Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

GENERAL NOTES

The house was reconstructed by Colonial Williamsburg on old foundations, the house itself having vanished at an unknown date. The site was occupied when restoration of the town was started, by a nineteenth century building. It is suggested that the reader of this report consult the archaeological drawings (Colonial Lot #44) and related notes of the Restoration Archaeologist, Herbert Ragland, dated February 3, 1933. The research report discusses the site and the history of land and building ownership.^* The house, it has now been determined, was designated, for a period, as "The Red Lion Inn." As such the distinction was not unique since three or four eighteenth and nineteenth century buildings laid claim to the name.

The building as we see it today, is based upon collected measured drawings of dwellings existent in Williamsburg during the eighteenth century. There is no descriptive account of the Blair 2-B FIRST FLOOR PLAN SECOND FLOOR PLAN 2 House, nor are there drawings of any kind. That it was a brick structure is an inference supported by the nature of the foundations.^* Brick walls were regulated by statute, "that all and every House shall have [for a one story house] Foundation walls of two Bricks thick in the Cellar, and one Brick and a Half thick upwards."

The story and a half form, while less frequently found in brick than in wood in Williamsburg, has, nevertheless, abundant Virginia precedent. The Warburton House, James City County, is almost an exact prototype of the John Blair Brick House. The same claim can be made for the Tabb House, one of the throughly studied Virginia houses of the early 18^th century, by the Restoration architects.

The Frenchman's Map shows an L shaped building that occupies about 2/3 of the lot, joined to the Ludwell-Paradise House by a connecting structure. Only the house revealed by excavation, and believed to be the house occupied by John Blair was accepted as the subject of this restoration.

It has been customary in reconstructing houses of the colonial period on old foundations in Williamsburg, to base the architectural design on precedent derived from contemporaneous Virginia buildings. The precedent acknowledged as used here in making of working drawings includes the following:

• Sycamore Hill, King and Queen County
• Sweet Hall, King and Queen County
• House titled "Oldest Yorktown house, at Yorktown
• Various local houses whose details were considered typical of the time when the house was first built, thought to be early in the eighteenth century.

The bricks themselves were baked in Williamsburg by the Construction Department of Colonial Williamsburg, Inc., following, in their processing, the early brick manufacturing methods of local craftsmen in brickmaking. That brick used in this locality were made here is abundantly supported by the records related to buildings and from the many remains of clay pits where bricks were burned.^*

The bricks are laid in "oyster-shell lime mortar," consisting of a mixture of lime, sand and water. The source of this mortar-mix can be found in various records including the Vestry records of Christ Church, Middlesex County, June 7, 1714 in which there is a specification that the brick used in the building of walls for the church, "be laid with two-thirds Lime and one third Sand." Oyster shell lime mortar may be recognized by the dark particles of burned oyster shell.

The Blair Brick House is an interesting demonstration of a variety of brick-laying techniques, including use of gauged bricks above windows, rubbed bricks at window jambs and at the outer angles of the building and chimneys. The water table consists also of smooth surfaced bricks. The walls are patterned with Flemish bond, while a patterned design occurs at the gable ends of the house.

The following progress photographs were made during the construction period. The architectural drawings are on file in the 4 Department of Architecture both as tracings and microfilm.

Main House Drawings: N.5687, 5688, 5720, 5721, 5794, 5795, 6001.

Stable: N.5942

Landscape: N.5943, 600

Archaeological: N.3632, 3633, 3634, 3635, 3636, 3637, 3638, 3712 and 3713.

The lot on which these buildings were placed is situated on the corner of Duke of Gloucester and Queen Streets, running north to Nicholson Street. The main house fronts on the Duke of Gloucester Street and faces south. The smoke house and well are situated close to the house and slightly to the northeast of the main building. The stable is situated on the corner of the lot bounded by Nicholson and Queen Streets. The privies are situated at the end of the garden which runs about three quarters of the length of the lot; a stable yard occupying the end portion next to Nicholson Street (see landscape drawing prepared by Mr. A. A. Shurcliff dated August 4, November 9, 1940 on file).

