I'm Forced to Sell My Church...windows

Book Of The Century?: www.fototrippe...
In this episode, I'm like a used car salesman, except I'm selling scrap. This church renovation project has got completely out of control and I'm bleeding money.
I give you a full Hardcastle Towers update where you get to see the shameful level of progress we've achieved. At least all of the pews have been taken apart and skinflint that I am, I'm managing to salvage and cut the lumber for repurposing within the church.
Talking of lumber, several tonnes of new framing lumber arrive but where am I going to put it, and will the floor be able to hold all of that weight?
In order the deal with all of the moisture problems in the basement I've decided to install a Humidex, but will it be enough? What am I going to do with all of those stained glass windows and the two remaining pews that are both 16ft long?
There's really only one way to find out.
Thanks for watching
Gavin Hardcastle - Fototripper
My Camera Bag (10% Off with code FOTOTRIPPER10) shimoda-design...
Get 10% Off Fotospeed Paper with coupon code GAVIN10
cybersportphot...
Music by Epidemic Sound share.epidemics...
Business: www.fototrippe...
My Flickr: www.flickr.com...
My Rinsedagram: / fototripper
My Full Gear List: www.fototrippe...
#homemakeover #homerenovation #fototripper

[@HardcastleTowers]

This book though... www.fototripper.com/chasing-awe-landscape-photography-book-gavin-hardcastle/

[@barrysoutthere]

Those hymnal racks would look great on the wall holding some framed Thomas Heaton photos 😉

[@Brock_in_the_North]

Create a round table from the pews and get all the landscape vloggers round for a Hardcastle meetup . Vloggers of the Round table 👍🏼

[@HardcastleTowers]

Hardcastles Round Table?

[@Chiro75]

Why limit to vloggers? Rent the round table out in the evening, obviously, Nights of the Round Table. 😵‍💫

[@hankmenigna6133]

I love it!

[@Ruscombephotos]

Why are there three or four large piles of soil in the basement?

[@Leahintrigued]

I know it's been months so the little shelves are probably gone, but if not you could market them as children book shelves. The thin books are perfect for it front facing making it easier for young kids.

[@christrishpower4260]

Hi Gavin, if you run your boards through a plainer, it would flatten them and remove the finish at the same time. A lot less sanding!

[@six4two1]

That was my first thought for the pew seats and backs. a thickness plainer would make all of your big boards the same thickness and open up the possibilities for wall, ceiling, or flooring.

[@boblacourse1430]

Hey Gavin: Why don't you get in touch with a cabinet shop. They might be interested in the wood. I also think having them make your kitchen cabinets from all that scrap would look great. Cabinets made from historic wood that has old world charm and a great conversation area while cooking. They might give you a sweat deal. Wainscot is a good idea, but as a retired GC I believe you could get better use from the lumber.

[@Jeff-jg7jh]

Yup, just watch some Utube. There are guys out there that can make nice things out of just about anything.

[@cinemaipswich4636]

The sides of the pews could be used as a "single chair" with small amount of the other timber as seat and back. Perhaps for dining tables.

[@19Photographer76]

I doubt that I'm the only one that's said this but having cement poured in on top of a vapor barrier is about your best option. The more venting you do the more ground moisture will move under the Lodge like a half dry sponge wicking rain/ground water.

[@RussRead]

You have some beautiful dry seasoned wood that is so very hard to come by these days without paying a king's ransom. I agree with some other, seek out a cabinet maker. There is a HUGE market down here in the States for reclaimed lumber. Don't sell yourself short, and for the love of Pete, don't burn them!

[@omegawaves]

Chasing dust with Gavin Hardcastle

[@bekihealy9358]

The Pew ends look like they would make great steps or a sturdy book case.

[@RiverWhisperPrd]

Local woodworkers and cabinet makers are always looking for old wood.

[@lphilpot01]

Use a few of the pew ends to build some really cool chairs. Add cushions, etc., and you'll have some striking furniture.

