Removing The Final Piece of Decayed Stonework From The Chimney Pinnacle of Great Badminton Church By Phidias Neo-Classical

Restoration & Renovation

Restoration Specialists

The United Kingdom is blessed with an abundance of beautiful buildings and monuments, many of which are built from stone. Throughout the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries, especially, the sovereign, aristocracy and government of the day commissioned many important buildings across the nation. These buildings characterise the country and are an important part of our heritage.

Although built to last, every piece of stonework will eventually need some preservation work to bring it back to its prime. In the worst case, buildings will have fallen into disrepair as a result of neglect, lack of funds to keep it in good condition, poor management, or outright abandonment. However, every situation can be dealt with, one way or another - so long as a budget and plan of action is available.

Phidias Neo-Classical are expert stonemasons with years of experience in bringing damaged stonework back to life. Our skills have been passed on through generations of the same family, meaning that the skills used in originally constructing the buildings and monuments are fundamentally the same now as they were back then. The big advantage we now have is that we can combine these traditional stonemason's skills with state-of-the-art stone production equipment and materials to help make the finished restoration work last longer than ever before.

Stone Cleaning

Cleaning dirty and damaged stonework on buildings or monuments is not as simple a task as people may think. Stone is a "living" and breathing thing and suffers from age, just as we do. Using the wrong method of cleaning stone can result in greater damage to it than was previously present. Some stone is prone to crumbling, spalling or splitting.

Phidias uses the specialist JOS TORC and DOFF systems on any projects which involve cleaning stone. The use of JOS TORC and DOFF cleaning systems are mandatory for most work which comes under the auspices of Historic England and CADW.

What Is JOS TORC?

The JOS system has evolved into the TORC system, though the fundamentals of both are the same. TORC has a revolving nozzle which creates a swirling vortex of the water/powder mix which flows through it. It is the swirling effect of the mixture which provides the gentle cleaning action.

The JOS TORC system uses low pressure when creating its vortex of water and powder and its flow-rate is very environmental-friendly. Its nozzles are changeable to suit different surfaces.

The JOS TORC system is specifically used to remove carbon sulphation, brittle paints, bitumen, limescale and old oil paints.

What Is DOFF?

The DOFF system uses a normal water supply which is heated up to 150°C. The vapour which is produced is used to clean the stone, but once the cleaning process is finished, the surface of the stone dries within a few minutes. This quick drying process helps prevent any long-term damage which could be caused by trapped water.

Stone Restoration Work Undertaken

With Phidias Neo-Classical, you can be sure that all your needs on a stone restoration project can be fulfilled. Whether it is a large-scale church restoration, a historic building renovation, or a marble sculpture which has lost a finger, Phidias have the skills to help you.
  • Stone replacement
  • Stone repairs
  • Re-pointing mortar
  • Specialist stone cleaning using JOS TORC and DOFF systems, required by Historic England and CADW on historically important buildings.