Timber deals with wide-ranging use of the material in historic buildings, from vast structural timber-frames through to high-class joinery and simple fixings.

The contents reflect the work of the Building Conservation and Research Team, their colleagues at Historic England, and their consultants and researchers, who together have many decades of accumulated experience in dealing with deteriorating building materials and systems of all types. This multi-disciplinary team of architects, surveyors, conservators and scientists are responsible for standard setting and research across a wide range of Historic England activities. The team specialises in dealing with the practical, technical and scientific aspects of building materials decay and their treatment. The aim has been to provide practical advice by advocating a common approach of firstly understanding the material or building element and why it is deteriorating, and then dealing with the causes. The books concentrate on those aspects which are significant in conservation terms, and reflect the requests for information received by Historic England.

About this book. Using these books. Part 1 1. Materials and History of Use 2. Wood: Biology and Properties 3. Conversion and Seasoning 4. Water and Dimensional Stability 5. Traditional Tools and Working Methods Part 2 6. Deterioration and Damage: Insects and Fungi 7. Environmental Problems 8. Other Causes of Deterioration Part 3 9. Assessment: Understanding Buildings and Their Condition 10. Structural Timbers 11. Non-Structural Timbers (joinery) 12. Fixings and Hardware 13. Specialist Investigations Part 4 14. Repair and Treatment 15. Introduction 16. Timber-Frame Structures 17. Preservative Pre-Treatments' Adhesives, Fillers and Fastenings 18. Insect Infestation and Fungal Decay 19. Upgrading Historic Buildings to Meet Modern Standards Part 5 20. Care and Maintenance: Continuing Care Conclusions. Glossary. Index