1107 - Installing a Stairway
October 16-22, 2000 | April 16-22, 2001
HI, I'M BOB VILA. WELCOME HOME AGAIN
TO OUR LOW COUNTRY STYLE HOUSE
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF I'ON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
TODAY WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE FRAMING INSPECTION.
THIS HOUSE HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
AND WE SHOULD PASS WITH FLYING COLORS.
ALSO WE HAVE A PRE-ENGINEERED STAIRCASE THAT'S BEING INSTALLED
AND WE'RE GOING TO MIDDLEBURGH PLANTATION
TO LOOK AT ONE OF THE OLDEST PLANTATION HOUSES IN THE SOUTH
THAT DATES TO THE LATE 1600s.
STICK AROUND. IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY SEARS
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED WITH
TONY STEIN, OUR FRAMING INSPECTOR.
AND TONY, I BELIEVE YOU LIKE TO START YOUR FRAME INSPECTION
ON THE SECOND FLOOR, RIGHT?
THAT IS CORRECT.
WHY WOULD THAT BE?
WE MAINLY WANT TO COME IN AND VIEW THE...
THE SPAN OF THE CEILING JOIST.
TO ENSURE THEY'RE ADEQUATE FOR LIMITED STORAGE SPACE.
SO YOU HAVE TO GO TO EACH ROOM, CHECK OUT THE DIMENSIONS,
LIKE THIS IS A 14-FOOT BEDROOM,
WHAT SORT OF A CEILING JOIST ARE YOU LOOKING FOR HERE?
2 X 8, 16 INCHES ON CENTER IS SUBSTANTIAL.
OK, AND IF IT WERE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER
THEN YOU'D HAVE TO GO TO A LARGER SIZE LUMBER.
THAT IS CORRECT. WE HAVE THE SPANS IN THE CODE,
THE TABLES IN THE CODE, AND IF IT EXCEEDS THOSE SPANS
THEN HE WOULD HAVE TO SIZE IT UP INTO A 2 X 10
OR DOUBLE UP EACH INDIVIDUAL...
OR SISTER THEM. CORRECT.
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN TOO OFTEN THOUGH, DOES IT?
NOT AT ALL.
LET'S LOOK AT THE ROOF IN THIS SECTION OVER HERE
SO YOU CAN TELL US WHAT YOU'D BE LOOKING FOR HERE.
MAINLY WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A ROOF CEILING COMBO.
IT'S A CATHEDRAL CEILING, IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN?
CORRECT, A CATHEDRAL CEILING.
IN THE CODE BOOK IT WOULD BE CALLED A ROOF CEILING COMBO,
THAT'S THE BUZZWORD, I GUESS.
THAT'S THE TERMINOLOGY.
SO WHAT HE HAS HERE IS AN ENGINEERED RIDGE BEAM
WHICH ALLEVIATES THE OUTWARD PRESSURE ON THE EXTERIOR WALLS.
THESE ARE COLLAR TIES THAT COME ACROSS AND CONNECT TO RAFTERS EACH SIDE.
AND HE HAS A LARGE ENOUGH RAFTER TO ALLOW FOR
A MINIMUM R 19 INSULATION IN THAT RAFTER SPACE WITH--
GENERALLY WHAT WE LOOK FOR IS A 1 INCH AIR SPACE
BETWEEN THE ROOF DECK AND THE TOP OF THE INSULATION
TO CARRY VENTILATION FROM THE SOFFIT VENT TO THE RIDGE VENT.
AND THE RIDGEPOLE, THAT BIG PIECE OF ENGINEERED WOOD, THOUGH,
THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY THINGS IN HAVING AS GOOD A STRUCTURE--
VERY KEY, VERY KEY.
GOOD. ALL RIGHT, SO WE PASSED THERE.
WHAT ABOUT ACTUALLY TYING DOWN THAT ROOF?
HERE WE ARE IN THE LAND OF HURRICANES
AND WE'VE GONE TO A LOT OF TROUBLE TO PUT CLIPS EVERYWHERE.
ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU LOOK FOR?
WHEN YOU'RE IN A HISTORICAL SETTING AS WE ARE HERE,
THEY ARE BUMPING THE ROOF LINE UP--
WE WOULD CALL IT A PLATE EXTENSION ON TOP OF THE WALL PLATES.
