Durbridge House, Gloucester

Breathing new life into a 16th century farmhouse in Redmarley, Gloucester, Durbridge House has undergone extensive renovation works.

Bryan Roe of KEIM Mineral Paints, visited the property and found evidence of algae, and flaking paint. In order to provide a solid foundation on which to paint, a skim coat of KEIM Universal Render for the base of the exterior stonework was recommended, to consolidate the fried stone and create a bell shape for improved water shedding.

The damp chimney stack on the north elevation was stripped back, using the DOFF system (a high temperature, low pressure method, which is least invasive for the brick facia), to release trapped water and left to dry for two weeks prior to re-decoration.

Bryan recommended removing all loose material by wire brush, as well as stripping the chimney stack and base of the stonewall to the north elevation, as much as possible.

To remove the red algae, 50:50 of bleach and water was advocated, in addition to KEIM Algicid for mould and algae growth.

The KEIM Royalan system was recommended, due to its durability and breathability. It was applied to the newly skimmer render and will provide a long-lasting coating, as its highly resistant to fungal and algae growth, while also being resistant to airborne pollutants and acid rain.