Archive Record
Images
Additional Images [4]
Metadata
Collection |
George Douglass |
Archive Number |
GDHRPT13 |
Title |
George Douglass House Restoration Report for the quarter endinng September 30, 2020 |
Description |
The Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County, PA George Douglass House Restoration: PHMC Project ME Number 16709 Work Progress, July 1-September 30, 2020 During this 3d quarter period, concentration was focused on parlor woodwork joinery and installation, as sequence details and Pandemic restrictions permitted. Our carpenters Tom & Chris Lainhoff continued the fabrication of parlor elements, built-in corner cabinetry, and molded millwork such as chair rail, cornices, perimeter-architraves, and baseboards, all designed and detailed based on surviving fragmentary "templates" as noted in previous reports. Carpentry work progressed through the quarter under revised pandemic restrictions, requiring that only one craftsman work in the house on any work day, and mandating face-covering and effective sanitary measures in work-spaces. The Lainhoffs completed construction and installation of the following re-fabricated structural and joined elements in the family [back] parlor and other first floor locations during this period. The woodwork components meeting wall and ceiling plaster were fitted in final positions, now in place to serve as fixed "stop" abutments for final plaster coatings: 1.Re-fabricated corner cupboard in final alignment as documented by plaster margins and other evidence, fitted in the family ["back"] parlor to adjacent chair rail and paneled wainscot spandrel ["apron"] below back window (photos #17 and 14, 9/29/20); 2.Doorway frame and architrave between the original mercantile store room in SW quadrant of the 1765 house-block and the Federal-era Amity Store addition; (Photo # 19, 8/14/20); 3.Window sill/seat in original store room with extended ("ended-out") side-boards of window box, butted to adjoining re-fabricated chair rail; (Photo #16, 8/14/20); 4.Re-fabricated wainscot paneling and over-mantle in front ("best") parlor, painted with original colors authenticated and formulated by historic paint consultant Matthew Mosca; photos #37 and 36, 9/4/20; 5.Re-installation of original Federal-era vernacular corner-cupboard in the original store-room (as documented by surviving store-account ledgers from the 1760s), reverting in the 1790-1810 era to resume its role as part of the domestic space of the 1765 Douglass family home, now re-fitted between new chair rail molded in the precise form and traditional molding detail of original railing found elsewhere in the house; (Photo # 1, 9/29/20); 6."Sistering" or lap-joining joist-extensions where necessary, and stabilizing parlor and store-room floor joists in foundation-masonry sockets, in preparation for re-installation and leveling of original floor boards and setting re-cycled floor boards in replacement of deteriorated originals (Photo # 2, 9/23/20). 4th quarter 2020 and winter work, as weather and health and safety requirements permit, will: A. complete current-project phases of carpentry, joinery and plastering in the parlors and store-room; B. re-create the pent roof on the 1765 façade across the rubble stone band between ashlar 1st and 2d story façade masonry; photo #8, 10/2/20; and C. complete Installation and leveling of original and replacement floor boards. Larry Ward |
Date |
October 2020 |
Object Name |
Report |
Catalog Number |
1006.01.059 |
Search Terms |
George Douglass George Douglass House Restoration GDHRPT corner cupboard sistered joist pent roof architrave over-mantle paint colors |
People |
George Douglass |