SPECIALIST STONE & BRICK SERVICES
Permanens employs its own team of specialist masonry craftsmen whose skills have been developed over many years of expertise of dealing with all types of restoration and repairs. All our works are carried out in accordance with the current British Standards and Codes of Practice within the stone industry.
STONE RESTORATION
Provided that the amount of spalling or decay has not been allowed to penetrate too deeply, then it is possible to carry out in-situ repairs using an artificial stone mix worked on site to match existing lines and details.
Generally, spalling stonework is caused by moisture seeping in through defective joints and rusting steelwork beneath the stone cladding. The remedy is to cut back the defective stonework to fully expose the rusting steel. After the removal of the rust and application of a rust inhibitor, the necessary repair can be made.
The causes of stone decay are threefold: damp, frost and air pollution. In such cases the remedy is to cut back the decayed stone to a sound base, forming a good key on sound material.
Where the depth of repair requires, it may be necessary to insert non-ferrous metal dowels to the prepared surface to give additional strength to the repair.
Finally the artificial stone mix can be applied (this is a blend of natural stone dust, appropriate sand or aggregate and lime). The levels of repair are built up until the colour, texture and detail match the original.
The essence of good in-situ restoration is that the repair should have the appearance of natural stone and be less dense than the substrate. It should be neatly squared off and have the same texture as the adjacent stonework.
It is always advisable to clean the stonework prior to restoration, and a repair that has been carried out professionally should last for many years. To give added protection it is also often considered advisable to apply a clear waterproof sealant or lime-wash shelter coating as a protection against the elements.
Prior to the commencement of works we are always willing to provide samples of restoration mix to confirm that the texture and colour of repair are agreeable to the client.
BRICKWORK RESTORATION
The process of decay can be most apparent in brickwork where the colour, face and texture are eroded thus exposing the less dense interior. Moulded work will also be lost by the passage of the elements.
By using the same basic process as in-situ stone restoration, Permanens is able to restore brickwork to the original lines and details.
Colour matching can be achieved with specialist dyes and, we can reform the brick faces to their original dimensions (something increasingly difficult using new bricks of metric dimensions). Structural or load bearing brickwork can be rebuilt using purpose-made bricks using with a number of specialist brick manufacturers who can assist with matching new materials to old or with salvage yards to source good quality second-hand bricks.
The re-pointing of brickwork, executed by our own experienced labour force, is carried out to the highest standards. Good preparation will ensure achievement of an end result that will last, and great care is taken to ensure that existing colours and style of pointing are matched as nearly as possible.