[MassHistPres] Replacing exterior wooden window sills

[jade]

personally, i would suggest spanish cedar or pattern grade mahogany for this application...for preservation's sake;  for the dangers inherent in setting a precedent using a plastic product where the above wood species have proven themselves over hundreds of years...regardless of what manufacturers/marketers claim, vinyl and composites do require maintenance and are of inferior quality to wood that is properly maintained...

i understand why people want to go in the direction of composite use--it is marketed as easier to install and maintain and the claim is that it looks like the real thing...ask a firefighter if he/she would rather enter a burning wood structure or one with vinyl/composites...

what are the dimensions of the sills?  i can't imagine a 4" x 6" (or there-abouts) piece of composite would remain stable during extreme temperature changes and i know it won't stand up to uv over the long haul...

geez, do you think i have a bias???

jade mortimer
heartwood building & restoration
hawley, ma
413.339.4298


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: DiFranzaDesigns at aol.com 
  To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu 
  Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 4:36 PM
  Subject: [MassHistPres] Replacing exterior wooden window sills


  Good afternoon:

  The Town of North Reading is considering replacing rotten exterior wooden window sills with a composite.  This replacement would be done on an 1875 Second Empire building.  Does anyone have experience using a composite in this way?  How does paint stand up on such a surface or does it require special paint?  I think the argument will be that it is more durable but is it REALLY more durable?

  Thank you in advance for any thoughts.

  Happy DiFranza, Chairman
  North Reading Historic District Commission


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