Historic Preservation How-To Articles

Use them to help recognize and resolve common preservation and repair problems prior to beginning work.

Paper copies of these briefs, with original pictures in place, can be ordered from the Government Printing Office. To order, use this page from the GPO's Web site. Search the Sales Product Catalog for "Preservation Briefs." http://bookstore.gpo.gov/

Writers working under contract with the federal government have assembled more than 40 booklets designed to help owners and developers of historic buildings recognize and resolve common preservation and repair problems. We've collected and published the whole set. Here's a table of contents. Or jump to these briefs directly: Preserving Historic Ceramic Tile Floors The Seismic Retrofit of Historic Buildings Painting Historic Interiors EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE AND RESTORATION The Seismic Retrofit of Historic Buildings The use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors The Maintenance and Repair of Architectural Cast Iron Removing Graffiti from Historic Masonry ENERGY SYSTEMS Heating, Ventilating, and Cooling Historic Buildings Conserving Energy in Historic Buildings MASONRY The Cleaning and Waterproof Coating of Masonry Buildings Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Brick Buildings Preservation of Historic Concrete: Problems and General Approaches INTERIORS Rehabilitating Interiors in Historic Buildings Preserving Historic Ceramic Tile Floors Painting Historic Interiors Repairing Historic Flat Plaster - Walls and Ceilings Preserving Historic Ornamental Plaster WINDOWS The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stained and leaded Glass The Preservation of Historic Pigmented Structural Glass The Repair and Thermal Upgrading of Historic Steel Windows ROOFING The Repair and Replacement of Historic Wooden Shingle Roofs Roofing for Historic Buildings The Repair, Replacement, and Maintenance of Historic Slate Roofs The Preservation and Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs SIDING & EXTERIOR WOODWORK Aluminum and Vinyl Siding on Historic Buildings Exterior Paint Problems on Historic Woodwork REMODELING AND ADDITIONS Rehabilitating Historic Storefronts New Exterior Additions to Historic Buildings: Preservation Concerns GENERAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ISSUES Preserving Composition Ornament The Preservation of Historic Barns Preservation of Adobe Buildings The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stucco Preserving Historic Ornamental Plaster The Preservation of Historic Signs The Preservation and Repair of Historic Log Cabins Understanding Old Buildings: The Process of Architectural Investigation OTHER OLD-HOUSE TOPICS Dangers of Abrasive Cleaning to Historic Buildings The Preservation of Historic Glazed Architectural Terra-Cotta Architectural Character: Identifying and Preserving Mothballing Historic Buildings Making Historic Properties Accessible (to People with Disabilities) Architectural Investigations Protecting Cultural Landscapes Reducing Lead-Paint Hazards in Historic Buildings Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings