Product Description

From removing graffiti in Manhattan to rebuilding a hops barn in Oregon, the National Park Service-a part of the Department of the Interior-has faced just about every problem an old structure can encounter. Here for the first time is a collection of their hardwon know-how and official guidelines, written by the top experts in their respective fields of preservation.

Forty-two fully illustrated chapters include:

-- cleaning and waterproof coating for historic masonry
-- repointing mortar joints
-- maintaining historic adobe buildings
-- the dangers of abrasive cleaning
-- repairing historic wooden windows
-- rehabilitating historic storefronts
-- repairing wooden shingles
-- preserving barns
-- repairing stucco
-- using substitute materials on historic building exteriors
-- mothballing historic buildings
-- understanding architectural cast iron

There's even a chapter on repairing vintage signs. Each subject is treated with the utmost care and discusses the safest and most historically accurate repairs. Perhaps just as important as the valuable advice on how to undertake various projects, the guides also give invaluable advice on what not to do-based on years of preservation experience-that can save a homeowner thousands of dollars, hours, and perhaps a priceless piece of architecture. For the student or the professional restorer, THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE is the official government text on saving old buildings.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #52751 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 544 pages

From the Back Cover
From removing graffiti in Manhattan to rebuilding a hops barn in Oregon, the National Park Service - a part of the Department of the Interior - has faced just about every problem an old structure can encounter. Here for the first time is a collection of their hard-won know-how and official guidelines, written by the top experts in their respective fields of preservation.
Forty-one fully illustrated chapters include: Cleaning and waterproof coating for historic masonry; repointing mortar joints; maintaining historic adobe buildings; the dangers of abrasive cleaning; repairing historic wooden windows; rehabilitating historic storefronts; repairing wooden shingles; preserving barns; repairing stucco; using substitute materials on historic building exteriors; mothballing historic buildings; understanding architectural cast iron.
There's even a chapter on repairing vintage signs. Each subject is treated with the utmost care and discusses the safest and most historically accurate repairs. Perhaps just as important as the valuable advice on how to undertake various projects, the guides also give invaluable advice on what not to do - based on years of preservation experience - that can save a homeowner thousands of dollars, hours, and perhaps a priceless piece of architecture. For the student or the professional restorer, The Preservation of Historic Architecture is the official government text on saving old buildings.

Customer Reviews

If you need technical info, this book is for you!
Well writen and full of info for anyone who works in the field or just loves old buildings.

Detailed Explanations and Illustrations
Not being familiar with many of the arcane housing construction terms that so many books use, it was refreshing to have a this book go into such detail explaining each area of historic construction touched upon to truly educate interested readers. The only downside being that the book is not a casuaul read - rather it is more of a technical manual.

Fabulous reference
This is a great reference and is very thorough. Useful for the historic owner or professional. It covers everything, and then some. This reads more like a text than a how-to manual. It's not a "DIY" book to preserving historical buildings.