3 Wimpole Street & 24 Wigmore Street
London W1

This external refurbishment project for the Howard De Walden Estate was undertaken within a strict contract programme, with the original specification of wholesale replacement of terracotta being revised upon commencement of works.

With a high pedestrian foot fall, limited space for scaffold access, delivery and storage on a busy corner site, intensive site management and co-ordination of the works was required.

Using a combination of the minimum amount of dilute chemicals and the Jos system, all of the brickwork and terracotta were gently cleaned, to reveal the extent of repairs required. The terracotta, particularly the lowest sections of the mullions and jambs were found to be in a very poor condition, being defaced and spalled. Here, failure was largely the result of an inadequate weathering detail to the terracotta cill courses.

Triton’s restorers carried out all necessary repairs to these and other defective units to other affected areas using a TBR fine finishing terracotta restoration mortar.

Both the joinery and leadwork were also found to be in a poor state of repair. Due to budgetary constraints, the client opted for all repairs to be carried out using the Windowcare System. Triton’s labour force are fully trained in the use of this cost effective material and it has been successfully used on numerous other projects.

The leadwork, however, was beyond its useful life and all of the original flashings were replaced in Code 5 lead, with additional flashings provided to areas where the weathering detail had failed.

All external rainwater goods were completely overhauled and all previously painted surfaces redecorated with Dulux Weathershield products.

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