[@user-xs2fj8cq9c]

Prayer book shelves are perfect size for hobbyists paint storage. I would imagine they are long gone by now.

[@ronboe6325]

The pew ends - use some of the pews and make singe person chairs out of them.

[@suzieq7000]

You gotta make a table top with all the end pews. Take them to a lumberyard and cut a square out of each….all the squares would make an absolutely beautiful tabletop or two.

[@DamonMoritz]

The pew ends would be a great bed frame corner. You could also chop down some of the other boards and build Pew Club Chairs.

[@DamonMoritz]

www.pews.com/userfiles/image/pews/pew_bodies/870-989.jpg

[@HardcastleTowers]

Or a headboard. Those chairs like kinda funky.

[@marksuchomelsr6698]

Gavin, if you can get a planer, you could plane down the arms to a flooring thickness and make a patterned floor for an area of the church.

[@HardcastleTowers]

How much does a large planer cost?

[@marksuchomelsr6698]

@@HardcastleTowers A thirteen inch is about $500.

[@jonb8875]

Use the wood from the pews to fit out the place. You will need cupboards , storage , tables and a whole lot more. Though best thing to probably do is sit on it until you find a use.

[@RiverWhisperPrd]

Can’t wait to see the finished renovation.

[@stevenpollock4574]

pick yourself up a portable dewalt planner for a few hundred dollars. You got some good meat on those douglas fir panels. Run them through the planer and it will flatten them well. It will also make quick work at resurfacing the wood back to virgin wood. Save you heaps of time from sanding and give you nice dimensioned wood (all at same thickness) that you can use for whatever you choose.

[@Jeff-jg7jh]

That's what I thought, but I'm not a carpenter/builder.

[@_MANNATESTIMONIES]

The pew ends can be made into chairs or sold to artisan joiner / wood worker or antique upcycler. Please don't burn them!!

[@rayspencer5025]

If you are to have a Pantry you could add some wood (from your other pew waste wood) to extend them out to make some Pantry shelving. Or do the same thing in the bathroom gor a medicine cabinet, or in the closet for shoe storage.

[@williamturner1441]

Local furniture / cabinet maker would love to take those off your hands. You should be able to get a couple of bucks for all that wood.

[@ogopogohunter69]

Build a bar room with the pew wood, use the ends to make chairs.

[@tessm3420]

It's going to be a beautiful home can't wait to see it finished.

[@carlarivas1238]

With the long pieces make a bar. With the sides of the pews make the bar stools.

[@JohnMayfield-NS]

Looks like you should be in by Christmas! Happy to see another episode. :)

[@HardcastleTowers]

Christmas 2028!

[@JohnMayfield-NS]

:D A bit of a jab at the long running home improvement show "Escape to the Country" on BBC. People live in a "caravan" (RV) and when asked when they hope to be in the renovated (usually Scheduled) building they often say, "By Christmas.." It's like a curse... never happens.

[@amyjsinclair4220]

The pew ends would make superb stair treads to get up in your loft. Just cut them into uniform rectangles. Beautiful.

[@shadowace03]

I agree, great stair treads if they can be cut big enough..

[@scottoldre7038]

Pew ends are perfect for table legs on a circular or oval table. Or chairs (tiny pew). They could be made into end tables. So many things that could be done. Good luck. I appreciate your attempt at salvaging this wood...it's a finite resource and it has history. Put your thinking cap on Gavin.

[@DarrenJSpoonley]

appropriate footware for the win :-) coming along nicely Gav

[@cliftonwhittaker260]

I can't believe all this!! Here's a book title for you: How I Sank a Brazilian Dollars into an Old Church. I hope you find a way to at least break even on it and have a livable space. I can't even imagine the heating cost in winter for all that open space. WOW! But, I have absolutely no creative foresight for building renovations so I don't know what I'm talking about. Still enjoyed watching you work in the video. Hope it turns into a dream home for you and Amanda.

