Wood shingles are the most appropriate roofing material for this style. In the South, they tend to be built with brick, and in the North, with clapboards. Georgian homes typically have a symmetrical facade, transom lights, double-hung windows, a paneled door and occasionally a pedimented crown. If you want to remain true to this era, it's best to use wood shingles for your roofing material. This should not be confused with Dutch Colonial Revival, which emerged later during the Colonial Revival period. Dutch Colonial (1615 - 1674)ĭutch Colonial homes are characterized by their gambrel roofs and curved eaves along the house's length. Wood shakes and metal are some of the most popular roofing materials for saltbox-style homes. The steep pitch of their roofs is left over from a time when thatching was common, but settlers quickly realized that wood shingles did a better job of shedding off the snow. The majority of saltboxes were built in New England. Saltbox homes are characterized by their large chimney in the center, small windows and steep roofs, the back slope of which goes down to the first story. Knowing the architectural era of your historic home will help you decide which roofing material is most appropriate. How to Select a Roof Based on Your Home's Eraĭespite its relatively short 240 years of history, the United States is home to a wealth of architectural styles. This means that the restoration process isn't complete until all the work has been properly documented. Documentationĭuring this entire process, the roofers have an obligation to record all of their work for the benefit of generations to come. The best time to repair a historic roof is in mild weather. These substitutes should look identical to the original materials, and they should also be compatible with the other materials on your roof and not cause them to corrode. If your team is unable to acquire the materials used for the original roof, they must locate appropriate substitutes. In doing so, however, they try to stay as faithful as they can to the roof's original design and appearance. Although roofers try to follow the original building plans as much as possible, sometimes the required tools and materials are so antiquated that they must resort to contemporary alternatives. If you have any information or documents pertaining to your roof, share them with your contractor. This research may include viewing house plans, building specifications, photos, articles and files from previous owners. ResearchĪfter the assessment, the contractor must do some research on the roof, often with the help of architects and historians. As historic roofing materials tend to be delicate, inspectors cannot just walk on them - they must use appropriate scaffolding. This inspection must also be performed by a professional to make sure that the roof doesn't sustain any more damage. Assessments often require a contractor to take off some of the old roofing, inspect the attic and determine what's going on under the surface. AssessmentĪn assessment will determine the extent of the work that needs to be done, including where water is intruding and whether there are any underlying issues that must be repaired before replacing the roofing materials. Obtaining references for the contractor should also help you make a decision. If the contractor has experience with your roofing material, request photos of their past projects. Metal, tile, slate and wood weather in different ways and require different types of support and replacement methods. Even if they have experience with historic roofs, they may have never worked with your material. Look around for contractors or artisans and ask them about their experience with historic roof preservation and your roofing material in particular. There are few roofers in any given area with the qualifications to preserve historic roofs.
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