Page 201 - The Building Conservation Directory 2013

t w e n t i e t h a n n i v e r s a r y e d i t i o n

t h e b u i l d i n g c o n s e r vat i o n d i r e c t o r y 2 0 1 3

2 0 1

6

Useful Information

Readers’ Top Ten

Articles, 1993–2013

David Boulting

casement window furniture’ a very niche

subject indeed but the high hit rate garnered

by the online version of this article suggests

otherwise. Historians, homeowners,

conservators and indeed anyone with an

interest in design will find something of interest

in this finely illustrated feature. Introducing

the reader to the ‘vertical woodman catch’ and

the ‘tulip leaf handle’, it is worth reading for its

evocative terminology alone.

Number

❼

Ten Ways to Ruin an Old Building

Jonathan Taylor, BCD 1998

A top ten list of a rather different sort, this

countdown of conservation catastrophe

highlights some of the most common and

damaging treatments and approaches to

historic fabric. From using impermeable

cement mortars to employing non-specialist

contractors, the Directory’s editor explained

what not to do to your treasured historic

building. The article concludes with an

outline of the ‘careful alternative’: a sensitive,

informed and flexible conservation approach.

Number

❻

Sash Windows: Painting and

Draught-proofing

David Wrightson, BCD 2001

Sash windows, ripped out of British homes

in their thousands in the name of energy

efficiency, are a sadly undervalued element

of our built heritage. Their contribution to

the character of a historic facade is often not

appreciated until they have been replaced

with uPVC units. David Wrightson’s article

was significantly ahead of the curve in

pointing out, back in 2001, that draught-

proofed and weather-stripped sash windows

not only looked better but often made better

financial sense than double glazed windows,

which are typically only guaranteed for ten

years but often take 60–100 years to pay back

the replacement cost.

Number

❺

Geometric and Encaustic Tiled

Floors

Peter Thompson, BCD 2004

Encaustic floor tiles once decorated Victorian

buildings from one end of the British Isles

to the other, from the grandest church to

the humblest terraced home. While many

of these beautiful and durable floors were

covered over in the 1960s and 70s, it is

heartening to see that they are enjoying

something of a revival. Peter Thompson

shared his unrivalled experience (he has

overseen around 1,000 tiled floor restoration

projects) in an article which is still essential

reading for anyone considering restoring – or

simply cleaning and sealing – their long-

neglected and newly appreciated Victorian

tiled floor.

F

rom films

to see before you die to

must-read novels, ‘best of’ lists seem to

have become a national hobby. Top ten

lists are almost always controversial but that,

of course, is the point. Arguing the relative

merits of things we value is always enjoyable,

perhaps because it’s an opportunity to work

out what we like and why.

Readers will no doubt have their own

favourites from among the 450 articles we

have published in The Building Conservation

Directory (BCD) and its special reports over

the past 20 years. Hopefully you’ll find some

of yours in the top ten countdown below,

which was compiled according to the number

of viewings the articles have received on our

website Buildingconservation.com.

Number

❿

The Myth in the Mix

Gerard Lynch, BCD 2007

Master bricklayer and historic brickwork

consultant Gerard Lynch investigates lime

mortar mixes in this article from the 2007

edition. Having progressed from apprentice

to skilled craftsman and finally to PhD-

qualified consultant, few people are as well

versed in the technology and practice of their

craft, or as well placed to spot the common

mistakes made by specifiers and craftsmen.

This article looks at the principles behind

the commonly specified proportion of one

part lime to three parts sand and explains

why it is not good practice to adopt a routine

approach to mortar specification.

Number

❾

Repairs to Lead Sheet Roofing and

Flashings

Fred Coote, BCD 1993

From the very first edition of the Directory,

this article on the survey and repair of

lead roofing is as relevant today as it was

20 years ago. It shows that while some

aspects of building conservation are

regularly transformed by technological

advances, others simply need a methodical,

well-informed approach combined

with a good inspection regime.

Number

❽

Early Casement Window Furniture

Linda Hall, BCD 2001

You would be forgiven for thinking ‘early

From the first edition of

The Building Conservation