This lot is one of three lots grouped on the block which is further bounded by a street on the east known as Colonial Street, and has as adjoining properties, towards the east and fronting the Duke of Gloucester Street, the following in order: the Paradise House, Dr. Archibald Blair's Storehouse. The latter building is situated directly on its eastern boundary lot line. From this line the dimension of a colonial lot frontage, namely 82½ feet, was spaced westward along the Duke of Gloucester Street line. This dimension spaced evenly upto the face of the interior west chimney of Blair's Brick House, thus giving the western boundary of the Blair's Brick House lot. This line may be further checked by archaeological investigation both on Chowning's 5 STREET Tavern lot on the corner of Courthouse Green and Queen Street, and also that lot directly across the street on the adjoining corner to the Market Square Tavern. (See sketch prepared by S. P. Moorehead dated July 29, 1938). It can be noted from the archaeological drawings dated February 6, 1933 and July 12, 1938 that the western boundary line to Blair's property is indicated some 14 feet, 2½ inches to the western face of the house chimney. This line was originally established when the City of Williamsburg Restoration area was surveyed before the start of the work of restoration, and before any archaeological work had been attempted.^*

The original assumed lot line, as described, could not be reestablished at the present time, but provision has been made in landscaping the garden, which is entirely new, to allow for moving the existing fence line eastward the distance mentioned.^#

The following lists of drawings were prepared and furnished to the Construction Department by the Architectural Department for the necessary erection of the main house and outbuildings:

Exterior - North Elevation

Shingles - Mohawk asbestos shingles cast to character of antique wood shingles for fireproof purposes and as required by local building regulations.

Dormers - Dormers are of 15 lights 8" x 10" glass with hipped roofs. Similar examples can be seen at the Galt House, the Blair House, and the Richard Bland House, all in Williamsburg. The type is a local one and serves to give an indigenous appearance to roof and house.

Cornice - Colonial type cornice with modillions and cymations, similar to the Marshall House in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Gutter and Leader - Brick drip gutter running with grade, similar to original example unearthed at Governor's Palace site, and at the College.^*

Wall Surface - Uniform pattern glazed header Flemish bond brickwork, similar to "Sycamore Hill," King and Queen County, Virginia and local examples here in Williamsburg of such an overall brick pattern.

Porch - Porch is of leanto type with chamfered posts, has a balustrade at each end, and is open at front where the steps are located on axis with the rear door of the building.

Front Door - The front door is on the south elevation and is described in the section of report covering the south elevation. There is a rear door on axis of the building, which is of the eight panel type of alternating square and rectangular panels.

Windows - Windows are of the 18 lt. 9" x 11" glass colonial type window with moldedwood architrave and sloped wood sill, which has a splayed brick course below for weathering purposes. The flat 8 arches have rubbed brick with fine joints, and the jamb brick are also rubbed, but have the same jointing as on the wall.

The windows have a similar exterior appearance to those of the Marshall House, Williamsburg, and also the President's House, College of William and Mary, except for the sash.

Shutters - There are no shutters to the windows as they would occur on brick jambs, and as no evidence for the common use of exterior shutters under such conditions could be found in the vicinity or environs of Williamsburg. There is an abundance of shutters on colonial brick buildings of this locality but these are believed to be recent additions.

Basement Wall - The basement wall is of the same bond and character of brickwork as the first floor wall, and has one segmental arched basement window with wood grille nearest the west wall of the building. These windows have segmented, rubbed brick arches similar to the Marshall House windows, Williamsburg.

Chimney: There are no chimneys on this elevation; see west and east elevations.

Barge Boards (End Boards), Corner Boards: None visible on this elevation.

Exterior - South Elevation

Shingles - Same as on north elevation.

Dormer Windows - Dormer windows are the same as described for the north elevation, except that they are spaced directly over the brick openings on the first floor, and number five in all.

Cornice - Same as described for north elevation.

Gutter and Leader - Same as described for north elevation.

Wall Surface - Same as described for north elevation.

Porch - There is no porch on this elevation.

Front Door - The front door is a two-valve, eight-panel colonial type door with single row transom lights over it, and was inspired by that on the Wythe House. Similar examples can be found at the Van Garrett and Travis Houses.

Windows - Same as described for north elevation.

Shutters - See north elevation.

