Are you curious about how to control unwanted moisture in historic buildings? Repair stained and leaded glass? Preserve and reuse historic gas stations??
Then you are in luck! “Preservation Briefs” is a series of 51 guides that address these questions, and hundreds of others, in expert technical detail. And they are available online from the National Park Service.
I rely on Preservation Briefs for every project I work on, especially when I’m helping a property owner take advantage of historic tax credits. The Briefs are a treasure trove of information on the correct methods for preserving, rehabilitating, and restoring historic buildings.
For example, say you fall in love with one of CIRCA’s “fixer upper” listings, and you want to know what a sensitive rehabilitation would involve. Let’s take a look at how the Briefs can help…
This Queen Anne, with its rhythmic projections and roof lines, begs for an energetic paint palette. But color is not the only important consideration for interior and exterior paint jobs. Briefs 10 and 28 provide the low-down on proper surface preparation and paint types. (For a discussion of historic house colors, see my past CIRCA blog post.
And, of course there’s a Brief on repairing historic windows! See Brief 9.
Porches take a beating from weather, clogged gutters and foundation plantings that trap moisture and aggravate rot. Since they’re usually one of the most character-defining features of a house, they are definitely worth preserving. Find out how to maintain and repair them in Brief 45.
Here’s the takeaway: Old houses get unfairly branded as unmanageable and obsolete. Let’s be clear – ALL construction, whether it’s two or two hundred years old, requires maintenance. The good news about historic buildings is that they can be almost endlessly repaired (versus needing to be replaced in their entirety, as I’ve discussed in a past CIRCA blog post. Home stewardship is all about problem-solving, relying on creativity and vision on the part of homeowners and their professional teams. As a group, Preservation Briefs are the “Rosetta Stone” for cracking the code of your rehab projects.
For more advice and mentorship on historic preservation strategy, sign up for the Worth Preserving newsletter! As thanks for joining, you’ll receive a free download – Kate Wood’s guide to identifying and preserving historic character (incorporating guidance from Preservation Briefs 17 & 18)
AUTHOR KATE WOOD grew up criss-crossing the country in the family’s Volkswagen Bus, visiting house museums, battlefields, Main Streets, and national parks. Today, she is an award-winning preservationist, real estate broker and principal of the full-service historic rehabilitation consulting firm, Worth Preserving. Kate believes in the essential value of old-building stewardship to sustain community character. For her, each property is a cause and each client a fellow advocate. She specializes in matching people with properties, skilled contractors, historic tax credits and other benefits to support top-tier rehabilitation projects.
