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 »
In the summer of 2011, the tower at Independence Hall was bared to the bones for the first time since it was added in 1828. In a restoration project for the National Park Service (NPS), contractors bared the face level of the tower down to the structural framing. The NPS has a detailed write-up of …
“You can’t have your cake and eat it, too” might apply in the kitchen, but when you’re building houses, you sometimes can have both. If you like timber-frame houses but can’t afford one, consider a hybrid. Although a complete timber frame usually costs 10% to 20% more than a comparable stick frame, a small timber-frame …
Taken from the Historic Wood Windows tip sheet from the National Trust for Historic Preservation – maintenance is important for all areas of a building to help insure that it will continue to perform without costly repairs. Preservation is maintenance and it is a lot less expensive than replacement. Four Wood Window Maintenance Tips:1. Keep …
The November/December 2009 issue of Preservation Magazine featured an article, Getting Ready for Winter: 15 Steps to Efficiency. These tips are taken from this article. Insulate the attic (this is where the majority of your heat loss will occur – though the replacement window and door companies would have you believe it is on the …
Wrecker or Builder I watched them tearing a building down A gang of men in a busy town.With a ho-heave-ho and a lusty yell, They swung a beam and a sidewall fell.I asked the foreman, ” are these men skilled, As the men you’d hire if you had to build?”He gave a laugh and said, …
What to do when a wet Nor’Eastener settles over Staten Island on a work day? Take the ferry to the Big Apple! Lois and Chuck went on an adventure in Manhattan last Friday. We arrived at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal at noon and mingled with the local fokes waiting to board the ferry to …
Green building is all the rage in the building industry. I can not open a remodeling or design/build magazine without a reference to a green building project. Preservation and restoration work is green in it’s approach. By using resources (building materials) that have already be harvested on land that has already be cleared is a …
Last Saturday, June 7, Chuck, Lois, and Danielle drove to Bellefonte, Pennsylvania (right above State College) to conduct a seminar for the Borough of Bellefonte as part of their wood window seminar day in the park. There were various other exhibitors (replacement windows, storm windows, and stained glass window experts with booths) as part of …
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