Basement Wall - The basement wall is the same as that described for north elevation, but has the addition of a basement window grille below each of the four first floor windows.

Chimneys - There are no chimneys connected directly with this elevation, but the south sides of the exterior gable chimneys are visible at the east and west extremities of the facade; or gable ends.

Barge Boards (End Boards), Corner Boards - These occur only at the east ans west elevations. There are no corner boards as the building is entirely constructed of brick.

Exterior - East Elevation

Shingles - Same as described on north elevation.

Dormers - There are no dormers directly showing on this elevation, but was flush boarded, random width; beaded sheathing of the dormer cheeks to the north and south elevation are visible at their sides.

Cornice - There is no cornice to this gable. (see note under Barge Boards, etc.)

Gutter and Leader - There are none to this gable.

Wall Surface - Similar to north elevation, except that it is largely broken up by the projecting chimney, which also has the same brick pattern as the wall.

REAR (NORTH) VIEW OF DR. BLAIR's BRICK HOUSE ON DUKE OF GLOUCESTER STREET. THIS HOUSE WAS RECONSTRUCTED ON OLD FOUNDATIONS, USING PRECEDENT FROM TIDEWATER VIRGINIA HOUSES.

Porch - There is no porch to this elevation.

Front Door - There is no door to this elevation.

Windows - There is one window at the first floor to the north of the chimney, which is of the eight light 9" x 11" glass with segment arched head, and splayed brick below wood sill. This type opening can be found at Sweet Hall, King and Queen County.

There are two windows of the four-light casement variety situated at the second floor and symetrically balanced on both sides of the projecting chimney. These have segmental row lock arches similar to single window below. This type of casement window can be found at Sycamore Hill, King and Queen County, Virginia, and Gloucester Glebe, Gloucester County.

Shutters - There are no shutters to windows; see north elevation.

Basement Wall - Similar to north elevation except that there are no windows.

Chimneys - There is a large exterior type chimney flush on the room side projecting from the main wall. This chimney is the conventional type used throughout Tidewater Virginia and its environs. The brick surface is patterned after the adjoining walls. This chimney was erected on the site of its original foundation.

Barge Boards (End Boards), Corner Boards - Barge boards are beaded and tapered towards the eaves of the hipped gable where they are mitred into a similar piece (untapered) which runs horizontally under the eaves of the hip. The barge boards are finished with a cymation molding applied to same, next to roof shingles. This acts as a cornice to the eaves of the hipped portion of gable peak. The "end boards" are designed to follow in general the profile of the cornices on the north and south elevations, and are flush with the barge boards.

There are no corner boards as this building is constructed of brick.

Exterior - West Elevation

Shingles - Same as described on north elevation.

Dormers - See east elevation.

Cornice - See east elevation.

Gutter and Leader - There are none to this elevation.

Wall Surface - Same as east elevation.

Porch - There is no porch to this elevation.

Front Door - There is no door to this elevation.

Windows - The windows on this elevation are one more in number to those on the east elevation, there being two eight-light windows on the first floor, as well as two four-light casements on the second, all placed symetrically with the chimney on the gable end. The windows are similar in detail to those described for the east elevation.

Shutters - There are no shutters to the windows on this elevation (see note for windows on north elevation).

Basement Walls - Same as east elevation.

Chimneys - Same as east elevation, only narrower.

Barge Boards (End Boards), Corner Boards - Same as east elevation.

Interior - General Notes

The basement (not a restoration) is divided up to give a storage room, a maid's room a toilet, and a heater room. Access to the basement is gained from the interior by a flight of stairs below the main stairs. From the exterior, entrance is gained through a bulkhead already described with "West Elevation Exterior Notes." For further particulars of basement, see Construction Drawing No. 1.

The first floor plan consists of a hall running north and south through the building, on which is placed the stairs, which have been described in detail elsewhere. To the west side of the hall is situated the living room, and to the east side of the hall the dining room and kitchen is located. This was accomplished by dividing the total space similar to the living room by a partition running east and west approximately through the center of the building. The room to the south, or next to the Duke of Gloucester Street is the dining room, and the room to the north of the dividing partition is the kitchen and serving pantry. See Restoration Drawing No. 2 for further particulars, from which it can be seen that an effort has been made to retain the colonial form of plan by the hall passing through the center of the building. The kitchen, etc., was found necessary in the plan due to modern living conditions.

