Preservation work has kept Pete Nicolazzi busy since 1972, when he founded Carpenter & Smith Restorations. Working in both Illinois and Wisconsin, Nicolazzi offers a broad range of repair, restoration, carpentry, and woodworking services. He even builds tiny houses! Sometimes he’s commissioned to work on large scale projects like the Yorkville Mansion restoration in Yorkville, WI. Often though, he’s asked to save those small details that make older and historic homes so special.
The Yorkville Mansion undergoes extensive repairs – photo from Carpenter & Smith Restorations
When Nicolazzi is able to flex his artistic muscles, his work really shines. Recently he has been commissioned to restore some truly decorative elements at several different homes. When he sculpts and shapes delicate features, he turns to Abatron’s WoodEpox®, which has been essential to his work.
Nicolazzi reshapes the grotesque’s cheek with WoodEpox – photo from Carpenter & Smith Restorations
One of the more unique projects in recent memory was the restoration of grotesques carved into oak support beams on a house. Using WoodEpox, Nicolazzi filled in sections that had cracked and weathered away the grotesques’ faces and carved them to match the original detail perfectly. On another project, he was able to save elaborately carved crown moulding that rotted so badly it was breaking apart. The beautiful moulding depicting owls and branches is truly one of a kind. Nicolazzi pieced it back together and built it up again using WoodEpox, carving it to replicate any missing detail.
Before: The moulding broke apart as it was removed from a house façade – photo from Carpenter & Smith Restorations
After: The moulding with owls fully restored – photo from Carpenter & Smith Restorations
No less impressive, though somewhat more common, Carpenter & Smith Restorations is also known for restoring columns, newel posts, structural beams, trim, porches, furniture, doors, windows, and much more. His work is prolific. Nicolazzi has left, and continues to leave, an indelible mark on preservation efforts in the region.
Repaired newel posts get a fresh coat of paint – photo from Carpenter & Smith Restorations
Check out an abundance of photos on Carpenter & Smith Restorations’ Facebook page. You can also learn more about the services the company offers at www.saveold.com.
Nicolazzi’s restoration skills come in handy on even the smallest projects, like when replacing a missing leaf on this carved wooden sculpture – photo from Carpenter & Smith Restorations
