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Period Property UK
Discussion forum with useful advice on restoring old properties
Art Nouveau - style dating between 1890 and 1930's
Anaglypta - embossed wallpaper introduced in 1887
Ashlar - stone that is cut into smooth blocks
Bolection - double curved moulding eg in doors
Bond - brick laying pattern eg flemish bond, garden bond
Casement window - window with vertical hinges
Cob - render using mud and straw
Coping - dressed stone along the top of a wall
Damp Proof Course. Part of the construction of exterior walls from Victorian times onwards. The course is a water-resistant layer designed to stop damp from rising up the walls from the ground. Older houses sometimes have subsequently had a chemical damp proof course injected. The results can be variable.
Dormer - window built into the slope of a roof
Encaustic tiles - matt floor tiles used in Victorian hallways
Gable - triangle shaped end wall
Sash Window - also called sliding sash or box sash. Type of window that opens up or down. Usually balanced using weights or springs. Usually made of wood.
Mortar. Used to hold bricks and stone together. Older houses use lime mortar. From Victorian times cement became more popular. Portland cement was first patented in 1824 but a later patent in 1852 for an improved product saw use increase considerably. Older houses originally built using lime may have been more recently repointed with cement based mortar with variable results.