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The client needed APT‘s expertise in heritage restoration of the Burleigh Church building in Newport, which they had recently purchased and needed to open on a strict timeline. A sensitive and holistic approach was crucial to ensure the preservation of the historic building. APT was consulted on several aspects of the project, including the exterior stone cleaning, removal of varnish from all wood, and roof repairs.
The internal building renovation required manual towers as the floor could not support the use of heavy powered access lifts. The ceilings had roof tie bars spanning the whole room, which meant that the towers had to be dismantled and erected on a daily basis. The sensitive stained glass windows had to be protected throughout the restoration, and biological plant growth on the stone walls had to be removed.
APT liaised with the local authority’s Conservation Architect to propose the use of Soda Blasting. The client’s architects drew up a works programme, and Soda Blasting was agreed as the preferred method due to APT’s 30 years of industry knowledge and expertise in working on many sensitive historical buildings, monuments, commercial buildings, and highway structures.
APT successfully removed several layers of varnish and paint from the wood surfaces, including the organ, wall paneling, wood flooring, doors, and dome ceiling. The use of Soda Blasting was particularly beneficial as it allowed the wood to be restored without having to be removed, especially the tongue and groove dome ceiling.
The use of soda blasting provided several advantages over other methods for heritage restoration of removing varnish and paint from the wood surfaces, especially the tongue and groove dome ceiling.
Alternative methods such as sanding or chemical stripping would have required the removal of the wood, which would have been time-consuming and costly. Furthermore, once the wood is removed, it can change shape and become difficult to re-install, leading to inferior results. The use of soda blasting allowed APT to remove the layers of varnish and paint without damaging the wood or requiring its removal, resulting in superior and cost-effective results for the Church in Newport.
APT’s industry-trained and accredited technicians provided a complete and holistic solution for heritage restoration to clean and restore the stone building exterior façade, removing years of algae buildup and pollution at the Newport church. Our roofing team carried out sympathetic roof repairs, and the church was restored to its former glory.
The client was pleased with APT’s hard work and flexibility in delivering the project on time, despite the abnormalities suffered with recent weather and on-site movements of contractors. The result was outstanding, and the client expressed an interest in working with APT on similar projects in the future.
“I would like to thank the team at APT for the hard work and flexibility in delivering this project on time and in overcoming some of the abnormalities suffered with recent weather and on-site movements of contractors. The result was outstanding, and I look forward to working with you in the future on similar projects.”
Dave Nicolas
