About Duffy
Duffy Hoffman Presentation Specialist
Duffy Hoffman, a third-generation craftsman, is the owner of Hoffman P and R, Inc. Most of his projects over the last 25 years required highly-focused attention to detail and expertise in paint removal and restoration techniques. These projects have included the following landmark buildings: The Highlands (Fort Washington, PA); The Sheldon House (home of John Witherspoon, signer of the Declaration of Independence, Princeton, NJ); the Cornwall Iron Furnace (Cornwall, PA); and the Charles Carroll Manor House (home of another signer of the Declaration of Independence, Ellicott City, MD).
Duffy has been a workshop leader and presenter at national, regional, and state paint and restoration shows throughout the US since 1988. Examples of these shows are: The Painting and Decorating Contractors Association (PDCA) annual conferences; the Traditional Building sponsored by Old House Journal annually and regionally; Historic Home Shows; and the International Preservation Trades Workshop and Network. The participants of all these types of sessions are painting and restoration contractors, craftspeople, and homeowners.
Duffy uniquely combines traditional craftsman techniques with modern technologies. His topics often are window sash restoration, repairs and millwork fabrication on old buildings. His style of presentation is to demonstrate actual tools and techniques and discuss alternative products. His vast experience as a painter and restoration carpenter allow him to answer the participants’ questions with detailed knowledge and real-life examples. Surveys from workshop attendees praise his ease with presenting to all levels of audiences and his strong credibility.
As a result of lead-poisoning of one of his workers in 1995, he researched and implemented a rigorous program of lead-safe work practices for all his worksites and workshop. His public presentations since that time have always emphasized lead-safe work practices. He participated in an EPA Roundtable in 1998 which began development of the present RRP law. He has been cited as a painting, historic restoration, and lead-safe work practices specialist in both newspaper and magazine articles. Twice he was featured on HGTV’s “Restore America” show.
In 2005, his paint removal expertise and comfort with public led him to be the featured presenter and demonstrator on 66-minute, education and training DVD produced by Eco-Strip LLC. The producer commented about the rare need to reshoot scenes because Duffy’s presentations were so clear and concise. All viewers comment that his delivery of lead-safe work practices and paint removal practices made the topics easily understandable and reassuring that they could competently plan and perform these specialized and potentially dangerous practices.
Duffy formalized his years of knowledge and experience in lead-safe work practices and became a Certified Renovator and Certified Dust Sampling Technician in early 2010. He recently completed his own company’s DVD on Window Restoration; he is presently writing the training manual to accompany this DVD. He hopes it will set a standard that we all need to save the disappearing sash in America. Duffy has been developing systems for sash restoration for 20 years.
Duffy has served as a consultant, project manager and master craftsman on many historic projects. He relies on his relationships with other masters of the traditional trades to provide the complementary services needed for projects and to broaden his own knowledge and skills. He is now donating his time to rural America (Youth Build and AmeriCorps) and saving significant structures in their communities. He has also just created a new weatherizing machine that slots sash for weatherizing, and it cuts the cost of saving window sash. His goal is to find the funds to start a school to teach young people the traditional trades.