Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP LEFT
A circa-1769 tavern had been poorly repaired in the 1970s.
Poor chinking and rotting sills had caused extensive log damage.
TOP RIGHT
The tavern being dismantled. Earlier work had included
pine sills close to the ground, which were decayed after 25 years.
Also, the granite chimney stones, set with Portland cement, had to
be reset using lime-content mortar.
BOTTOM LEFT
The restoration nearing completion at its new site
in Virginia. Replacement material was documented.
BOTTOM RIGHT
The completed restoration overlooks a lake and
horse farm.
Windows are another matter. Old windows are usu-
ally a mess and not worth saving. Wooden runners
stick unless they're loose enough to let air in, so we sel-
dom repair them. Often muntins are cracked or loose
and are difficult to repair. These and other factors
make new wooden windows, with metal or vinyl slid-
ers, more appealing because they work much better
and look virtually the same.
We often save old wavy glass and put it into the new
units, maybe one or two panes per sash, to keep the
old look. We have installed old glass in hand-built
windows and ordered commercial windows without
glass. In those houses where the owners were sticklers
for authenticity, the new windows with the old glass
added a special touch to the house.
Restoring the originals is sometimes in order, as in
Historic Register houses. Then we buy, or have
machined, shaper bits to cut replacement stiles and
muntins. We use stable wood such as fir, clear pon-
derosa pine, or often close-grained heart yellow pine
for the replacements. Usually the jambs are also worn,
so we rebuild them.
