Want to learn more about Historic Home Maintenance? Check out NRF’s recommendations for expert resources in common mistakes, National Preservation Organizations, vinyl, windows, books and more!
Restoration – Common Mistakes
Two documents on common restoration mistakes can be found at: http://www.cttrust.org/index.cgi/98
National Park Service Preservation Briefs
The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows: http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/brief09.htm
Understanding Old Buildings: The Process of Architectural Investigation:
http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/brief35.htm
Roofing for Historic Buildings: http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/brief04.htm
The Repair, Replacement & Maintenance of Historic Slate Roofs:
http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/brief29.htm
Other Preservation Briefs found at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/presbhom.htm
Vinyl Siding – What to Consider
Vinyl Siding: The Real Issues (from CT Trust for Historic Preservation): http://www.cttrust.org/index.cgi/1745
The Vinyl Lie (The reputability of this source is uncertain but the points he makes are, in general, very accurate.): http://www.oldlouisville.com/circa1900/Vinyl-Lie.htm
Windows
Nice summary on Saving Wood Windows from New Jersey’s Preservation office: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/hpo/4sustain/windowsave.pdf
Quick article with further instructions from eBuild.com: http://www.ebuild.com/guide/resources/product-news.asp?ID=211787&catCode=10
A Rhode Island – based wood window restorer: http://www.smithrestorationsash.com/
Preservation Websites
Historic New England (formerly Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities) www.vernaculararchitectureforum.org
Information, publications, and organization information
National Trust book catalog
Preservation Trades Network, information & links of interest
The Association for Preservation Technology International
National Park Service preservation services, source of Preservation Briefs & other materials
Preservation information and good links
Covers many areas of old house maintenance and repair – useful
Site of the magazine of the same title, covers many areas and is regularly up-dated
Another magazine site with very good resource listings
Historic Product Vendors & Resources
Abatron Inc. 1-800-445-1754, epoxy wood fillers and a range of epoxy products
Cedar Breather, 1-800-346-7655, a product that creates air space between shingles and sheathing
General site with information and further links concerning chimney and fireplace safety products
List, by state, of licensed sweeps, information and links
Explains the process and benefits of this unique chimney lining process
National Chimney Sweeps Guild, another listing of sweeps and info.
Various information on paint coating and links
Variety of paint areas covered
Similar to above site
Products, information, & excellent book catalog
Products and services
Masonry services & products
PRESERVATION & RESTORATION – Books
General Preservation Titles
Barthel, Diane
Historic Preservation, Rutgers University Press, 1966 Brand, Stuart
How Buildings Learn, Penguin Books, 1994.
Lindgren, James M.
Preserving Historic New England, Oxford University Press, 1995.
Mansfield, Howard
The Same Ax, Twice, University Press of New England, 2000.
Preservation Guides & References
Bristow, Ian
Interior House Paint Colours & Technique 1615 – 1846, Yale Univ. Press, 1996.
Bucher, Ward, editor
Dictionary of Building Preservation, Preservation Press, 1996.
Bullock, Orin M.
The Restoration Manuel, Silvermine Publishers, 1966 Candee, Richard
House Paints in Colonial America, Chromatic Publishing Co., out of print.
Hoadley, R. Bruce
Identifying Wood Taunton Press, 1990.
Kitchen, Judith L.
Caring For Your Old House, Preservation Press, 1991.
Maycock, Susan & Zimmerman,Sarah
Painting Historic Exteriors, Cambridge Historical Commission, 1998.
Millar, William
Plastering Plain and Decorative, BUT. Bats ford, 1897; reprinted Don head Publishing Ltd., 2001.
Miller, Judith & Martin
Period Finishes and Effects, Rizzoli, 1992.
Moss, Roger, editor
Paint in America, Preservation Press, 1994.
Nash, George
Restoring Old Houses, Taunton Press, 1998.
Phillips, Steven J.
Old House Dictionary, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1994.
Weeks, Kay D. & Grimmer, Anne E.
The Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1995.
Whelehel, Harriet – editor
Caring For Your Historic House, Harry Abrams Inc., 1998.
Wilbur, C. Keith
Homebuilding & Woodwork in Colonial America, The Globe Pequot Press, 1992.
General Architectural, 18th century
Ayres, James
Building the Georgian City, Yale University Press, 1998.
Cummings, Abbott Lowell
The Framed Houses of Massachusetts Bay, Belknap Press, 1979.
Palladio, Andrea
The Four Books on Architecture, MIT Press 1998.
Parissien, Steven
The Georgian House in Britain and America, Rizzoli, 1995.
Trevernor, Robert
Palladio and Palladianism, Thames and Hudson, 1991.
Hafertepe, Keneth & O’Gorman, James F.
American Architects and Their Books to 1848, University of Press, 2001.