[@mikeridley1]

Maybe utilise the pew ends to make some chairs if you need any ... with some shortened sections from the original bases & backs. Just a thought.

[@ThurlowDave]

You could make a type of bucket chair with the pew ends. Using about 12 of them, each separated by spacers, you could cut out the middles to reveal a sear shape. It works in my head!

[@paulferguson1921]

Thing is Gavin your sales pitch "100 year old window, pews, timber..." doesn't work for us in the UK. For us they should be marketed as nearly new.

[@HardcastleTowers]

Lightly used.

[@gaoldias]

@@HardcastleTowers Previously enjoyed....for eternity.

[@paulferguson1921]

@@HardcastleTowers Just run in.

[@davidligon6088]

What a fun project. I would vote for renting a planer and a table saw. You can plane the finish off of all those boards and make them the same thickness in no time. Set your table saw to 8” and then you can cut boards into same size 6” or 7” or 8” widths in no time. You could have boards for your “wayne’s coating” in no time. I would recommend beveling the edges for nice looking joints, and doing a small half lap, which you could do with a dado blade in that table saw, and would is much easier than cutting tongue and groove.

[@ItsWhatIDo]

The renovation was always going to be an extremely expensive project. I like the idea some of the other comments have suggested of making tables from the pew ends. They are a good thickness. All you need to do is get the nails out and the sky's the limit. Perhaps you could watch some episodes of the New Yankee Workshop to get inspiration. I would be more worried about the ink drying in the nozzles of your printer than I would be with some light dust. That is why I got rid of all my inkjet printers. I just wasn't using them enough and the ink started to dry in the nozzles making them useless. All I have now are a couple of A4 laser printers which are not very good for printing high quality photos but you can leave them for months without use and they are still perfectly fine.

[@Kev5565]

I can tell you're a true Yorkshire man, you don't like to waste a thing. Looking forward to see what you do with the place. Don't recon much to your safety flipflops

[@deblashbrook3209]

Great to see an update on Hardcastle Towers, imagine the awe if part of it was a an Airbnb. But seriously loving the update, and a perfect complement channel to Fototripper 👏🙏 thank you

[@ianiles6430]

Church pews - a cut and shunt. I think I spelled that right. Being dyslexic can be worrying at times. Anyway, chop one end off, trim the seat to length, stick the end back on, et voila! Shortened pew, cut to fit the space.

[@JJPHAT777]

Several people have had the same idea I have- use the pew ends to make chairs, or shorten that long pew to a more reasonable size. I also thought that you could use the long pew as a head board/foot board in the master bedroom or a guest room. Keep some of the stained glass to use as cabinet doors for your kitchen, or possibly where the light would shine through but not be a privacy issue? At 7 ft they would make beautiful wardrobe doors! And the term is actually "wains-cotting". That idea is awesome! Do it!! I wonder if the pew ends could be used in an exposed staircase?? Not sure if the angle would be right.

[@DennisBater]

I would have left the pews together and sold them!

[@joshuawilkinsNWCoast]

You could first pad out your Baseboard to be thicker than your wainscoting, cut the wainscoting to sit on top, then run a thick chair rail over the top. Just a thought, does seem like a lot of work for that kind of look. I love white washing wood it's Beachy in my opinion. Good Luck, and all the creativity you can put in that build- the better!

[@HardcastleTowers]

Excellent idea.

[@powderedtoastman3093]

Use the pew ends to make rounded tables piecing them together and clamp a few together and then round or square them. Sand and french polish them and they’d be beautiful as tables. Dotted around the house. Bases in iron or timber would be easy to source Coming along great… That basement is one that Gacy would be jealous of…🤣

[@madebyPure]

Was just wondering the other day about how the castle project was doing. And here is an update, a happy surprise. Cheers from Sweden, another bug infested cold spot

[@malcolmevans2304]

Good to see the update and all the progress you have made, we have waited very patiently for the next in the series. The pew ends could make an interesting library shelving display with a bit of your imagination and woodworking skills👍

[@mike-js2510]

Pew ends: Use them to make chairs. Find a Joinery workshop who can make them for you - or buy them off you.

