Church of the Holy Cross

Stateburg, SC

This historic, rammed-earth church, originally built in 1850, had been severely damaged by termites. The scope of this 3,300 square foot historic renovation included replacing over 50% of the exposed tongue and groove heart pine roof decking, and repairing the heart pine trusses with material reclaimed from the same era. New copper roof flashing and concrete shingles were installed, which serve as a ballast to hold the roof down. The stained glass windows from the early 1800s were meticulously removed and then reinstalled in new frames with an outer layer of protective glazing. In the sanctuary, the handmade tiles imported from England had to be reworked. The entire floor slab was removed to allow installation of an underground fiberglass HVAC duct system. The slab-on-grade floor was then placed, slate floor tiles laid and the reconditioned pews were reinstalled. Historic marble wall plaques were removed during the extensive plaster restoration and then reinstalled. When it was determined the pink lime wash on the exterior was the original color in 1850, the material was imported from the Bahamas to ensure consistency.