Preservation Briefs
Preservation Briefs provide guidance on preserving, rehabilitating, and restoring historic buildings.
Preservation Briefs help historic building owners recognize and resolve common problems prior to work.
The briefs are especially useful to Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program applicants because they recommend methods and approaches for rehabilitating historic buildings that are consistent with their historic character.
Some of the web versions of the Preservation Briefs differ somewhat from the printed versions. Many illustrations are new and in color rather than black and white; Captions are simplified and some complex charts are omitted. To order hard copies of the Briefs, see Printed Publications.
1 Cleaning and Water-Repellent Treatments for Historic Masonry Buildings
2 Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings
3 Improving Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings
4 Roofing for Historic Buildings
5 The Preservation of Historic Adobe Buildings
6 Dangers of Abrasive Cleaning to Historic Buildings
7 The Preservation of Historic Glazed Architectural Terra-Cotta
9 The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows
10 Exterior Paint Problems on Historic Woodwork
11 Rehabilitating Historic Storefronts
12 The Preservation of Historic Pigmented Structural Glass (Vitrolite and Carrara Glass)
13 The Repair and Thermal Upgrading of Historic Steel Windows
14 New Exterior Additions to Historic Buildings: Preservation Concerns
15 Preservation of Historic Concrete
16 The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors
18 Rehabilitating Interiors in Historic Buildings — Identifying Character-Defining Elements
19 The Repair and Replacement of Historic Wooden Shingle Roofs
20 The Preservation of Historic Barns
21 Repairing Historic Flat Plaster—Walls and Ceilings
22 The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stucco
23 Preserving Historic Ornamental Plaster
24 Heating, Ventilating, and Cooling Historic Buildings: Problems and Recommended Approaches
25 The Preservation of Historic Signs
26 The Preservation and Repair of Historic Log Buildings
27 The Maintenance and Repair of Architectural Cast Iron
28 Painting Historic Interiors
29 The Repair, Replacement, and Maintenance of Historic Slate Roofs
30 The Preservation and Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs
31 Mothballing Historic Buildings
32 Making Historic Properties Accessible
33 The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stained and Leaded Glass
34 Applied Decoration for Historic Interiors: Preserving Historic Composition Ornament
35 Understanding Old Buildings: The Process of Architectural Investigation
36 Protecting Cultural Landscapes: Planning, Treatment and Management of Historic Landscapes
37 Appropriate Methods of Reducing Lead-Paint Hazards in Historic Housing
38 Removing Graffiti from Historic Masonry
39 Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings
40 Preserving Historic Ceramic Tile Floors
41 The Seismic Retrofit of Historic Buildings: Keeping Preservation in the Forefront
42 The Maintenance, Repair and Replacement of Historic Cast Stone
43 The Preparation and Use of Historic Structure Reports
44 The Use of Awnings on Historic Buildings: Repair, Replacement and New Design
45 Preserving Historic Wooden Porches
46 The Preservation and Reuse of Historic Gas Stations
47 Maintaining the Exterior of Small and Medium Size Historic Buildings