Technical guides for conserving, repairing and using heritage items.
The sections below feature information on maintaining heritage items, balancing fire safety and disability access, preparing for the impacts of climate change, and renovating heritage significant buildings.
These heritage maintenance information sheets detail how to maintain and conserve heritage items including stone, metal, timber, plaster, limewash, gardens and grounds.
Information on maintenance of building exteriors made of face brick, stone or unpainted render.
Information on corrugated iron and steel, widely used for roof sheeting.
Documenting maintenance and repair
What to document when maintaining buildings and how.
Maintenance of heritage gardens and grounds.
Things to consider when undertaking work to a heritage building that features limewash.
Care and conservation of metals, including cast iron, steel-framed windows and roof plumbing.
Researching and uncovering authentic paint schemes and how to conserve them.
Suggestions for how floorboards maybe patched or repaired. Published with permission of the The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB).
How traditional plasters were made and used, and how to maintain them in traditional masonry buildings.
How to plan for regular maintenance and prevent expensive emergency repairs.
Removing paint from old buildings
Considerations for when its best to leave paint undisturbed and appropriate methods of removal.
Repair of tongue and groove floorboards
Techniques for repairing tongue and groove floorboards that retain original boards.
Considerations for successful repointing of lime mortar joints in stone and brick masonry.
Control and treatment of rising damp, a major cause of decay in heritage buildings.
Slating, tiling and roof plumbing
How to keep the roof watertight.
Information on scaffolding and other access methods.
The need for old buildings to breathe
Information about how old buildings must be allowed to ‘breathe’ to avoid dampness and decay. Published with permission of SPAB.
Techniques for repairing timber in heritage buildings.
Wood as a building material and how to prevent deterioration from fire, fungal rot, borers and termites.
Lime mortars: repair of masonry and repointing
Heritage Victoria has published 2 useful guides: Lime mortars for the repair of masonry and Repointing with lime mortars.
Mortars: materials, mixes and methods
Repointing mortar joints in older buildings.
Salt attack and rising damp: A guide to salt damp in historic and older buildings
Preventing, identifying and treating salt damp in older buildings.
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB)
SPAB has a comprehensive knowledge base with information for owners of old buildings. The information covers alterations and extensions, common problems, energy efficiency, maintenance, and materials and components. The Society also has a series of practical technical advice notes on caring for and repairing historic fabric in buildings.
These information sheets provide guidance on preparing your heritage property for the impacts of climate change.
Barlings Beach Aboriginal cultural heritage case study
Kunderang East Pastoral Station landscape and historic building case study
These heritage maintenance information sheets provide guidance on fire safety, disability access and heritage significance in buildings:
Fire safety orders and heritage buildings
Fire resistance of ceiling-floor systems in heritage buildings
Intumescent paint systems and heritage buildings
Equitable access, fire safety and maintaining heritage significance
Maintaining heritage significance over time, including considerations for managing change.
A stitch in time: Maintaining your property makes good sense and saves money
Published by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation in association with the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.
At home with heritage: A considered approach to renovating your house
Published by Heritage Victoria, explains how good design and an awareness of heritage significance can support the aim of having a contemporary, liveable heritage home with strong heritage values.
Design Guide for Heritage, available on the Government Architect NSW Resources webpage
Published by Government Architect NSW, explains opportunities to use heritage items and outlines steps to ensure heritage places are conserved, maintained and enhanced with good design.
Design in context: Guidelines for infill development in the historic environment