RIGHT, BECAUSE THE ACTUAL WALL PLATE IS THIS
BUT WE'VE GOT AN EXTENSION UP TO HERE
AND THE ROOF RAFTERS ALL SIT ON TOP OF THE EXTENSION.
THE REASON THIS IS DONE IS SO THAT WE HAVE EXTRA HEIGHT ABOVE THE WINDOWS
FOR A CORNICE LINE TO GO ACROSS.
SO WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THERE?
ONE OF THE MAIN DETAILS HERE IS...
THINGS THAT WE OFTEN FIND IS THAT WE HAVE
A BREAK WITH THE ORIENTED STRAND BOARD HERE
AND OFTEN NO WALL SHEATHING HERE
SO IF THEY FAILED TO APPLY THAT ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP
WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO IS SEE THE TOP PLATES
WITH STRAPS TO THE STUDS 4-FOOT ON CENTER.
BECAUSE THE SHEATHING, THE SKIN OF THE BUILDING,
WHETHER IT'S OSB OR PLYWOOD,
IS WHAT HELPS TO TIE THAT ROOF DOWN.
THAT IS CORRECT.
AND IF IT HASN'T BEEN APPLIED ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP
THEN IT'S NOT GONNA HOLD THE ROOF.
ALL RIGHT, THESE ARE SOME OF THE KEY THINGS HERE.
WHAT ABOUT AS WE GO DOWN THE STAIRS
AND GO TOWARDS THE FIRST FLOOR?
THIS CORNER RIGHT HERE.
IT'S CARRYING SOME OF THE LOAD OF THE ROOF SYSTEM
DOWN THROUGH HERE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO,
BASICALLY, THE FOOTINGS OF THE FOUNDATION.
CORRECT. GENERALLY YOU HAVE AN ISOLATED PIER
OR WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE IS A LARGER BEAM
FROM PIER TO PIER.
OK, AND HERE, OBVIOUSLY, THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE,
WE'VE GOT ENGINEERED WOOD PRODUCTS--
GLUE LAMINATED BEAMS, LVLs, AND ALL THAT.
HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION, THOUGH.
WHAT ABOUT WHEN YOU'VE GOT A MASONRY MASS LIKE THIS?
THE MASONRY SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT OF THE FRAME,
WHICH HE HAS HERE, AS YOU CAN SEE,
APPROXIMATELY 2-INCH AIR SPACE.
THAT IS IN CASE YOU HAVE A SETTLING IN THE FOOTING
IT DOES NOT PULL THE FRAMING WITH IT.
A LOT OF TIMES YOU MAY SEE A HOUSE THAT IS NO LONGER STANDING BUT
THE CHIMNEY IS STILL THERE.
THE CHIMNEY IS STILL THERE.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.
WELL, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOUSE.
OK.
AND AT THIS POINT WE'RE VERIFYING THAT
THE GIRDER IS CARRYING THE LOAD AND NOT THE JOIST,
AND IT TRANSFERS TO THESE ISOLATED PIERS
DOWN TO THE FOOTING OF THE BUILDING.
BOY, I FIGURED OUT WHY THEY CALLED IT A CRAWL SPACE.
SO WHAT ABOUT ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE, TONY,
WHERE YOU'VE GOT PORCHES AND BIG ROOFS LIKE THIS. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR?
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS, OF COURSE, THE RAFTER CONNECTION TO THE HOUSE
CARRYING DOWN TO THE BEAMS,
AND LATER ON WE'LL COME BACK TO VERIFY
THAT THE STRAPS ARE TIED TO THE HEADER
DOWN TO THE BAND BOARD AND CARRIED TO THE PIER.
YEAH, THERE'S STILL A COUPLE OF PLACES WHERE THEY'VE GOTTA TIE IT DOWN.
IT'LL BE DONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING OUT.
THANK YOU, BOB. APPRECIATE IT.
WHEN WE COME BACK, OUR PRE- ENGINEERED STAIRCASE ARRIVES,
SO STICK AROUND.
LET'S MEET THE MEN FROM PORT CITY STAIRCASE
JEFF KING AND DALE PITZ, RIGHT?
RIGHT? GOT IT.
AND LET'S OPEN THE TRAILER.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT IN HERE.
THIS IS OUR STAIRCASE, OR PART OF IT.
