This document summarizes the conservation of Phillaur Haveli, a 110-year-old residential property in Punjab, India. The single-story property uses traditional construction techniques like lime mortar bricks and deodar wood beams that help regulate indoor temperature without mechanical cooling or heating. The document discusses conserving the deodar wood, which has experienced weathering, cracking, and discoloration over time. Methods like cleaning, filling splits with epoxy, and limited surface treatments are proposed to extend the life of the vulnerable wooden elements. Plans and photographs document the property's courtyard layout and architectural features in need of preservation.

1. Conservation of Phillaur Haveli
Author: Ar. Prerna Chouhan
M.arch 2020-2021
Chandigarh College of Architecture
Abstract:
Documentation and conservation of a heritage
residential property for its valuable classical
local architecture and family heritage value. This
single-story property is over 110 years old and
currently occupied by owners. Highlighting
traditional construction techniques and
architectural elements that keep it’s indoor
climate comfortable without much artificial
cooling and heating. This paper will also discuss
in specific the conservation of a common
architectural as well as structural material
“deodar wood”.
Keywords:
Phillaur, Haveli, Deodar wood, Vernacular, Diori,
Baithak, Roofing, Weathering, Epoxy Filler.
Introduction:
Phillaur haveli was built in 1910 in British India.
It was later allotted to the migrants from the
Lahore a Rajput family after the partition of
1947. The haveli is located near Phillaur fort &
Grand Trunk road. The architecture style of the
haveli is local vernacular Punjab architecture.
The material used is lime, bricks, deodar wood,
iron. Reasons for conservation are the
Construction technique of the roof - this roof
also helps in maintaining the interior
temperature of the dwelling; The material used
i.e. deodar wood which is now not available
outside Himachal Pradesh; Courtyard style of
space organisation gives a reference to old
Punjab architecture; Personal heritage - This
property was allotted to one of author’s family
section after migrating from Lahore in the 1947
partition. Almost all of her family sections
moved to urban areas like Chandigarh, Ludhiana
as soon as land was available. Leaving this as
the only tangible remains of their family history.
Phillaur at glance:
Image - 001 _ image of Phillaur city map.

2. Reference - google maps
Phillaur is the railway junction on the borderline
of Ludhiana Main and Ludhiana Cantonment. It
was a junction for Lohian and Ferozepur. In
pre-partition days, it was the main timber
market of the Punjab Region. It is situated on
the banks of River Satluj, the southernmost of
the five rivers of the Punjab region. The timber
cut in higher regions of the Shivalik range was
thrown into the river Satluj and then collected
at Phillaur for further transportation.
The dedicated railway line survives to this day
but it is not functional. The town stands on the
highway of traditional Grant Trunk Road. The
actual G. T. Road passes through Phillaur. The
older path of actual G. T. Road still survives
along the railway bridge which Ludhiana. This
town was named by a Sanghera Jut called Phul
who named it earlier is Phulnagar. However, the
Naru Rajputs, sent by Rai Shahr, occupied this
town when Shahr's son Ratan Pal left Mau and
settled in Phillaur.
During Sher Shah Suri times (1540-1545 A. D.), a
Sarai (for trading and military purpose) was
raised at Phillaur. The Sarai was again revived by
Mughal Emperor Shahjahan (1627-1657 A. D.)
and used as Postal Center (Dak Ghar) and
Military camp.
After the Treaty of Amritsar of 1809 between
Ranjit Singh and the British East India Company,
it became the border post of the Lahore Empire
of Ranjit Singh. It was kept under Raja Dhanpat
Rai who also acted as his munshi for the lands
across the River Sutlej which fell in Ludhiana
(made military cantonment by British in 1842).
The Sarai was converted into a fort as an
outpost. Presently, the fort is called Ranjit Singh
Fort. It is now being used as Police Training
Academy (PTA). The Finger Print Bureau (1892)
in the police academy is one of the oldest
institutions in the region.
Case study: Haveli
Location:
image - 002 _ location of Phillaur haveli on the
city map. (north pointing upward)
Reference - google earth
image - 003 _ location of Phillaur haveli
adjacent to raja Ranjeet Singh fort. (north
pointing leftwards)
Reference - google earth

