Jacob Perkins Printing and Engraving Building

Structural Walkthrough

2009-04-14T19:51:00.002-04:00

Dave Mack giving tour of building. Thank you Historical Society of Old Newbury for the opportunity to work on such an important piece of history.

Concrete footings

2009-04-14T19:47:00.002-04:00

Mobil mix concrete. It is mixed right off the back of the truck

4x4 footing with rebar. Notice the buried bricks underneath the existing concrete pad.

3rd floor Girt

2009-03-28T08:13:00.006-04:00

We are going to rebuild and insert a 9" T beam down the center of the girter. after steel is placed and throughbolted, we can scarf old timbers onto girter, concealing the steel.

Girter will now be structurally sound. We will also fill any gaps and voids with Abatron epoxy.

Structure

2009-03-28T08:00:00.002-04:00

New 3rd floor joist and subfloor. New joist were milled to match existing ones. Providing a perfect fit into old mortices and brick pockets.

2nd floor Beam. 4 16" LVL's thoughbolted. It replaces old Steel beam that caused considerable damage to brickwork.

Floor repairs

2009-03-28T07:51:00.002-04:00

2nd floor patching. We replaced the flooring in kind (thickness, width, and species) The floor has 2 layers measuring 2 1/2" thick!

3rd floor needs extensive repairs.

New Stair

2009-03-28T07:40:00.003-04:00

Top of 2nd floor stair, with temporary railing

We used a 200 year old hand hewn stair stringer to cover the LVL stringers. The treads and risers will be finished with older wood.

New stairwell opening to 2nd floor

Steel Removal

2009-03-19T19:46:00.006-04:00

Existing 6x18 Steel beam to be cut and removed. The brick around the web was carefully removed and saved for re-use Newburyport Fire Department on call for torch cutting.

Dave Mack (center) from The Historical Society of Old Newbury on hand to make sure all precautions were taken.

Torch Cut

Steel Removal Video

2009-03-19T19:35:00.002-04:00

Start of Phase II

2009-03-19T19:24:00.004-04:00

3rd Floor steps. They were sagging 2" out of level. We have now lifted and re-secured them.

3 floors down....................
Girder beam damage done by leaking roof hatch. We are going to insert more flat plate steel and rebuild beam

Phase one complete

2009-03-14T07:59:00.003-04:00

New mahogany, copper and rubber roofing. The roof system is now structurally sound and safe from the elements. View from The Cushing House Museum

Rubber roof

2009-03-14T07:53:00.004-04:00

Southwest corner

The rubber roofing has seams only at the hips.

The roof deck and rubber membrane has an adhesive applied to both surfaces for bonding.

Rigid Foam and Plywood

2009-03-10T18:19:00.007-04:00

The styrofoam gets a 1/2" smooth plywood top for the rubber roofing. Copper detail

2x6 solid edge for copper drip edge

Roofing delivery 1 1/2" styrofoam with an R value of 7.5 and a roll of 20x100 50 year rubber roofing. With larger roll the rubber will have no seams on roof.

Steel plates/ Roof Beam

2009-03-10T18:17:00.001-04:00

The wood and steel is throughbolted with 1/2" x 12" carraige bolts.

Main girder is notched to accept steel.

1/2" steel to re-inforce main girder of Roof

Almost ready for roofing

2009-03-04T17:07:00.006-05:00

The view as seen from 1840 daguerreotype.

Another week, another snowstorm.

Main tie beam and plate

2009-03-04T16:54:00.006-05:00

We were able to salvage the solid part of old hip rafter for replacement of end plate. Now we have a solid surface for the trim.

We are also having a 1/2" flat steel plate made to tie beam into wall.

Completely deteriorated.

As we work our way around the perimeter we have found more decay. Birds nested at plate and beam intersection. The worst of all places.

Oil base primer

2009-03-03T21:16:00.007-05:00

touching up the primer, ready to add copper drip edge flashing

All holes were filled with an epoxy and sanded smooth.

Exterior trim Detail

2009-03-03T21:10:00.003-05:00

New roof edge

All end cuts are sealed with primer
.....and fastened with stainless finish screws

Substrate

2009-03-03T21:03:00.003-05:00

Felt paper was applied for moisture control

The substrate which was rotted was strategically carved out and replaced with solid material

Exterior trim Detail

2009-02-28T13:16:00.003-05:00

New Mahogany roof eave trim. It will be capped with copper flashing Mock-up

Cutting the sheathing overhang to match up with 6" Mahogany crown Moulding

Roof protection

2009-02-28T13:09:00.009-05:00

Installation of Grace tri flex for weather. Check out a preservation brief: http://www.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/brief04.htm

Bob O'Brien, North Bennet St. Craftman Alum

Sheathing repairs

2009-02-28T12:57:00.002-05:00

A solid roof deck

Major roof frame repairs

2009-02-28T12:51:00.005-05:00

Ready to withstand another two hundred years of use Beautiful hand hewn tie-beam

Perservation Guidelines:http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/standguide/

Hip Replaced

2009-02-28T12:47:00.001-05:00

We were able to salvage two of the purlins on the hip

Video of roof conditions

2009-02-21T09:53:00.004-05:00

New Hip Beam

2009-02-21T09:47:00.003-05:00

Beam is prepared and ready to be placed

Broken Hip

Hip removed

Front Right Hip

2009-02-21T09:40:00.004-05:00

The existing purlins have more extensive damage than originally thought. Existing sheathing saved and numbered

We need to open up the front quadrant to replace the main hip beam.

Tie Beam

2009-02-21T09:34:00.002-05:00

Principle Rafter, Tie Beam and New Purlin

New Tie beam tenoned into main Girder

Principle Rafter Set

2009-02-21T09:26:00.004-05:00

Setting at ridge post and re-pinned

A great fit
Mortised and tenoned and ready to set.

Not only did we use a hammer and chisel we had a little help with some conventional tools.

Restoration of Principle Rafter

2009-02-21T09:05:00.003-05:00

Ridge post with Pin. New principle rafter will have fresh tenon. Pin bent to lock in tenon. We will reuse the still pristine pin.

Existing principle rafter rotted and eaten through

View from the top

2009-02-21T08:59:00.004-05:00

Cushing House Museum. The Historical Society of Old Newbury

Central Congregational Churh on Titcombe St

Old Roofing

2009-02-21T08:36:00.003-05:00

We stripped 3 layers of roofing material to expose the sheathing

Aluminum scaffolding/ Roof line at 35 feet high

Securing the Site

2009-02-21T08:11:00.005-05:00

First we have to make the building safe to start working. This entails supporting the floor system,roof beams and purlins.

The permit is secured and work can begin.

Job Walk Through/Exterior Conditions

2008-12-26T19:42:00.001-05:00

We are going to rebuild the entire perimeter of the roof using the same period moldings

Existing Interior Conditions

2008-12-26T19:35:00.001-05:00

The existing floor conditions need to be secured in order for work to proceed on the post and beam roof, rafters and purlins