Historical Property Restorations - Philadelphia / Delaware Valley
Historic Preservation
Historic Property Restoration and Preservation
At Classic Marble & Stone Restoration, we assess our clients' needs before recommending treatments for historic surfaces, executing the work to achieve the desired results for your marble, granite, travertine, slate, and limestone.
Historic natural stone, tile, and masonry, such as floors and walls, architectural features, statues, fountains, monuments, and the like can become damaged with use or exposure to the elements. When professional attention is necessary, it is important to select a qualified contractor who not only has the knowledge, skills, and training to work with your natural stone, tile, or masonry, but who also understands historic conservation methods and employs responsible preservation practices.
We are trusted experts throughout the Philadelphia / Delaware Valley area for Historic Preservation.
Historic Stone Restoration
Restoration means accurately depicting the character of a surface as it appeared at a particular historical time period. It may involve removing added features or reconstructing missing features.
Historical Stone Preservation
Preservation emphasizes repair and maintenance of the surface as it is rather than restoring or reconstructing it to its original appearance.
Historical Stone Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation recognizes that in order to accommodate continued or new use, a surface may need to be repaired, altered, or added to without altering the historic character of the surface. Of the four approaches, this is the most flexible.
Historic Stone Reconstruction
Reconstruction involves new construction of non-surviving portions of a surface to replicate its appearance at a particular historical time period.
Diagnosing Problems
Exposure to water or moisture, light, chemicals, foot traffic or use, and other factors can have a negative affect on natural stone, tile, and masonry surfaces. The most common problems are the accumulation of dirt and grime, scratches, dullness, chips, and cracks. Here are other problems you may encounter:
- Efflorescence is a deposit of soluble salts on the surface. It appears as a powdery white haze.
- Subflorescence is a potentially harmful accumulation of soluble salts under or just below the surface. Once pressure buildup is sufficient, spalling or delamination may occur.
- Spalling is a breaking off of the surface layer.
- Delamination is a peeling of the surface layer.
- Detachment is cracking that has turned into a clean break.
- Sugaring is a granular disintegration of the surface.
- Weathering is roundness, smoothness, or loss of detail. To properly preserve, repair, or restore historic natural stone, tile, and masonry surfaces, a careful study of the building or object is necessary. Our highly trained technicians consider many factors from the historical significance, architectural drawings or blueprints, and environmental conditions to the substrate, the extent of damage, how long the damage has been present, and how rapidly deterioration is happening to what kind of maintenance, if any, has been done, and other factors.
Providing Solutions
At Classic Marble & Stone Restoration, we employ the most appropriate methods to resolve historic natural stone, tile, and masonry problems. We always protect the surfaces surrounding our work area. Following are some of the solutions we use.
- Cleaning with plain water, in some cases, can be very effective for safely removing dirt and stains. Whether we are wiping, gently flushing, or using a low-pressure continuous spray, we always use great care.
- Cleaning agents are used only when plain water will not suffice. Our cleaning solutions may include organic surfactants, pH-neutral cleaners, and alkaline or acidic cleaners followed by neutralizers.
- Abrasives are usually avoided. On the rare occasion that we feel an abrasive may be necessary, we will consult with other experts for confirmation and guidance.
- Crack repair may involve stabilizing the crack to prevent further damage and/or doing cosmetic repairs.
- Chip and hole patching is performed using historically accurate filler mixes and painstaking precision to blend the repaired area with the surrounding surface.
- Replacement is using materials matching as closely as possible to the surrounding surfaces. Replacement services are performed under the guidance of a stone conservator.
FREE Estimate
For a free estimate on historic property restoration and preservation services throughout the Philadelphia / Delaware Valley area, use our CONTACT FORM or call (610) 356-4100 today!