Building Environment

by Historic England

Published 28 October 2014

Building Environment looks at the interaction between building materials and systems and their surroundings, and how this may lead to deterioration. It presents ways of assessing remedial treatments, and includes discussions on occupant health, and sustainable retrofitting.


Stone

by Historic England

Published 28 March 2012

Stone considers the wide variety of historical uses, from simple masonry walling through to elaborate carving and decoration. The book considers why stone decays or fails and how to assess and understand the causes, before concentrating on the practical methods of treatment, repair and maintenance.


Timber

by Historic England

Published 28 March 2012

Timber deals with wide-ranging use of the material in historic buildings, from vast structural timber-frames through to high-class joinery and simple fixings. Particular attention is paid to how and why timber decays or faults occur, and the methods of assessing and dealing with this. The bulk of the book covers appropriate methods of repair and maintenance.


Metals

by Historic England

Published 28 March 2012

Metals deals with the conservation of a group of materials that have been used in buildings for everything from structural components and fixings to weatherproofing, repairs, and decoration. It covers both the iron-based and the non-ferrous metals (such as copper, bronze and lead), in each case considering technological evolution, deterioration processes, and the practical application and long-term implications of the common conservation materials and methods.


Glass and Glazing

by Historic England

Published 28 March 2012

Glass and Glazing looks at the conservation of one of the most important building materials, and its use in windows, roofing and walling. It considers the technological evolution of glass and glazing systems, the processes causing deterioration, and the practical application and long-term implications of common conservation materials and methods, as well as of alterations to improve performance.


Earth, Brick and Terracotta

by Historic England

Published 28 November 2015
Earth, Brick and Terracotta deals with fired and unfired clay products. It considers their technological evolution, the processes causing deterioration and how these should be assessed and the methods used for their repair and maintenance.

Concrete

by Historic England

Published 24 April 2013
  • A great deal of research and literature has been produced on repairing concrete structures but very little aimed at conserving the character or appearance of historic examples. This volume offers guidance as to how that should be done.
  • Includes a brief history of the use of the material and explains the criteria for listing before assessing decay mechanisms and determining appropriate repair strategies.
  • A bibliography and case studies are also included.

Mortars, Renders and Plasters provides a broad perspective of contemporary conservation theory and practice not otherwise found in one publication, describing the history, physical properties, and deterioration of these important materials. Methods of assessing condition and evaluating options for treatment and repair are discussed, together with a range of practical conservation techniques and maintenance strategies.


Conservation Basics

by Historic England

Published 24 April 2013

Conservation Basics examines the evolving theories and principles that underpin building conservation in England in the 21st century, and looks at their application in practice. The process of conservation planning for the maintenance and repair of historic buildings and places is described in detail, and is illustrated through case studies. Topics include understanding and assessment, surveys and recording, ecological considerations, planning and managing maintenance and repair programmes, risk management, specifying works, and contract procurement.


Roofing

by Historic England

Published 2 January 2014

Roofing looks at traditional roof coverings used on historic buildings. Many materials and systems have been used to provide roof coverings, and the book provides information about their technological evolution, the processes causing deterioration, and ways of assessing problems and solutions. Repairs, maintenance and conflicts with modern practices are also covered.


Since the original series of Practical Building Conservation appeared in 1988, it has become a standard reference for those caring for historic buildings large and small: essential reading for architects, surveyors and building managers, as well as conservators. This new and much expanded set of 10 volumes has been updated to provide a fully comprehensive reference featuring the latest techniques and materials. Historic England is renowned for its expertise in the conservation of buildings, gardens and archaeological sites and these books are an accessible distillation of many years of experience. They look in detail at building materials ranging from the ancient to the modern and are studded throughout with practical advice.