A case of honorable roofing

• Photo courtesy of Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Wheeling, W.Va.
• Photo courtesy of Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Wheeling, W.Va.
• Photo courtesy of Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Wheeling, W.Va.
• Photo courtesy of Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Wheeling, W.Va.

Built between 1893 and 1895 for $87,000, Harrison County Courthouse was designed by architects Frank Packard and Joseph W. Yost. Located on Market Street in the county seat of Cadiz, the building houses Harrison County Court of Common Pleas and its probate and juvenile divisions, as well as Harrison County Municipal Court.

Harrison County was named for Gen. William Henry Harrison, who spent most of his military career in the county after being commissioned into the U.S. Army and stationed in the Northwest Territory. In 1841, he was inaugurated as the ninth U.S. president and served from March 4 to April 4 before dying of pneumonia just 31 days into his term. Harrison also was the first U.S. president elected from Ohio.

In 1974, the courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2014, Harrison County Commissioners selected Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Wheeling, W.Va., to assess the courthouse's EPDM membrane and 122-year-old slate roof system for wear.

Discovery

Harrison County Courthouse is constructed of Berea Sandstone™ from a local quarry and features a 112-foot-tall clock and bell tower. In April 2014, Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal performed a full assessment of the courthouse's roof systems.

"Initially, we were asked to evaluate and provide a roof assessment," says Stan Gorczyca, project manager for Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal. "After reviewing the aging roofs, we recommended to completely reroof the areas."

Subsequently, Harrison County Commissioners selected Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal to replace the building's steep-slope slate roof system; replace a low-slope EPDM roof membrane system; create custom copper scallops, hips, ridges, fascia and flashing; and restore the dome around the clock tower.

"Harrison County Commissioners chose full roof system upgrades, as well as new flashing and trim," Gorczyca says. "Their goal was to preserve the building's historical charm by undertaking a period-specific exterior envelope renovation that included exact replicas of the original copper detailing and a brand-new slate roof system."

Come to order

In July 2015, Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal's six- to eight-member crew began removing slate from the original 8,000-square-foot roof system. Because the existing slate was wired to steel purlins and there was no continuous substrate under the existing slate, crew members were tied-off as they worked over open steel framing to install plywood roof deck sheathing.

"The building's age posed some challenges, including tying off at the onset of the project because anchors had to be placed in the original stone," Gorczyca says. "We were careful not to crack it."

After the plywood roof deck was installed, scaffolding with integrated guardrails was erected around the building's exterior to provide perimeter fall protection for the entire project. Workers then installed new fire-retardant-treated furring strips fastened with stainless-steel fasteners into the purlins and self-adhering WIP^® (water and ice protection) 100 underlayment before installing new 1/4-inch-thick slate in Unfading Gray on the main roof area and 3/8-inch-thick scalloped slate on four turrets.

For the 2,000-square-foot low-slope roof areas on the turrets and walkway around the bell tower, workers installed new plywood roof deck sheathing before applying a Verisco .090-inch-thick EPDM membrane roof system.

Workers also custom-fabricated in Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal's off-site shop copper hips, ridges, flashings, gutters, scallops and fascia and installed new louvers on the bell tower.

"The 1890s building design meant custom copper pieces were required to maintain the aesthetic appeal of the 122-year-old structure," says Ed Gavorcik, sheet metal division manager for Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal. "Our team successfully replicated architectural pieces that were historically accurate and authentic to the time period."

While in session

Harrison County Courthouse remained occupied and maintained a full court schedule during the project, creating a challenge to keep the sidewalks clear and hazard-free for pedestrians at all times.

"The courthouse stayed open for the duration of the project, so we were constantly working around employees," Gorczyca says. "The building was located on a street corner, so we also had to navigate around traffic."

In addition, the building sits atop a hill, which made working through high winds difficult. Workers exercised great care when hoisting materials to the roof areas via a 55-foot forklift and tied down equipment and materials as needed.

Verdict

Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal successfully completed its work on Harrison County Courthouse on time in July 2016 and without any safety incidents.

"We appreciate the Harrison County Commissioners for allowing us to be part of this historical restoration project," says Paul Orbin, marketing director for Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal. "Despite challenges, we were able to create solutions and provide a historically accurate exterior façade that will serve the courthouse for years to come."

For its exceptional work on Harrison County Courthouse, Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal received an NRCA 2017 Gold Circle Awards honorable mention in the Outstanding Workmanship: Steep-slope category.

Chrystine Elle Hanus is Professional Roofing's associate editor and NRCA's director of communications.

Project name: Harrison County Courthouse
Project location: Cadiz, Ohio
Project duration: July 2015-July 2016
Roof system types: EPDM membrane; slate
Roofing contractor: Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Wheeling, W.Va.
Roofing manufacturers: Camara Slate Products, Fair Haven, Vt.; Carlisle SynTec Systems, Carlisle, Pa.; Versico Roofing Systems, Carlisle, Pa.
Gold Circle Awards category: Outstanding Workmanship: Steep-slope