The second floor has been planned without regard to colonial planning in order to give as much bedroom accommodation as possible for modern rental purposes. See Drawing No. 3 for the layout.

The stairs are located in the first floor hall, and have been described minutely elsewhere in this report.

The floors are carried out in a colonial manner, using random width pine boards, except in the kitchen where modern linoleum has been used as a floor covering. The living room, hall, and dining room have been treated in a simple colonial manner, i. e., beaded baseboard, chair rail, and cornice in wood.

Interior
First Floor - Living Room

Floor - Random width T. and G. pine boards, seventy-five per cent edge grain laid on sub-floor.

Floor Nails - Cut nails with narrow heads to simulate antique floor brads.

Beams - 2" x 10" wood joists, 16" O.C. supported in the approximate center of the room by a 10" steel "I" beam.

Walls and Wall Covering - Walls are plastered on metal lathe which is attached to 2" x 4" furring on exterior brick walls, and directly to studs on interior partition. The walls are tinted as described under the heading of "Color."

Ceiling - The ceiling is plastered on metal nailed directly to to the second floor beams.

Baseboard - The baseboard is constructed of pine, and is 4½" deep with ½" bead run on edge. It is nailed directly to studs or furring, and applied after finished floor is laid.

Chair Rail - The chair rail is of the conventional type found throughout Williamsburg with beaded board nailed to studs, and a molded piece applied to the center of board.

Cornice - The cornice is of wood and is common in detail throughout Williamsburg. It consists of a wood board beaded and nailed to studs, to which is applied a cymation similar in character to the eaves molding on the main exterior cornice.

Panelling or Wainscot - There is none.

Fireplace and Hearth - The fireplace has square jambs curved at the intersection with the back, similar to many of the early types found in Williamsburg. The head is arched to agree with the antique mantel. The hearth is paved in pattern with brick.

Mantel - The antique mantel extends from the hearth to the ceiling, and is panelled above the fireplace. The cornice returning around it is new, and has been duplicated from an original cornice. This mantel was purchased from a second-hand dealer with a consignment of other material, and its origin is not known, but it is undoubtedly from some house in Tidewater Virginia.

Windows - The windows are treated similar to those in the Wythe House, and in a manner common to the period for interiors of brick buildings. The splayed panelled jambs, however, are fixed, and do not form shutters. The narrow windows in the west wall are similar to original examples at Sweet Hall and Mount Airy.

Closets - There are none.

Doors and Trim - The door leading to the hall is a conventional six-panel type with trim similar to the windows.

Metal Work on Doors - The hinges are of the H and L type wrought iron reproductions from the Craft House. The lock is a brass rim type, a reproduction from the Craft House.

Color - The woodwork has been painted blue; the plaster, walls and ceilings a white oyster shell color; and the plaster around the fireplace a dark red.

Equipment - See mechanical drawings listed under "General Notes - Exterior".

Interior
First Floor - Hall

Floor - Same as living room.

Floor Nails - Same as living room.

Beams - Same as living room.

Walls and Wall Covering - Same as living room.

Ceiling - Same as living room.

Baseboard - Same as living room.

Chair Rail - Same as living room.

Cornice - Same as living room.

Panelling or Wainscot - There is none.

Mantel - There is none.

Fireplace and Hearth - There are none.

Windows - There are none; light enters from a transom over the front door.

Closets - There is a closet on the east wall opposite the stairs. This is placed here for convenience in planning the interior for modern living conditions. The floor has been raised in the closet to accommodate a heating duct.

Doors and Trim - There are six interior doors and two exterior doors to this hall. See Construction Drawing No. 2. Doors Nos. 2 and 9 lead to the living room and dining room respectively, and are similar. For description see living room notes on door No. 2.

Doors Nos. 5 and 7 have a simpler type of architrave, the intermediate cymation being omitted. This was done in order to give a later added character to the doors as it is not possible they would have occurred in the original hall. These latter two doors are also of the six-panel colonial type.

Doors Nos. 1 and 4 are exterior doors, and have been described in connection with the north and south elevations. See Restoration Drawing No. 3.

