Knowledge & Good Advice

A building can, in principle, last forever. Whether you are the owner of a preserved or preservation-worthy building, the same requirements apply for continuously maintaining it correctly.

On this page, you can read about the background for building materials and the maintenance of buildings in Greenland, and receive recommendations and knowledge about where you can find information on building materials. Always remember to seek permission to carry out construction work from the Greenland National Museum & Archives (Grønlands Nationalmuseum & Arkiv), before you begin.

Wooden Buildings

The vast majority of buildings that are preserved or preservation-worthy are wooden buildings from the colonial era. These are imported houses, which are either prefabricated in Denmark (most often the log houses) or built by carpenters here in the country. Regarding their maintenance, it must be remembered that in the time of these houses, the maintenance traditions that were also applicable in Denmark, from where the materials arrived, were followed through the ages. One should therefore not try to find old recipes for paint made from Greenlandic oils (from marine mammals), but instead, it must be assumed that they have all been treated based on the Scandinavian tradition.

However, it is a fact that "Greenlandic" paint has been produced, but whether it was used on the current buildings can be difficult to determine. If you wish to try the Greenlandic-produced paint, the recipe is elegantly provided here by former inspector in Qeqertarsuaq, Ph. Rosendahl.

Through the last 200 years of maintenance, different types of maintenance materials have been used, including paint, oakum (værk), sealant (fugemasse), etc. It is therefore not always easy to choose the correct type of paint. In Greenland, the tradition has been to follow developments in Denmark, and it is only within the last 30 years that museums, in particular, have become aware that it is not necessarily required to use the newest modern paint, but instead to choose one that best suits the building chronologically. This is one of the reasons why it is so essential to observe the building-historical traces, so that information about the building's original appearance and interior design, as well as the changes it has undergone over time, can be collected.

Ordinary Maintenance

In general, you do not need permission from the Greenland National Museum & Archives for ordinary maintenance. This means work that does not change the building's colors, surfaces, materials, extent, and fittings, and where the maintenance work does not involve the actual replacement of material. You can easily paint your house, repair a crack, touch up a window, or replace a single roof shingle without involving the authorities. You just need to remember to use the same materials, paint, or mortar as the original ones.

It is good if you can manage the maintenance of your preserved house yourself, but you must be aware that the house must be maintained in accordance with the materials used and the application of the correct building technique for the house. Both materials and building techniques have characteristics typical of the time and are important parts of the building culture and preservation value. The craftsmanship quality in connection with maintenance or repairs should be on par with that executed during the building's construction. Many maintenance tasks can be performed by the owner themselves, but if you are in doubt, it is a good idea to consult a professional advisor. You can always consult the Greenland National Museum & Archives' building professional advisor or an architect with knowledge of historic buildings.

The concept of maintenance in the context of the Building Preservation Act is therefore narrower than in the common sense. Many tasks that owners and craftsmen consider maintenance require permission from the Greenland National Museum & Archives. If you are in doubt as to whether a job can be classified as ordinary maintenance or not, you should contact the Greenland National Museum & Archives.

NKA Recommends

The Greenland National Museum & Archives has prepared guides for some of the different works that fall under ordinary maintenance:

• Annual control of building damage
• Fresh air vents
• Paint products
• Cleaning of older paint layers
• Surface treatment of half-timbering
• Restoration of windows and doors
• Renovation or replacement of windows
• Selection of window type and quality and condensation problems
• Insulation of preservation-worthy buildings
• Classic house colors in Greenland
• General information about wood shingles
• Plastering of half-timbered panels
• Renovation of cast iron parts
• Renovation of wooden crawl space decks
• Repair of foundations or plastered masonry
• Repair of shingle roofs

You can get further information about building preservation and contemporary paint types from the Center for Building Preservation in Denmark. There you can find more detailed knowledge about: materials, guidance, courses, and read specialized articles.