Since we had all the old interior walls gone we were able to fill the entire house walls and ceiling with insulation.  We also wrapped the insulated walls with black plastic for another moisture barrier. We knew that we wanted the inside walls to be mostly wood and preferred the rustic lodge look and feel. Unfortunately we didn't have any real direction as to what kind of wood much less where to get it.   First, we decided on the rooms we could use the recycled wood we had salvaged (planks, tongue & groove bead board, t&g oak floor etc). There wasn't enough to do the entire place.

Fortunately a year or so before we got to this stage our good neighbor and friend Larry had lumbered some Poplar trees from his adjoining farm.  He later sold the logs to another friend who had the logs cut into planks and had them stacked and drying in a tobacco barn.   So we wheeled and dealed, bartered and traded and the next thing we knew we had over 2000 board feet of rough cut Poplar planks stacked high on a wagon and a planer in the corner anxiously waiting to taste each and every piece.   After struggling and pushing the third 12" wide board that had to have almost 1/2" shaved off....I looked at the 2 completed boards laying on the ground and the untouched mountain still on the wagon and wondered what the hell I got myself into.   The moment we finished nailing up the first wall section, we had no doubts it was the right decision.  Yellow Poplar has so many natural beautiful colors in its grain and the more knots the better. 

We made some walls horizontal, a couple vertical and one at a 45degree.  We decided to use some drywall since our dried wood supply was running low and thought that some painted color would add warmth.     The drywall kept giving me a tough time.     It's probably been my least favorite part to this whole adventure...no actually I think I can safely say I hate drywall.... better yet.. drywall sucks.    Now then....   Well I did  finally figure it out.   Got some good help, pointers and tips from Sharon's Dad and my Uncle Carl.   I finally signed off on all the rooms that had drywall and closed the can on the drywall mud for good! 

Sharon and I kept looking at each other as we were painting the walls to our downstairs bedroom.  Smiling!!.... We were finally here.   Finally adding colors and expression. 

We restored the one upstairs guest room called the Tree House with all original Poplar planks.    The tongue and grove oak ceiling was also from the original upstairs rooms.    Every time I walk in this room I can still smell the old house.   Sharon wants to put some deodorizer or something in the room...I kinda like it.  

The other upstairs guest room is a combination of drywall and old restored bead board used as a wainscot.   We salvaged a lot of the old oak flooring that was throughout the old house.     Sharon's brother Ron stopped by to help for a few days and he and I had a blast taking the old wood and making it new again.   We set up saw horses and tables on the wrap around porch and created a cleaning system.    When we were done each piece had been squared, denailed, cleaned, planed, and inspected and ready to be walked on for another 100 years.