AND YOU'VE GOT AN INTERESTING NICHE
THAT YOU'VE BUILT IN TERMS OF A BUSINESS
BECAUSE YOU JUST STARTED THIS PORT CITY STAIRCASE BUSINESS
IN ORDER TO KIND OF ADDRESS THE HIGHER END OF THE MARKET.
THAT'S CORRECT, BOB. BOTH DALE AND I CAME FROM THE NATIONAL STAIR COMPANY
THAT WAS REALLY MORE GEARED TOWARDS MASS PRODUCTION
HOW DO YOU PRICE A JOB? RIGHT OFF THE BLUEPRINTS?
WE PRICE IT RIGHT OFF THE BLUEPRINTS
BUT WE ACTUALLY FIELD MEASURE EVERY STAIRCASE.
YEAH, IT'D BE AWFUL TO SHOW UP AT A JOB AND HAVE THE STAIRCASE NOT FIT.
SO HERE WE'VE GOT-- WELL, THAT'S FOR ANOTHER JOB, I'LL BET, RIGHT?
YES, SIR.
AND THIS WOULD BE OURS?
AND WE'RE TALKING... IS THIS TEMPORARY?
THESE ARE BACKING STRIPS FOR SHEETROCK APPLICATION.
OH, I SEE. WELL, WE'LL LOOK AT IT CLOSELY IN PLACE.
CAN I HELP YOU BRING IT IN? SURE.
WE NEED MORE MEN ON IT.
OK. HEY KEVIN, HOW ARE YA? DOING GREAT.
SO THIS IS AN EXCITING MOMENT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUILD IT ON SITE.
THANKFULLY.
AND I SUPPOSE YOU'VE ORDERED THESE BEFORE IN THE PAST, RIGHT?
WELL, THIS IS THE FIRST ONE THAT WE'VE DONE.
SO WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE?
WE JUST LOOKED AT THIS A MINUTE AGO
AND THESE ARE TO RECEIVE THE PLASTER BOARD, RIGHT?
THAT'S CORRECT. YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRCASE
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE USE 3/4 BIRCH PLYWOOD FOR THE RISERS
AND IS SCREWED TO THE BACK OF THIS RECLAIMED HEART OF PINE.
AND THE HEART OF PINE, OF COURSE, IS THE TREAD.
THAT'S CORRECT.
AND HOW IS EVERYTHING FASTENED?
WELL, IT'S ALL FASTENED TOGETHER WITH SCREWS.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THE GLUE BLOCKS HELP BOND THAT JOINT.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE STAIRCASE
WE USE A COMPUTER NUMERIC CONTROLLED ROUTER
TO ROUT OUT THE WALL SIDE OF THE STAIRCASE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SKIRT BOARD HERE.
IF YOU SEE IT'S ON A BEVEL, WE DRIVE WEDGES IN IT TO PREVENT IT FROM SQUEAKING.
THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO KEEP THE SQUEAKS FROM EVER OCCURRING, ISN'T IT?.
YOU'RE RIGHT, BOB.
ALL RIGHT, WELL YOU'VE GOTTA TAKE OUT THE TEMPORARIES,
WHAT'S THE ADVANTAGE OF DOING THIS, FROM THE BUILDER'S PERSPECTIVE?
FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, BOB, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE 2 OR 3 WEEKS
WHERE WE'VE GOT A GUY BUILDING STAIRS ON SITE
ON A VERY TIGHT CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE,
SO WE GET PORT CITY TO COME IN, DO THE STAIRS FOR US,
THEY BRING US THE STAIRWAY, THE PUT IT IN,
THEY PUT TREAD COVERS ON IT TO PROTECT IT DURING CONSTRUCTION,
THEY'RE IN AND OUT IN ABOUT 4 OR 5 HOURS AND THEY'RE DONE.
SO IS THERE COST SAVINGS?
THERE'S A COST SAVINGS, THERE'S A BIG TIME SAVINGS,
AND TO US, TIME IS MONEY.
OK, AND NOW WHAT WE HAVE HERE
IS TEMPORARIES THAT WILL GO OUT OF THE WAY
AND ISN'T THERE A KIND OF WASTE OF MONEY INVOLVED
IN JUST HAVING THESE TEMPORARY STAIRS DISAPPEAR?
