Category: Restoration

Case Study Data

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Site
Church
Location
Scotland
Repair Type
Burial stones restoration
Defect
Pieces missing from base of burial stones

Products Used

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Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty
Super-strength epoxy putty which bonds to all materials, filling in and rebuilding large areas of damage

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

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In 1996, the Clan Gregor Society discovered that seven burial stones sunk into the ground in the churchyard of the Glenorchy Parish Church at Dalmally, near Loch Awe, Scotland, belonged to the ancient chiefs of Clan MacGregor.

The stones were originally placed around the high altar of the church to mark the burial spots of clan chiefs. The oldest belonged to John Macgregor of Glenurquay, who was buried on the north side of the High Altar of the original church in 1390. The most modern came from 1528.

Clan MacGregor fell from favour in the early 1600s. The name was banned by King James VI of Scotland following a particularly bloody bout of violence. It was one of his last acts before travelling to London to take up the British crown following the death of Elizabeth I.

The attempted erasure of Clan MacGregor by King James left them with no castle to call their own and the destruction of almost all their historical objects. The Dalmally Stones are therefore one of the few surviving examples of medieval heritage relating to the ancient Clan, whose proscription lasted 170 years.

It is believed the burial stones were removed from the high altar in 1615 when the church was rebuilt as part of The Reformation. They were taken outside and used to cover other grave plots in the churchyard.

By the time the Clan Gregor Society realised their importance, the burial stones had been on the ground for more than 350 years. Erosion, dirt ingress and other forms of damage as the stones sunk over the course of three centuries had left them in desperate need of conservation.

And so the Clan Gregor Society put together an ambitions plan to raise, restore and then return the Dalmally Stones to display inside the church.

It would take another 26 years until 2022 for the society to secure permissions from religious bodies, heritage societies, local and national government, as well as raising enough funds to make the project a reality.

After that time-consuming process was completed, Graciella Ainsworth Sculpture Conservation were commissioned to restore the stones. One challenge came from huge chunks missing from the base of the stones, leaving them unable to stand on display.

Sylmasta formulated a specialist version of AB Original Epoxy Putty colour-matched to RAL 7307, which the team at Graciela Ainsworth believed to be the closest match to the stones after they underwent thorough cleaning during the restoration process.

AB Original was then used to create a flat, bottom edge on each stone, so that they could be placed standing inside the church. 30kg of AB Original was sent to Scotland. The putty was kneaded by hand and then applied to rebuild the bottom of each stone.

The two-hour work time of AB Original allowed for careful, precise application without the threat of premature curing. Once set, AB Original formed a ceramic-like material similar to the original stonework in both texture and colour.

After Graciella Ainsworth had completed their restoration of the Dalmally Stones, they were fixed in place inside the church for the first time in 400 years. A dedication ceremony was held as part of a weeklong Clan Gregor celebration, attended by society members who travelled to Scotland from around the world.

The beautiful carvings of knights and delicate patterns decorating the stones – which are considered fine examples of the Loch Awe School – can now be fully appreciated and are preserved for future generations to admire.

AB Original has since been used by Graciella Ainsworth in similar applications, including creating supporting shoes for a series of display pieces at the New Perth Museum.

Sylmasta’s investment in the latest epoxy putty stick manufacturing technology at their site in the United Kingdom means other colour-customised putties can be quickly and easily made for future conservation and restoration projects depending on client requirements.

Case Study Data

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Site
1920s neoclassical former cinema
Location
Portsmouth
Repair Type
Concrete restoration
Defect
Heavily damaged classical composite order column capitals

Products Used

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Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty Stick
Super-strength epoxy putty which bonds to all materials and can be easily carved and shaped to hold intricate details

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

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Renowned local Portsmouth architect Arthur Edward Cogswell designed the building in neoclassic style. It opened in 1921 as a cinema and remained in use as a picture house through several names changes for 52 years, until 1973.

It reopened as a snooker hall in 1976 and played host to budding local Stephen Hendrys and Ronnie O’Sullivans until the 2000s. More recent uses included a martial arts centre, a lounge bar, a short-lived return to snooker and darts, and a karaoke bar.

The uncertainty over what to do with the inside of the building over the past 20 years was reflected by a lack of maintenance and care for the outside.

