About this project

B.R. Howard was awarded the contract to perform the conservation and restoration of the historic woodwork and decorative metals within the Pennsylvania State Library as a subcontractor to Wohlsen Construction.

What we did

BRH performed sample analysis and mockup tests on the 10,000+ square feet of woodwork prior to the conservation work. Veneers that were lifting or tenting were re-adhered to their substrates. Dutchman were inserted where there were areas of loss to closely match the grain pattern of the original surfaces. Faux finishes of wood grain were applied to certain dutchman as needed for better visual integration into the adjacent surfaces. The wood had originally been coated with a cellulose nitrate lacquer which had badly crackled and yellowed over time. This discolored lacquer also had a buildup of cleaning products and wax coatings which had been applied to the surfaces for decades. BRH carefully removed the deteriorated coatings and carefully refinished the surfaces which dramatically enriched the color and depth of the woodwork.

Thousands of linear feet of decorative aluminum and brass railings and caps were disassembled. Missing parts were machined and fabricated. The oxidation and corrosion products were removed from the surfaces. The metals were then cleaned, polished, lacquered, and waxed before being reassembled and installed.