37004 Charles Town Pike ca Charles Town Pike ca. 1770

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IV.11 Building Materials Used in Historic Structures Materials, details, and colors contribute significantly to the architectural character of Hillsboro.

Craftsmanship and regard for use of materials are key factors when choosing a palette of materials, colors, and details. Durability and maintenance should be closely considered.

1 IV.11 Building Materials Used in Historic Structures Materials, details, and colors contribute significantly to the architectural character of Hillsboro. These materials are sensitive to the human scale that enhances the sense of place known as Hillsboro. Craftsmanship and regard for use of materials are key factors when choosing a palette of materials, colors, and details. Durability and maintenance should be closely considered. The Planning Commission and the Town Council will look favorably upon designs that: Use materials that are appropriate to the existing architecture in Hillsboro, including fieldstone, brick, stucco (pebble-dash or smooth), and wood clapboard or board-and-batten. Material choices should not be mixed unless such mixing is already evident in neighboring homes. Give preference to materials with inherent color such as brick or stone. These materials are highly useful in their resistance to weather. New materials should be harmonious with those of adjacent building. Show consistency and continuity. If one style of architecture is chosen, other styles should not be mixed with it unless such treatment is evident in neighboring buildings. Similarly, historical periods should not be mixed. Incorporate an appropriate amount of detail in new construction to avoid blandness, for example, adding wooden shutters to windows. Additionally, any submission to the Planning Commission and the Town Council should include samples of the proposed building materials. Guidance regarding specific building materials and historical usage is described below. Log Homes. The earliest homes were made of chestnut log and later covered in board-and-batten (see example bottom left). The home (bottom right) was restored during the 1980s when wood clapboard was removed and replaced only on the left hand portion Charles Town Pike ca Charles Town Pike ca Many homes were originally chestnut log with newer additions built around the original. Below is the oldest home in Hillsboro: it contains a stone west wing dating to 1740, a center log structure, and an east wing ca (the builder's initials and finishing date is etched on the upper section of the east chimney and visible to passersby). IV-10

36975 Charles Town Pike ca.1740, addition ca. 1827 Stone Homes.

construction is the use of corner quoins.

2 36975 Charles Town Pike ca.1740, addition ca Stone Homes. Most residences were built of stone gathered from the surrounding area (often called rubble stone). In fact, it was the stone homes of Hillsboro that were often mentioned in early descriptions of the town. Two outstanding examples of stone homes are shown here Charles Town Pike ca Charles Town Pike ca 1780 A feature unique to historic stone construction is the use of corner quoins. Examples of large quoins are shown here Charles Town Pike Charles Town Pike Brick Homes. Brick was not manufactured in the area and thus was more expensive than local stone or log. It was, therefore, rarely used in Hillsboro s homes. IV-11

and features feathered brickwork above the windows.

1838 36985 Charles Town Pike (Original center brick section, ca.

3 Exceptions are shown below. The center section of the home on the right was made of brick and features feathered brickwork above the windows Charles Town Pike ca Charles Town Pike (Original center brick section, ca. 1820, east stone addition, ca. 1840, and west clapboard addition, ca. 1890) The brickwork above was in the Flemish Bond style, as shown below. Frame Homes. Homes and additions built late in the 19 th century were wood frame. Several examples are found in Hillsboro Charles Town Pike ca Gaver Mill Road ca (East section is wood siding over log, west wing addition is frame IV-12

Foundations. Traditional foundations in Hillsboro include stone, brick, and parged surfaces. The most common type is rubble-coursed fieldstone, as shown in the example.

structures where cinder block or concrete block was used in the original construction. Siding.

4 Foundations. Traditional foundations in Hillsboro include stone, brick, and parged surfaces. The most common type is rubble-coursed fieldstone, as shown in the example. The few instances of cinder block or concrete block should not be imitated and proposals with exposed concrete block will not be looked upon favorably, except for projects expanding structures where cinder block or concrete block was used in the original construction. Siding. Drawings of proposed additions and new construction should include a complete description of the type of siding, if any, to be used. A 4-to-6 inch wide horizontal siding is typical of buildings of the 19 th century, as shown in this example Charles Town Pike ca 1897 IV-13

The late 20 th century practice of sheathing the front elevation of structure in brick and the walls of the side and rear elevations in another material is not characteristic of Hillsboro s historic

