantilever moment! I can only assume that you did it for the sheer pleasure of it!

There's some nice scarfing on your studs, too, although I can't see any pegs. Did you use these?

 

[Flyfisher]

Now that's what I call a renovation!

Me too. Congratulations!

 

[MikeG]

It's a wonderful piece of joinery, Mike, although a great deal of work for a joint in the sole plate, which carries no bending or cantilever moment! I can only assume that you did it for the sheer pleasure of it!

Pleasure was part of it, but it does also take any potential twisting of the plate out of the equation. I've always thought that twisting was one of the major and overlooked reasons for the complexity of ancient joints. There are 4 scarfs like that. After I made that first one, I proudly called my wife to come and inspect, and she pointed out that it would be hidden behind the cistern of the downstairs loo, and never be seen again! Ho hum......One day I'll find the piccies of my octagonal king posts with arched braces, which are on show in my bedroom. They make the scarfs look boring.

There's some nice scarfing on your studs, too, although I can't see any pegs. Did you use these?

With the angled bearing surfaces there is no need. There can be no movement as all the forces are completely vertical. They might have a SS screw holding them, but that would simply be to retain them before the jacks were released applying the loading of the house onto the joint. Many of my mortise & tenon joints are pegged, but many aren't, as per the original house.

 

[MikeG]

Now that's what I call a renovation!

Me too. Congratulations!

Thanks!

 

[Penners]

One day I'll find the piccies of my octagonal king posts with arched braces, which are on show in my bedroom. They make the scarfs look boring.

Please do! We had exactly that (original) roof conformation in the first renovation that I referred to above, so I'd love to see a newly-made setup!

With the angled bearing surfaces there is no need. There can be no movement as all the forces are completely vertical.

I understand the theory of that principle, however I always used pegs on mine. I suppose it was overkill belt-and-braces, but I was always slightly worried that the vertical load on the angle-cut edges of the top and bottom scarfs could conceivably split the bottom of the angle-cut sockets. As an architect I'm sure you'll be able to tell me that this is nonsense, but as a first-time amateur renovator I was working on instinct rather than knowledge or experience!

 

[MikeG]

I don't seem to have any photos from the finished room, but this gives you an idea:

 

[MikeG]

For those eagerly awaiting a view of my door-frame (!), here is the oak-work, with long mortises cut waiting for the later addition of the arched head-pieces:

And this is what the house looks like at the moment, with the door posts and head wrapped in Tyvek: