Preservation Briefs

Preservation Briefs are published by the National Park Service on a variety of topics in order to assist owners and developers of historic properties in recognizing and resolving common preservation and repair problems prior to initiating rehabilitation work. These technical documents are especially useful to preservation tax incentive program applicants and grant recipients because they explain recommended methods and approaches for rehabilitating historic buildings in a manner that is consistent with their historic character. Each brief also contains a number of illustrations that represent the specific problems and repair methods covered. These documents may be obtained online from the
National Park Service or by contacting the DHPA. Below is the list of Preservation Briefs that are currently available:

1. The Cleaning and Waterproof Coating of Masonry Buildings
2. Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Brick Buildings
3. Conserving Energy in Historic Buildings
4. Roofing for Historic Buildings
5. Preservation of Historic Adobe Buildings
6. Dangers of Abrasive Cleaning to Historic Buildings
7. The Preservation of Historic Glazed Architectural Terra-Cotta
8. Aluminum and Vinyl Siding on Historic Woodwork
9. The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows
10. Exterior Paint Problems on Historic Woodwork
11. Rehabilitating Historic Storefronts
12. The Preservation of Historic Pigmented Structural Glass
13. The Repair and Thermal Upgrading of Historic Steel Windows
14. New Exterior Additions to Historic Buildings: Preservation Concerns
15. Preservation of Historic Concrete: Problems and General Approaches
16. The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors
17. Architectural Character: Identifying the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an Aid to Preserving Their Character
18. Rehabilitating Interiors in Historic Buildings: Identifying Character-Defining Elements
19. The Repair and Replacement of Historic Wooden Shingle Roofs
20. The Preservation of Historic Barns
21. Repairing Historic Flat Plaster – Walls and Ceilings
22. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stucco
23. Preserving Historic Ornamental Plaster
24. Heating, Ventilating, & Cooling Historic Buildings: Problems & Recommended Approaches
25. The Preservation of Historic Signs
26. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Log Buildings
27. The Maintenance & Repair of Architectural Cast Iron
28. Painting Historic Interiors
29. The Repair, Replacement, and Maintenance of Historic Slate Roofs
30. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs
31. Mothballing Historic Buildings
32. Making Historic Properties Accessible
33. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stained and Leaded Glass
34. Applied Decoration for Historic Interiors: Preserving Composition Ornament
35. Understanding Old Buildings
36. Protecting Cultural Landscapes
37. Appropriate Methods for Reducing Lead-Paint Hazards in Historic Housing
38. Removing Graffiti from Historic Masonry
39. Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings
40. Preserving Historic Ceramic Tile Floors
41. The Seismic Retrofit of Historic Buildings: Keeping Preservation in the Forefront
42. The Maintenance, Repair and Replacement of Historic Cast Stone

Printed copies of these documents can be ordered free of charge. To obtain electronic copies and view an up-to-date listing of these briefs, access them online at the NPS website.

Preservation Tools & Resources

• Bibliographies
• Preservation Briefs
• Preservation Directory
• Secretary of the Interior's Standards
• Qualified Professionals List - National Register
• Qualified Professionals List - Archaeology