Choosing a contractor with adequate skills and experience to complete a job is always important, but it is particularly important for restorations and renovations of a historical building. To avoid permanently damaging the historical fabric of your building, you need a contractor who is well-versed in historical products and materials, can identify and replicate the …
Historical buildings and houses are artifacts of the past, a visible connection to our history, and require a certain level of care beyond the basic seasonal maintenance you would perform on a newer home or building – inspecting the roof, cleaning the gutters, exterior repairs to damage caused by weather and age, as well as …
The Importance of Maintaining Your Historical House Read More »
Typically, on homes built in the mid-1800’s until the early 1900’s, the most unexpected maintenance problem deals with the internal gutter system. This is because the problem is hidden until the failure has begun. However, regular inspection and maintenance can catch the problem before it is too late, and damage is done. First, I bet …
Did you know that historical wood windows are one of the most vulnerable and at-risk elements of our architectural heritage? Preservation Virginia has proclaimed historical windows endangered, saying, “Historic wooden windows are destroyed daily in lieu of new, inferior windows. Salesman convince owners and architectural review boards members that replacement windows are superior to historic …
Fireplaces were essential in Early American homes, providing heat, light, and a hearth for cooking, as well as a family gathering place. In Colonial America, they were usually wide, deep “walk-ins” without much of a mantel. Those in the homes of Dutch settlers were often wider than tall, while the English settlers built them to …
A Hearthside History: Fireplaces, Mantles, and the Early American Home Read More »
At first glance, porches and doors may seem like no more than a way to get in or out of a home or business. But there is much more to these architectural gateways. They are frequently exemplary examples of carpentry that give us a peek into the artisanship of our architectural history and have …
Greg Huber from Eastern Barn Consultants and Past Perspectives joined the Practical Preservation podcast to discuss: How barn styles varied from region to region What makes barn construction unique The type of barn Danielle had never heard of We also discussed the services Greg offers documenting barns and researching house histories, the barn tours and …
Practical Preservation Podcast featuring Greg Huber of Eastern Barn Consultants Read More »
“We regret much of what we’ve built; we regret much of what we’ve torn down. But we’ve never regretted preserving anything.” -Daniel Sack Original windows serve a dual purpose of providing ventilation and light while being an important part of the buildings architectural design. These windows are constantly under attack from the marketing forces of …
Put Replacement Windows to Shame: What that Nice Salesperson Doesn't Want You to Know Read More »
This article is a part of a series from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s excellent field guide on the architectural styles found in Pennsylvania. In it, they’ve assigned key periods of development – from the Colonial period in the 18th Century to the Modern Movements of the 29th Century. This article focuses on an overview of the …
This article is a part of a series from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s excellent field guide on the architectural styles found in Pennsylvania. In it, they’ve assigned key periods of development – from the Colonial period in the 18th Century to the Modern Movements of the 29th Century. This article focuses on an overview of the …
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