PRESERVATION
Tech Notes

TEMPORARY PROTECTION
NUMBER 2

Specifying Temporary Protection of Historic Interiors During Construction and Repair

Dale H. Frens, AIA
Frens and Frens

PLANNING AND SPECIFYING
TEMPORARY PROTECTION

Projects involving historic interiors range from the meticulous restoration of a National Historic Landmark residence as a museum to the insertion of modern apartment units in an abandoned loft building. The size of the building, significance of the interiors, and scope of work will determine how best to protect interior finishes, features, and collections during construction work. Al1 work involving historic buildings, however, shares the need to properly plan for and specify appropriate temporary protection measures. Without such provisions, unnecessary damage can result which will require additional the funds to correct or which can lead to irreversible loss of historic fabric.

Problem

Relying on the contractor to protect interiors without specifying such protection puts historic material and finishes at unnecessary risk. Protective measures must be specified in the construction specifications for the job.

Although general contract language may make reference to "protecting existing construction" and may require that the contractor "restore any damage to its original condition at no additional cost to owner'' (or other similar language), in practice, the general nature of the language affords little protection to existing historic finishes or features. At best, such measures may provide a mechanism for repairing and paying for damage after it has occurred. Rather than provide adequate protection, some contractors deliberately elect to repair damage, believing it is cheaper.

Historic interiors and collections
should be protected from potential
damage during construction work.

Solution

The planning process includes three important goals: 1) protection of any collections where present; 2) fire protection; and, 3) protection of historic architectural features and finishes. Collections safety during construction applies to buildings in which collections are stored or displayed, including cases where there are historic furnishings that are not part of a formal collection. Construction operations pose a serious threat to collections, and it is nearly always desirable for the collection to be removed from the work area. While this may seem obvious, in practice, maintenance and repair activities often take place in spaces containing collections. Common examples of this include the installation of wiring for security systems, electrical upgrades, or telecommunications; repainting; and additional work undertaken after owner occupancy. Except for the most minor repairs, as defined by the curator of collections for the institution or other responsible parties, collections should be moved out of the construction areas to a secured and safe location until all work has been completed. For small buildings where extensive work is taking place, the collection should be entirely moved off site to another location. This approach may also be desirable for larger buildings, depending upon the nature of the work, risks to collections, and availability of protected space on site.