Warped floor joists, floor leveling

Hi Bud, ya i thought someone would ask about the paint. You know it is good idea to paint all wood to seal protect it with primer. This stuff in the basement needs it, suffering from high humidity due to water coming into the basement for years, that's why it warped the beams, there was dust all over the place too and painting over it is easier than cleaning and better. When the wood turns grey it is sort of rotting so better to paint it. I did a bit of slop up job true enough, i want to put insulation in there later anyways.

The cord wood house is 9" piece of dried wood cord with held together with concrete or lime, 'stacked' also known as stacked house. A lot of concrete actually about 50% of the wall is concrete, so not much different than brick perhaps better. The stacks are separate with studs, so the stacks stand up by themselves until the big bad wolf comes along.
If you look at the outside of the house the roof and structure look perfectly straight. He built the other houses around me too and are still standing. I don't think much has change since the original structure, but i don't really know for sure. The house feels solid enough. I got it way cheap as it should be for all the work to make it liveable again. The previous owner had a bit of mental defect inheritance if from his father the original builder, 30 years ago and get run down with minor water damage etc.

Interesting history of your home.

Do you have to treat the outside of the house? (end grain of the wood)I think if I was going to make one I would use locust wood around here. All the grape farmers use locust posts and they last a very long time in direct contact with soil.

I don’t know what building code would say about it if you were intending the cord wood to support weight. Looks like most of them are post and beam and the wood is just filler.

"Do you have to treat the outside of the house?" It's covered with vinyl siding. It was a cheap way to make a house back then, it doesn't look so pretty unless it's finished an taken care of. Many of pieces seemed to be burned they used in my house, maybe a fast way to dry it out.

Yesterday i installed the kitchen vent which involved hammering out a old piece of cord wood, lucky they are mostly small pieces, i was able to knock one out. I still needed to chisel off some more for the 6" opening of the vent. I am always amazed that old wood can still smell so fresh when you it cut open. From the kitchen wall to the outside was 13" i think a nice and solid feel for a house.

Most hood vents are 7", may want to check on yours...

Sounds as if the builder/previous owner didn't have any inspections by city/county for minimum code work done; stair/landing handrails/guardrails, exposed ceiling joists without paneling/drywall, over-spanned joists, gaps in wall finishes to insulation cavities, etc. You have much work in front of you...I do not envy you.

Gary

"stair/landing handrails/guardrails"
I will get to the one. I don't think such a big job to put the railing on the left. It's not really a 2nd floor more a loft.

"exposed ceiling joists without paneling/drywall," It does have panelling over it. I think ceiling beams are a common and desirable feature. I didn't think it would be against code, keep in mind the metal is fireproof.

"over-spanned joists, " That's just how they built housing the 40's, seems to have lasted this long.
Sistering up the beams in the basement should not be too much of big job. The jacks have already done there job. Hopefully another month and mostly be done.

Strange thing here is the metal post is slanted, but the post base is over about 2" from where it should be, right underneath the main support like the other metal posts. So it is like they made a mistake when they laid the posts and then had to bend it over?? The result is bit of a sag in the main support beam and floor above.

I already jacked up the joists so they are lifting up 1/16" and so cracks are starting in the dry wall upstairs. Upstairs has already finished with the sags plum, so i had better not lift it up any more? But it is tempting.