On the interior surface, recovered pine—older than a century—from the Idaho Lakes were laminated so the interior surfaces of the windows would match the existing woodwork in the building. Sashes were glazed with laminated insulated glass (IG) units with low-emissivity (low-e) coatings to improve the energy efficiency, security, and sound transmission.
Since some of the individual double-hung windows were about 2 m (6 ft) wide by 4 m (13 ft) tall, the sashes weighed in excess of 115 kg (250 lb). Gentleman’s team engineered a system of weights and pulleys to make the massive windows easy to open.
A combination of historic metal and modern weatherstripping was incorporated in order to seal the operating windows, which produced an impressive outcome. After an independent agency tested many of the installed windows for air and water infiltration, they were shown to be twice as tight as the published ratings for modern replacement windows.
Gentleman credits use of acetylated wood for much of those results.
“Acetylated wood as the base material is very stable; it doesn’t warp and bend like a lot of other woods,” he says. “That allows for more consistency and therefore better performance.”
Restoring Roosevelt’s summer home
Home to the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (Oyster Bay, New York) is undergoing a three-year, $7.2-million rehabilitation project, including upgrades to the mechanical and electrical systems and lighting dating back as far as 1918, as well as restoration of historic windows, doors, siding, and porches to historic preservation standards. After years of patchwork renovation to the Queen Anne-style home, the current full-scale rehabilitation will help preserve the historic landmark while helping to avoid ongoing smaller-scale sitework in the future.
Originally built in 1885, Sagamore Hill is a wood-frame-and-brick Victorian structure comprising 23 rooms. It sits on 33.5 ha (83 acres) that also house the Theodore Roosevelt Museum at Old Orchard, icehouse, stables, gardens and sheds, pet cemetery, and a visitor center and nature trail. The home was often referred to as the ‘Summer White House,’ as Roosevelt would host dignitaries during his presidential years from 1901 to 1908. For three decades, Roosevelt and his wife, Edith, raised six children in the house.
For replacement of the wraparound porch, the National Park Service (NPS) selected acetylated wood.
“In caring for such an important property, we needed to ensure we used the highest-quality, most environmentally friendly products,” says Susan Sarna, museum curator for NPS. “In addition, given the negative impact renovation works have on visitor experience, we wanted to use a product that would allow us to reduce ongoing maintenance at the site. Acetylated wood is longer-lasting than competitive products, is less likely to warp or split, and due to its increased stability, paint coatings last three to four times longer than on traditional wood. Using acetylated wood was therefore an easy decision to make.”
According to Tom Ross, the superintendent at Sagamore Hill, the “project represents a significant investment by the American people, ensuring the Roosevelt home and its irreplaceable collection are protected for future generations to appreciate, gain inspiration and learn from.”
