I just removed a built-in floor-to-ceiling shelving unit (cabinet-style with doors) in the bathroom and found a uniform layer of sand on the floor inside the base of the unit. Is there any reason a carpenter would have put it there intentionally?
A little more background: This is an 800 sq ft plank-built home in a small town in western North Dakota. It was built in 1912 and moved to its current location on a full foundation in the 1950's (or maybe 40's). There seems to have been a major overhaul/remodel, probably including this shelving unit, sometime around the 70's.
The sand, about 1/4 to 1/2" deep, seems to have been put there intentionally during installation - there were wood shavings (from installation, I assume) on top of the sand. I thought it was sawdust at first, until it stayed behind when I vacuumed up the wood shavings.
I know, "Just vacuum it up and forget about it", right? I'm mostly just wondering if there's some old carpenter's trick involved, or some arcane but good reason to leave it there! Besides, I guess we enjoy trying to learn as much as we can in the process. Thanks, all!
A little more background: This is an 800 sq ft plank-built home in a small town in western North Dakota. It was built in 1912 and moved to its current location on a full foundation in the 1950's (or maybe 40's). There seems to have been a major overhaul/remodel, probably including this shelving unit, sometime around the 70's.
The sand, about 1/4 to 1/2" deep, seems to have been put there intentionally during installation - there were wood shavings (from installation, I assume) on top of the sand. I thought it was sawdust at first, until it stayed behind when I vacuumed up the wood shavings.
I know, "Just vacuum it up and forget about it", right? I'm mostly just wondering if there's some old carpenter's trick involved, or some arcane but good reason to leave it there! Besides, I guess we enjoy trying to learn as much as we can in the process. Thanks, all!
