Categories: Mark's blog

The Beauty of Imperfect Old Houses

By any other standard the door to my son’s room is broken.

Not only is one of the five horizontal raised panels in the century old Douglas fir door is cracked along the grain, but two are. If I installed a new door like this on a remodeling project I’d be called back in a heartbeat.

But once you get to be a hundred, the rules change. And so do baseline perceptions of what a “nice” house is once you live in one.

And just to set a baseline, to me, drafty, leaky, and otherwise decaying old houses aren’t charming to me. They might be pre-charming as it shows the home improvement adventure lying ahead–or even post-charming–but being cold in my living room and watching paint peel holds no appeal (hehe…appeal) for me.

Click below to read more by Mark on Old House Web.

Mark
Mark is a licensed contractor, tool expert, wood and outdoor enthusiast, and elite Spartan Race competitor. He writes about home improvement and tools for national magazines and websites, and teaches hands-on clinics for other remodeling professionals. Check out his book, The Carpenter's Notebook.
Mark

Mark is a licensed contractor, tool expert, wood and outdoor enthusiast, and elite Spartan Race competitor. He writes about home improvement and tools for national magazines and websites, and teaches hands-on clinics for other remodeling professionals. Check out his book, The Carpenter's Notebook.

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