Archive for March 10th, 2010

It’s window day, and gorgeous outside.  The project still looks pretty shabby from the exterior, but the fun part is just beginning.  We had a long lead time for the production of the windows and exterior doors, and we have been unable to move forward with the exterior work until we had them installed.  However, now we moving forward with full steam.  Once the windows and doors are set, we will be able to remove and replace the siding and trims.  The windows and doors are all wood, and had to be approved by IHPC.

As a part of the building process in Historic neighborhoods, we meet with IHPC (Indiana historic preservation commission) on the site to discuss which siding and trims are in decent enough shape to remain, and which can be completely removed.  When that is completed we will replace what is needed with new material.  The exterior will still remain all wood, but the new materials are far superior than the original.  The trims on this house are unprimed spruce, and the siding is unprimed poplar.  These materials looks nice and function for a time, but eventually will fail (as they have) since they are raw on the backside.  The materials we will install will be redwood siding that is fully primed, and cedar trims that do not require back priming (cedar naturally resists moisture, can be installed in exterior applications, and has a very long lifespan)

While it may seem a little odd to save any of the materials at all, it is very important to historians, and we value their influence.  Without a commission such as theirs, a lot of integrity would be lost in historic areas such as the Old North Side.  This also saves the client money, and makes us all feel just a little bit better about ourselves.  When you can, why not conserve?