By the time the karaoke bar heard its final song, the facade had become an untidy mess of different coloured paints peeling away, damaged concrete and broken windows.

An ambitious project was launched to renovate the building for community use. This included restoring the dilapidated facade as close to its original 1920s state as possible.

The most challenging part of the refurbishment was repairing the tops of four composite order columns – known as capitals – which were in a sorry state. Faded red and blue paint was flaking off. Much of the intricate carved detail had crumbled away and been lost.

With its super strength, long work time and ability to hold shape after being carved, Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty proved the ideal repair material to restore the columns.

The columns were first thoroughly cleaned, including using a blowtorch to burn off any remains of old paint. AB Original was then mixed by hand, after which the installers had around two hours to carve the putty into the original style of A.E. Cogswell and apply it to the column before it set.

Because AB Original sets harder than other epoxy putties, it easily held the highly intricate detail needed to match a classic composite order column. Each sculpted piece of AB Original adhered directly to the concrete, forming a permanent bond.

All four columns were repaired in this way before the entire facade was painted a dignified white. The end result was a seamless restoration of each column. AB Original was so effective, it left no trace that a significant repair and rebuild had taken place.

If A.E. Cogswell came back to life and visited his cinema, even he would have struggled to tell the detailing on the columns was not the original work.

The entire renovation project took around 12 months to complete and included modernising the inside of the building. It now serves the local community, looking almost identical from the outside as it did when first opened as a cinema a century ago.

Case Study Data

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Site
Residential home
Location
Wales
Repair Type
Wood repair
Defect
Oak beam heavily rotted

Products Used

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Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty Stick
Epoxy putty with a two-hour work time applied to wood for repairing damage and filling in voids caused by rotting

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

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A property owner in Wales was renovating a house they had inherited, including improving its exterior appearance. The facade consisted of an untidy mix of concrete breeze blocks, painted brick and a large oak beam.

The intention was to render the entire wall with cement. Doing so required a flat, sound surface for the cement to be applied to. Unfortunately, the ancient oak was badly rotted in places with large voids which made it impossible to render successfully.

To overcome the problem, the property owner decided to repair the rotted wooden beam using Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty. AB Original was chosen for its super strength, ease of application and two-hour work time, meaning more of the putty could be mixed in one go and carefully applied without needing to rush through fear of premature curing.

30kg of AB Original were delivered to the site. The putty was supplied in 200g sticks, whereby the resin and hardener are pre-measured. This eliminated the need to measure out separate components of Part A and Part B, making application quicker and more straightforward.

Each stick was kneaded by hand until it turned a uniform white colour. Whilst soft, AB Original was pushed into the voids left where the oak had rotted away, easily bonding to the damaged wood. The homeowner was particularly attracted to AB Original because no tools or equipment were needed for the repair.

Where the gaps left by rot were particularly big, the homeowner added hardwood inserts on top of the putty to reduce the amount of AB Original required.

These inserts were pressed directly into the putty whilst it remained soft. A permanent bond was created between the putty and the hardwood once AB Original had cured to its final rock-hard, watertight material.

For the AB Original which remained exposed, a little water was used to create an ultra-smooth finish as the putty set. The cured material itself could be rendered onto directly, helping to make adding the cement coating a straightforward task.

Case Study Data

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Site
Housing estate
Location
South of England
Repair Type
Brick face repair
Defect
Chunks of brick missing due to lime blow

Products Used

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Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty
Epoxy putty mixed with brick dust seamlessly filled and repaired holes, cracks and areas of damage

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

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Lime blow occurs when clay bricks contain small amounts of lime. When the bricks are fired, this lime is converted to calcium oxide, also known as quicklime or burnt lime.

When calcium oxide mixes with water, it begins to slake in a highly vigorous process. Bricks which contain quicklime are therefore at risk or suffering from an eruption at their face when they become wet, causing chunks of brick to break away.

In a country like the United Kingdom where it rains a lot, lime blow is a frequent occurrence. Fortunately, it does not impact on the structural integrity of the brick. Some people even like the weathered, old fashioned look of bricks which have exploded.

The effect of lime blow however was not appreciated when the problem began happening frequently on a fairly new housing estate in the south of England. A building company were asked to find a cost effective and straightforward method of brick restoration, involving filling in the damaged areas.

