The Natural History Building - Champaign Urbana
Heritage Restoration was invited to bid and participate in the restoration of the Natural History Building located on the campus of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. This 1892 structure was designed by Nathan Clifford Ricker. Ricker became the first person in the United States of America to receive an architecture degree. The Natural History Building was inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Heritage Restoration was responsible for restoring the majority of the woodwork in this building, as well as recreating a missing four-story staircase.
Project Overview:
Door Restoration & Hardware Installation
Staircase Restoration & Replication
Historic Millwork Restoration & Replication
Dutchman Repairs
Custom Finish Matching
Millwork Cataloging
Onsite Touch-Ups and Refinishing
Millwork & Door Restoration
The Natural History Building at UIUC houses hundreds of doors, trims, and architectural elements throughout its classrooms, offices, laboratories, and common areas. After decades of heavy use, much of the woodwork had become severely worn—marred by scratches, dents, holes, and discoloration.
The general contractor carefully removed and labeled each component before shipping multiple truckloads to Heritage Restoration for treatment. Upon arrival, Heritage cataloged each piece in a custom database to track every item through the restoration process. Special attention was given to layered base trims, which were digitally profiled to allow for future replication.
Doors were chemically stripped to reveal the original wood grain. Minor damage was repaired using fillers, while larger structural issues were addressed with traditional Dutchman repairs—inserting carefully fitted wood blocks into damaged sections. Antique hardware cavities were filled to accommodate modern locksets and handles. After structural repairs, the doors were stained per the client’s specifications and finished with protective coatings to enhance durability and aesthetic appeal.
Trim Restoration & Replication
Miles of salvaged trim underwent inspection, cleaning, and repair. Damaged pieces were either restored or replaced with custom-milled replicas using the previously recorded profiles. These new elements were stained and finished to blend seamlessly with the original trim.
Staircase Fabrication & Installation
The building originally featured a pair of matching staircases, though one had been removed during earlier renovations. Using the surviving staircase as a reference, Heritage’s design team created detailed blueprints and 3D models for a historically accurate replica.
Key decorative elements—such as rosettes, scrollwork, and newel caps—were photographed, digitally modeled, and carved via CNC to ensure precision. Structural components, including hundreds of spindles and rails, were fabricated with longevity and high-traffic use in mind. All parts were stained, finished, and pre-assembled before delivery. On site, the new staircase was installed, and the existing one was refinished to match.
Completion & Final Touches
Over a two-year span, Heritage restored and replicated extensive woodwork throughout the Natural History Building. After the general contractor reinstalled the components, our team returned for final touch-ups and finish blending to ensure visual continuity.
This comprehensive restoration was completed on schedule for the start of the academic year. Heritage Restoration is proud to have contributed to the revitalization of this historic campus building—breathing new life into its interiors while preserving its architectural legacy.
Project Web Series
"I hope that you will find these snapshots of such an interesting project to be both informative and thought provoking. It was a joy to assist in breathing new life into the school building’s interior spaces for all its students and facility to enjoy.” Joseph Berlinger, Web Marketing and Video Manager
Links to the web series' individual episodes:
Gallery