WELL DURING CONSTRUCTION IT'S ALWAYS BETTER
TO HAVE STAIRS TO MOVE MATERIAL UP AND DOWN
BUT WE'LL TAKE THESE OUT AND REUSE THESE,
TAKE 'EM TO THE BACK AND REUSE THEM.
WE'LL USE THESE STAIRS ABOUT 4 TIMES.
OK. WELL, THAT LOOKS NICE.
NOW HOW DO WE INSTALL IT?
WHAT LEE'S GONNA DO IS ATTACH IT ON TOP WITH SOME FINISH NAILS
AND THEN WE SHIM IT ALONG THE WALL SIDE WITH SOME BLOCKS
THAT ALLOW SHEETROCK TO SLIDE IN BEHIND THE SKIRT BOARD.
OK, SO OVER HERE, AT EACH STUD,
YOU'LL BE PUTTING IN A BLOCK.
IT'S GAS-POWERED TOOLS.
AND SO THAT HAPPENS AT EACH ONE
BUT YOU STILL HAVE ENOUGH OF A POCKET HERE
TO SLIP THE DRYWALL RIGHT INTO PLACE, RIGHT?
THAT'S CORRECT. AT THE TRIM STAGE
WE'LL CAP THAT JOINT WITH A PIECE OF TRIM.
GOOD PLANNING.
ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE'RE READY TO REMOVE
THE TEMPORARY SECOND HALF
AND COMPLETE THE JOB.
Bob: I LOVE THE PROFILE ON THE END OF THAT TREAD.
INSTANT STAIRCASE, EH, KEVIN?
Kevin: GORGEOUS, JUST GORGEOUS.
WHAT I LOVE IS THE MATERIAL.
GOT TO TAKE OFF THE PROTECTIVE COVER
SO YOU CAN SEE THE TOP OF THE TREAD HERE.
IT'S SO HANDSOME, AND IT'S RECLAIMED LUMBER, RIGHT?
BEAUTIFUL RECLAIMED HEART OF PINE.
NOW I'VE GOT THE SPINDLE SAMPLES HERE,
AND ONE'S ALREADY BEEN CHOSEN,
BUT YOU'VE GOT QUITE A FEW OPTIONS HERE, DON'T YOU, JEFF?
YES WE DO, BOB.
WHAT WE'VE CHOSEN TO USE ON THIS JOB
IS WHAT WE CALL OUR WILMINGTON PROFILE HANDRAIL.
IN HONDURAS MAHOGANY.
YEAH, AND THEN WHICH IS THE SPINDLE ITSELF?
THE "ASCENSION" 3/4 SQUARE TOP.
SO THAT WILL LOOK VERY HANDSOME.
WHAT'S THE COST OF THE WHOLE THING?
THIS STAIR WOULD RUN, TURNKEY, PROBABLY AROUND $4,000.
NICE JOB. THANKS, FELLAS.
THANK YOU.
COMING UP NEXT, A VISIT TO MIDDLEBURGH PLANTATION
AND ITS FRENCH COUNTRY FARMHOUSE.
NEXT TIME ON...
OUR SOUTH CAROLINA LOW COUNTRY HOUSE GETS A FRAMING INSPECTION.
THE HOUSE HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS,
SO WE SHOULD PASS WITH FLYING COLORS.
ALSO, A PRE-ENGINEERED STAIRCASE IS BEING INSTALLED.
THIS WILL SAVE A LOT OF ON-SITE CONSTRUCTION TIME.
AND WE'RE GOING TO MIDDLEBURGH PLANTATION,
WHERE WE'LL VISIT ONE OF THE OLDEST PLANTATION HOUSES IN THE SOUTH.
THE FRENCH-STYLE COUNTRY HOUSE DATES TO THE LATE 1600s.
DON'T MISS IT. THAT'S NEXT TIME ON HOME AGAIN.
NEXT TIME ON...
IT'S A FRAMING INSPECTION, PRE-ENGINEERED STAIRS,
AND A VISIT TO MIDDLEBURGH PLANTATION.
DON'T MISS IT.
WE'RE VISITING MIDDLEBURGH PLANTATION
WITH MACKY HILL, THE SON OF THE CURRENT OWNERS,
AND MIDDLEBURGH DATES TO THE 1690s, RIGHT?
CORRECT. 1697 THE HOUSE WAS COMPLETE ENOUGH
FOR CHILDREN TO BE BORN IN IT.
