Supervision and repair. No building type has such historical roots as the log house. It has been a house for both the common man and the gentry and has come to characterize our older building environment to a great extent.

The report shows how log houses can be cared for and repaired to preserve their heritage value. The key is careful supervision and repairs that are adapted to the authentic log technique.

The report is written for both property owners and construction professionals. Richly illustrated.

Building conservation and reuse

How did a dilapidated barn, an abandoned croft, a crumbling manor house, an uninhabitable military barracks and a smelly city apartment get a new lease of life and a new soul? Where did they start? How did they know where to look? And what did they skip?

About the author: Göran Gudmundsson’s new major book is a goldmine for anyone who loves old houses with tradition and flair. Here he tells the story of five comprehensive renovation projects with widely differing conditions. With great expertise, he describes the whole process – before, during and after – and shows in detail how to find the traces of the old, look for renovation materials, color and wallpaper. And not least, how to deal with the various options available. How should you think about original colors and old building materials – if you are also going to live in the house? Is it right or wrong?

“Many people think that building conservation is not for them. I want to change that. I want to show that EVERYONE – not just owners of old houses but also those who have an older apartment, who want to convert an abandoned farmhouse into a holiday home or are just generally interested in the environment and recycling – can find inspiration in the old way of building and decorating. Because if you choose to build new with old methods and used materials, you also get the soul in the bargain.”

Agricultural architect Charles Emil Löfvenskiöld (1810-1888) dreamed of reforming the Swedish countryside. A new architecture characterized by both beauty and rationality would combat poverty and misery. Bright, spacious and well-planned houses for both humans and animals were the basis for a humane and prosperous society. Only when the practical was also beautiful was it truly functional.

The purpose of the publication Landtmannabyggnader, hufvudsakligen för mindre jordbruk from 1868 was to disseminate the new findings in affordable and educational booklets with clear drawings and explanatory texts. Today, the work is an architectural classic that has had a major impact on Swedish building culture.

This reproduction is supplemented by an appendix with drawings by Löfvenskiöld’s pupil and longtime collaborator Pehr August Pettersson (1841-1906). They were originally published in his Landtmannabyggnader: ritningar för alla områden inom landthushållningen from 1891, a sequel and tribute to Löfvenskiöld’s classic work.

Byggnadsvårdarens bibliotek is a collection of Gysinge’s own useful book series – Byggnadsvård i praktiken. Written by Göran Gudmundsson, one of the enthusiasts and founders of Gysinge Center for Building Conservation. Cardboard box in matte paper.

The books are invaluable for anyone who owns or has recently bought an old house that needs looking after. They provide in-depth practical tips, advice on construction, style eras, restoration and approaches to building care for the different areas indicated by the books’ titles:

Relocation of old houses

The heat in old houses

Exterior renovation

Interior renovation

Painted floors

The books can also be purchased separately, but the package price for the collected books is significantly cheaper.