Regent Square Civic Association
Home Improvement Workshop 2014
- Traditional materials were robust, dimensionally stable and aged/weathered well.
- Brick, stucco, stone, and Portland cement mortar have very low coefficients of
expansion and thus experience very little movement in the exterior wall. - Techniques of construction were executed by carpenters trained in traditional and
time tested methods of construction/joinery, and there was less reliance on
“sealants” at material interfaces, relying instead on overlap and flashings to absorb
movement and to shed water. - Wood for trim and cladding was typically old growth white or southern yellow pine
(very stable and hard), with western red cedar (and sometimes eastern white
cedar) used for shingles. - Paints and coatings were oil-based, and the lead in the paint chemistry provided
good color retention, adhesion and a durable finish.