Bacon's Castle Winter Spruce Up-2012

Preservation Virginia's restoration crew has been given the opportunity to spruce-up Bacon's Castle's interior during the winter months of 2012, in preparation for it's reopening on March the 2nd. The last time the the interior was extensively refreshed was in the mid-80's, about 25 years ago. Needless to say, it could use a fresh coat of paint. The crew started in the front half of the 1854 wing. There were countless many plaster cracks that needed patching, but the time consuming job was the windows. The paint on the sashes had alligatored and flaked to the point where they had to be scraped down to bare wood and then primed, before a new topcoat could be applied. In performing this task, the crew discovered that the sashes had Roman numerals cut into them. The numbers started at what is now an interior doorway in the gift, then progressed clockwise around the building. That was the "neat" discovery. The crew also discovered old, but extensive, termite damage to the front window in the hallway, requiring consolidation of the trim and window seat, plus replacement of nailers for the seat, the trim on the right side, and the nailers for the lower wainscot. That was the "bummer".
The crew used Sherwin-Williams alkyd primer and then "Pro-Mar" for the trim topcoat. The Pro-Mar" paint coats well and dries harder then most latex paints, making it ideal for windows. Sherwin-Williams "Duration" paint, in a matte finish, was applied to the plaster. It's a thick paint that helps hide hairline plaster cracks. The fresh paint really made the rooms "pop". The are so much more bright and cheery, it's difficult to believe they are the same rooms. (Hey, if you can't brag on yourself once in a while, what's the point of blogging?)

Can You See it, Now?

The Restoration Crew has moved their gutter installation operation to the North side of the Memorial Church on Historic Jamestowne. As part of the process, the crew uses the scaffold set-up to inspect and replace damaged slate shingles. The lichen growth on the North side of the church was so thick and extensive as to make the slate inspection impossible. Therefore, the decision was made to remove the lichens. Internet research on lichen removal revealed that a solution of two quarts bleach added to a gallon of warm water and TSP might work. As you can see from the left side of the photo, when this solution was applied with a garden sprayer and then scrubbed with brushes, it was mildly effective. Dissatisfied with the results, the crew treated the right side of the roof with the same solution, then used a 1700 psi pressure washer with a 25 degree fan tip. As all Americans obsessed with instant gratification, the crew was pleased with the results. Great care was used to spray in a top-to-bottom motion, so as not to drive water under the slates. An EDPM underlayment, which had been applied to this side of the roof after an earlier roof repair, gave the crew added confidence that the pressure washer wasn't going to cause interior leaks. Since lichens produce an acid that allows their root to grow into stone, it is hoped that its removal may increase the life of the slate shingles. Don't forget to "lich" Preservation Virginia on facebook, for more exciting adventures.

How's It Hanging?

The Restoration Department has spent the better part of three weeks installing a six inch, half-round gutter on the South side of the Memorial Church at Historic Jamestowne. The .032 inch thick, aluminum gutter is a factory finished "Mansard Brown" color, to mimic the color of oxidized copper. Because of the large crown molding on the church, the gutter could not be hung from the fascia, but had to be hung from straps screwed to the roof sheathing. This installation required the starter and first course of slate shingles be removed along the entire 55 foot length of the roof. The crew repaired and replaced damaged sections of the roof sheathing and crown molding as needed. They then applied 30-pound roof felt to the exposed roof section until the starter and first course of slates could be reapplied. Stainless steel gutter hangers, roof straps and screws were used in the installation process, so this won't have to be done again for a great while. Stainless steel "snow catchers", painted black, were also installed, to protect the roof gutter, and guests visiting Jamestowne, from ice sheets sliding off the roof. It is hoped that the roof gutters will reduce the moisture that is wicking up into the foundations of the frame church of 1617, that are displayed under glass in the memorial church. The gutters should also the keep the roof runoff from soaking into and migrating through the brick buttresses, where it is damaging plaques that are set into the interior masonry walls. While the scaffold was set up, the crew used the opportunity to inspect and replace about 10 damaged slates on the upper parts of the roof.

Floored Again

The Restoration Department finished replacing the termite damaged, 3"x9" heart-pine, floor joists in the hyphen at Bacon's Castle, with new pressure-treated pine ones. In the following picture you can see the early heart-pine finish floor relaid over the new joists. The termite damage was exacerbated by chronic dampness in the front porch area. The department is trying to remedy this issue with a new gutter, some repointing at the area where the porch joins the house, and polyurethane caulk under the door threshold. If they are successful at eliminating the moisture, they will replace the plaster ceiling that was demolished at the beginning of this project. Wish us luck.

The Beast is Caged

The Restoration Department has finished installing the six-foot tall picket fence around the new HVAC unit in the back yard of The John Marshall House. The crew used several techniques and tools to build the fence efficiently. When the fence rails were set, they were hung at a very precise height from grade. The pickets were all cut in the shop with a chop saw, so they were exactly the same length. The crew could then set the picket bottoms flush with the bottom rail, and the picket tops would come out dead even. The frame was set on site and painted in a day. The 174 pickets were primed and painted off-site with an airless sprayer, in a day and a half. The crew used a cordless nailer, loaded with two-inch stainless steel nails, to attach the pickets, also in a day and a half. Slightly over 1000 nails were used on the pickets.

