Project Links
Emergency repairs to collapsing east porch on Stuve House (HS-05) to mitigate safety hazard
Lincoln Home National Historic Site » Emergency repairs to collapsing east porch on Stuve House (HS-05) to mitigate safety hazard » Document List
A small back porch stoop on the east side of the unrestored Stuve House (HS-05) has started to collapse due to deteriorated joists, corner posts and flooring. The house was built in the early 1880s with the brick porch piers built at the same time. The porch as it exists now has been rebuilt numerous times, the most recently in the mid 1970s when the house was in use as the administrative offices for the park. A ceiling collapse in the mid 1980s has caused the house to be abandoned for office use but remains a storage area for the park. The collapsing porch serves as the main access to the house and as such, it must be repaired to the point of safe use but must also be reversible when the house is fully restored, hopefully within the next 10 years.
The original brick piers will be retained and reused as part of the underpinnings, but the porch will extend to the south approximately 6' past one pier. The new corner will be supported by a 4x6 post set in a post hole approximately 30-32" deep and set in a metal "saddle" post holder and some concrete. To create the posthole, the existing broken concrete will be removed. A potential "igloo" cistern is partially visible above ground nearby and care will be taken to work around it, to not break through it. A plastic barrier will be used to cover it during the concrete installation. The remainder of the porch will use 2x8 joists with 16" centers, and a 4x6 or 6x6 girder will be installed midway to provide additional support. Cypress flooring will be installed, as well as 1x2" lattice skirting and a basic 2x4 railing to meet building and safety codes. The new porch posts, railing and latticework will be painted to match the existing trim color.
The house is adjacent to the visitor parking lot but the porch is screened by bushes and trees and is generally not accessed by visitors. The house is accessed only by staff.
The original brick piers will be retained and reused as part of the underpinnings, but the porch will extend to the south approximately 6' past one pier. The new corner will be supported by a 4x6 post set in a post hole approximately 30-32" deep and set in a metal "saddle" post holder and some concrete. To create the posthole, the existing broken concrete will be removed. A potential "igloo" cistern is partially visible above ground nearby and care will be taken to work around it, to not break through it. A plastic barrier will be used to cover it during the concrete installation. The remainder of the porch will use 2x8 joists with 16" centers, and a 4x6 or 6x6 girder will be installed midway to provide additional support. Cypress flooring will be installed, as well as 1x2" lattice skirting and a basic 2x4 railing to meet building and safety codes. The new porch posts, railing and latticework will be painted to match the existing trim color.
The house is adjacent to the visitor parking lot but the porch is screened by bushes and trees and is generally not accessed by visitors. The house is accessed only by staff.