FABULOUS. NOW TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE THAT STARTED THIS.
BASICALLY IT WAS A FRENCH HUGUENOT ...MIGR...
WHO CAME HERE AS A YOUNG CHILD
AFTER THE RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION OF THE 1680s IN FRANCE.
AND TOOK REFUGE IN A LITTLE TOWN CALLED MIDDLEBURGH IN ZEELAND
BEFORE GOING ON TO ENGLAND AND THEN COMING TO SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND THEN COMING HERE, SO THAT'S WHERE THE NAME COMES FROM.
AND THIS WAS A RICE PLANTATION.
CORRECT. PLANTED CAROLINA GOLD RICE.
BUT THAT MORE OR LESS ENDED WHEN? IN THE 18...19...
IN THE 1920s OUT HERE, 1911 OR 12 IN THE REST OF THE LOW COUNTRY.
HOW RARE ARE THESE TREES, THESE BEAUTIFUL LIVE OAKS?
THESE ARE, UNFORTUNATELY, FAIRLY RARE.
THEY USED TO BE A LOT MORE COMMON THAN THEY ARE TODAY.
NOW THE HOUSE IN FRONT OF US
IS UNLIKE THE SOUTHERN PLANTATION WE ALL ENVISION.
TELL ME, WHAT'S THE BASIC STYLE OF THIS HOUSE?
BASICALLY, IT'S A FRENCH FARMHOUSE.
IN THE CAROLINAS, YOU DIDN'T HAVE
THESE GRAND PALATIAL PLANTATIONS.
ARCHITECTURALLY, THE THING THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS HOUSE
IS THE FACT THAT THESE ARE ORIGINAL PORCHES.
THEY WERE THERE WHEN THE HOUSE WAS BUILT,
SO THAT MAKES THEM THE OLDEST KNOWN IN THIS COUNTRY.
OH, IS THAT RIGHT?
IT IS.
NOW IS THE PORCH A FEATURE THAT COMES OUT OF ENGLISH ARCHITECTURE?
IT'S MORE CARIBBEAN. YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT IN BARBADOS,
WHERE THE FAMILIES ALL CAME-- IT WAS THE STAGING AREA FOR THE CAROLINAS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT A ROYAL COLONY, IT'S A BAJAN COLONY.
YEAH, SO THAT THE HOUSE DOES HAVE SOME SORT OF FEELING
OF THE PLANTATION HOUSE.
I'M LOOKING AT THE ASYMMETRY OF IT, THOUGH.
THE CHIMNEY IS NOT ON CENTER. WHY IS THAT?
THAT'S BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL PORTION OF THE HOUSE
WHERE THE TWO ROOMS DOWN AND THE TWO ROOMS UP
ON THIS END ORIGINALLY HAD TWO END CHIMNEYS,
ON THIS SIDE OF THE CHIMNEY IS THE MODERN ADDITION FROM ABOUT 1717.
SO TO THE LEFT OF THE CHIMNEY IS AN ADDITION FROM WHEN?
1717. OH, PRETTY EARLY.
IT'S A MODERN PIECE.
THE GLASS IN THE WINDOWS UP HERE, THE GREEN TINT,
WHAT EXPLAINS THAT?
THOSE ARE ORIGINAL PANES.
THE OLDEST, EARLIEST 18th CENTURY GLASS IN CHARLESTON
BEFORE, SAY 1720, HAD THAT BLUISH-GREEN TINT.
BEAUTIFUL.
SO THIS WOULD BE THE ORIGINAL MAIN ROOM IN THE HOUSE.
YES. ORIGINALLY THE GROUND FLOOR WAS TWO ROOMS,
A BIG ONE AND A LITTLE ONE. THIS IS THE LARGER OF THE TWO ROOMS.
AND THE LITTLE ONE WOULD BE OVER HERE, THE WITHDRAWING ROOM?
YES.
IS THIS AN ORIGINAL FLOOR?
THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL FLOORS, VERY RARE.
THIS WAS BEFORE THEY'D INVENTED TONGUE AND GROOVE.
OF COURSE, IN 1697--
SO THEY'RE JUST BUTT-- BUTT-JOINTED.
BUTT JOINTED AND NAILED RIGHT THROUGH THE FACE.