5 The late 20 th century practice of sheathing the front elevation of structure in brick and the walls of the side and rear elevations in another material is not characteristic of Hillsboro s historic homes. The Planning Commission and the Town Council are unlikely to approve such modern treatments. For repairs to existing structures or additions to existing structures, wooden siding is recommended, with matching widths. For reconstruction or new construction, an acceptable alternative, such as cement fiberboard or hardboard may be used, as the material has a painted surface and conveys the appearance of traditional construction. Synthetic sidings such as vinyl or aluminum are unlikely to be approved by the Planning Commission or the Town Council. The use of board and batten on a principal structure has been used in at least one residence, as shown in this example where chestnut log was covered with board-andbatten sometime in the late 1800s. However, board and batten is more typically used on outbuildings Charles Town Pike Roofing Materials. Standing-seam metal roofs are common to almost all residences in Hillsboro. Metal is not the original roofing material, but added later, sometime in the last half of the 19 th century. In some homes, the metal was placed over the existing wooden shakes. Black is the usual color, although red and dark green are also seen. Slate is used in at least two buildings and asphalt shingles were used on several homes that were built in the mid-20 th century. However, asphalt roofing is not used on homes located on Charles Town Pike or Gaver Mill, the location of nearly all the historical homes in Hillsboro. On the other hand, asphalt shingles are evident on many of the outbuildings throughout the town. The guidelines for roofing materials in primary residences are: Original roof materials in principal structures, such as standing metal seam or slate, are recommended when replacement is necessary. IV-14

Reconstruction and new construction of primary residences should use standing metal seam roofing, slate, or synthetic slate.

6 Synthetic slate is an acceptable replacement for an entire roof area, but should not be used for repairs of slate roofs. Partial replacement with a synthetic material may result in a color differentiation between the new and old sections after a period of time. Reconstruction and new construction of primary residences should use standing metal seam roofing, slate, or synthetic slate. Asphalt roofs are unlikely to be permitted on primary structures except where they are shown to be the original roofing. Doors. Doors are prominent character-defining features of a building, because the doorway is the focus of an elevation or a design. The materials and colors of this important architectural element may enhance or detract from the appearance of the building; thus, the need to select not only an appropriate door style but also the appropriate material and color. The doors on Hillsboro s homes are for the most part in keeping with the historical period of the homes, with a number showing lighted transoms. The typical lighted transom has 4 rectangular windows above the door. Examples c and d have 6 and 5 windows, respectively. Other examples include side-lights, as in example b. The square and rectangular lights above and beside the front door are Georgian treatments. The elliptical fanlight in example e is from the Federal period. Some of the more interesting examples are shown in the photos below. a. Lighted transom, sides b. Lighted top IV-15

7 d. Lighted top with side 12/8 windows e. Transom fan light with pedimented door. IV-16

8 The guidelines for doors are: Historic doors should be repaired or if that is not possible, replaced in kind. If new, the door style should be appropriate to the period of the building, for example the use of lighted transoms and sidelights. Even noting that color is not regulated in the historic district, the use of bright colors is discouraged in the historic district except as an accent color such as the front door. Windows and Shutters. Windows are important character-defining features of buildings. Although double-hung sash windows are the predominant type of window in Hillsboro, there are a great variety. The most common is the 6 over 6, meaning that there are 6 panes on the upper sash and 6 on the lower. Hillsboro s historic windows include the following examples: a. 6/6 sash b. 12/8 sash c. 9/6 sash d. 2/2 sash e. Palladian The Planning Commission and the Town Council encourages repairing rather than replacing historic windows. If the original windows cannot be saved, the new windows should reflect the same size and design as the original features. In addition, the practice of blocking-up existing window openings to fit a smaller standard window is not recommended and requires a Certificate of Appropriateness if on the front facade, as this severely alters the historic character of a building by changing the balance, proportion and rhythm of the structure. The suggested guidelines of windows and shutters are as follows. For proposals that include alterations to windows of an existing building, the window size, shape, and sash type of new windows should be consistent with the original window. In the case of an addition, the design and arrangement of windows in a new section should be compatible with the composition of the original building. In considering reconstruction and new construction, the Planning Commission and the Town Council will consider the relationship between the design of the new building, including window type and arrangement, and the surrounding context. Shutters should be capable of covering the entire window opening if closed, i.e., the size is proportional to the window opening. The hinging hardware should appear operable, even if the shutter is essentially a decorative feature. IV-17

There are two basic types, those built within the structure and those built outside the

Of the latter, there are a variety of materials and construction methods.

9 Chimneys. All the historic homes in Hillsboro have chimneys and most are still functional. There are two basic types, those built within the structure and those built outside the structure, as shown in photos a and b below. Of the latter, there are a variety of materials and construction methods. The pilastered chimney in the photo below right is very unusual. Its tall and narrow construction suggests a strong Federal architectural influence. a. Chimney within walls b. Chimney outside walls c. Pilastered chimney IV-18

Maintaining Materials Within the District

Maintaining Materials Within the District The prevalent styles found within the district utilize various common building materials of the Tampa Bay area. Wood siding and brick flourish as the dominant