Canjoeco Restorations & Historic Preservation

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Blountville, TN
Canjoeco Restorations & Historic Preservation

The Canjoeco Restorations of Blountville, TN specializes in the meticulous, accurate, authentic, his

estoration work on historic buildings. Beginning with a total restoration of an early 20th century eastern NC to***co barn in the year1989 and then in 1993, the restoration of my personal residence, SmithHaven, ca1851, began other projects including restoring log structures. After completing the SmithHaven restoration in 1996, opened it as a B&B. It later became a featured story on the HGTV "Restore America" program in the year 2000. Among several other projects, was hired in 2009 & 2010 by the Sullivan County TN Historic Preservation Group to do the traditional c***king & daubing of two historic late 18th century era log buildings of the Deery Inn in Blountville, TN, and in the year 2012 was hired by the Babb Family Foundation for the restoration of the of the ca1790 historic Babb Homestead of Greeneville, TN, and more opportunities continue.

03/07/2026

A great video showing how logs are manually riven and hewed: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1SviHUwmz3/

04/10/2025

A man with caramel-colored eyes squints through his gold-rimmed glasses at the work in front of him. His hand expertly guides a paintbrush back and forth on ...

01/01/2025

If you have traveled Emory Road in North Knox County you may have noticed an old cabin with a historic marker in front. That old log structure predates the state and was the home of one of Knox County’s most noted families. If you are a native of the county you may know the community there as Gibb...

10/24/2024

In my exhaustingly continued efforts to properly, accurately restore antique structures, and over several years, I have done much research, study, and experiments to find the proper mix for Roman cement as was used to build the ancient aqua ducts that are still standing and remain in use for over 2000 years today (under sea water), and is the same mix used that also still holds the stones of the Roman coliseum intact. Well, I think I finally have it. These photos show two bricks that I cemented together (mortared), yesterday, and though the mix is not yet cured, still fresh, and hasn't even completely dried, the mix holds so tight that I can lift the tightly glued together heavy bricks off the ground, and they don't separate. They also don't slip, slide, or budge, either. The mix is an accurate combination of the same exact materials the Romans used with specific ratios of the totally natural materials employed; no modern mortar or cement added. I'll include more details in the photo's captions... ~ CJ*J

10/13/2024

When two highly skilled tradesmen get together, functional art is the result. The circa 1793 Nicholas Gibbs Homestead log structure is progressively undergoing restoration of its west end wall and is nearing completion. A couple of eyesore spots needed a fix, which was two poorly designed crawlspace covers formerly existing. Using scrap portions of a recovered 231-year-old American chestnut log from the site and a piece of 1" cedarwood board, this beautiful louvered design was handcrafted to fill the bill, with both crawlspace openings remedied the same. To prevent groundhog access, the back sides of these vented covers were heavily fortified with mail wire screen, also found on site. ~ CJ*J

10/07/2024

Another update of restoration process, Nicholas Gibbs Log Homestead, circa 1793, nearly complete: the west wall now with the formerly rotted log sections fully grafted and restored; the interstices all c***ked & daubed with proper woodblock c***k and traditional mix daub; the site cleaned; just a bit of touchup here and there remains; the scaffold removed and loaded for return, before this project is declared finished. Stay tuned for final reveal, soon ... ~ CJ*J

09/22/2024

More updates of the restoration process of the circa 1793 Nicholas Gibbs homestead log house:

Repairing a squirrel chewed notch does not require replacing the whole log. These photos show the before and after images of repairs using a like-for-like period section of American chestnut wood piece recovered from an 18th century structure custom cut to match, fit and fix as the repair. After the interstice is re-c***ked and daubed, the restoration of this issue will be completed, and nearly impossible to detect.