3. image - 004 _ location of Phillaur haveli in
congested dense density. (north pointing
leftwards)
Reference - google earth
The haveli is located in a densely packed site
with modern construction residences. It has a
25 feet wide curved access road. Neighbouring
residences are 2 to 3 story high built with
modern techniques and material hence leaving
this property as the only one of it’s kind.
image - 005 _ street view of Phillaur haveli
Reference - image captured by the author
herself.
The facade of haveli:
We have two doors on the facade, one is
operational and the other is closed for several
years. The low height iron gate (double door) at
the left side of the facade opens up to an open
to sky gallery also known as diori. The other
80% of the facade is a solid wall punctured with
openings of one deodar double door bordered
with two deodar wood windows. There is also a
series of 4 ventilators punctured on the solid
wall. All of these openings are supported by
brick arches and nowhere lintel beam is
introduced amongst them. The keystone also
made of brick added support to the arch and
also adds up to its aesthetic value. At the
rightmost portion of the wall, a vertical channel
runs for rainwater drainage. There is no
separate pipe used for that just two columns of
plaster bumps area created on the wall to
prevent the smooth flow of rainwater. The top
of the solid wall has an overhanging cantilever
of around 1.5 feet followed by a thick band of
plaster. Over that roof’s parapet crowns the
facade with its alternate 5 design pattern of
brick jali.
image - 006 _ facade of Phillaur haveli
Reference - image captured by the author
herself.

4. Spatial planning:
The haveli is based on courtyard style planning.
It is an east facing haveli. Having a full-length
open to sky 7 feet wide diori further opening up
in central open to sky courtyard. Initially, there
were two rows of enclosed spaces adjoining the
rear and front boundary. The left side of the
courtyard had a 6 feet wide covered passage for
movement during rains. Adjoining diori there is
a staircase placed in the courtyard to access the
terrace.
The front 12.5 feet deep row of spaces were
further divided into two rooms 14 feet wide and
9 feet wide respectively. The 14x12.5 feet room
have access directly from the street that
signifies it as a semi-private area of haveli or
possible baithak. This room is currently used as
a bedroom and all the openings on the front
wall are covered by cloth and plastic sheets for
several years now. The 9 feet wide adjoining
room is currently used as a store, it’s initial
purpose is yet to be discovered.
The rare row is 13 feet deep and 23 feet wide
single room which was initially used as shared
bedroom space. Currently, it is a mixed-used
space having baithak at the centre, beds on the
left side and storage on the right side. The
current situation makes the initial private space
as public or semi-private area.
Earlier there was an open chulla (open kitchen)
in the courtyard. Now they have an enclosed 6
feet by 6 feet square space for cooking under
the covered passage.
Initially, there was no provision for bathrooms
and toilet. Residents used to bath in open and
there was a manual collection of rooftop open
defecation by certain workers. Currently, there
is a 5 by 5 feet bathroom adjoining the kitchen
under the covered passage. A toilet is built at
the rear end of diori.
The material used and Construction
technique:
For walls - load-bearing brick is used with a
bond of lime mortar. Later on, these walls were
plastered with cement; which turned out not
well.
For roofs - there is a series of the garden
(wooden beams) supported by walls on all 4
sides. Over these, there is a layer of bricks layer
bonded with lime mortar. Over that there is a
layer of mud and aggregate further toped with a
layer of brick flooring.
image - 007 _ roofing system
Reference - the image of the roofing system is
drawn and documented by the author herself.
For flooring - enclosed rooms have brick flooring
and open to sky spaces have cement flooring.
Doors and windows - all of the openable frames
of doors and windows are made up of deodar
wood. Which was readily available at the
property’s state at the time of construction.
There were grills made of iron rods for security
purpose.

5. State of arts and material:
Spacial alterations: enclosed kitchen and
bathroom were added in a covered passage
along with the courtyard. A washroom was
added at the end of diori. The usage of spaces
changed from semi-private to private and
vice-versa.
image - 008 _ spacial alteration in the layout of
the haveli.
Reference - the image of layout drafted and
documented by the author herself.
Physical alteration in Roofing - Bricks have been
replaced, Wood is painted after a 5-7 years gap.
The lime paste is re-applied.
Biological alteration in roofing - Wood beam and
rafters are broken in smaller fragments due to
direct exposure of smoke from open Chula for
over a century, Darkening of colour.
image - 009 _ darkening of roof ( covered
passage adjoining courtyard.
Reference - the image captured by the author
herself.
image - 010 _roof of enclosed spaces
Reference - the image captured by the author
herself.
Biological alteration in windows - Wood frame is
broken into fragments due to east sun exposure.
The wooden openable panel is damaged from
the bottom due to solar heat exposure. Wood
colour is lightened.
image - 011 _windows (front facade)
Reference - the image captured by the author
herself.

