Rob writes:
>>Oh, and there is no justification for vinyl over historic material.  none.
Forever opposed to vinyl,<<

Of course, we all know that the "historic preservation
community" is "death" on vinyl siding. My own personal view is somewhat
moderated, since I hold that no building material is intrinsically "good" or
"bad," and any building material might be useful.

Last fall I gave a talk before 85 people at the annual conference
of Certified Local Governments (for historic preservation) here in Maine. In
response to a question about vinyl siding I told a story about a project
where we put vinyl on an important 17th century historic building. Well,
there was quite a silence punctuated with audible gasps and groans.

My own philosophy is that there is no such thing as a
good or bad product (or method or treatment). Each has its individual
characteristics that we must understand. With that understanding we have the
opportunity to apply
any product to the solution of preservation problems. For example, I once
advised the owner of a 17th Cen. house to cover it with vinyl siding (Lord
Forbid!) which they did (GASP!). In this case it was an effective solution.
They had two walls of original hand-riven clapboards, fastened with the
nicest hand-wrought nails. They also had no money to carefully preserve
these
clapboards. We set up a 12 year program to protect the clapboards with vinyl
siding and rent the house to raise the money to care for the clapboards. The
siding was installed on firring strips to avoid damage to the clapboards,
moisture monitors were installed inside the walls, and removable panels were
installed to check for damage routinely. We also mitigated cellar moisture.
They are in the 11th year and are now planning a well-funded wood clapboard
project in which the vinyl will be removed and the original wood clapboards
will be exposed and preserved . (No I can't tell you who or where this house
is, I
had to sign a non-disclosure agreement to avoid embaressment of the owner
who is
well known in the preservation community.)

So, with the help of vinyl siding and a little open-minded thinking the
historic clapboards are saved from 12 years weather exposure and will now be
preserved.

John (my own 1899 house is vinyl sided, but I'm taking it off) Leeke
by hammer and hand great works do stand
by pen and thought best words are wrought