Historic Home Woodworking Details

by Gepetto Millworks | Mar 15, 2015 | Architectural Millwork, Custom Cabinetry, Historic Restoration, Molding and Trim, Solid Wood Doors

As you are renovating your historic home you will find the choice presented to you to tear down one set of window trim,
doorway molding or any part that can not be immediately sourced or replaced. Before you throw away the character
and history of your property one small piece at a time, please contact us to recreate your historic pieces with their full character.

Choosing our solid wood, fully mortise and tenon construction for your windows, doors, fireplace mantles, staircases
kitchens, entryways, closets and crown molding will ensure that the value of your home is reinforced with it’s historic character.

Authenticity drives Gepetto Craftsmanship

Historic Home Renovation Woodworking Supplier

Historic homes are often designed around an entry hall or great room. This greatroom wall hosts a lighted display of period china. All electrical wiring is hidden and the accent lighting on the china cabinet is dimmable so that a warm glow can be kept in the stairway.

Historic Woodworking for Period Authentic Home Renovation

The historic architectural touches include the upper ballaster & solid wood windows,

Exterior Architectural Mill work Washington DC

by Gepetto Millworks | Jan 22, 2015 | Historic Restoration, Molding and Trim

Exterior Architectural Mill work Washington DC

Exterior Architectural Milled Lumber fabrication Washington DC

Exterior Architectural Mill work Washington DC

Virginia Wood Window Restoration https://gepettomillworks.com/virginia-wood-window-restoration

Solid Wooden Windows Construction VA

Handmade Wooden Gates Virginia

by Gepetto Millworks | Feb 21, 2014 | Historic Gates, Historic Restoration, Williamsburg VA

Solid Wood handmade gate builder Virginia

Wooden Gate Builders Virginia

Cape Charles, VA 23310 Historic Building Materials

Wooden English Style Five Bar Ornamental Gates

Fabricated from Locust for a historic farm restoration.

Historic Wooden Gate Construction

All of Gepetto’s projects are handmade in our Richmond Virginia Shop.

Historic Wooden Gate Construction

Gates compliment many styles of fence from picket styles to agricultural styles of wooden fencing. Rustic split rail styles in pine or western red cedar can be treated as a compliment to the finished look of the gates. Five bar gates easily accept wire such as farm and field fence, woven wire fence, welded wire fence, or even chain link. You may even use these strong wood gate frames for picket styles of fence by attaching to picket to the face of them. English style gates are a much classier finishing touch than farm tubular gates often used with agricultural fences. Gates may be painted or stained nearly any color to match existing fences, even vinyl post and rail fences.

Unique solid wood construction utilizes a cedar to achieve the long lasting weather resistance of these solid wood mortised gates. Gepetto craftsmen took on the ambitious project of mortising through 8 inches of solid cedar, on an arc! We can stretch the boundaries of what you think is possible with wood!

Primary gate joints are mortised and tenoned.
Gates are designed with a heavy duty top rail over the entire width for extra strength.
Gate top rails are chamfered cross braced for additional strength and durability.
Rail and cross bracing reinforced with stainless steel bolts.
Superior quality timber used throughout gate frame and rails.
Gates may be automated with gate operators and accessories.
Ornamental wood gates may be hung as right or left hand.
Gates have beautifully planed natural wood finish.
Gates may be re-painted using water-based or oil-based paints or leave ‘as-is’ to weather naturally.
Suitable for residential, commercial, and agricultural uses.
Gates easily mount to masonry columns, wood, or steel posts.

Solid Wood Gate Fabricators Virginia

Accoya Acetylated Wood Manufacturer Virginia

Carter’s Grove Gates

by Gepetto Millworks | October 11, 2024 | Historic Gates | 0 Comments

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Handmade Wooden Gates Virginia

by Gepetto Millworks | February 21, 2014 | Historic Gates, Historic Restoration, Williamsburg VA | 0 Comments

Handmade Wooden Gates Historically Accurate Replicas made and installed by Gepetto Millworks for historic tax credit approved renovation.

