2025 Fall & 2026 Spring Seminars
November 3 – 13, 2025: Monday - Thursday 6PM to 9PM Cost: $400
Topic: Building Systems in Historic Structures (Designed for All Levels)
Goal: Provide participants with an in-depth, immersive understanding of how historic buildings “breathe” and function as integrated systems — and how to respectfully upgrade them with modern technology while preserving heritage fabric.
Course Overview: This two-week seminar explores the science and craft behind historic building systems. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the living-built environment — including how materials, venting, insulation, HVAC, bays, cavities, and chases all work together in historic structures. The course blends building science, diagnostic assessment, and hands-on tool training to bridge the gap between preservation and modern performance needs.
February 2 – 12, 2026: Monday - Thursday 6PM to 9PM Cost $400
Topic: Historic Window and Door Restoration (Designed for Beginners)
Goal: Introduce participants to the fundamentals of restoring historic windows and doors, with a focus on wooden sash windows, paneled doors, and their associated hardware. Students will gain practical, hands-on skills in assessment, repair, and finishing.
Course Overview: This beginner-level seminar provides an entry point into the specialized craft of restoring historic windows and doors. Participants will learn how to assess condition, stabilize and repair wood, replace hardware, and restore finishes while respecting original design and materials. Emphasis will be placed on minimal intervention, material conservation, and energy performance upgrades that do not compromise historic integrity.
March 2 – 12, 2026: Monday - Thursday 6PM to 9PM Cost $400
Topic: Basic Masonry in Historic Structures (Designed for Beginners)
Goal: Provide participants with foundational knowledge and hands-on practice in traditional masonry repair and restoration methods, focusing on both structural and aesthetic elements of historic brick and stone buildings.
Course Overview: This seminar introduces students to the fundamental principles of masonry restoration, emphasizing how brick and stone assemblies function in both exterior and interior environments, as well as their role in foundations and walls. Participants will learn how to properly assess, repair, and maintain masonry structures using historically accurate materials and methods, ensuring long-term stability and authenticity.
April 6 – 16, 2026: Monday - Thursday 6PM to 9PM Cost: $400
Topic: Advanced Masonry Conservation (Designed for Students with Experience in Masonry or Who have Completed the Basic Masonry in Historic Structures Seminar)
Goal: Equip participants with skills to conserve and restore complex historic masonry systems, from decorative façades and carved stone to ancient mortar traditions that are rarely practiced today.
Course Overview: This seminar is designed for students who already understand the fundamentals of masonry repair and are ready to explore complex assemblies, decorative masonry, and advanced conservation methods. Beyond standard repointing and patching, participants will study arches, vaults, terra cotta, and carved stone, and they will be introduced to ancient mortar recipes and techniques that have been largely forgotten but remain crucial for authentic restoration.
May 4 – 14, 2026: Monday - Thursday 6PM to 9PM Cost: $400
Topic: Basic Carpentry for Heritage Structures (Designed for Beginners)
Goal: Introduce participants to the fundamentals of historic carpentry and wood conservation, with an emphasis on diagnosing, repairing, and preserving structural timber elements such as posts, beams, joists, and rafters alongside finish and trim carpentry.
Course Overview: This seminar provides a foundation in traditional carpentry techniques and historic wood repair practices. Students will explore how wood behaves as a building material, how structural members (posts, beams, joists, rafters) interact within heritage assemblies, and how to perform sensitive, small-scale repairs that retain historic integrity.
June 1 – 11, 2026: Monday - Thursday 6PM to 9PM Cost: $400
Topic: Carpentry and Millwork Restoration (Designed for Students with Experience in Carpentry or Who have Completed the Basic Carpentry for Heritage Structures Seminar)
Goal: Develop skills in structural and decorative carpentry for heritage restoration, including the replication of millwork, restoration of interior finishes such as baseboards, and the study of international repair traditions like Japanese in-situ joinery techniques.
Course Overview: This seminar is designed for participants who have completed Basic Carpentry for Heritage Structures or possess comparable experience. It builds upon fundamental joinery and repair skills by focusing on complex timber repairs, detailed millwork replication, and advanced restoration strategies for interior finishes. Students will also be introduced to Japanese in-situ repair methods, which emphasize minimal intervention, precise joinery, and maximum retention of original material.
In-Depth Programs
Starting in September 2025, historic restoration and preservation classes at the Covington Academy of Heritage Trades will be offered through the Enzweiler Building Institute as a two-year program with classes meeting two nights a week from 6:00PM to 9:00PM from September to April each year. Additional class information:
Tuition and Fees: $4,575.00 per academic year. Includes: Tuition ($2950), consumable materials ($1000), textbooks ($200), PPE kit ($150), OSHA-10 certification ($100), CPR ($50), and administration fee ($125).
Applications for the two-year program can be found on the Enzweiler Building Institute's website under the apply tab.