[@harry4323]

Good to see you have used a window of opportunity keep up the good work.Your safety footwear is the bees knees but no steel toecaps really.

[@rbeaubien7868]

Glad to see you are making progress and addressing structural issues first. For the pews (8 in boards) you may want to consider alternating widths for paneling (less waste). For the ends consider using for banquette seating (arts and crafts). I would keep one of the stain glass windows to hang on a feature wall.

[@HardcastleTowers]

alternating widths would mean that the ends don't line up. I'd be accused of not being a master craftsman.

[@franciskisner920]

If you put the wood on the ceiling, you may create a strong echo effect. Regarding the pew end pieces: Ask around and see if you find a local woodworker who could use the material. It is thick enough that they might re-cut it into strips to use in cutting-boards.

[@six4two1]

With a bit of creativity, those pew ends would make great shelf supports for killer bookshelves in a library.

[@robinschaeffer6252]

Cut your long benches into chair seats and use the stack of pew ends to make chairs (heavy chairs) or short benches that people use residentially.

[@poulaivens5651]

Or 4-5 feet long ones for the porch or patio. In BC these will sell for $300-500. Also furniture makers can do wonders with that old oak.

[@julietfaraj1608]

I'd be interested in those windows! We're in the middle of a building project in Newfoundland!

[@JohnnyMotel99]

Few things about your crawl space that come to mind. The floor looks like just dirt, with no damp membrane that space will always be of higher humidity. If you have those windows down both sides, why not remove the frames and infill with air bricks? Create a constant cross flow of fresh air. This is how it’s done in houses with any sort of space below the floor. You might want to look at placing insulation batts between the joists and a taped vapour membrane.

[@alin.danila]

Yeah, i was the same : “i think those jack stands are temporary until he will pour some reinforced concrete columns + foundation” 😊 Maybe, later on, a concrete slab will also be nice down there 😊 Keep up the energy ! 🎉

[@HardcastleTowers]

a slab would be good but with the loss of headroom would still result in a useless space.

[@PatriciaDavidsonPhotography]

OMG Gavin! Your video just came up in my feed. I had no idea you and Amanda bought a church. How cool is that. All the best and hope you two are doing well.

[@tcwhite0104]

Going to be a beautiful building, don't forget to plane them.

[@wendyarthur3941]

Hi Gavin. I love these Hardcastle videos. Watching the progress is very interesting. I can't wait to see your new home complete. I was walking my dog and had an idea. You mentioned you were not sure what to do with some of that gorgeous wood? Well how about some big box plant boxes and a gazebo? Those pew ends would be great for benches. Just a thought. Merry Christmas to you and Amanda. I hope you both have a wonderful Holiday Season. Cheers!

[@thebinpustey6497]

Oh geez. I would try to keep the windows, and create a new feature divider-wall or something with them! That would be very cool!

[@IslandAdventures]

The possibilities are endless! Put a short pew by the entry way to sit and put your shoes on, with under seat storage, Talk to a wood worker and put some of those boards together to make yourself a really nice table top, or a nice set of solid wooden doors for the rooms! Make some nice book shelves out of them, Cabinet doors for the kitchen! Turn the spice racks upside down and put some dowels in them to make coat hangers or hangers for the some pots and pans in the kitchen!! Use some wood for framing around the windows you put in :) Treat them right and use them to make a kitchen countertop, a chopping block for veggies!! Get Creative, don't let it go to waste!

[@GaryStockton]

I just mounted my Grabbing Hand photo today. Looks great Gav. Your place is really coming along. I would love to have a nice big studio, even your basement would make an incredible space. Looks like you will have an abundance of room to build out exactly as you desire. So cool.

