Al Heavens is a Haddonfield, N.J.- based, nationally syndicated, home-improvement writer and author whose newspaper columns, magazine articles, and books have been the first word on remodeling for 50 million readers for more than three decades. He is the author of What No One Ever Tells You About Renovating Your Home and Remodeling on The Money: Fifteen Innovative Projects Designed to Add Value to Your Home and was “The Gadgeteer” on Discovery Channel’s Home Matters program.
It was bound to happen, since my efforts to paint the downstairs bathroom had been going so well.
It had been a typical project. The plumber had replaced the 65-year-old, 3.5 gallon, perpetually problematic American Standard toilet with a Toto dual flush. He also had changed the fixtures on the porcelain tub, having to cut an access panel in the hallway wall behind the tub.
Hairline cracks in the plaster walls of the bathroom above the tiles required repair. Sanding and two coats of primer followed; with two coats of the color my wife had chosen for the walls on top of those.
Once the walls had dried, I began to remove the painters’ tape from the top edge of the tiles. As I pulled, three bullnose tiles came off and crashed to the floor. Two shattered, but the third broke in half and could be salvaged.
Still, I had two to replace. I am not certain when the bathroom was tiled, but it was probably in the 1940s or 1950s, rather than when the house was assembled from a factory-built kit in 1929.
I quickly looked online for vintage tile, but lacking the patience to search, I went to Home Depot, bought four 2 by 6-inch Daltile bullnose tiles in white. Then I went to the hardware store paint department, where the wizard of color matching took a Benjamin Moore shade called Potter’s Clay and mixed it with Ace gloss. The result was a color that almost matched the original bullnose tile.
And then, along came my wife, who had been with the grandchildren in London while I worked on the bathroom.
Guess what I just ordered on the Internet, she said, as I was leaving to buy acrylic to spray on the replacement bullnose tiles that now had four coats of Potter’s Clay gloss on them.
I think the color is peach, she said, and we are waiting for three tiles to be delivered at some point in the next two or three weeks.
I am sure that a lot of homeowners have faced such a situation – especially owners of older homes ripe for renovation projects – and this was not my first time by any means.
Contractors deal with this situation every day. For instance, trying to match molding or baseboard in a kitchen renovation project, or removing just one plaster wall to replace electric or plumbing and trying to make the drywall replacement match the other three.
You might find that replacing in-kind is not possible or feasible. Your original material may no longer be available, or you may not be able to find a craftsperson who knows how to match it.
In these cases, you will have to find substitute or alternative materials. Substitute, or alternative, materials are products that imitate older and original ones.
For example, if your home has stone features that cannot be found today, you could substitute those features with fiberglass-reinforced concrete that closely matches the original stone’s color and texture.
Substitute and alternative materials should only be used if matching with in-kind materials is no longer a reasonable option. Many of these materials are relatively new, and their longevity, sustainability and appropriateness for older structures could be questionable.
These materials will be subject to moisture penetration, ultraviolet degradation and thermal expansion and contraction rates that differ from the original ones. In some cases, the differences in moisture permeability between a substitute material and the older one cause further deterioration, such as covering rotting wood fascia with aluminum, as you see done in Philadelphia rowhouse neighborhoods.
Before you choose a substitute or alternative material, make certain it meets three basic criteria:
The material must be compatible with the original in appearance.
The material’s physical properties must be like those of the original material or be installed in a manner that tolerates differences.
The material must meet certain basic performance expectations over an extended period.
Many older houses are of wood-frame construction, and carpenters or milling companies often can easily match a missing feature.
For example, if your house is missing decorative eave brackets at the roofline, you can remove a remaining bracket and take it to a milling company to be copied.
When you replace missing wood features, keep in mind that the original materials would have been long-lasting, old-growth wood. To make the new wood feature last as long as the old, use the best quality wood you can afford.
Cypress and fir are good options because they have tighter grains than most pressure-treated pine and similar woods.
If your house is built with masonry or masonry veneer, you may need to replace individual pieces or sections of brick or stone. Bricks and stones are made with many textures and colors, so you might find it difficult to get an exact match.
A local mason might be able to match your missing brick or stone and other features, such as lintels over doors or window or arches. Other materials like terra cotta and glazed tile may be even more difficult to match, but a local craftsperson might be able to match these materials.
The ideal approach when replacing missing or damaged old-house features is to replace “in-kind,” which means matching the original feature in its design and materials.
The aim of your rehabilitation project should be to match features so closely that you cannot tell the difference between the original and the replacement. New designs should match the original based on five characteristics: Dimensions, color, scale, profile, and materials.
If an original feature is missing entirely from your house or building, look for physical or historical evidence that may serve as a basis for reconstruction with new materials.
Here are a few examples:
If most of your original windows are missing but one original sash remains intact, use that sash as the basis for replacing all of your windows with a similar design.
If a section of wood cornice remains at the roofline of your structure, use that piece to recreate the entire cornice.
If you are restoring your front porch, look for “ghosts” of the original porch columns outlined in paint on the front walls of your house or other features.
If no physical evidence exists for your missing features, try to find historic photographs or illustrations of your structure. You might be surprised at how much information you can find about your house with some basic detective work.
There are several ways to research the history of your property, including contacting previous owners of your property or visiting your local historical society or library.
As I said, the tile was not first time I was faced with having to replace an original piece.
I once needed three feet of turn of the 20th century baseboard and molding when I replaced a wall between two rooms on the third floor of the old house that a previous owner had started to remove to create an artist’s studio, and then realized it was load bearing.
My next-door neighbor suggested that I take the trim from a third-floor closet where no one would notice. It was a perfect suggestion.
After that, every time I made a change that involved removing an original feature for a necessary modernization, I kept the original in the basement for future use.
When I redid the third-floor bathroom with wainscoting, I removed the original baseboard and stored it.
When I renovated the kitchen, the old baseboard became a part of it.
If you need help with any of your remodeling needs call Cipriani Remodeling Solutions – they are a great resource for you.