Wood & Millwork

How does it become "history" so fast?

One of the most rewarding things about historic restoration and preservation is constantly learning about new things and new places.  Last week, we learned that we have a National Postal Museum in a former Post Office building in Washington D.C. The National Postal Museum is a Smithsonian museum in Washinton, D.C. residing in the old …

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Compromising on the Right Things

Achieving energy efficiency without compromising historic integrity in old buildings is always a high priority, and sometimes surprisingly easy….. when you learn to compromise on the right thing. Recently we restored an early 1900’s wood exterior door for a private residence.   When this door was constructed there would have been no door sweep or …

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Your House is a Money Pit more Common Mistakes..

3. Replacing Original Wood Windows.      Technology and architectural styles have shaped the design of windows throughout history. The windows are one of the few parts of a building that serves as both an interior and exterior feature, and they usually make up 20-30% of the surface area of a historic building. It is for these reasons …

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Wood Window Maintenance

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 …

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Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County Architectural History Tour

On Sunday, October 19, Chuck, Lois, Jonathan, Danielle, and Josh attended the Architectural History Tour of the Northeast Lancaster Township Historic District. The tour was appropriately called “Mansions on Marietta” and highlighted buildings built as the first suburban development in Lancaster County. The oldest house on the tour was built in 1828 and is Wheatland …

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