Ever wonder just exactly how the magic of historical restorations happens? How do we take something that no longer exists, or has deteriorated so badly you can’t tell what used to exist, and restore it to something that looks exactly like what was originally there?
One of the most important parts of the restoration process is the mock-up. These very early prototypes allow us to test the construction of detailed designs and give us a working model to use for verification that the recreated details are historically accurate. Initial mock-ups aren’t necessarily constructed out of the materials that the final product will be made out of and can often be somewhat rough-looking, but don’t let their looks deceive you – without their “rugged” functionality, we wouldn’t be able to produce the refined finished product.
This mock-up is for the Franklin Street Station restoration project in Reading, PA. Since most of the existing trim at this project was either missing or deteriorated badly, Historic Restorations created this working example of the architectural profile for wood trim around a ceiling for the design approval process.