Façade Cleaning & Restoration

Façade Restoration can take on many forms and if the building is a protected structure , you may require planning permission.

Summit use many types of restoration methods depending upon the requirements of the specific project:

• Steam cleaning
• Chemical cleaning
• Biological cleaning
• Micro Blast Cleaning
• Nebulous Water Cleaning
• Sympathetic Graffiti Removal

Brick, Stone and façade cleaning can take on many forms, and if the system of cleaning is not specified or previously agreed a site inspection and brief survey is all that is required.

Where appropriate test panels and site trials are carried out to agree the final level of cleaning

Steam Cleaning
This is normally employed to remove loose dust and dirt from a façade at pressures not exceeding 600 P.S.I. and at temperatures in or around 80 degrees , it is a system normally used to maintain a previously cleaned building .

Nebulous Water Cleaning
This by far the most gentle form of façade cleaning although its not suited to every façade, it is very effective on soft limestone’s such as Portland and also on glazed brickwork , it is comprised of a bespoke system of fine water nozzles designed to suit the particular building façade and the water is played on the areas of pollution at various intervals and intermittently , it takes considerably longer to clean a façade using this system but the end results are very pleasing particularly on finely carved stone where detail will not be lost

Chemical Cleaning
There are a number of chemical systems on the market today for cleaning façades these include alkaline and / or mild acids , chemical cleaning requires test panels and site trials to determine dwell times and dilution rates ,and most importantly all chemical cleaning requires neutralising ,not every cleaning chemical is suited to every façade type so therefore careful consultation with the Summit Contracts manager is required before the final methodology is agreed , but if the right choice is made the end results are very pleasing

Micro Blast Cleaning
This the use of fine grade blasting mediums in conjunction with compressed air and fine tip nozzles , we normally use recycled crushed glass bead powder which achieves a very smooth clean particularly on delicate surfaces , our conservators are highly trained in the use of this system and the end results are very pleasing

Paint Removal Systems
The system we employ to remove paint from façades or stonework is a poultice based system , again this system requires site trials and test panels to determine the dwell times , We use both alkaline poultice and solvent based poultices , each require careful use and application but the end result is complete and successful .