We recently completed a historic porch restoration at the Harris-Cameron mansion in Harrisburg, PA. Part of the project involved fabricating new wood columns to match a few existing column we were salvaging. For that work we turned to Somerset Door & Column Company. For over 100 years, Somerset Door & Column Company has manufactured architectural …
Preservation Spotlight: Somerset Door & Column Company Read More »
Traditional joinery is a term we’ve all heard as a hallmark of historical millwork. But what is it and why is it so important in preservation of historic buildings? What is Traditional Joinery? Joinery in general is the woodworking technique that joins together two pieces of wood. What a joint looks like, how strong …
Traditional Joinery: What it is and why is it important in preservation? Read More »
Protect Historic Masonry Buildings from Permanent Damage Caused by Portland Mortar Historic masonry buildings are very different from modern buildings. Historic bricks were fired at lower temperatures and are much softer and more permeable than modern bricks. Historic buildings constructed with these softer bricks were designed to absorb moisture and then release it. A key …
Portland is a great place for a getaway….not so great for historic buildings. Read More »
Soapstone is a traditional material that’s been in use for thousands of years and is often found in early Colonial American homes. The soft, metamorphic stone material, favored for its ability to withstand and retain heat, was used for fireplaces, hearths, cooking slabs, and water basins. It still is today, thanks to Bucks County Soapstone. …
Bucks County Soapstone: Continuing Thousands of Years of Timelessness Read More »
One of our current projects, the Franklin Street Station in Reading, PA, involves restoration of dozens of windows and doors originally made in 1929. Seriously damaged by Hurricane Agnes, the building then sat abandoned and deteriorated from neglect and vagrant activity and by 2011 when BARTA began its restoration project for the building, this is is …
Sealing up a window from the past….. with window glazing Read More »
2. 10 Common Mistakes People Make While Working on their Historic Building. Structures are historic because the materials and craftsmanship reflected in their construction are tangible and irreplaceable evidence of our cultural heritage. Substitute materials subtract from the basic integrity, historically and architecturally, of buildings. Historic materials should be retained whenever possible. Since wood has …
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