Preservation Of Historic Adobe Buildings

The National Park Service's official advice on preserving and restoring historic buildings.

Excerpt from Preservation of Historic Adobe Structures: A Status Report Introduction Composition and Properties of Adobe Soils. Composition and Moisture Contents of Adobe Soils. Physical Properties of Adobe Mechanical Properties of Adobe Brick Concluding Stabilized Portland Cement Lime Bituminous and Asphaltic Sand.. Other Stabilizing Concluding Preservation of Adobe Structures 'moisture in Adobe Deleterious Effects of Moisture Mitigating the Effects of Moisture Methods for Moisture Determinations.. Removal of Moisture from Adobe Resistance of Adobe Structures to Natural Preservation Materials.. Stuccoes and Surface Surface Impregnation Materials.. Consolidation Concluding Summary and Conclusions. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This richly illustrated guide is acknowledged as the best source for expert, field-tested information on the care and maintenance of historic adobe buildings--from small vernacular structures to the great Spanish Colonial missions. As a true "how-to" manual, it presents a user-friendly and straightforward approach to the assessment, maintenance, preservation and restoration of earthen buildings based on time-tested techniques. Subjects include: architectural styles and materials; tools and equipment; materials and supplies; emergency shoring; moisture testing in adobe walls; material selection, mixing and testing; making adobe bricks; repairing and rebuilding adobe walls; repairing cracks in adobe walls; mud and lime plastering; earthen and lime finishes; removing contra paredes; repairing corbels; inspecting vigas and corbels; splicing vigas; compliance with State and Federal cultural resource protection legislation; glossary of terms; and bibliography. Cornerstones Community Partnerships in Santa Fe, New Mexico is devoted to the preservation of the architectural heritage and community traditions in New Mexico and the American Southwest. Through its nationally honored technical assistance, applied learning and traditional building skills programs, Cornerstones has assisted more than 300 rural Hispanic and Native American communities with the preservation of historic and culturally significant earthen buildings. Cornerstones has developed and utilized the techniques in this book throughout the American Southwest since 1986.

Adobe, or mud brick, has been widely used as a building material in the American Southwest, including California. The vulnerability of many original adobe structures to damage or destruction from earthquakes has been of great concern. The guidelines presented here address the practical aspects of this problem and represent the culmination of 12 years of research and testing on the seismic retrofitting of adobe buildings. These guidelines can assist in the planning of seismic retrofitting projects consistent with both conservation principles and established public policy.