Significant progress has been made in the last two weeks on completing the work on the windows and door of the south facade.
Windows: The preliminary stage of work on the restoration of the south facade is nearing completion. The de-installation and restoration of the doors and windows is nearly complete.
All the double-hung windows on the first and second floors, have been taken out and restored with priming paint. The fabrication of the top sections of the 14 windows that were destroyed years ago with the installation of the air conditioning units, have been completed. Those top sashes were refabricated by Wood Window Workshop of Utica, New York. These latter sashes were constructed using both salvaged existing sash components (from the destroyed upper (AC) sashes) and by matching existing muntin profiles and refabricating them. Spanish Cedar was used as the replacement wood.
Although the overall project sub-contractor, Worcester Eisenbrandt, Inc., has the capability of doing that millwork themselves, because of work schedules, they decided to contract it out to the Utica millshop to keep the project on time.
All the windows that had glass in them have been reglazed with the original glass that was in the sash. Where there was broken window glass and in the refabricated sashes, period replacement glass is installed. This replacement glass was specified as KRP-1 Hollander’s Old World Light Restoration Glass (mouth blown).
The window frames have been completely cleaned down to the wood, sanded and filled using Abatron Wood Epoxy and then finished and painted with a primary paint. They are ready for reinstallation of the windows. The final paint has not been decided, since the analysis is not yet complete (see below).
The casement windows on the ground (basement) floor are being completely replaced since the original windows were destroyed. Again, these sashes are being fabricated using Spanish Cedar and restoration glass. Eight (8) pairs of casement sashes have been refabricated by the same workshop in Utica, New York. The casement windows will be glazed with modern replica thermopane windows (Photo).
The shutters for these windows are being fabricated by Cavetown Planing Mill of Maryland under specifications being finalized in consultation with BELL Architects of Capitol Hill. Those shutters will replicate what is thought to have been the design of the original shutters for the casement windows.
Doors: The doors on the first floor of the south facade have been completely cleaned, sanded and filled and primed and ready for final painting. The frame and side lites have also been deinstalled, cleaned, sanded, filled and primed with the glass reinstalled.
The door on the south facade in the basement will be totally refabricated to replicate the north facade basement doors, since the original door has been destroyed and nothing remains. This is a simple stile and rail design that is still under review with the architect. As soon as that review is complete shop drawings can be completed and approved.
The frame for the basement door has been cleaned, sanded and filled and is ready for priming and glazing for the side lites.
Paint Analysis and Oversight: Worcester Eisenbrandt, Inc. is contracted only to prime the interior of the windows and the doors, but are to fully finish the exterior of the south elevation windows and doors.
It appears that a sand paint was the original exterior finish and the interior had a “graining” paint finish, which gives the appearance of a natural wood finish. However, this has NOT been confirmed by the scientific analysis as yet. As a result no final color has been selected for the exterior, since the paint analysis is not complete.
The contractor is awaiting the second round of paint analysis to confirm the preliminary laboratory results for the interior and exterior paints. When (if) that is confirmed, work can proceed on final painting and installation.
An architect from BELLArchitects is on site every day assuring the work conforms to specifications.
The information and photographs were provided by Ms. Astrid Maas, project director, from Worcester Eisenbrandt, Inc., as well as through our onsite inspections. From these onsite inspections, it is clear that an excellent job is being done on this phase of the restoration.
This site is sponsored by the Friends of the Old Naval Hospital
Last updated November 15, 2008
