Preservation Briefs & Tech Notes

Preservation Briefs

Preservation briefs were developed by the National Park Service to “help historic building owners recognize and resolve common problems prior to work.” They are practical, technical guidance for how to preserve, rehabilitate and restore historic buildings. They outline the sensitivities required when treating and working with historic materials. The briefs recommend methods and approaches that are consistent with a building’s historic character and are especially useful to applicants who want to utilize the Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program.

There are 50 Preservation Briefs, all available as PDF files. They are organized alphabetically by topic below and are grouped for external, internal and other modifications.

Category	Sub-Category	Brief No.	Title

ADA Compliance	ADA Compliance	Brief 32	Making Historic Properties Accessible

Additions	Exterior Additions	Brief 14	Exterior Additions to Historic Buildings: Preservation Concerns

Awnings	Awnings	Brief 44	The Use of Awnings on Historic Buildings: Repair, Replacement and New Design

Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Brief 27	The Maintenance and Repair of Architectural Cast Iron

Cast Stone	Cast Stone	Brief 42	The Maintenance, Repair, and Replacement of Historic Cast Stone

Concrete	Concrete	Brief 15	Preservation of Historic Concrete

Exterior Lighting	Exterior Lighting	Brief 50	Lightning Protection for Historic Structures

Masonry	Cleaning & Water Repellent Treatments	Brief 1	Assessing Cleaning and Water-Repellent Treatments for Historic Masonry Buildings
	Cleaning Historic Buildings	Brief 6	Dangers of Abrasive Cleaning to Historic Buildings
	Repointing Mortar Joints	Brief 2	Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings
	Adobe Buildings	Brief 5	The Preservation of Historic Adobe Buildings
	Glazed Terra-Cotta	Brief 7	The Preservation of Historic Glazed Architectural Terra-Cotta
	Stucco	Brief 22	The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stucco
	Removing Graffiti	Brief 38	Removing Graffiti from Historic Masonry

Mothballing	Mothballing	Brief 31	Mothballing Historic Buildings

Ornamental Plaster	Ornamental Plaster	Brief 23	Preserving Historic Ornamental Plaster

Paint	Exterior Paint	Brief 10	Exterior Paint Problems on Historic Woodwork

Preserving Character (Exterior)	Exterior Character	Brief 17	Architectural Character—Identifying the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an Aid to Preserving Their Character

Roofs	Roofing	Brief 4	Roofing for Historic Buildings
	Wooden Shingle Roofs	Brief 19	The Repair and Replacement of Historic Wooden Shingle Roofs
	Slate Roofs	Brief 29	The Repair, Replacement, and Maintenance of Slate Roofs
	Clay Tile Roofs	Brief 30	The Preservation and Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs

Stained And Leaded Glass	Stained and Leaded Glass	Brief 33	The Preservation and Repair of Stained and Leaded Glass

Substitute Materials	Substitute Materials	Brief 16	The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors

Windows	Repair Wooden Windows	Brief 9	The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows
	Pigmented Structural Glass	Brief 12	The Preservation of Historic Pigmented Structural Glass (Vitrolite and Carrara Glass)
	Steel Windows	Brief 13	The Repair and Thermal Upgrading of Historic Steel Windows

Wooden Porches	Wooden Porches	Brief 45	Preserving Historic Wooden Porches

Category	Sub-Category	Brief No.	Title

Ceramic Tile Floors	Ceramic Tile Floors	Brief 40	Preserving Historic Ceramic Tile Floors

HVAC	Heating, Ventilating and Cooling	Brief 24	Heating, Ventilating, and Cooling Historic Buildings: Problems and Recommended Approaches

Interior Decoration	Interior Decoration	Brief 34	Applied Decoration for Historic Interiors: Preserving Historic Composition Ornament

Metal Ceilings and Walls	Metal Ceilings and Walls	Brief 49	Historic Decorative Metal Ceilings and Walls: Use, Repair, and Replacement

Moisture Control	Moisture Control	Brief 39	Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings

Painting (Interior)	Interior Paint	Brief 28	Painting Historic Interiors

Preserving Character (Interior)	Interior Character	Brief 18	Rehabilitating Interiors in Historic Buildings—Identifying Character-Defining Elements

Plaster Walls and Ceilings	Plaster Walls and Ceilings	Brief 21	Repairing Historic Flat Plaster—Walls and Ceilings

Category	Sub-Category	Brief No.	Title

Ceramic Tile Floors	Ceramic Tile Floors	Brief 40	Preserving Historic Ceramic Tile Floors

HVAC	Heating, Ventilating and Cooling	Brief 24	Heating, Ventilating, and Cooling Historic Buildings: Problems and Recommended Approaches

Interior Decoration	Interior Decoration	Brief 34	Applied Decoration for Historic Interiors: Preserving Historic Composition Ornament

Metal Ceilings and Walls	Metal Ceilings and Walls	Brief 49	Historic Decorative Metal Ceilings and Walls: Use, Repair, and Replacement

Moisture Control	Moisture Control	Brief 39	Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings

Painting (Interior)	Interior Paint	Brief 28	Painting Historic Interiors

Preserving Character (Interior)	Interior Character	Brief 18	Rehabilitating Interiors in Historic Buildings—Identifying Character-Defining Elements

Plaster Walls and Ceilings	Plaster Walls and Ceilings	Brief 21	Repairing Historic Flat Plaster—Walls and Ceilings

Preservation Technical Notes

These documents are historic preservation case studies that provide practical information on traditional practices and innovative techniques. They also explore exterior and interior rehabilitation activities. Topics include: