Cleaning an historic landmark building in Bristol
Bridge House is a quintessential Bristol landmark situated just a stone’s throw from the Suspension Bridge in leafy Clifton. It was built in 1865 from a combination of red brick and golden sandstone, originally as an upmarket hotel, and was converted to luxury apartments in 2007.
Conservation is an essential part of the upkeep of Bridge House as a 19th century building; alongside interior refurbishment, exterior maintenance is vital to help ensure its longevity. That’s where OneFifty comes in.
Experts in cleaning historic buildings
With its natural warm finish, sandstone is a recognisable feature in Bristol’s cityscape. But this soft stone, like many surface materials, can be damaged by organic contaminants that build up over time. Biofilms such as algae, moss and lichen, thrive in damp, dark corners, and had populated many of sills and ledges of the building's facade.
As experts in exterior surface cleaning of heritage property, we were called in to clean the sandstone sills and ledges of Bridge House. Scaffolding was already in situ to allow maintenance work to be carried out, allowing us easy access to clean the affected areas before the painting of the window frames was carried out.
Gentle cleaning minimises risk
To remove the moss, algae and lichen, we took a gentle approach that wouldn’t damage the beautiful golden stone. Steam cleaning delivers pressurised steam heated to 150 degrees; its unique technology allows our operators to control the pressure of the steam so that we can achieve the best possible clean without damaging the stone.
Pressurised steam at 150 degrees removes the biofilm and kills off spores, we then apply a biocide to inhibit re-growth and help slow down future build-up of organic contaminants.
Organic growth causes long-term damage to soft stone as the biofilm roots grow into it, breaking down the surface and allowing water in, causing cracks to form. By removing it, we are helping preserve Bridge House’s longevity – and restore it to its Victorian era glory.
If you manage a historic building that requires a similarly gentle approach to exterior cleaning, call Max or Andy Morris on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as soon as possible.