After consulting Sylmasta, it was decided to use an epoxy putty. Magic Sculp Sculpting Putty was used for a trial repair, after which the company approved Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty for all future brick repair applications.

The putty was mixed by hand and then pushed into the holes and cracks in the brick face, filling in areas of damage. To ensure that the putty seamlessly matched the colour of the brick rather than the standard off-white it cured to, the putty was wetted once it had been applied to the wall and whilst still soft.

Dust was then taken from the brick undergoing repair and pushed into the putty, creating a material the exact same colour as the brick being repaired. To give the putty an identical texture to the existing brickwork, it was then spittled with a wire brush.

AB Original has a work time of two hours, after which it cures to form a solid material. So effective was the application that it is virtually impossible to tell where the area is on each brick that has undergone repair.

Using epoxy putty for brick repair is a practice that is growing in popularity across numerous sectors involved in construction. As well as builders and specialist brick restorers, Sylmasta also supply epoxy putty to facilities management companies, cable installers, DIY enthusiasts, gardeners and many more.

Any tradesperson or individual who may be required to fix a damaged brick – be it through lime blow, accidental damage or having to drill into brickwork – can easily fix holes, cracks and missing pieces using Sylmasta AB.

Case Study Data

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Site
Mordiford Mill
Location
Herefordshire, United Kingdom
Repair Type
Corrosion protection, water ingress prevention & high strength bonding
Defect
Cracked & weakened 19th century cast iron pit wheel

Products Used

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Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty
Water resistant epoxy putty with high strength adhesion and a long work time for complex and larger applications

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

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Mordiford Mill is a 19th century tall stone corn mill in Herefordshire. A water wheel connects to a three metre diameter cast iron pit wheel which drives iron machinery and two pairs of stones.

The Mill ceased grinding flour in 1935. Over 80 years later and the Mill’s latest owner was undertaking a long-term refurbishment project to make it turnable again. One of the most challenging aspects of this was the repair of the pit wheel.

Corrosion and the passage of time had weakened the castings of the wheel. Both the inner and outer castings had been unusually thin for a pit wheel when they were originally installed in the 1800s, and two generations of previous repair attempts had been unable to suitably reinforce them.

The wheel was cracked and broken in various places. Calculations indicated sudden impacts such as a cog breaking would cause the casting to break apart again – possibly irreparably.

Replacement was not a viable option because the cost of doing so exceeded the budget of the project. The only way to get Mordiford Mill operating again was by finding a repair and refurbishment method for the pit wheel.

It was decided to strap both the inside and the outside of the wheel with steel hoops to encompass the 19th century ironwork. This would reinforce the pit wheel, ensuring it had adequate protection from future impacts.

These steel hoops could not be welded to the pit wheel because of the dangers associated with welding old cast iron, which tends to explode due to air pockets within the iron. No welder would guarantee a result as success of such a process is less than 50 percent.

Welding would also have left gaps between the steel hoops and the uneven, damaged casting of the wheel. Water entering these gaps would potentially collect inside them, leading to further corrosion of the original cast iron.

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As a water-resistant material capable of high-strength bonding, Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty provided the ideal solution for encompassing the cast iron to prevent water ingress at the same time as aiding the adhesion of the steel hoops to the wheel.

Prior to the application of Sylmasta AB, the casting was cleaned with a needle gun and a wire brush on an angle grinder. This removed rust, grime and dirt from the surface.

The long work time of Sylmasta AB meant that large quantities could be mixed in one go without the worry of premature curing. The putty was applied to the outside casting of the wheel first, after which large sections of the steel hoop were fitted over the putty and held in place using clamps.

The steel hoop was then screwed in place and the clamps removed. The entire process was repeated to the inside casting, although this was slightly more challenge because of the spokes of the pit wheel connecting with the casting.

To overcome this, the application was broken down into smaller sections between each spoke. Sylmasta AB was applied and a small section of steel hoop added, clamped and screwed, before moving onto the next section on the inner wheel.

Once completed, the original pit wheel was successfully reinforced with a steel casing that would last for many years and the presence of Sylmasta AB meant that no corrosion caused by trapped water could attack the ironwork.