It's Drying Time Again in Virginia

What you see before you is almost $1000 worth of pressure-treated yellow-pine, racked and drying in the peanut barn at Bacon's Castle. This material will be the twenty foot by fourteen foot stockade fence at the John Marshall House. The stockade will hide the new HVAC equipment in the back yard. This was necessitated by the City of Richmond transferring ownership of the Marshall House to Preservation Virginia. Up until now, the city had provided steam or chill water for the houses' air handler to use. Now, Preservation Virginia must provide it. Ah, the complexities of home ownership.

..and other duties as required.

Its that time of year when the properties are gearing up for the new visitation season and the Restoration Dept is bouncing around like ping-pong balls, covering a wide range of really mundane duties. We have done or are in the process of fixing windows for Wilton, Farmer's Bank, and the Cape Henry Lighthouse. We have met, advised and given estimates for Wilton and the Fredericksburg Properties. We burned the fire pile at Bacon's Castle and then had to move 16 tons of dirt that had accumulated under the pile. We have replaced the two doors at the Cape Henry gift shop with fiberglass doors with windows. Taking advantage of the ambient light makes the shop more inviting, and helps prevent "blind door" strikes on guests and employees. As soon as we finish the sundry duties, the department will transition over to Bacon's Castle as part of its renovation. We were going to post pictures of the new Cape Henry gift shop doors, but our computer says no.

Bad News at Monumental Church

The Restoration Department has finished the demolition part of the stair tower room. What a mess! Of the seven original joists, only two could be salvaged. Of the period, heart pine floor boards, only four could be salvaged. An item of interest is that the four good floor boards were not tongue and groove, whereas all the rest were. All the floor boards were pit-sawn and adzed on their undersides and nailed with period "L" head nails, so they appear to have been installed at the same time. Puzzling.

The bad news is that we discovered active termites in the stair tower joists, floor boards and in the stairs themselves. Amy Swartz, the HRF Executive Director has had the Church treated for termites and has a contract with a pest control company for annual inspections. This should have been sufficient to prevent a termite infestation, but it was not. When we met with representatives of the pest control company, they were at a loss as to explain how their annual inspections did not detect the new infestation. Perhaps we can help. During the demolition phases of both the passage room and the stair tower, we observed numerous abandoned termite tubes clinging to both wood and masonry surfaces. We do not see how a termite company can tell if a these signs of activity are new or old, unless the pest control technician removes the tubes during the inspection. The tech could check for living termites as he is removing the tubes. Doing this annually would make new termite activity obvious. The logical conclusion is that Amy need to pursue a new pest control company, once her current company has finished its contractual obligations.

A last item of interest is the stairs themselves. The treads, risers and most other elements are cypress. We know they are period because there are "transition" nails attaching the bottom of the risers to the back of the treads. These nails, with cut bodies and forged heads were made mostly from 1790 to 1815, which fits nicely into the 1814 date of construction for the church.

Monumental Progress

I love the name of this structure. Every time we write about it, it sounds like we have accomplished mighty things. As you can see from the photo, the Restoration Dept. has completed replacing the four damaged, pit-sawn pine floor joists with pressure-treated pine ones. The loose brickwork under the safe was repaired, and a few bricks under the joists had to be reset. The utilities were reconnected to the framing. A subfloor of pressure-treated 1"x8"s was installed, followed by 1/2 inch plywood. We are now progressing to the stair hall, which has more extensive termite damage than the foyer. One item of interest, we found what appears to be an unused chimney flue in the corner by the safe. The flue was full of topsoil and shards of early window pane glass. Gold coins would have been better.

Tresspassers WILL be prosecuted...

...by the Law of Gravity. After that last exciting blog I"m sure y'all are breathless with anticipation, waiting to know what the Restoration Department is doing the second half of the month of August. Well wait no longer, we are doing a preservation for fee job at the 1814 Monumental Church in Richmond, owned by the Historic Richmond Foundation. The first floor foyer and stair passage rooms have been heavily damaged by termites. The termites are gone, but not forgotten. Seven of the three inch by nine inch floor joists in the foyer have to be replaced, and the remaining need to be consolidated. The subfloors were destroyed. The white oak finish floor has some damage, but at least 80% is reusable. It was carefully labeled, toward its reinstallation. There are two manufacture stamps on the oak floor, one is "Peerless Flooring Co. of High Point NC". The other is "NOFMA Burress of Lynchburg, Va." It may be possible to establish a ballpark estimate of the date of installation with this information. We laid plywood down for the safety of the HRF staff before left.

Et Voila

The Hollow is finished on July 29, 2010. The locals were present to cheer us on.

