[MassHistPres] reservoir gatehouse restoration

[Sam Bird]

In answer to your questions:

1. Some research should reveal what a typical door would have been.  
It may have been a heavy wood door, possibly sheet iron with a frame  
of iron flatstock or it could have been a wood door with a facing of  
sheet iron.
2. DO NOT sandblast this building! If you do, in twenty years you'll  
have nothing. Sandblasting will remove the outer surface of the brick  
and make it much more porous. The brick will absorb more water and  
freeze thaw cycles will destroy it. D not coat the building with any  
"miracle" coatings either. At most , all the brick needs is a quality  
repointing with a soft, high lime, low cement content mortar. It is  
imperative to get a specification for a mortar mix from a qualified  
restoration architect. Using the wrong mortar can also destroy the  
brick in a very few years. The granite should need no treatment at  
all except pointing. Granite can stand a harder mortar but only in  
granite to granite joints, not granite to brick - it's best to use  
the same soft mortar throughout so the mason doesn't use the wrong  
mortar anywhere.
3. I think the Chestnut Hill reservoir has similar structures and the  
Sandy Pond reservoir in Lincoln may too. Not sure if they've been  
restored.

It be great to put the slate back on that was most on this originally  
and the half round copper gutters, too.

Sam Bird
sbird at faiarchitects.com



On May 10, 2006, at 9:47 AM, William Shaw wrote:

> In Hopkinton, we (the Historical Commission) are preparing to  
> restore a small, brick gatehouse structure at the WhiteHall  
> Reservoir, c. 1920, to its original grandeur (photo attached).
>
> We've approached several contractors about restoration work, but  
> have a few unanswered questions - any help from the listserv?
>
> 1.  What type of door would have been typical for a public utility  
> building of this period?
> 2.  Would sandblasting represent a threat to the longevity of the  
> exterior brick and stonework?
> 3.  Any other restored reservoir or pump station buildings in Mass  
> that might serve as an example?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Bill Shaw.
>
> <MVC-009S.JPG>
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