partition wall studs

[danjennings1958]

We have a large very draft room that has a front door opening onto it.
as part of a raft of approved planning for the grade 2 listed house, weve added a partition wall to create a hallway, that will at least save us from the perils of ill fitting door and draughty from door area.
All of the other walls in the room are heavily timbers and id like to get 2 old oak beams and have them sliced in half lengthways and stuck onto the plain partition wall to have it match the other 3 walls.

I suspect ill get shot down for suggesting this, but thought id get a poll at least?

My view is that if were going to live in these mostly impractical, ,cold, expensive, dark but beautiful houses and were not "disney-fying " them, is at a bd thing to at least make them comfortable.

Thanks

 

[worms]

Why not just build the new stud partition with new oak and add to the history of the house?

 

[Cubist]

Done well and sympathetically the idea is a good one in principle, to my mind, as it can help to 'blend' new partition walls into the general view and feel of the house.

However, sorry but there has to be a gotcha here, I have to take issue with your proposed approach and for a variety of reasons.

Before discussing these though; am I right in assuming the partition wall has already been constructed?

If not, then perhaps it may be wiser and less costly to buy suitable oak timbers for use in its construction and leaving their outer surfaces exposed to match the design of the existing frames. On the other hand, if the partition walls have already been built, I would strongly recommend that you do not buy a couple of old oak beams to halve/divide along their length to create the look you want. Yes, you may very well get the look and feel you desire but the cost, in both financial and in other regards, may be more than you would ultimately be happy with.

First the money - old/reclaimed oak beams are much more expensive than new timber and you will also incur additional costs transporting them to/from a suitable sawyer - if you can find one prepared to do the job. Many timber yards will not take on the job unless you can guarantee that all metal objects have been removed and are willing to cover their costs in the event that their machinery/equipment is damaged should any such be found during cutting. Also, as most sawyers would use a large bed band saw for the task, there can be considerable wastage and the level of that wastage will be even higher if you wanted to retain the existing external patina and colouring of the timbers you selected. There is also the further risk that the grain structure of the resulting planks may make them prone to cupping and splitting in unfortunate fashions. Then there is what is perhaps the greatest problem....

Oak, during its long use in ship building, earned the nickname 'Ironwood' for the reason that sailors would often see cannon balls bounce off the oak hulls during combat. As it ages and seasons Oak just gets stronger and stronger and, unless some kind of rot or infestation takes a hand, will last centuries; but you know that. My point is, that old oak can be extremely difficult to work, even with modern power tools - as can be attested to by the pile of scrapped circular saws, jig-saws, multi-tool blades, etc. in my waste bin awaiting re-cycling. Horror story here - I once 'found ', using my chainsaw, an iron 'nail/spike' that had been six inches long with a shank of almost an inch across! So I would strongly urge you not to go down the DIY route for this job unless you are prepared to throw a lot of money, sweat, tears and maybe some blood in to the investment as well.

If I am right in thinking the partition walls have already been constructed then, in my view. the best approach by far would be to buy suitably dimensioned planks from a reputable supplier that can then be cut to your precise needs - BUT, be sure that you or your joiner fully understands how the grain structure of each plank is likely to behave as it ages and seasons before they are fitted.

 

[RBailey]

Why not just build the new stud partition with new oak and add to the history of the house?

This would get my vote, hopefully with the oak "studs" exposed. Once green oak has aged and checked it starts to get some lovely "new", "old style" character.

My only thought would be what would building regulations / control say?

Cheers,
Richard B.