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Local Voices

RESTORATION WORKS ADDS NONCHEMICAL, INDUSTRIAL WOOD STRIPPING STATION TO ITS GREEN FACILITY

Restoration Works Helps Cut Pollution at its State -of-the-Art Restoration Facility

    Restoration Works, Inc., a unique company that restores windows and doors in historic
buildings, has incorporated Green Restoration Practices whenever and wherever it can.  “For
years, the missing component of a good restoration process was a safe way to do paint stripping,”
says Restoration Works President Gail Wallace. “After three years of research, we have found a
way to add a new Green Nonchemical Industrial Wood Stripping Station to our mix of Green
practices in our Bradley, Illinois restoration facility,” she says. “By using different light waves
and intensities, our company is able to strip wood materials faster, easier and without chemicals.”
    The 30,000-square-foot restoration facility saves windows, doors and other historic
building materials from landfills and gives America back its heritage. Universities, government
entities and the general public that wants to restore windows and doors while having
sustainability goals can now accomplish both.
    Stripping building materials before restoration work can begin is hard work, quite messy
and can give off offensive odors. In addition, much of the paint being stripped is lead based,
which requires extensive safety measures. If the stripping is done incorrectly, the wood can be
damaged.
    “Most restoration work is performed in an archaic manner,” Wallace says.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen some very bad practices out there. My mission is to try and raise the
standards in the quality of the work, and in how the work is completed.”
    Restoration Works believes the restoration of any wood object can be done in a safe and
professional manner that doesn’t hurt the environment. They restore what they call a “Timeless
Window” because old windows were made using original forest wood that is several hundred
years old. The windows themselves are in the 100 year old category. Wallace believes her
restoration methods can keep them around for another 100 years. 
    Restoration Works has restored windows for such entities as Yale University’s Silliman
College and their Art Gallery, Orchestra Hall, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Old Water
Tower in Chicago and the National Institute of Health campus in Washington DC.
    Other Green steps are incorporated into the work Restoration Works does. For example,
shavings and dust collection occurs in their milling department, while low VOC paints and stains
are used in their spray paint department. Wood shavings, all the glass not reused and old metal
weatherstripping are recycled as well. The company has a ‘Clean Air Tech’ sanding method,
which uses Festool tools that hook up to a HEPA vac with 99 percent dust extraction capabilities.
         The State of Illinois is fortunate to have a pioneering company with an exclusive focus on
the restoration of wood and steel materials. Its technical knowledge base has grown over the last
30 years by incorporating all the latest technologies. “All the technology is available, and people
have to care and want to have someone complete their project the right way,” she says. “Once the
Green practice is set up, it doesn’t cost any more. It’s just safer and becomes another step
bringing us closer to a pollution free world.”
     For more information about Restoration Works Inc., please visit their website:
www.restorationworksinc.com ,contact Gail Wallace at 815-937-0556 or email her at
restorationworks@sbcglobal.net.
   

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