Looks Like a Hollow Victory

The Restoration Department is within a week of finishing the installation of the North side heart poplar siding on the Hollow. When this is complete, and the bed molding is installed, it will be the completion of a restoration project they started in the summer of 2005. There may be future modifications to the Hollow as its function is refined, but the goals of complete stabilization of the structure have all been met. Its a proud moment.

Watch That First Step

The Restoration Department is doing conservation work on the period stairs at the John Marshall House. Here, at the second floor landing, the ballistrade had to be removed so the the landing nosing could be conserved. The crew had to glue and screw a split where the tread crossed over the riser. They also reinforced the groove section in the back of the floor board. The upper shoulder of the groove had worn thin from foot traffic, and a section of it was broken out, probably from a high-heeled shoe. The lower shoulder was sawn away, and a full size strip was glued under the upper shoulder, to make it as thick as the rest of the floor board. The corresponding tongue on the adjacent board will be cut away, and the boards will be simply butted together. A dutchman was used to replace section broken out by the shoe.

John Smith Roasted His Weenie Here

Hey, it could have happened. The restoration department just finished installing an exterior outlet for a food kiosk by the Archaearium. The 110 volt, 20 amp GFCI circuit runs in pvc conduit for just over 200 feet and is mounted to the statehouse fence. It took 3 men about 3 days plus $265 in materials to install. Good luck keeping guests with their food purchases out of the museum.

Happiness is Cape Henry in Your Rear View

The Restoration dept. has finally finished the Cape Henry gift shop renovations, five weeks behind schedule. We replaced the front door, some siding that had sun or termite damage, two outside lights, added an interior partition wall, hung twelve sheets of slatwall, and built an 8' by 10' storage shed with lights, insulation, shelves and a ramp.
None of the work was complex, so what took so long? Most of the extra time can be blamed on inefficient materials handling, while some was from the gift shop being open for normal operation during the renovation. When the department met with all parties in December of 2009, they were informed that the shop would be closed for two weeks in mid-January,2010. This would have allowed Restoration to use the shop as a depot for materials and tools, and allowed them to work past the 4:00 pm closing time. With the shop open, Restoration had to acquire only the materials they were going to use that day, and pause in their work to be respectful of visitors. Tools had to be loaded in the morning and offloaded in the evening because of the threat of inclement weather. With the siding taking up most of the usable extra space in the Mulebarn, Restoration could not stockpile much additional material, which meant a trip to Lowe's almost every morning. With a one to two hour trip to Lowe's every morning, plus loading the tools and then slugging through commuter traffic 1.5 to 2 hours , fast starts were not an option. In retrospect, given that there was no available lockable storage at the job site, renting a good size steel storage unit, about twenty feet long, would have made good sense. Hindsight really can be a bitch.

Ramped and Amped

The Restoration Department, with the addition of a two-light circuit and a walk ramp, have finally finished the storage shed at Cape Henry. Mike has started to replace the deteriorated siding on the visitor center/gift shop, and discovered an active termite infestation which seems to be confined to the two lower pieces of siding to the left of the front door. Meanwhile, Jon has finished repairing water damage to the 1854 wing at Bacon's Castle, that was caused by a second floor toilet leak. Karl and Jon are spot painting the porch room and adjoining hallway, the West chamber and the Great Hall in preparation for the 2010 visitation season.

Cape Henry Shed

The storage shed at Cape Henry is done. The 8'x10' shed copies the architecture of the gift shop and is built to withstand the strong coastal winds of this area. Items left to complete are the ramp, the electric line for the interior light, and a bulkhead for the hillside of the shed. The front door of the gift shop will be replaced as soon as time and weather permit.

The Eyes Have It

The Hollow finally has complete period reproduction windows that were installed by the Restoration Crew the week of November 2nd, 2009. Making the sashes took about four weeks and $1400 worth of select grade heart pine. The time frame is a bit inaccurate due to absences and vacations of the crew. Tasks yet to be accomplished include installation of the backband trim on the three downstairs windows, making and installing a winder tread on the stairs, acquiring and installing heart poplar siding on the plywood covered back side of the house, and installing the bed molding under the eaves.

Hollow Sashes

The Restoration dept has spent the last few weeks setting up tents and milling and shaping heart pine stock for window sashes. Jon Miano exhibits the first of nine sashes completed for the project. The sashes are peculiar in that the glass panes are 7"x9" instead of the normal 8"x10" panes. The pane size was reverse engineered, as we had the original window openings but no original sashes. The materials cost for this job will be about $1400.

The view from heaven

Surprised to see it looks like a cow pasture, aren't you? For some of you, this is as close as you'll get to that. Others will realize this is the view from the west side gable window of the Hollow. The restoration department has finished the stairs and paneling in the Hollow as of August 27th, and are now back at the shop to manufacture window sashes and backband for the house. The successful completion of these will finish the departments preservation efforts at the Hollow, pending the acquisition of poplar siding for the back of the house. The department is looking foward to working on Preservation Virginia properties, and are anxious to see what Louis will come up with for our next outside project. No pressure, Louis.