What NOT to do to a timber frame
This is probably one of the worst timber frames I've seen for a long time. Quite how it got to be SO bad, I have no idea. I think it's the people maintaining it - lack of understanding about breathability. They didn't WANT to hurt the building. I also know that during restoration in the 1970's, there was a total lack of ANY traditional material in the specification - I've seen it.
The entire front frame was ready to collapse, and the gable wasn't far behind.
The current owners have inherited a lot of problems and are doing their best to sort out what is basically a rebuild, on a very limited budget.
So what caused total destruction of a VERY important public building?
- Very poor specification by architect
- No understanding of traditional building by contractors
- Cement
- Silicone sealants
- Expanding foam
- Cement
- Resin wood filler
- Plastic paint
- Acrylic sealants
- Gypsum plaster
The Sill Beam
This is the sill beam to the upper section. It is rotten, to the core. The bit in the middle is the original 17th C beam. Running vertically off it are the posts - some original, and some replacements. They have rotted off, so the tenons are gone. In the foreground is lead - which has been nailed to the beam. Water was trapped on the lead, rotting it from underneath and behind.
In front, is a modern piece of planking. Why it is there,I have no idea - It should never have been put there. It's rotten.
The posts are filled with a variety of things - from dark brown resin, to cement, gypsum, expanding foam. Bits of brick, plywood - anything that happened to be there was thrown in the hole and gooped around to make it fit.
The infills - same thing - brick, laid in cement - so a ticking time bomb from day one - and filled around the edges with silicone, acrylic, resin and foam. The poor posts had no chance - they just rotted where they stood.
The entire front elevation is ready to collapse - everything has rotted.
Fungus Galore...
The rest of the front elevation is similar - fungus everywhere.
And more fungus
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