In Preservation, Newer Materials Gaining Traction

The Wall Street Journal reported last week on the growing tendency of renovators of historic homes to cut corners with modern substitute products:

In a shift that has preservation- ists squirming, some historic-home commissions are caving in and giving the nod to restorations using synthetic materials. In Waukesha, Wis., officials are compiling a list of faux materials they’ll consider for use on the town’s Victorian and Italianate houses. And in Beach Haven, N.J., a seaside hamlet of Victorian homes, just-approved architectural-review guidelines give a thumbs-up to cellular polyvinyl chloride — a type of plastic — on window trim (“made in the same time-honored tradition of fine wood millwork,” says the Web site of manufacturer AZEK).)

Even the balusters on the porch of this house in Normal, Illinois are plastic. Not everyone’s jumping on the bandwagon, however: Realtors who handle period homes say they often have trouble if modern materials have been added. “A New Englander just won’t touch it,” says Marilyn Hanberg, a realtor in Essex, Conn. We’re not opposed per se on a limited basis–for example, we gather that fiberglass cornices are commonly used now on landmark brownstones–but like most things, the devil’s in the details.
Homeowners and Purists Go Head to Head [Real Estate Journal]