Restoration Carpentry

Restoration carpentry is undertaken in the Dover, Deal, Folkestone and Canterbury areas.   As a qualified carpenter skilled in the restoration of oak frames, Mike Norton has the knowledge and the experience to be able to safely and sympathetically restore and repair timber and oak framed houses. The restoration of old oak timber framed buildings is a specialist and precise craft, requiring a high degree of skill and structural appraisal to maintain the integrity of the building whilst replacing sections that are damaged or rotted.   It takes a skilled carpenter to assess a timber frame for repair; to understand the forces within typical structures and where the stresses are likely to be high.  Carpentry skills gained over many years are combined with the knowledge of traditional frame design to give the basis for a sympathetic and lasting repair.  Original carpentry techniques are not covered by modern day classes and training and only a carpenter skilled in the repair of traditional oak frames will be able to restore your frame to the standard that you are looking for.

The repair is kept as close to the original as is possible, using observations from other areas of the building in order to glean as much information as possible.

 

The restoration of a grade II listed cottage near Canterbury, Kent involved a complex procedure as the flint walls were collapsing.  An oak frame was built inside the walls whilst the flintwork was repaired.  The repaired walls were then tied back into the oak frame.  All oak that was in a good condition was reinstated after repairs and improvements.  The old roof rafters were partially rotted and the damaged areas were replaced using scarf joints in order to retain as much of the original timber as possible.

       

  

   

 

The repair, adjustment and restoration of a third floor timber framed house.

This house pre-dates the Victorian age but has had a third floor timber frame structure, probably a repair following war damage.  The hanging tiles were slate and a few had fallen, the others were precarious.  The owners wanted to change the frame to allow for a larger window to the bedroom, and a new, larger double glazed door to the flat roof, installed during the repairs to the timber frame.  The restoration was to include as much insulation as possible and a breathable waterproof membrane to prevent the build up of condensation within the building.  The cladding was completed in treated Douglas fir, in a wany edged cut to give a great finish with an interesting look to the repair.