[KTP]

The family business is slate, tile and copper roofing, so we work on a lot of old houses. A lot of cool stuff to be found under old roofs. Last week we had a slate roof opened up on a 160 year old house and found this underneath. The house was decked/sheated in poplar a full 1" thick. The smallest plank was 14" wide, the largest one was 20". This one here we had to cut out because of rot near one end. It's 17" wide and over 20 feet long before we cut the rot. 33+ growth rings per inch. Only a few knots, too.

Also pictured is a section of rafter tail. It's quartersawn red oak.

What I would give to have the kind of forest that makes trees that size look like framing lumber...

 

[KTP]

Oops. Pictures.

 

[Steve Neul]

A lot depends on the wood growing in the area of those old houses. The wood was probably milled just a few miles from where the houses were built. My mothers house in Illinois that was built in the 1880's is framed entirely in poplar. The 2x12 floor joists are 2"x12" rough sawn and the 2x4's are full size as well.

 

[AJH]

Nice find Ktp,I also worked in the roof restoration business out here in California.One year we had a big earth quake in the San Fernando valley,Just wreaked lots old building and damaged roofs up fifty mile away.Spanish style clay roofs thru Pasadena.
My brother and I spent the next two years fixing roofs on museums library's and historical houses.
We learned soo much.most were in the 100 year range.Lead flashing,copper nails,copper wire tye systems.And lots of fine grained wood even ridge boards rake boards.
One of the biggest failing old roof out here had are internal gutter systems,we usually just added a new row over them.Just too much money to fix right.Thanks for sharing your find takes me back.AJ