First White Cloth Hall Timber Repairs

Some of the oldest structural timber which we have had the opportunity to work with, grown over 600 years ago. A definite privilege.

Putting the pieces back together.

Job type:

Structural timber repair

Left derelict for years and at risk of collapse, parts of the structure were taken down

In 2019 works began to restore the building

Trace were asked to design and implement timber repair works to reinstate a series of oak trusses

Concealed GRP rods and resins were employed to reinstate whilst maintaining all of the historic fabric

The Property

Nineteen and one conifer timbers were takes and tested, this dated the time at which the timbers were grown from between 1366 to 1476, with the trees being felled in 1476, and likely being grown fairly locally. This was earlier than anticipated with building being opened in 1711.

Method of repair

Many of the trusses were simply in pieces and principally the work was to reconnect these sections of timber to reinstate them to the original form. This was achieved by carefully drilling and inserting glass resin polymer bars fixed with resins. It would not have been feasible with traditional repairs to reinstate without significantly affecting the appearance of the trusses.