[@yvonnehillsden]

Re the pew ends. Couple thoughts: furniture and benches, base for both a dining and coffee table, bookshelves. SO many ways you could use them. And I recall watching an episode, I think of Land and Sea, where there was someone there in the maritimes who took pieces of beautiful wood like that and repurposed it into a whole variety of useful pieces. I can't remember the name or date of the episode, but maybe someone else might recall it, and where that woodworker resided?

[@seaberry6]

You could use the sides of the pews as sides to some amazing chairs/sofas/love seats.

[@mikeg4501]

Been waiting for a new hardcastle tower vid to come out!!

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

I think a custom desk / editing / printing station would be a really nice use for the wood. Doing something really modernwith stuff that's really old. You could even sign copies of your book there...

[@antonoat]

Maybe contact some local joiners/cabinet makers and see if they can use any of the timber that you can't, (obviously for a price) timber is so expensive now as I'm sure you know! Burning it would be such a waste in my opinion. Enjoying this channel.

[@derekmidgley]

Wow, thanks for the update. Admire how you took on this huge project. Just, dealing with those pews, don't catch pewmonia!

[@HardcastleTowers]

too late...

[@anthonymara4533]

Looking at the dirt floor in the basement reminds me of the root cellar under my grandparents house. Though, I would absolutely recommend using a vapor barrier... or better yet, vapor barrier, concrete slab, spray foam insulation.... Sure, it's expensive, but then you could tell everyone you have a bunker.

[@HardcastleTowers]

This may happen, but in looooong stages. Pea gravel and plastic but first I need some retaining walls.

[@jimwlouavl]

Love to see how this project is going. Could you use the pew ends as the base for tables-perhaps to display a book? 😉

[@MhDizzy]

Nice one Gavin, making some nice progress there. Place is looking well, keep bringing the updates. ATB Marti

[@richardpesce5325]

Gavin, I wish you and Amanda lots of luck with the build and hope you have some great Holidays! All the best and this project is really interesting.

[@brianmckeever5280]

Wow, you've been busy! Most impressive. Certainly helps explain your insomnia. I can't imagine keeping track of all those things, running two channels, and still generating an income. The progress looks great, you two should be proud of the progress. I have seen repurposed wood made into butcher blocks?

[@Hirsutechin]

Good to see, not the increase in dodgy props but the substantial concrete bases they're sat on. You did stick the props down with enough Uhu glue, dincha? And it warms the cockles of one's heart to see a man stacking timber in flipflops, but I think that core drill for the basement fan is 6¼" diameter, not radius. Ya don't want one of those babies to kick back mid-hole or you'll be months before you can hold a teaspoon again, trust me! And it's WAYNSCOATING - practice that for the next video and give us all a good laugh... 😂

[@KarenBaker616263]

Save one of the windows to hang as an art piece. Also, people love to hang these in their gardens or sun rooms. Great video!

[@HardcastleTowers]

Excellent idea.

[@JSAFIXIT]

The pew sides or ends could be used to trim out stairways.

[@marksuchomelsr6698]

Keep a few window panes and hang them over a couple windows for decoration.

[@merkin22]

Curious if you considering insulating the 'ceiling' in the basement? Loving this project of yours. And fer gawd's sake, man, wear proper footwear when doing heavy work -- gonna be tough to hike to the next fine winter landscape photography location with a broken foot or with a couple missing toes :)

[@robinchun1]

I'm hooked on the Hardcastle Towers story... just as an idea, perhaps you could produce your own Twirl's in that basement!

[@tomhirst7134]

Gavin, you could cut down the pew legs/ends into chopping board sizes and sell them!! 🤔

[@joewelsh1804]

Great to see some movement on the building, although I suspect that you have already moved in.

[@donaldachisholm5828]

Looks awesome.It will be worth it all in the end.

