LISBON, OH

Old buildings are full of surprises. That was certainly the case during the recent repaint of Ohio's oldest brick building. To preserve the character of the Jacob Picking building, built in 1803 and now part of the Lisbon Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a brick mason was brought in to analyze the substrate before the restoration work was begun.

Sandblasting was too aggressive for a structure of this age. Working with the local Sherwin-Williams store, preservationists and contractors chose a system of environmentally safe Peel Away stripper to safely expose the substrate. Duration Exterior Latex was used on the wood trim to provide the best coverage and longest-lasting finish.

"It was important to us to use a product that would not only remove 200 years of paint, but the first coat of color which was animal blood," says Stevie Halverstadt of the Historic Lisbon Corporation. "Peel Away helped us reveal the historical beauty in an environmentally conscious way."

A wintertime photo of the repainted building by local photographer Jerry Tyson (above) will be used on future Christmas cards.

SEE MORE PHOTOS of historic Lisbon at LisbonOhioPhotos.com