AND WENT TO ENGLAND RIGHT AFTER A FIRE AT HAMPTON COURT PALACE
TOURED THE PALACE, AND THE FLOORS LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE THIS.
AND APPARENTLY GEORGE I'S FLOORS,
AT THE TIME THIS HOUSE HAD THESE,
GEORGE I'S BALLROOM FLOORS
WERE EXACTLY THE SAME THING, CAROLINA HARD PINE.
RIGHT, SO THIS WAS A PRECIOUS WOOD.
IT WAS AN EXOTIC AND VERY HARD AND VERY GOOD WOOD.
THIS DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT, THOUGH,
THIS ASYMMETRY THAT YOU'VE GOT HERE,
THE WINDOWS AND THE PANELS BELOW THEM.
TRUE.
IS IT ORIGINAL?
IT IS ORIGINAL. WELL, THIS WAS PUT IN ABOUT THE 1820s.
THE FAMILY HAD MADE A LOT OF MONEY AT THAT POINT.
THEY KNEW WHAT HIGH STYLE WAS. THEY HAD A TOWNHOUSE IN LONDON.
OUT HERE, HOWEVER, THIS WAS THEIR RUSTIC, ANCESTRAL HOME.
APPARENTLY IT WAS A LITTLE TOO RUSTIC,
SO THEY MADE THIS SELF- CONSCIOUSLY RUSTIC.
I'VE NEVER SEEN-- I'VE NEVER SEEN IT
THEY'VE KIND OF PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER
SO THAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS DONE BY AN AMATEUR,
BUT YOU MEAN IT WAS DONE ON PURPOSE.
EXACTLY, AND IN THE CENTER OF THE PANEL, NO LESS.
AND THE WINDOWS KIND OF FALL
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE WHERE THE PANELS ARE.
WELL, CAN WE SEE THE LITTLE ROOM?
YES.
SO HOW WAS THIS ROOM USED?
WE USE IT AS A DINING ROOM,
AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN USED ORIGINALLY IN THE 18th CENTURY.
YOU CAN SEE THE DINING TABLES ARE PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE WALL
WHEN YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY EATING.
SO IF YOU'RE HAVING A DINNER PARTY YOU MOVE EVERYTHING INTO THE MIDDLE.
WELL, THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL BUILT-IN CORNER CUPBOARD.
THIS IS ORIGINAL TO THE HOUSE. THESE DATE FROM ABBOUT 1740.
THEY'RE ONLY TWO OTHERS LIKE IT LEFT.
THEY USED TO BE VERY COMMON.
I CAN SEE THE MARKS OF THE PLANE ON THE BOARDS.
DO YOU SUPPOSE THE SHELVING IS ORIGINAL, TOO?
IT IS ORIGINAL, WITH THE ORIGINAL GROOVES HOLDING THE PLATES UPRIGHT,
AND IT'S THE ORIGINAL CHINA AS WELL.
YOU'RE KIDDING?
NO, IT WAS GIVEN TO US SHORTLY AFTER WE GOT THE HOUSE.
IT WAS PRESENTED TO US TO BE PUT BACK IN THE CORNER.
IT'S FLOW BLUE WARE FROM BETWEEN THE 1820s AND THE 1850s.
FROM ENGLAND? FROM ENGLAND.
BEAUTIFUL. SO THIS IS A ROOM THAT EVOLVED
PROBABLY FROM A MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM IN THE LATE 1600s
TO A FAMILY ROOM IN THE 18th CENTURY
AND THE 19th CENTURY.
RIGHT. THIS WAS A LARGE FAMILY
AND ALL ROOMS WERE PROBABLY MULTI-PURPOSE.
BUT IF YOU WERE GONNA DINE, THIS IS THE ROOM IN WHICH YOU'D DO IT.
THEY ADDED A THIRD ROOM.
YES, THEY DID. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IT?
NOW YOU SAID ALL THE ROOMS WERE MULTI-PURPOSE ROOMS, RIGHT?
YES THEY WERE ORIGINALLY.
REMEMBER, THEY HAD A VERY, VERY LARGE FAMILY.
THE FIRST SEVERAL GENERATIONS HAD OVER A DOZEN CHILDREN.
THE FIRST GENERATION TO BUILD THIS HAD 14.
SO THEY NEEDED TO EXPAND THE HOUSE A LITTLE BIT.
