18th Century Barn Stabilization, Joseph F. Porter House
Location: Braintree, Massachusetts
Timeframe: April 2014-May 2014
Stabilization, jacking and re-flooring of the rear section of a late 18th century English Barn in Braintree, Massachusetts, restoration of front barn window and door. Restoration of original wooden gutter on house.
“I hired Ian and his colleagues at New Netherland Timber Framing and Preservation to restore a section of my barn that had been badly water damaged at some point in the past. They came out and assessed the damage, gave me options on various methods (and cost implications thereof) to restore the damaged area, and a project timeline.
They were able to save as much of the existing structure as possible, tying their restoration into the original in a way that will hopefully last another 200 years. As a woodworker myself, I am very satisfied with the quality of the work and the materials they chose for the repairs.
The crew was very professional, kept the job site clean, and generally left the work site better than they found it. The job was completed on schedule and under budget, as Ian was able to source great lumber for the repairs at a price less than half of what we would have paid locally. His knowledge of antique structures and methods to restore them is very strong, and I wouldn’t hesitate to hire his company again. I strongly recommend them to anyone with an antique property they would like to restore to its former glory.”
– John Voloudakis, property owner
“The bones of this barn are rough and simple–all set on a foundation of massive stones. The structure has stood for hundreds of years and has been adapted to accommodate all sorts of uses as the world changed around it. I am honored to contribute to its continued survival and to help maintain its usefulness. ” — Windy, NNTF
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- The original barn floor had a pronounced sag due to old boards and a weak summer beam.
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- The boards were taken up and, too old and dry to be reused, were relegated to kindling.
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- A new beam was cut to replace the weak one, spliced into the existing structure.
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- Meeting of the old and new summer beams.
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- A new floor was put in place, sturdy and strong.
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- Meeting of the old and new summer beams.
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- This twelve-light window underwent wood repair and reglazing.
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- Windy paints the sill and frame of the window.
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- The window is installed and trim is completed.
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- The gutter before work…
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- Tree paints the new gutter before it’s placed.
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- The gutter is rebuilt and trimmed.
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- New gutter and trim.