Brick and Stone Sealing
We specialise in using a low pressure sand jetting system that has been used nationwide for property restoration, including gaining approval for and subsequently working on many Listed Buildings. The system, in our trained hands, causes minimal damage to an underlying surface and is flexible enough to tackle most property restoration cleaning tasks.
However, a typical reason for a house being painted is that the bricks or stone is porous, and the paint is there to keep the water out. Taking the paint off will not improve the water repellent properties of the brick or stone.
To restore these properties, we offer Silane sealing of surfaces. Photographs of buildings sealed with these chemicals look very dull, unlike traditional silicone products there is no noticeable colour change before or after application
Brick Buildings
A building in Hull, cleaned in 2007 - subsequently sealed with Silane sealants - but you can't tell! Only by actually spraying water on the surface will you be able to see the effect demonstrated(shown below) .
This is the alternative formulation - a product that you slap on like wallpaper paste - this was specified by the conservation officers for a Listed building in east yorkshire that we had removed the bitumen from.
How It Works
Other sealing product formulations are also available, 'Stay Clean' seals the stone or brick more fully and will minimise the adhesion of dirt and grime in the future, 'Anti Graffiti' seals the surface even more fully, preventing much graffiti from sticking, and allowing that which does to be wiped or washed clean. Unlike wax anti graffiti products the Silane product does not need reapplication after cleaning
Traditional Water Repellent Coatings seal the surface to prevent water penetration, but leave the surface vulnerable to damage, and sometimes visibly coated. Also a product that just sits on the surface is vulnerable to UV damage.
Silanes allow moisture to escape by completely covering the surface, they also soak into the surface and are protected from UV damage.
The Silicone product below right only seals the surface itself, leaving it vulnerable to damage. The Silane products penetrate and protect deep into the surface
War Memorials
No pictures of Silane sealing are particularly exciting - for once applied and dried there is very little to see... here are a couple of war memorial photos though showing that the product has been applied - as much as anything we take these photos to justify that something did actually happen!
Goathland in North Yorkshire
Somewhere in Nottinghamshire - I think!
Key Benefits
- Effective on a wide range of surfaces - concrete, brick, stone etc..
- Long term solution compared to silicones and paints
- doesn't react with glass, woodwork, paints or plastics - can be applied some time after the cleaning is done - only needed if there is a problem
- can be painted over (unlike silicones)
- Penetrating repellant- means that physical damage doesn't negate the effect.