Historic Entry for a Modern Home

by Gepetto Millworks | Mar 6, 2012 | Architectural Millwork, Historic Restoration, Richmond VA Woodworkers, Solid Wood Doors, Williamsburg VA

Solid Wood Door Construction & Manufacture

Project Spotlight: Hewicks Plantation Historic Restoration

by Gepetto Millworks | May 19, 2011 | Architectural Millwork, Historic Restoration, Project Spotlight, Richmond VA Woodworkers, Virginia

Epic Virginia History

Virginia is the founding place.

Gepetto has supplied historic preservation in Virginia since 2009

Accurate Materials and Technique

Accurate Materials and Technique restore with integrity to the core.

Historic preservation supplier for millwork, doors, windows and shutters

Made In Virginia

Your choice of Gepetto to supply your projects

Keeps the trade knowledge alive in VA

One Of A Kind

Whether working from rotted out existing

or fabricating to match historic record
Gepetto craftsmen match drawings or photographs

with historically accurate technique

Historically woodworkers did not have machine tools available for constructing the decorative and functional pieces for large plantation homes. Gepetto craftsmen try to replicate the all wood construction techniques used historically, with a blend of late 19th century machinery to keep the labor time at a minimum while achieving an authentic all wood construction. Gepetto gives historic preservation projects a single source supplier for all wood features. Gepetto uses the modern advantage of machine tooling to meet your timeline an budget needs for 21st Century Historic Preservation.

Virginia Historic Preservation Supplier

At the Hewicks plantation project, solid wood gates constructed from spanish cedar form an understated entrance to the historically long drive lined with mature willow oak trees. True to 18th century construction methods our shop craftsmen used true through mortise for the pickets. Underlying their elegant beauty lies the arc of the upper support. Cutting and shaping the arc challenges the technique of solid wood mortise construction because of the difficult alignment of the holes through which each slat passes. The Gepetto craftsmen hand built shop tools to speed the intricate manufacture process while meeting the tight production schedule. Can you believe these gates were only allowed five days of shop time? We can meet your scheduling needs for even the most complex orders. The four gate pieces set the stage at the public road and in front of the house at the end of the private drive. The plantation estate is a popular site for weddings in the 21st century with it’s rich character. Now restored, the wooden gates greet the eyes of new generations of visitors to this historic 18th century home.

Please take a look through the gallery of images detailing the construction it’s accent to the grounds of the plantation.

Gepetto also fabricated the exterior trim, historically accurate windows, and refurbished the doors in this project.

historically accurate shutters built in virginia

From the moment you arrive down the spectacular tree lined entrance, of Hewick Plantation, the vision will stay in your memory for years to come. The owners and staff work continuously to recreate the elegance of historic southern pageantry and are committed to preserving this heritage. The beautiful property, exquisite landscaping, and open lawn will provide the perfect backdrop for you to craft a truly unique and unforgettable day. Hewick Plantation is a premier destination for a family gatherings, outdoor weddings, or large social galas. The property is listed in both the Virginia Historic Landmarks Register and on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hewick is a historic home located near Urbanna, Middlesex County, Virginia. It was constructed in 1678 by Christopher Robinson, whose progeny held considerable power in the colony before the American Revolution, during which some members became loyalists. It was listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places in 1978.^[3]

Now a two-story, five-bay, L-shaped brick dwelling, it originally had 1+1⁄2 stories, but raised to a full two stories in the mid-19th century. The rear ell is popularly believed to have been built in the late 17th century.

Built circa 1740, for Christopher Robinson III (1705-1768) and his first wife Mary Berkeley (b.1711). It is assumed that he replaced the original house known as “The Grange” that had been built here in 1678 by his grandfather, Colonel Christopher Robinson (1645-1693). However, another opinion is that the house as it is seen today was built or significantly enlarged by Christopher III’s daughter, Mrs Elizabeth Steptoe (1756-1832), who inherited the property from her only brother in 1784

Historic Replicas Supplied:

Historically Accurate Gates
Historically Accurate Shutters
Historically Accurate Doors
Eve Architectural Detailing

112-hewics-plantation-historic-restoration-millwork

Southern Plantation Historic restoration contractor

by Gepetto Millworks | Mar 28, 2011 | Built-in Storage VA, Custom Cabinetry, Historic Restoration, Kitchen Renovation, Molding and Trim, Project Spotlight, Richmond VA Woodworkers, Williamsburg VA, Wooden Windows

Historic Virginia Plantation Restoration Contractor

Historic Wooden Staircase Restoration Contractor

Rift or quarter-grain cuts are best. These cuts are the most stable. Flat grain often expands and contracts seasonally at twice the rate of quartered stock.

