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Preservation Terminology

In a historic preservation project, there are several different paths that can be taken — and preservation is just one of them. Preservation specifically refers to the stabilization and preservation of a historic building to keep it looking the way it looks now. In addition to Preservation, there are three other paths that can be taken in a historic building project - Rehabilitation, Restoration, and Reconstruction.

  • Rehabilitation is the update and repair of a building for new or continuing use. This includes additions to the existing structure.
  • Restoration is the backdating of a historic building to an earlier period by removing later features and using only building materials available during that time period.
  • Reconstruction is the rebuilding of a historic building that is no longer in existence.

The US Secretary of the Interior has defined guidelines for all four of these processes, and Preservation Products, Inc. has a long-standing commitment to work within them.