Passionate about timber frame restoration projects
Maintaining half-timbered houses is as challenging as it is rewarding.
Only those who have truly mastered the craft can do ythese types of projects credit. Manfred Schuler is one such person. He heads up the Timber Frame and Monument Restoration department at German painting company Leibbrand. In 2020, the company won the award for "Painter of the Year" in the specialised work category.
Let's start by saying that Manfred Schuler is too young to be described as "historically valuable". He has earned this title, but for professional reasons. We meet him at a construction site in the centre of Urbach – in a dilapidated 17th-century half-timbered house with a history spanning over 350 years.
The master painter and restorer seems to know every beam, brick and straw in the house like the back of his hand. It is his job. But also his passion. Manfred Schuler knows his way around timber frame renovation projects like no one else. His journey began with a classic painting apprenticeship before progressing from qualified tradesman to master, making the leap from a small family-run business to Leibbrand and Schorndorf, where he continued his training as a restorer.
Today, he heads up the Timber Frame and Monument Restoration department at Leibbrand, Germany. There are eight permanent employees in his team, some of whom have been with the company for over 20 years.
Manfred Schuler“No two half-timbered houses are the same, each one is unique, and there are no standard, off-the-shelf solutions."
Master painter and restorer
A modern restoration that respects the original
Manfred Schuler has inspected and documented the historical structure of the half-timbered house in Urbach to enable him and his team to restore the building in a modern way that still respects the original.
The house is in incredibly good condition, he says, explaining that the weathered and crumbling mortar in the infill is relatively straightforward to renovate by wetting the decades-old clay.
It is the intersections between the different elements that are crucial, because wood is alive – and the clay, brick and lime plaster in the infill have a life of their own as well. "Handling these dynamics causes us quite a headache, even today."
And when he says "us", he means the painters, carpenters, architects and monument conservators. For the system to work, all these cogs need to run smoothly together. One alone cannot set the direction
Ecological and sustainable construction
The experts endeavour to preserve as much of the original structure as possible, relining spaces with bricks, or spraying in the case of more complicated geometries. The old clay is sometimes reworked and reused, with the final lime plaster layer ensuring that the walls can breathe.
Marco Dworzak prepares the windows and frames using the Festool cordless sander. Over the past year, he has successfully completed further training in painting and varnishing for restoration work in monument preservation.
He has been on Manfred Schuler's team for 10 years now. Manfred Schuler is always keen to pass on his experience to the ambitious next generation.
He has led and completed more than 100 projects – at some point, he stopped counting. "No two half-timbered houses are the same, each one is unique, and there are no standard, off-the-shelf solutions," he says.
It is clear from his face that he loves that about them: "Every single time, I take my hat off to the craftsmanship from that era.
It was structurally sophisticated and technically exceptional – today, you would call it ecological, durable and sustainable!" Historically valuable qualities that one should perhaps start attaching more importance to again, both now and in the future.
Original article courtesy of www.festool.co.uk
Here's a list of Manfred and his team's favourite products:
Festool CDTSC 400 18V 100mm x 150mm Cordless Orbital Iron Head Sander Bluetooth 3.1Ah Set
Theses cordless compact sanders ensure unparalleled mobility and ease of movement when working. The powerful 18 V Bluetooth® Ergo battery pack with 3.1 Ah guarantees power similar to that of a mains-powered tool.
Festool Dust Extractors
Festool’s extraction is key to keeping healthy from all the hazardous dust and chemicals that are produced and contribute to keeping job sites clean and tidy and keeping clients happy. Designed for use with various types of dust including L, M and H Class these extractors operate at an efficiency of over 99%.
Thanks to Manfred Schuler your shopping list is ready below!
Discover more stories like Gary's in some our other helpful Blog Posts and informative video content on Festool Australia TV.
Original article courtesy of www.festool.co.uk