Doors Nos. 3 and 10 are five-panel colonial type as found in The Glebe at Gloucester, Virginia.

Metal Work on Doors - Door No. 1 has two pairs of 10" wrought iron HL hinges and two colonial type bolts, top and bottom respectively, on inactive valve, all reproduced by the Craft House; also one brass rim lock reproduced by the Craft House.

Door No. 2 is described with living room notes.

Door No. 3 is located under the main stairs, and has one pair of 10" HL hinges reproduced from the Craft House, also one manufactured iron rim lock (Reading No. C 625).

Door No. 4 has one pair of 10" HL hinges, and one 10" H hinge reproduced from the Craft House; also one manufactured iron rim lock (Reading No. 625), and one modern mortise lock for utilitarian purposes.

Door No. 5 has one pair of 10" H & L hinges, colonial type reproduced from the Craft House, and one brass rim type reproduced lock from the Craft House.

Door No. 7 has same hardware as door No. 5.

Door No. 9 has same hardware as door No. 2.

Door No. 10 has same hardware as door No. 3.

Color: Woodwork is blue.

Equipment - See mechanical drawings listed under "General Notes - Exterior."

Interior

Stairs - The stairs are situated in the first floor hall at the north end. They start at the west wall with one flight to a landing which passes over the rear door and across the hall with a second flight returning back along the east wall to the second floor, with a short gallery rail running to the west wall of the second floor, thus forming an open wall.

Risers and Treads - The risers and treads are part of an original stair taken from a demolished colonial house. See general notes on Hall.

Newell Post and Handrail - Antique material, same source as treads and risers.

Balusters - Antique, same source as treads and risers.

Stringers, String Board, and String Board Ornament - The stringers are of new material. The string boards are antique from the same source as treads and risers. There is no string board ornament as the stair is not an open string.

Closed or Open String - The stair is a closed string type.

Landing - The landing floor is of antique material. The gallery string, balusters, and handrail are of antique material, and are from the same source as the treads and risers.

Interior
First Floor - Dining Room

Floor - Same as living room.

Floor Nails - Same as living room.

Beams - Same as living room.

Walls and Wall Covering - Same as living room.

Ceiling - Same as living room.

Baseboard - Same as living room.

Chair Rail - Same as living room.

Cornice - Same as living room.

Panelling or Wainscot - There is none.

Mantel - The mantel is entirely new as to detail and has been designed to fit modified fireplace condition in this room. A similar type mantel may be seen at the Galt House, East Francis Street, Williamsburg.

Fireplace and Hearth - The fireplace is similar in character to that in the living room, except that it is smaller. The fireplace head has a segmental rowlock arch, and has a plaster surround between jamb and wood mantel.

Windows - Windows are similar to those described in living room.

Closets - There are no closets.

Door and Trim - Door No. 9 (see Construction Drawing No. 2) is similar to door No. 2 as described with living room. Door No. 8 to serving pantry is a six-panel colonial type similar to door No. 9. The door trim on the dining room side is also similar, but is of a simpler form on the serving pantry side.

Metal Work on Doors - Door No. 9 has similar hardware to door No. 2 described with living room. Door No. 8 has 1 pair of 10" H & L hinges reproduced by the Craft House, and 1 manufactured Reading rim lock, C 625.

Color - Woodwork is painted buff, plaster, wall and ceiling, oyster shell white color.

Equipment - See mechanical drawings listed under "General Notes - Exterior."

Interior
First Floor - Kitchen

Floor - Linoleum laid over modern flooring.

Floor Nails - Modern

Beams - Same as mentioned in living room.

Walls and Wall Covering - Same as living room.

Ceiling - Same as living room.

Baseboard - Same as living room.

Chair Rail - None

Cornice - None

Panelling and Wainscot - There are none

Mantel - None

Fireplace and Hearth - There is no fireplace, and consequently no hearth. In this room there is, however, a 9" T. T. thimble on the east wall, connected to a flush, which could be used to accommodate a wood or coal burning stove.

Windows - The window in the west interior wall is similar in size and sash, etc. to windows in living room and dining room, except that it is trimmed slightly different on the interior.