09/21/2024

Circa 1793 Nicholas Gibbs homestead west wall restoration update: Left side c***k & daub and log repairs, nearly complete, moved scaffolding in place to finish right side. Stone steps at rear door redressed and pointed. ...stay tuned. ~ CJ*J

08/15/2024

Another update on progress of c 1793 Nicholas Gibbs Homestead restoration of west log wall:

Now have successfully removed and repaired the rotted sections of the second-floor base log's left upper edge, and the log's bottom, right, near full-length edge, each as located on either side of the recently grafted patch log seen in the most recent update post of last week. These new grafts now complete the log edges and make the entire log appear as whole, again. Then have woodblock c***ked most of the interstice (space between log) under the now, freshly restored host log and have oiled the whole log to blend the appearance of the new and old parts, as well as refresh the original weathered wood of the host log.

Jared, (standing on the scaffold) is removing a large chunk of previously (inappropriately) applied Portland cement and chicken wire mesh that had been used to "fix" a corner notch crown. That will require being properly repaired soon, as well. Three more of the most upper logs to clean and repair, next. Stay tuned! ~ CJ*J

08/08/2024

Another update on the progress in restoring the west end wall of the circa 1793 Gibbs Homestead log house:

Some log repairs are quite complex. The series of photos, below, begins with a close-up image showing the "before" with previous attempted repair of the section, very improperly done (causing much greater damage) using all the wrong materials and methods; wire mesh, Portland based cement, trying to "fix" severe weather rot, and squirrel infestation. Once the modern materials were removed, the log section was found to be completely hollowed out. Rather than replace the whole log, removing the damaged section and grafting another like-for-like antique log piece back in was accurately, effectively accomplished. The last image shows the "patch" graft in place, but still requires much more to do before the final reveal when it's completed. Expertise and a whole lot of experience absolutely required. ~ CJ*J

Address

Blountville, TN
37617

Telephone

+14236124320

Website

http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?trk=tab_pro&id=93269283

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Our Story

Having many years experience in the construction industry through jobs since a high school student working labor in construction including framing & finish carpentry, masonry, new building, remodeling, and restoration work combined with a liberal arts education studying cultural anthropology at the University of TN, Knoxville, and with a personal interest in history, eventually lead to accepting restoration work on historic buildings. Beginning with a total restoration of an early 20th century eastern NC to***co barn in the year 1989 and then in 1993, the restoration of my personal residence, SmithHaven, circa 1851, began other projects including restoring log structures. After completing the SmithHaven restoration in 1996, opened it as a B&B. It later became a featured story on the HGTV "Restore America" program in the year 2000. Among several other projects, was hired in 2009 & 2010 by the Sullivan County TN Historic Preservation Group to do the traditional c***king & daubing of two historic late 18th century era log buildings of the Deery Inn in Blountville, TN, and in the year 2012 was hired by the Babb Family Foundation for the restoration of the circa 1787 historic Seth Babb Homestead of Greeneville, TN, and more opportunities continue. Canjoeco Restorations has been involved in accurately restoring many historic log structures, included with the prior mentioned Seth Babb Homestead, circa 1787 located in Greeneville, TN, and the Deery Inn structures in Blountville, TN, here’s a partial list of others: the re-c***king & daubing of the historic Nicholas Gibbs Homestead, circa 1793, located in NE Knox county, TN; the log installation with c***king & daubing of the Nicholas Gibbs pavilion; the restoration of the historic smokehouse log structure , circa 1790, privately owned by the Daniels, mayor of Greeneville, TN; recovery disassembly and storage of the dogtrot style log structure, circa 1855, Woodlands Plantation privately owned, Glade Springs, Va; consultant on the restoration of historic “In The Pines” log structure on the campus of Berry College, Rome, Ga; partial restoration with log repairs of privately owned log structure, circa late 18th century, Chuckey, TN; partial restoration with log repairs and re-daubing, private log structure, circa mid 19th century, Greene County, TN; ongoing total restoration of privately owned log house, the Widener Homestead, circa 1830, Glade Spring, Va; and more.