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Historic Roofing Materials in America

Jeffrey Havelin, P.E.


Course Outline

The purpose of this (One-Hour) course is to provide the architect or engineer with a fundamental understanding and a technical knowledge of historic roofing.

The roof imparts much of the architectural character; it defines the style and contributes to the building's aesthetics. The hipped roofs of Georgian architecture, the turrets of Queen Anne, the Mansard roofs, and the graceful slopes of the Shingle Style and Bungalow designs are examples of the use of roofing as a major design feature.

Historic roofs are being improperly repaired or replaced with alternative roofing materials, to the detriment of the historic integrity and appearance of the structure. Increased knowledge of the characteristics of slate and its detailing and installation on the roof can lead to more sensitive interventions in which original material is preserved and the building's historic character maintained.

Before any repair work is performed, the historic value of the materials used on the roof should be understood. Then a complete internal and external inspection of the roof should be planned to determine all the causes of failure and to identify the alternatives for repair or replacement of the roofing.

This course is based entirely on the web version of the National Park Service Preservation Brief 04 which is entitled “Roofing for Historic Buildings” as published by the National Park Service- U.S. Department of the Interior.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.


Learning Objective

This course will specifically review the history of roofing materials and will provide an understanding of various Historic Roofing Materials:


Intended Audience

This course would be very informative for Architects or Professional Engineers that are involved with historic buildings.


Benefit to the Attendees

This course recommends various measures that will provide an increased knowledge of the characteristics of historic roofing. Proper detailing and installation of historic roofing materials can lead to more sensitive interventions and the building's historic character maintained.


Course Introduction

The primary focus of this course has been to provide an increased knowledge of the various types of historic roofing; their correct detailing and installation on the roof can ensure the original material is preserved and the building's historic character maintained. Along with a thorough understanding of any written history of the building, a physical investigation of the roofing and its structure may reveal information about the roof's construction history.

Details contributing to the character of historic roofs are described and guidance is offered on maintenance and the degree of intervention required at various levels of deterioration.


Course Content

This course is based entirely on the web version of the National Park Service Preservation Brief 04 which is entitled “Roofing for Historic Buildings” as published by the National Park Service- U.S. Department of the Interior.

The link to the course materials is as follows:

Historic Roofing Materials in America

(http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief04.htm)

Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you still experience any difficulty in downloading or opening this file, you may need to close some applications or reboot your computer to free up some memory.


Course Summary

The primary role of the consultant is to ensure the life of the building, a knowledge of historic construction techniques and the special problems found in older buildings is essential. The consultant must assist the owner in planning for logistical problems relating to research and construction. It is the consultant's responsibility to determine the best ways to ensure that the character of the original roof material is preserved and maintained.


Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.