Past meets present

Abstract

This paper discusses the fine balance between past and present in restoration and remedial work in historic buildings, with particular regard to timber floor installation. The fact that timber is a natural material and subject to movement is discussed in terms of modern requirements for a more engineered machined finish. By use of a case study it is illustrated that high levels of relative humidity can cause severe deflection in such surfaces, which traditionally would have been accepted as a consequence of using timber and accommodated by a looser assembling regime that allows for expansion of the timber, and also robust fixing methods. The paper proposes anticipation of such movement and the use of wider expansion gaps, along with the use of moisture barriers and greater care in the sourcing of the timber used, to combat future problems of this kind. © 2008 PALGRAVE MACMILLAN LTD.