Several weeks ago, a window came to us looking like this... The window had, unfortunately, been used as an entry point for a break-in. After contacting our local lumber yard, it was concluded that an exact match for a replacement window could not be procured. One of our carpenters then set to work putting the … Continue reading Broken Window
Historical
Carpentry, Artist at Work: Bracket
Recently one of our carpenters spent about twenty hours working on rebuilding a decorative bracket for one of our customers. It was in rather rough shape when he started... Finished bracket in shop. Of note, the decorative scroll portions were made using refurbished wood. Finished bracket on house
Custom Rails and Balusters
For this project we took down the existing balusters, posts, and columns, turned and/or built new ones, reinstalled and painted. Process: Installed (not painted) Finished in detail: Finished, overview:
Kitchen update
Drawer modernization.
Kitchen: modernizing while keeping the old
This kitchen had custom made cabinets which needed modernizing but were hand made pieces worth keeping. We reused some of the wood, updated the hardware and made new pieces to match the older looking ones. A combination of ingenuity and talent and hard work. An up to date kitchen with is own unique look. … Continue reading Kitchen: modernizing while keeping the old
Chimneys and Foundations
Over the past few months, we have undertaken two moderate size masonry projects. The first, a chimney on the Southside of Providence - on a slate roof with entricate design details. Second, an old stone and brick foundation that was on the verge of collapse. The chimney was featured before in our article on complicated … Continue reading Chimneys and Foundations
Roofing Geometry for Unusual Roof Penatrations
Victorian houses are beautiful no doubt, but they often present complicated rooflines that require above average designs for flashing. This problem is one such example. We were recently commissioned to rebuild this chimney and flash in properly with permanent roofing techniques. This means no solder, no sealant, and NO cutting corners. The difficulty in this … Continue reading Roofing Geometry for Unusual Roof Penatrations
Copper work
Views of a new copper roof, the roof is flat and about 6 ft by 6 ft . Shinny now but will change to dark brown, then to green over time. Life expectancy... 70 or 80 years. Nice job Andrew and Kurtis
Slate roofing
A new division of Casa Buena Builders is taking shape. Andrew Sanchez (our longest serving employee) has spent the last several years learning slate work, acquiring tools and learning the "tricks of the trade". In the course of our work in Providence and its historic districts we have already completed several projects ranging from things … Continue reading Slate roofing
Recreating molding profiles
We needed a few additional feet of moldings to match the original window casings. It is not cost effective to have a shaper cutter made so instead we copy the original design using table saws, routers, shaped chisels, sand paper and elbow grease. Usually we make our copies in cedar or pine, wood that is … Continue reading Recreating molding profiles
