Bandelier Historic Structure Report: CCC Buildings

BUILDING COMPONENTS (continued)

Roofs

Wood for the roof structures was obtained nearby. The forestry crew of the CCC spent a month during the fall of 1935 cutting and hauling wood into the canyon. They removed from Sawyer Mesa (Forest Service land) 51,150 lineal feet of snow-damaged aspen, which they brought down into the canyon, peeled, split, and piled to season for ceiling material. The SCS happened to be conducting a timber stand improvement project on the adjacent Ramon Vigil grant, and the CCC forestry crew did "them the service of cutting and removing mistle-toe-infected" ponderosa pine. [15] They hauled this into the canyon for peeling, seasoning, and eventual shaping into vigas and lintels. Timber for buildings constructed during the CCC's later years was also acquired from Forest Service lands. [16]

The timber preparation process did not always follow outlined procedures. Although specifications called for peeling the logs and allowing them to season on the timbering site "as long a period of time as possible" [17] before moving them into the canyon and using them in construction, the practice seems to have been to cut and haul, and then peel and season. In 1939, the forestry crew brought unpeeled timbers for construction into the canyon. The timbers were infested with unspecified bugs (perhaps pine beetles) that killed most of the landscape project's newly planted piñon and yellow pine trees. [18] It is not known if the use of distressed materials — timber downed by snow damage, or host to mistletoe and insect infestation — had any bearing on subsequent decay.

The roof construction reflects typical southwestern architecture and its evolution from early timber-and-earth roof construction techniques. A primary system of peeled logs — vigas — provides the structural system with a secondary system of smaller saplings or split boards overhead (latias); if split, these latias are called rajas. Latias traditionally served as the base for grass or reeds that held the earth roofing above, but at Bandelier they are part of the overall architectural design and ambiance.

Most of the vigas were ponderosa pine, but the specifications did allow for use of fir. Trees were to be free from large knots and imperfections that might possibly impair strength and durability. The winter-felled vigas averaged between 8 and 10 inches in diameter and were usually laid between 2 feet 6 inches and 2 feet 9 inches on center after being placed in position with the crown edge (camber) up (figure 27). The logs were required to have a 12-inch bearing on the masonry wall. Vigas extending through the wall frequently were wrapped with a caulking of three strands of 1-inch-diameter rope oakum approximately 4 inches from the wall and then set in a cement grout (one part cement to three parts sand) or the cement mortar mentioned earlier. Many extended through and beyond the wall, but most of the exposed vigas were merely stubs. Vigas that had no extension were embedded within the wall. On vigas that extended over a portal, a 3/4-inch x 24-inch galvanized iron chisel-pointed spike pinned the viga to the adzed wood lintel. Exposed vigas, both interior and exterior, were axe cut with three or more bevel faces. The logs were laid level in most buildings, and saddle-coped over adzed beams. The tops of the vigas were sawn or adzed flat (figure 28) to accept latias or sheathing. [19]

Figure 27. The CCC enrollees hoisted the vigas into place with the camber edge facing up. Chisel-pointed, galvanized iron spikes pinned these portal vigas to the wood beams. (Photo: Bandelier)

Figure 28. The CCC workers adzed the vigas flat to accept latias or to use as lintels or beams. In 1988, adz marks remained visible on most lintels and beams. (Photo: Bandelier)

Most of the ceilings in the buildings were the exposed vigas and latias. The bathrooms in the lodge cabins were built with covered plaster ceilings — small barrel-vault-shaped plaster spans between the vigas. In maintenance-oriented buildings, many of the ceilings are the exposed roof sheathing.

Latias were either half-round (usually laid in a herringbone pattern) or split aspen, laid perpendicular to the vigas. Rafters 2" x 6" or 2" x 4" were laid above the vigas supporting 1" x 6" sheathing, often vented with screened vents built into the masonry walls. The original roof finish was usually a 3-ply composition roof (15-pound base felt and 30-pound finishing felts), attached with 7/8-inch galvanized, barbed roofing nails through flat-tinned disks. Asphalt between the roofing layers was 100 percent coverage at 25 pounds per 100 square feet. The final asphalt coat had a coverage of not less than 45 pounds, embedded with 300 pounds of gravel per 100 square feet. Flashing was usually 26-gauge galvanized sheet metal. [20]

The roofs were drained by hewn and routed log canales (drain spouts) that were lined with 26-gauge metal scuppers. The canales extended through the parapet and well beyond the walls to ensure that runoff would be carried away from the building. In a few instances where projecting vigas and canales intersected, the canale was notched to rest on top of the viga. [21]

In 1980, the composition roofs were replaced with a sprayed membrane roof coating. Most of the existing roofing material was removed, and a 4-inch layer of polyurethane foam was sprayed on primed sheathing. The polyurethane foam in turn was covered with a tinted urethane coating over the roof and parapets.