Closets - There are no closets in this room.

Doors and Trim - There are no doors to this room, access to the room is through a trimmed opening leading from the serving pantry.

Metal Work on Doors - None

Color - Same as dining room.

Equipment - See mechanical drawings listed under "General Notes - Exterior."

Interior
First Floor - Serving Pantry

Floor - Same as kitchen.

Floor Nailing - None

Beams - Same as kitchen.

Walls and Wall Covering - Same as kitchen.

Ceiling - Same as kitchen.

Baseboard - Same as kitchen.

Chair Rail - None

Cornice - None

Panelling and/or Wainscot - None

Mantel - None

Fireplace and Hearth - None

Windows - Same as kitchen.

Closet - There is a storage closet situated on the west wall, and this has shelves and a cupboard over it.

Doors and Trim - Door No. 10 (see Restoration Drawing No. 2) has been described with hall.

Door No. 6 is a six-panel colonial type door.

Door No. 8 has been described with dining room.

Metal Work on Doors - Door No. 10 has been described with hall.

Door No. 6 has modern manufactured hardware as this door is not considered truly a restoration.

Door No. 8 has been described with dining room.

Color - Same as kitchen.

Equipment - See mechanical drawings listed under "General Notes - Exterior."

Interior
Second Floor - Room No. One

Floor - Same as living room.

Floor Nails - Same as living room.

Beams - Floor beams are 3" x 12" No. 1 structural dense grade yellow pine, and are spaced 16" O.C. continuous span.

Walls and Wall Covering - Plaster walls on metal lathe nailed directly to studs. Paint finish.

Ceiling - Plaster ceiling on metal lathe nailed to underside of roof rafters and cross ties in roof members.

Baseboard - The baseboard is constructed of wood 4½" deep and 1-1/8" thick beaded with ½" bead on edge next plaster, and typical throughout Williamsburg.

Chain Rail - None.

Panelling or Wainscot - None.

Mantel - The mantel is entirely new as to detail, and has been carried out in early colonial character, and in keeping with the First Floor Mantel detail.

Fireplace and Hearth - The fireplace and hearth are similar to that described for the dining room.

Windows - The windows situated in the west wall are of the four-light casement.

There are two dormer windows, one in the south side, and one in the north side of this room. They have also been described in the "Exterior Notes."

Closets - There is a closet situated to the right of the entrance door. See Restoration Drawing No. 3.

Doors and Trim - Door to room is a six-panel colonial type characteristic throughout Williamsburg. The trim is 4½" wide with cymation and head. This also applies to the door to closet and to bathroom.

Metal Work on Doors - Door to room has one pair of reproduced wrought iron H & L hinges, and one manufactured iron rim lock.

Door to closet has similar type hinges to main door to room, and has one reproduced wrought iron thumb latch from the Craft House.

Door to bathroom has one pair of modern type butt hinges, and one modern rim lock.

Color - Woodwork green and plaster work white oyster shell.

Equipment - See mechanical drawings listed under "General Notes - Exterior."

Interior
Second Floor - Bedroom No. 2

Same as bedroom No. 1 except fireplace is omitted, and the two closets have been inserted east and west of the north dormer under the sloped portion of the chimney.

Color - Peach

Bathroom No. 2 is situated to the left or east of the stair well, and has similar fixtures to bathroom No. 1. See Construction Drawing No. 2.

BRICKWORK

Walls are of common hard burned brick faced with: Old brick (second hand) selected to match colonial brick in size and color. New brick made locally of local clay and by old brickmaking methods. The brick used in the facing of Blair's Brick House is all new, made locally by old methods. Common, backing brick is laid in cement mortar. Face brick is laid in oyster shell lime mortar composed of: 10 parts oyster shell lime putty, 1 part hydrated lime, 3 parts white cement and 11 parts of sand. Face joints are approximately ½", weather struck and marked with narrow tooled lines.

The bond of face brick work is either English or Flemish, with glazed brick headers in either regular or irregular pattern. Borders of glazed brick headers, following the slope of the roof and diamond shaped patterns, sometimes found in Princess Anne County and on the Eastern shore of Virginia, are rare for the locality. The brick for jambs and heads of doors and window openings are often face ground (rubbed brick) to a smooth surface before laying.

