Façade & Roof Restoration — 2017
Collins Barracks
Dublin
A restoration that changed direction once the building was understood — render removal revealed calp limestone, and the specification was revised to expose and conserve it.
- Location
- Dublin
- Project Type
- Façade & Roof Restoration
- Materials
- Cut Limestone · Lime Render · Natural Slate · Lead
- Specialisms
- Stone Conservation · Lime Repointing · Roof Restoration · Historical Research
The Project
The original scope of works involved removing the existing render and applying a traditional lime render, alongside restoration of the roof, re-slating and new lead flashings.
What the building revealed once opened up changed that approach entirely.
Collins Barracks
A Historic Discovery
Removing the render exposed calp limestone beneath it. The evidence indicated that the building had historically had an exposed stone façade rather than a rendered one.
Further historical research and photographs supported that conclusion, and the findings were presented to the architect and design team for consideration before any further work proceeded.
Revised Conservation Approach
Rather than re-rendering the building, the limestone was left exposed, cleaned and restored, and repointed with an appropriate lime mortar.
The roof works proceeded as planned: the roof was restored, re-slated and provided with new lead flashings.
- Render removal and assessment of the underlying fabric
- Cleaning and restoration of exposed calp limestone
- Lime mortar repointing throughout
- Roof restoration and re-slating in natural slate
- New lead flashings
The Result
The building was returned to an exposed stone façade supported by historical evidence, rather than a rendered finish carried out to a predetermined specification.
The project illustrates how Summit Conservation works: understand the historic fabric first, present the evidence to the design team, and let the building inform the intervention.
Project gallery
Related services
The specialist work behind this project.
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Our skilled stonemasons, bricklayers and conservators specialise in repairing and preserving historic façades and period properties. We look at the building first, establish what is actually happening to it, and then recommend the repairs that suit its materials and construction.
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