Repairing timber frames
Kent has a great many timber-framed buildings, from medieval hall houses with jettied upper floors to later farmhouses and barns. The most common problems are rot in sole plates and the feet of posts, where timbers meet damp ground, and decay where water has been trapped behind cement render or hard infill. Specialist carpenters usually cut out only the decayed part and scarf in new oak with traditional joints, keeping as much original timber as possible. Steel plates and resin repairs have their place but aren't always appropriate, so ask what's proposed and why.
Weatherboarding and tile hanging
Painted or tarred weatherboarding is part of the look of many Kent villages, oasts and mills. Individual boards can usually be replaced to match the profile, width and overlap of the originals, fixed so the boards can still move with the weather. Check behind the boards for rotten battens and studs before new boards go on. Tile hanging on upper floors is common too, and slipped tiles can let water into the frame. On listed buildings and in conservation areas, changing cladding materials or colours may need consent, so check with your council first.
Bats, beetles and surveys
Old timbers often show beetle holes, but much of that activity may have ended long ago, so ask for evidence of active infestation before agreeing to chemical treatment. Fixing damp is usually the more important step. Bats often roost in roof spaces, behind weatherboarding and in old barns, and they and their roosts are protected by law. If roof or timber works could disturb them, a bat survey by a qualified ecologist may be needed first, and some surveys can only be done at certain times of year. Allow for this in your timetable.
Jobs we can find a restoration specialist for
- Oak frame repairs and scarf joints
- Sole plate and post foot repairs
- Wattle and daub and infill panels
- Weatherboarding repairs and replacement
- Oast house and barn repairs
- Tile hanging repairs
Get a quote for timber frame and weatherboarding repairs
Available across Kent
Other services
Sash window restoration and draught-proofing · Lime pointing, lime render and lime plaster · Brick, stone and flint repairs · Period joinery, doors and staircases · Listed building works and consents