6. Biological alteration of doors - The wood frame
is broken into fragments due to east sun
exposure. The wooden openable panel is
damaged from the threshold due to solar heat
exposure. Wood colour is lightened.
image - 012 _door (front facade)
Reference - the image captured by the author
herself.
Material conservation - deodar
wood:
It is a large evergreen coniferous tree reaching
40–50 m (131–164 ft) tall, exceptionally 60 m
(197 ft) with a trunk up to 3 m (10 ft) in
diameter. It has a conic crown with level
branches and drooping branchlets.
The bark of Cedrus deodara contains large
amounts of taxifolin. The wood contains
cedeodarin, ampelopsin, cedrin, cedrinoside,
and deodar (3′,4′,5,6-tetrahydroxy-8-methyl
dihydroflavonol). The main components of the
needle essential oil include α-terpineol (30.2%),
linalool (24.47%), limonene (17.01%), anethole
(14.57%), caryophyllene (3.14%), and eugenol
(2.14%). The deodar cedar also contains lignans
and the phenolic sesquiterpene himasecolone,
together with isopimaric acid.
Other compounds have been identified,
including (−)-matairesinol, (−)-nortrachelogenin,
and a dibenzylbutyrolactollignan
(4,4',9-trihydroxy-3,3'-dimethoxy-9,9'-epoxylign
an).
Deodar is in great demand as a building material
because of its durability, rot-resistant character
and fine, close grain, which is capable of taking
a high polish
Its historical use to construct religious temples
and landscaping around temples is well
recorded. Its rot-resistant character also makes
it an ideal wood for constructing the
well-known houseboats of Srinagar, Kashmir.
In Pakistan and India, during the British colonial
period, deodar wood was used extensively for
the construction of barracks, public buildings,
bridges, canals and railway cars.
Despite its durability, it is not a strong timber,
and its brittle nature makes it unsuitable for
delicate work where strength is required, such
as chair-making.
Damages of deodar wood:
Examples of splitting and shrinkage of cedar
Examples of weathered cedar :
Weathering - Weathering is a combination of
damage from sunlight, rain, and/or wind. As
sunlight strikes the surface, its low energy is
released into the wood, creating compounds
that begin the degradation process. This process
is typically slow (a few mm per century) but
causes the wood surface to become slightly
weaker. Cedar roofs will turn light grey within a
year after installation, but the wood beneath
retains its original colour.
Rain or wind (which can carry tiny sand
particles) can wear away the shallow weathered
wood on the surface, exposing new wood to
sunlight. This process results in a gradual
wearing away of the surface. This process
typically occurs more rapidly in the softer parts
of the wood. In cedar, these parts are at the
beginning of each growth ring (called

7. earlywood). Over time, the shake or shingle can
take on a washboard appearance.
Repeated wetting and drying can also lead to
physical changes in the shake or shingle. Wood
swells as it wets and shrinks as it dries.
Repeated wetting and drying can induce
stresses in the wood that eventually lead to the
development of cracks or splits as well as
cupping or warping. The wood species used for
roofing tend to have lower degrees of shrinkage
than other species, but even these materials
can eventually develop physical damage.
image - 013 _damage of wood
Reference -
https://www.oldhouseonline.com/repairs-and-h
ow-to/how-when-to-use-epoxy-fillers
Cleaning of deodar wood:
It is best to test any cleaning solution on a small,
inconspicuous spot on the roof to make sure
that it does not adversely discolour the wood.
One cleaning solution that is often used
includes the following:
3 ounces of trisodium phosphate (available in
paint or hardware stores)
1 ounce of laundry detergent
1 quart of 5% sodium hypochlorite (bleach)
3 quarts of warm water
Mix thoroughly and apply with a soft brush or
broom. Scrub lightly, allow to stand for 10 to 30
minutes, then rinse away with fresh water. Be
sure to rinse accidental splashes off plants. Do
not include the phosphate if your gutters lead
directly into a storm drain as phosphates can
foster algal blooms in nearby lakes and streams.
For more persistent stains, repeated
applications or the use of stronger bleaching
solutions can help. Bleach can be used full
strength but be sure to thoroughly rinse the
wood surface to remove excess bleach.
Surface Treatments of deodar wood:
Deodar wood is inherently resistant to moisture
uptake, which is why they make such a good
roofing material. Thus any surface treatment
will only penetrate a short distance into the
wood. Roofs also experience severe sun
exposure and rainfall that result in rapid
degradation and loss of any treatment
chemicals.
Oil Treatments: Many roof treaters claim that
oils applied after cleaning can extend the life of
the roof. Cedar and other species contain oils
that do impart some moisture resistance and
these oils may have a similar effect. The depth
of oil penetration is generally shallow, and the
materials are exposed to UV degradation. Thus,
the protective period applied by these
treatments, if any, is limited. They do, however,
improve roof appearance for a short time after
cleaning.
Epoxy filler:
The element would be difficult to replicate with
new wood, such as a moulded element that
would require sophisticated machining or
laborious handwork. The element can’t be

