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"Assessing Cleaning and Water-Repellent Treatments" an Historic Preservation Brief December 1, 2008


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Assessing Cleaning and Water-Repellent Treatments
for Historic Masonry Buildings

Robert C. Mack, FAIA and Anne Grimmer
Assessing Cleaning and Water-Repellent Treatments

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Introduction

Preparing for a Cleaning Project

        Reasons for cleaning

        Identify what is to be removed

        Consider the historic appearance of the building

        Consider the practicalities of cleaning or paint removal

        Study the masonry

Understanding the Building Materials

        Identify prior treatments

        Choose the appropriate cleaner

Cleaning Methods and Materials

        Water cleaning

              Soaking

              Water Washing

              Water Washing with Detergents

              Steam/Hot-Pressurized Water Cleaning

              Potential hazards of water cleaning

        Chemical Cleaning

              Chemical Cleaners to Remove Dirt

                    Acidic Cleaners

                    Alkaline Cleaners

              Chemical Cleaners to Remove Paint and Other Coatings, Stains and Graffiti

                    Alkaline Paint Removers

                    Organic Solvent Paint Removers

                    Other Paint Removers and Cleaners

              Potential hazards of chemical cleaning

        Poulticing to Remove Stains and Graffiti

        Abrasive and Mechanical Cleaning

              Abrasive Blasting

              Grinders and Sanding Disks

Planning a Cleaning Project

        Testing cleaning methods

        Environmental considerations

        Safety considerations

Water-Repellent Coatings and Waterproof Coatings

        Water-Repellent Coatings

              Is a Water-Repellent Treatment Necessary?

              When a Water-Repellent Coating May be Appropriate

        Waterproof Coatings

Summary

Selected Reading

Acknowledgements


Return to the Knowledge Base

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Selected Reading

Architectural Ceramics: Their History, Manufacture and Conservation. A Joint Symposium of English Heritage and the United Kingdom Institute for Conservation, September 22-25, 1994. London: English Heritage, 1996.

Ashurst, Nicola. Cleaning Historic Buildings. Volume One: Substrates, Soiling & Investigation. Volume Two: Cleaning Materials & Processes. London: Donhead Publishing Ltd., 1994.

Association for Preservation Technology. Special Issue: Preservation of Historic Masonry. Papers from the Symposium on Preservation Treatments for Historic Masonry: Consolidants, Coatings, and Water Repellents, New York, New York, November 11-12, 1994. APT Bulletin. Vol. XXVI, No. 4 (1995).

Grimmer, Anne E. Preservation Brief 6: Dangers of Abrasive Cleaning to Historic Buildings. Washington, DC: Preservation Assistance Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1979.

Grimmer, Anne E. Keeping it Clean: Removing Exterior Dirt, Paint, Stains and Graffiti from Historic Masonry Buildings. Washington, DC: Preservation Assistance Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1988.

Park, Sharon C., AIA. Preservation Brief 39: Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings. Washington, DC: Heritage Preservation Services, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1996.

Powers, Robert M. Preservation Tech Note, Masonry No. 3, "Water Soak Cleaning of Limestone". Washington, DC: Preservation Assistance Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1992.

Sinvinski, Valerie. "Gentle Blasting." Old-House Journal. Vol. XXIV, No. 4 (July-August 1996), pp. 46-49.

Weaver, Martin E. Conserving Buildings: A Guide to Techniques and Materials. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1993.

Weaver, Martin E. Preservation Brief 38: Removing Graffiti from Historic Masonry. Washington, DC: Preservation Assistance Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1995.

Winkler, E.M. Stone in Architecture: Properties, Durability. Third, completely revised and extended edition. Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag, 1997.

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