Hillside School, Hillside School | Restoration Case Study

Our role: Specialist masonry contractor
Client: Hillside School
Value: Under £0.5m
Scope: Removal of cement pointing, lime repointing, descaling, stone replacement, repairs to entrance steps, railing works

Hillside School occupies a stone-built house in Aberdour, Fife, set above a grassed area and approached over a small stone bridge to the front entrance. The school asked us to survey the masonry and price repairs to the bridge entrance and the entrance steps, with further works to the iron railings. The aim was to conserve the existing stonework rather than replace it.

The challenge

Hard cement pointing had been used in the past on the rubble masonry of the bridge and steps. It traps moisture and can damage the softer stone around it. Joints were open in places, and the surface of some stones had become loose and friable. Vegetation was growing from the walling at the bridge, and the undersides of the entrance steps showed staining and areas of failed surface.

Our solution

The repair method was set out in a measured bill of quantities. Cement mortar was to be cut out by hand until sound lime mortar was reached, taking care to avoid damage to the stone. Joints were then to be raked, brushed clean and repointed in traditional lime mortar, with stone pinnings set flush where gaps were large, and the finished surface scraped to leave an open texture so that the mortar can carbonate fully. Loose and friable stone was to be dressed back to a sound surface, and defective blocks cut out and replaced with new stone to match the existing. The entrance steps were treated as conservation and repair of the existing stone, including lime-based repairs to isolated areas of the step edges. The works were completed with an allowance for repairs to the railings at the rear of the main building.

Outcomes

Cement pointing removed

Hard cement mortar was replaced with breathable lime so the stonework can dry out.

Existing stone retained

Repair was limited to dressing back and replacing only defective blocks.

Entrance made sound

The bridge and steps used daily by the school were left in repaired condition.

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Hillside School