Lines for a foundation were set out, and stakes driven in the ground at the corners, alongside the cement walk and pier. A trench about two feet deep was dug on the two sides and ends; and in this were laid large rocks and stones, in a single course all round. Nick, who was quite handy at this kind of work, built up a wall of smaller stones laid in cement mortar. This mortar was composed of one part of cement to five of sand, and made quite thin and easy to spread. When the wall was high enough, about level with the highest part of the ground, it was levelled off by using smaller stones and plenty of cement mortar. The level was obtained by laying a straight plank flat on the top of the cement finishing, and then applying an ordinary spirit-level. Any errors in the level of the wall showed at once, and were made right by adding more mortar, or by taking some off the top of the wall.
Fig. 8. Framing studding
Timbers from the old barn were next pressed into service, chestnut wood that had served as girths and beams. Two pieces were cut, 22 feet long, and two of 16 feet. The ends were then halved, as shown in [Fig. 8]—the simplest method of framing a corner—and the timbers were spiked and so squared as to make right angles at the corners.
Fred then took the old window and door frames, and measured off on the foundation timbers the outside distance where each one was to be placed. He put the double doors in the end of his boat house, next to the river front. The other door and windows were set in the best places to provide an entrance opening on the cement walk, light above the work bench, and views over the river and grounds. Fred decided to build his house ten feet high; so a quantity of studding, 2 × 4 inches in section, was taken out from the walls of the barn, and cut exactly ten feet long. These were to form the side walls between the corners, doors, and windows. Heavier studs were found in the barn, and Fred wisely used them next to the windows and doors.
Fig. 9. Side of boat house frame
These heavy studs were set up in the places marked on the timber sills, also at the four corners, and were toe-nailed at the bottom to hold them in place. They were then made vertical or plumb, by aid of a spirit-level, and the corners were braced temporarily to hold them in that position. The picture ([Fig. 9]) shows how the side of the building next to the cement work looked when the studding was all in place. The dark ends shown are the joists on which the floor is laid. The lower joists were made from timbers taken from the barn floor, 2 × 8 inches wide and long enough to reach across the building. The joists on top were 2 × 6 inches, by 16 feet long. These latter floor beams were set about 15 inches apart, ready to receive the flooring plank, which was nailed solid to them. You will notice that cross pieces of studding are nailed between the studs at the window openings. These form the tops and bottoms of the window frames. The spaces above and below are also filled in with short pieces of studding, to nail the clapboards to, as shown. The ends of the building were finished as shown in [Fig. 10], a small window being left in each to admit light and air, also lumber, poles, or other stuff that could be put into the loft through these openings. Inside the building a trapdoor was to be left, so that Fred or George could get up to take in or hand out the stuff.