Historic Building & Façade Restoration

Cleaning façades of buildings is a responsible occupation, which we at DSR understand very well. Over the years DSR have developed numerous cleaning systems, pertinent to almost all types of building materials. Our operators are highly trained and experienced cleaners who understand and appreciate the effects all cleaning processes have on various building fabrics.

Being able to employ a number of cleaning processes, DSR can advise clients on the most suitable technique to use in connection with the type and condition of the material to be cleaned, and the level of soiling/deposits on the surface.
As pre-contract testing is essential, each project undergoes its own initial survey and detailed inspection. Inappropriate cleaning applications can have disastrous effects on the façade if a building, which is why we take such care to correctly analyse the problems before considering which technique to adopt.

On historic buildings, the cleaning of masonry can be a sensitive issue, so we ensure our projects are undertaken in a conservative, as well as environmentally friendly fashion. Whenever possible, we endeavour to use non-chemical solutions to improve the ecological impact of all treatments. Cleaning fluids and abrasives are always used to the absolute minimum strengths and pressures required to achieve the right result.

An economical method of restoring the original beauty of stonework by using a purpose mixed repair mortar on areas of damaged or decayed stone. This technique can be used to totally re-create the original condition of the building, redefine artwork details and features or to re-establish the profiles, straight edges and water drips on badly eroded sections of string courses.

Sawn and carved stone of the highest quality is used on all DSR’s products. We recognise that careful selection of the stone’s source is paramount in achieving detailed matching of the colouring and textural qualities of the existing stone. Wherever possible, stone is sourced from the original quarry from which the building was constructed.

Techniques may be used to dress the existing stone and remove surface imperfections. This can sometimes be achieved by tooling back the face of the stone, or by de-scaling the decayed or eroded.

Cracking of brickwork is a common problem in buildings originally constructed with no movement joints. Dale Structural Repairs can install movement joints at strategic locations to control the effects of expansion and contraction within the brickwork.