COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus)- Working in the New Normal
The Covid-19 pandemic has created a lot of concern and confusion. While each of us at Heritage are feeling personal fears and concerns, we are collectively committed to best practices in keeping our staff and the public we serve healthy…
Why Quality Matters
An old house can be there by accident but most of the time it’s because someone cared. It could have been the craftsperson from 200 years ago. Or it could have been the handyman that cleaned the gutters. Or it…
Woods-Gerry House Floor Reproduction Project
Heritage Restoration was hired to document and reconstruct the floor at the beautiful Wood Gerry Gallery, which is also the Admissions Building for the Rhode Island School of Design. The floor is a patterned mix of rift sawn white oak…
Mild Thing, You Help My Purse String
So this winter has been great for those who don’t like the cold and slush, as well as a bit easier on the bank account, so it’s a great time to analyze and retrofit your old house. Many believe an…
When Painting Gets a Little Too Close
Our neighbor has started sanding his 1875 house, I assume in preparation to do more exterior painting. I see people with hand sanders on ladders and I don’t see any machinery that indicates there is a collection of paint chips…
Newport Quaker Meeting House Frame Repair
View our project at the Quaker Meeting House in Newport, RI. Rob Cagnetta first visited the Meeting House 30 years ago in a class at Roger Williams University.
Plaster: To Save or Not to Save
Our house has failing lead paint on the original horse hair plaster walls. The firms contacted thus far have stated that, given the size of the job, the most sensible way to proceed is through the removal of the plaster…
Truth about Lead Poisoning
Lead is all around us. Prior to 1978, lead was in many everyday products like paint and gasoline, but it also was the pipes and solder feeding us water and in the glazes that covered ceramics and cast iron fixtures.…
I get it….it’s cold
It has been an interesting winter. In the last week we have gone from 9-55 degrees, with even bigger ranges over the past month. In January we had about 6.5″ of precipitation, most of it rain coming down horizontal. Right…