AND THIS LATER BECAME A MORE SPECIALIZED ROOM.
THIS BECAME THE STATEROOM, OR THE GUEST BEDROOM.
OK, BUT ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS WHEN YOU DIDN'T HAVE FANCY GUESTS
YOU HAD A DORMITORY IN HERE.
BASICALLY. THEY HAD OVER 15 BEDS IN THE HOUSE,
IN THE 1772 INVENTORY, IN SIX ROOMS.
53 CHAIRS ON THE FRONT PORCH ALONE.
THIS IS KIND OF FANCY, ISN'T IT?
IT IS, THIS IS. ALTHOUGH, REMEMBER HOW PLAIN THEY WERE IN THE OTHER ROOM,
IN THIS ROOM THEY WANTED TO SHOW OFF A LITTLE BIT MORE,
SO THEY'VE GOT THIS OLD- FASHIONED LOOKING--
REMEMBER, IN 1820 THIS MANTLE WAS 40 YEARS OUT OF DATE.
THIS WAS OLD-FASHIONED, RIGHT?
EXACTLY. NOT QUITE RIGHT FOR 1780'S MANTLE,
BUT THEY WERE SHOWING OFF THE LATEST THING,
THE KING OF PRUSSIA MARBLE AROUND THE MANTLE WAS THE HIGHEST STYLE
AND ABOUT THE MOST EXPENSIVE FIREPLACE TREATMENT YOU COULD BUY.
AMERICAN QUARRIED MARBLE FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
CORRECT. YEAH, VERY NICE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A PAINT FINISH LIKE THIS, OR IS IT WALLPAPER?
THIS IS PAINT. THIS IS A DISTRESSED WALL FINISH.
TWO WALLS ARE ORIGINAL,
THE OTHER TWO HAVE BEEN RECREATED AND RESTORED.
BASICALLY THIS WAS VERY POPULAR ABOUT THE SAME TIME.
REMEMBER, THEY WERE RESTORING AND RECOVERING
UNDERGROUND RUINS IN ROME
AND THEY WERE FASCINATED BY DECAY AND ANCIENT WALLS.
THE BEGINNING OF ARCHAEOLOGY, RIGHT.
EXACTLY, SO THEY WERE TRYING TO REPRODUCE
SOME OF THAT LOOK ON THESE WALLS.
WHAT THIS IS IS A VERY DARK SALMON BASE COAT
COVERED WITH OVER 30 OR UP TO 30 GLAZE COATS
TO LIGHTEN THE EFFECT.
THERE ARE SOME WILD COLORS UNDER HERE.
THERE ARE NEON BLUES AND GREENS AND INTERNATIONAL ORANGES
THAT YOU CAN'T TELL HAVE BEEN MUTED BY THE WASHES.
BUT IT GIVES YOU SOME IDEA OF THE DEPTH,
THAT THOSE COLORS STILL SHINE THROUGH.
THEY HAD A COUPLE OF VIPs THAT CAME HERE, DIDN'T THEY?
THEY DID. THIS WAS DONE-- EITHER FINISHED IN TIME
FOR PRESIDENT MONROE'S VISIT IN 1819.
THEY THREW A HUGE DINNER FOR HIM HERE IN 1819.
AND IN 1825 THEY ALSO HAD THE MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE
WHEN THIS WAS PROBABLY DONE.
ALL THE MORE REASON TO BE IN THE LATEST OF FASHION.
MACKY, IT'S A GREAT HOUSE. CONGRATULATIONS.
WELL, IT'S MY PLEASURE. THANKS FOR COMING HERE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MIDDLEBURGH
AND OTHER HISTORIC PLANTATIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA
IS AVAILABLE AT...
HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR VISIT HERE AT MIDDLEBURGH PLANTATION
AND THAT'S A WRAP. COME HOME AGAIN NEXT TIME
WHEN OUR LOW COUNTRY HOUSE IN SOUTH CAROLINA GETS A COAT OF PAINT.
WE'LL BE USING HISTORIC CHARLESTON PAINT COLORS
ON THE SHUTTERS AND THE SIDEWALLS.
ALSO, WE'LL BE INSTALLING LIMESTONE TILES IN THE MASTER BATH
AND RYLEY WILL BE WORKING ON THE PORCH TRIM DETAILS.
TILL THEN, I'M BOB VILA.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
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