4. An overview of historic
carpentry and timber repair
Topics:
1.Recognising historic carpentry
2.Repairs: surveys and methods
3.Case histories
5. Historic timberwork
Part of our built heritage – in Ireland: especially roofs.
A valuable record of historic craftwork - timber conversion
and scribe carpentry.
Christchurch
Cathedral,
Dublin.
17th C.
oakwork
11. Timber Conservation Aims
Conserve the overall aesthetic form of the structural frame
while repairing the structure.
Preserve original timber as much as possible.
Timber surfaces, which preserve marks recording the
original timber conversion and framing methods.
Dunsoghley Castle, Co. Dublin.
High quality scribe carpentry;
Double collar;
Arch-braces with locking tenons;
Scribe numbers visible.
12. Timber Conservation Process
Survey: historical value, condition, and structure.
Repairs: minimal, unobtrusive, reversible.
Outlook: maintenance check-list
Norway - Loft repair.
Timber replacement:
New timber selected,
cleft and hand hewn
to match original
decayed element.
14. Oak - tough and durable.
Baltic pine – imported.
Two forms of historic
timberwork:
Treewrighting
axe-hewn, boxed heart,
often smaller ‘stuff’,
cottage roofs;
Frame carpentry
hewn plus rip-sawn,
mortice and tenon,
large range of scantlings,
use of grown “bends”,
larger, more durable
buildings.
26. Recognising historic timberwork
Hewn or pit-sawn surfaces
Carpenters layout marks - scribe lines and references
Mortice and tenon joints
Chiselled numbers at joints
Scribed joints - shoulders scribed to match irregularities
28. Surveys
Record Drawings
Basic survey - Schematic timber drawings and photographs.
Full Survey: Archeological level recording.
Estimating
Annotate basic survey schematics with current condition and
possible repairs
35. Repair Methods for Historic Timberwork
•Steelwork: straps, flitch plates, cables,
brackets, bolts, screws to secure joints and
framing.
•Carpentry: replacement timbers, patch and
end repairs.
•Resin: consolidation, packing, patch and end
repairs.
Beware the “honest” repair
Making repairs look distinctive from original work
is often an excuse for unsightly repairs.
36. METAL REPAIRS:
•Often cheapest and best if hidden or subtle- no disassembly needed
•Reversible and easier. Unsightly if visible and poorly designed.
•Use galvanised or stainless steel for repairs.
37. CARPENTRY REPAIRS
•Potentially damaging
disassembly required for
replacement or end
repairs.
•Requires high quality
repair carpentry for good
results.
•Decide whether to match
conversion methods.
•Use oak with oak etc.
38. End repairs
• require careful
fitting and
assembly
• use dry timber
where possible.
• may have to use
green -allow for
shrinkage and
later tightening
41. Rafter notch joint
reformed in resin
RESIN REPAIRS:
•Good for consolidating valuable decayed timber and for packing
out steel repairs.
•Bad for large end repairs. Can be very ugly.
•Always use resin designed specifically for structural timber work.
42. Timber durability:
Excellent if kept dry.
Good if sheltered.
Bad if continually damp.
Exposed to weather for 600 years
Leaking weathervane
- king post decayed
68. Charlton Court Barn, West Sussex, England
Dendro-dated
to 1404
Major repairs
•Roof stone removed, frame realigned, joints reassembled
•Very costly - steel building over, detailed repairs throughout.
Use for special buildings.
69. Patch repair: coach End repairs:
screwed and plugged Tabled stop splay scarf
70. New timbers where missing
•Re-make in new timber on
pattern of existing.
•Better than unsightly
exposed steel.
•Can make decision to
match existing conversion
to similar pieces.
New aisle sway
brace