This guide will cover the importance of monitoring, what to look for and when, how to repair, and what to avoid (to prevent long-term problems).
Why Important
With a heritage building even small signs of inappropriate style or material stands out, and can suggest that unsympathetic changes have made which can devalue the whole property.
What to look for
Look for loose, flaking or unsound paint. Wood rot and woodworm are signs that the the woodwork is failing.
Fire Safety
to be added later
When to look
When the initial detailed survey is undertaken. Collect photographs of the existing situation.
All painted wood should be inspected annually, or when the building has a change of use/occupancy, for any signs of breakdown and decay, and will need repainting about once every 3-5 years.
South or West facing exposures, and river facing exposures, may need repainting more frequently.
How to fix
Remove all loose, flaking or unsound paint by scraping, sanding, wire brushing or use a hot air gun with caution and clean back to a sound firm edge of the old paint film. Particular care must be taken when treating surfaces that may contain paint applied pre-1960 as this may include paints containing white lead.
Cut back any decayed wood to sound wood and replace with a section of new timber that has been treated with a suitable timber preservative. If there is only a small cavity, use a suitable exterior wood filler to match the existing colour of the preserved timber.
Wash down all remaining areas with a dilute solution [of what? check original text]
Avoiding creating problems
Avoid plastic or PVC doors and frames, as they rarely enhance a heritage property’s aesthetics. It is also likely that Listed Building Consent may be required to make such changes in a heritage building.
Historical background
Hardwoods were generally used for doors, and window frames as they lasted longer. Softwood was used when cost & supply of timber was a more important factor.
Builders & Architect Catalogues were often used to select finishes and styles for the original building. The Wirral Archives may be good places to research what was available at the time.