[@WarlordsRising]

i did a small storage area in tongue and groove pine and the cost was nuts.....good luck on the remodel

[@JasonLorette]

Progressing right along my friend, slow and steady. Keep one window, store it, you'll find a use for it someday. If you plan on having a fire pit outside you could use the church pew ends to make benches around it. Keep rockin, looking good! :)

[@HardcastleTowers]

Our climate would destroy outside timber in one year :(

[@JasonLorette]

@@HardcastleTowers You'd have to store them in winter. Still, looking good dude.

[@ronboe6325]

Hymn book racks: Make great photo and books holder for your store. :D

[@fstoll3]

all those poles in the basement... uggh! My dad always said if you do something, do it right, it would appear you weren't taught that lesson. I would have rebuilt the entire basement, and used steel I-beam to hold up the church. I would have used ICF forms to rebuild the basement. This is nothing more than "kicking the can down the road" for a future issue to be fixed.

[@dcallan812]

Oh so many handy hints and things you need to do already in the comment section. Have a great read. Interesting video 2x👍

[@CallieRoseStark7]

For the stained glass windows, have you thought about trying to use some for decorative paneling in the church? Awesome to seen how far you and Amanda have come with the renovations!

[@HardcastleTowers]

I did but I'm not sure there'll be much wall space left in the main hall.

[@jimalbrightjr.9229]

If you need ideas...but likely too late...banquette seating and/or table for eating? Can't' tell how flat those seats/backs are though. Sell pew ends to local wood worker to turn back into custom benching for homes? Just ideas...at best. Looking like it's gonna be a great home!

[@bradpeck1901]

the end pieces - they look like they could be little kids rocking chairs with a little work which takes some time but you have plenty

[@tim1398]

Use some of the pew psalm holders to display your books on the wall. Some of the pew would could make some nice book/stuff shelves. Also benches could make a nice breakfast nook.

[@spidersj12]

Stacking heavy lumber in sandals is a disaster waiting to happen. The stained glass from the stained glass windows might make great ornaments if cut into the right pieces depending on the design of the ornaments. Or perhaps they could be used as internal wall partitions in a studio loft somewhere, since they're so tall. Put a frosted coating on them so it provides some privacy, and you'd have an interesting divider in a studio loft somewhere.

[@HardcastleTowers]

Yeah I originally planned on using them as walls in my office but I need it to be fairly sound proof.

[@johnround8311]

Here`s an idea for the Towers-make several same rooms each with a small bed that you can rent out to help pay for the restoration costs of Hardcastle Towers or should you re-name it Faulty Towers?

[@TheTimB]

The irony of talking about over engineering while walking past a light fitting just hanging from the cord 😂

[@HardcastleTowers]

Don't worry, I only use it while my hands are wet.

[@connieevasiuk]

Looking good guys

[@pettersorsdahl1400]

And it's (in British English, as you're from Yorkshire) "weɪnskətɪŋ", that is the short version as in "scot". At least according to Collins. Good luck...

[@gaoldias]

Gavin: I'm not religious... Me: Gavin for Pope! Gavin: Vatican...get in touch...

[@clivejones1012]

Hi Gavin love the idea of the wainscotting but I thimk the technique you need to employ is lime washing, an old method in keeping with the building.

[@HardcastleTowers]

Oooh yeah, lime washing it is.

[@billpelzmann1030]

Congrats on all your progress ! It's great you married a rich woman who can support your "hobby". :-)

[@HardcastleTowers]

Wait...nobody told me she was rich? She's fooled me all this time.

[@SteveMillerhuntingforfood]

@@HardcastleTowers Rich with Love!

[@kathrinelyons3128]

Use the end pieces for hand railings to the upstairs

[@codyrasmussen9798]

Maybe you can mill what you have and get it all dimensional and make frames for your photos. If you can find a used planer and pick up a dado blade set you're in business.