JDDK Millmount News - Winter Edition 2023 - Magazine - Page 9
Beeswing House, Northumberland
Understanding the building
Another role of the Conservation Architect is to understand the
behaviour of historic buildings and structures and diagnose any
causes of decay.
be made and when. One of the common problems I witness
during these inspections is when the stone has delaminated,
this can happen when the wrong type of mortar has been used
for repointing or repairs. Generally, churches will be solid stone
wall construction, and if repointed with a modern cement, the
moisture can’t be absorbed by the mortar, and the stone will
take the water on instead. If a frost comes, the moisture within
the stone will expand and delaminate the face of the stone. This
can leave the stone vulnerable to further decay, so avoiding this
damage in the 昀椀rst instance is essential.
Traditionally constructed buildings (prior to circa. 1920) have
solid walls and raised timber 昀氀oors, which rely on the need to
‘breathe’ to stay dry. It involves using porous, vapour open
permeable materials that allow moisture to be absorbed and
then to evaporate quickly, such as lime mortar and plaster. This
is in stark contrast to the modern cavity wall buildings we build
today, which include the use of non-porous materials with low
permeability like cement mortar, which are used to expel water
away from the building and create a barrier preventing any
moisture absorption into the fabric.
When the two construction types are mixed, that’s when
problems arise and can cause dampness and decay to the
building fabric. Understanding the material fabric of buildings
built in different eras is a key part of our role as an Accredited
Conservation Architect. My work as an inspecting church
Architect, helps with this process. This role includes carrying out
a ‘quinquennial’ inspection, a condition survey conducted every
昀椀ve years, which includes visual inspection and analysis of the
existing construction and condition
of the building fabric, diagnosing
the causes of any failing elements,
Watch Sam discuss
and then making recommendations
based on what repairs need to
the importance of
protecting heritage
Watch now
Winter 2023. Millmount. 9