8. easily removed without taking apart other
components (for example a pegged window sill).
Around 80 to 85 per cent of the element is still
sound material.
Step 1- Remove any paint and old caulk from
the wood—this will allow you to see the full
extent of the damage. In this case, the base had
taken on an unexpected bowed shape and
needed to be flattened before filling (otherwise,
the filler would effectively “freeze” the base into
that shape). Using a thin-kerf (3/32" thick)
circular saw blade, I cut several slots in the base,
then filled them with wedges of red cedar
coated in waterproof glue.
Step 2 - Next, coat the entire base with an
epoxy consolidant. Consolidants—thin or
slow-curing epoxies that surround the friable
wood fibres with a hardening resin—should be
used in conjunction with fillers to provide good
adhesion. Let the consolidant cure for several
hours before moving on to the next step.
Step 3 -Once the consolidant has cured, there’s
another step before filling. The voids in this
piece are not simple holes—because insects
made them, they’re an interconnected network
of tunnels. If you poured a filler into the holes in
the base, it would likely run out of the cracks
and all over the work surface. To prevent this,
you first need to dam the cracks with epoxy
putty; you can use any of the paste-like epoxy
fillers that appear on the market. Once you’ve
thoroughly mixed the putty (see How To Mix
Epoxy), press it into the cracks and crevices
along the upper surface and the edge of the
base to seal it against leaking.
Step 4- Once the dams have cured, it’s time to
pour a thin liquid epoxy into the wood. This
pourable filler is thin enough to flow into all of
the unseen insect passages on this column base;
it’s also helpful when filling fissured wood,
which you might find on a weathered
windowsill, for example. Pour the liquid epoxy
until all of the voids appear to be full. Wait for
several minutes, and you’ll see depressions
develop, which indicates that the epoxy is
penetrating into the wood and it’s time to add a
little more. Do this until it seems that no more
can be absorbed. When this cures, you may find
that minor depressions have developed. These
can be filled by pouring more epoxy or using
ordinary wood fillers to cover tiny holes and
pits.
Step 5-Once the epoxy has fully cured (the time
is dependent on temperature, but it’s best to
leave it undisturbed for at least 24 hours), you
can sand, paint, and reinstall the wood. While
phenolic micro balloons make the epoxy
sandable, they are plastic, so machine sanding
can cause the paper to clog fairly quickly. Keep
plenty on hand and use a lower speed.
image - 014 _epoxy filler
Reference -
https://www.oldhouseonline.com/repairs-and-h
ow-to/how-when-to-use-epoxy-fillers

9. Architecture - spatial
organisation conservation:
image - 015 _spatial organisation
Reference - drawn and documented by the
author herself.
Re-opening the doors and windows on the front
facade. And reviving the original character of
the spatial organisation of private and
semi-private spaces.
References -
all photographs are clicked by the author (Ar.
Prerna Chouhan)
storyline and speech during the presentation
was first-hand information collected from
interviewing the owner of the haveli.
history of phillaur -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillaur
maps - google maps & google earth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedrus_deodara
https://nautarch.tamu.edu/CRL/conservationm
anual/File6.htm
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/2833
51532_TIMBER_CONSERVATION_AND_CONSOLI
DATION_PROCESSES
https://www.oldhouseonline.com/repairs-and-h
ow-to/how-when-to-use-epoxy-fillers
https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/patho
gen-articles/nonpathogenic-phenomena/care-m
aintenance-wood-shingle-shake-roofs
Paper guided by -
Dr. Janbade Prafulla Tarachand
(Professor of historic buildings materials and
construction technologies at Chandigarh college
of architecture)
Paper researched and written by-
Ar. Prerna Chouhan
(student at Chandigarh college of architecture
studying in 1st-year of masters of architecture)