The jack arches (flat) of brick are ground to a radius and are laid with 1/8" joints in lime putty and marble dust. Flat arches are usually parabolic in their flatness, namely, with a rise of approximately 1/8" at center, in a span of 3 feet or more. The segmental arch with a rise of a few inches at center is most common in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. It was derived from an English statute which specified that no wood lintel be placed 27 above exterior windows and doves, and recommended a segmental arch as safer and more permanent in time of fire.

SHINGLES

Specifications used in the Restoration and Reconstruction of early buildings of Williamsburg, Virginia.

Shingles of asbestos-cement are used as a substitute for shingles of cypress or other wood. Local fire safety regulations have outlawed wood shingles for roofing so that the firesafe substitute was developed for Colonial Williamsburg. The developed type is as follows.

Size 5" - 8" wide x 16" length, 3/8 - ½" thickness, laid 6" to weather. Surface finish rough, with a weathered appearance.

Shingles are laid with tapered sides on hip roofs (fan tailed); shingles at hip junction are mitred; valleys are tightly closed with flashing under.

PLASTERING

Specifications used in the Restoration and Reconstruction of early buildings of Williamsburg.

Oyster shell lime plaster. Upon the standard scratch and brown coat of prepared plaster, a finish coat of 20 parts of oyster shell lime putty to one part of coarse sand gauged on the scaffold with plaster of Paris and water.

The plaster is to be applied with a trowel and worked to a smooth hard surface without rodding.

PAINTING

Specifications used in the Restoration and Reconstruction of early buildings of Williamsburg. These directions were applied during the first five years of Colonial Williamsburg restoration, later modified so as to achieve improvement in appearance and increased durability.

Exterior - Cabot's Double White tinted, or as manufactured, or Whitewash on rough sawn woodwork.

1 Coat of lead and oil primer applied to finished woodwork before whitewashing - or Pinnacle Brand Cold Water paint (white to simulate whitewash).

Interiors - Walls and Ceilings

Flat lead and oil paint tinted with Masur's colors. Primed with Masury's first coater size #1007 and given 3 coats of white Driwal. (Manufactured by Billings-Chapin of N.Y.) This is to simulate whitewash.

Woodwork -

Flat lead and oil tinted with Masury's colors. Old Pine - Natural finish (note the existing condition of the work governs the treatment necessary - assume work painted or very dirty). Cleaned with paint and varnish remover, Double X cleaner steel wool and brushes. Washed with a solution of apple vinegar (to kill the Double X cleaner) rubbed with steel wool. Stained if necessary with 28% amonia stain reduced 50% with water after mixing. Work allowed to stand six hours then sanded and wire brushed. One coat of #13 minwax rubbed thoroughly.

New Pine - Hard grain penciled with two coats 28% amonia, raw umber, burnt sienna, vandyke brown, bismark brown and rotten stone (all dry colors). Then one coat of above applied entire surface - after 12 hours rubbed down with steel wool wire brushes and sandpaper, an even tone maintained. 29 Glazed with Turpentine, Japan dryer and tinting colors given above. Wiped with rags thirty to sixty minutes after application. When thoroughly dry, one coat of $716 minwax applied and lightly rubbed.

Nail holes show, no putty used.

Walnut - 1 coat of clear wood filler - rubbed down - or

1 coat boiled linseed oil.

1 coat #13 minwax - well rubbed between coats - or

1 coat of clear Driwal.

1 coat of #13 minwax well rubbed between and after painting.

Old Pine Floors - Cleaned with paint and varnish remover double X cleaner wire brushed and sand. When thoroughly dry, one coat of clear Driwal applied. Then two coats of wax - polished.

New Pine Floors - Stained with oil stain and waxed.

TREATMENT OF ANTIQUE FLOORS

Specifications used in the Restoration and Reconstruction of early buildings of Williamsburg.

Floors are thoroughly cleaned after laying. Then one coat of clear "Driwall," manufactured by the Billings-Chapin Company, of E. 40th Street, Cleveland, Ohio, is given. After this application has thoroughly penetrated and dried, two coats of wax are given. Each coat is carefully rubbed and final coat polished.