Historic Mantle and Trim Manufacturer Virginia

With that said, here are 10 things to keep in mind when determining which approach will work best for you:

1. Identify the factors that will shape your decision. Deciding whether to restore or rehabilitate your house, and to what extent, involves understanding its history; its architecture; and the present condition of its materials, finishes, and systems. You should also consider your household’s lifestyle and what personal needs the finished house must accommodate. More broadly, local historic district designations, local building codes, property insurance, and other regulatory or financial considerations will impact the path you take.

2. Review the house’s history. Who lived in the house and when? Did important events occur there? Did either (or both) scenarios have historical significance? If so, you could consider restoring the house to that period to help interpret its history.

Historic Home Renovation with Modern Kitchen

Install plain sawn lumber with the heart side up. Flat lumber will wear better with the heart facing up. If there’s cupping, the edges will stay flat, and only the center will hump slightly.

Virginia Historic Mantle and Trim Supplier

3. Know what “restore” means. To restore a house means to return its interior and exterior appearance to a particular date or time period. Strict restorations—ones that eliminate everything not present during the period chosen—are rare for homes, with most owners opting to maintain modern systems (plumbing, anyone?) and sympathetically designed changes, such as later additions, that add to the house’s history.

4. Know what “rehabilitate” means. To rehabilitate a house means to make it useful and functional for contemporary living while preserving important historic and architectural features. For example, a rehabilitated old house would always include modern electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems, a modern kitchen, and other attributes typical of present-day homes.

Use traditional joinery. Component repairs should be made using traditional joinery instead of non-historic methods like a wholesale epoxy casting of a missing part.

Virginia Historic Home Restoration Supplier

5. Choose your approach. The major difference between restoring and rehabilitating is to either exactly duplicate a particular period or concentrate on preserving a sense of the changes that have occurred over time. For example, if an Italianate-style house had lost its wood eave brackets, a restoration project would duplicate them in wood as they originally appeared, while a rehab project would add new brackets of a compatible design in an appropriate substitute material (ex. fiberglass).

6. Evaluate existing alterations. Consider the quality, design, materials, and craftsmanship of the original house as well as the changes that have occurred over time. Compatible interior and exterior changes of the same or better quality than the original house, even if done in different styles or materials, should probably be kept and restored. Conversely, you should probably remove any poorly designed or executed changes.

9. Take care not to falsify the history of the house. This might seem counter-intuitive, but you actually do want to be able to tell additions apart from the original. That way, the house’s history is visible and transparent. Also be careful not to design additions that make the house appear to date from an earlier or later period, or alter the house’s details to an extent that suggest a different architectural period.

10. Look to the experts. For a more detailed list of recommendations, check out the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. This jam-packed resource from the National Park Service includes guidelines on preserving, rehabilitating, restoring, and reconstructing historic buildings.

There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to determining whether you should restore or rehabilitate your historic home. Let your property, capabilities, and needs help guide your decision, and chances are you’ll arrive at an accurate, appropriate solution.

The Glen Roy Estate was renovated and restored with the fine wood fabricated pieces by Gepetto Millworks.

We built most of the wooden construction, which was restored from a gutted historical property including:

cabinetry
kitchen design
wardrobe style kitchen storage
fireplace mantles
bathroom storage
laundry hideaway
china display shelving
custom closet design (NYC theme)
skylight

Glen Roy Plantation is a pristine 3-story, Georgian Revival home, which was completed in 1852. The intact interior features Greek Revival detailing and includes twelve fireplaces, forty windows, fifteen foot ceilings and a widows walk. The house sits on sixty acres with 500 feet of waterfront along the Ware River. There are also extensive lawns and gardens and numerous outbuildings including an 18th century library and a late 19th century carriage house. The property also features a stable, garage, swimming pool and dock.