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Character of historic stone buildings is retained

Client:	Private owner
Location:	Holmrook, Cumbria
Approved Installer:	Mayson Bros
Reference No:	CS156

Built in 1803 from local granite, these free-standing farm outbuildings, with 600mm thick rubble-filled random stone walls, had developed assorted cracking as a result of historic ground movement, roof spread and thrust from saturated high ground to the rear of the stable block.

Structural repairs were required which would secure the masonry, stabilise the buildings and mitigate the chances of further cracking in the future. To help ensure the restoration and retention of structural integrity the roof on the main barn was to be replaced, to stop further spreading of the elevations, and the saturated high ground to the rear of the stables removed to relieve hydrostatic pressure.

The Helifix solution

A programme of appropriate repairs was devised to stabilise the outbuildings, using a combination of Helifix remedial products and concealed installation techniques.

There were vertical cracks on the main barn at the junction of the external 'portico' with the west elevation. The portico walls were secured to the main building by installing, from the inside, 1000mm long grouted CemTies. Other, shorter, CemTies were installed to consolidate the rubble-filled walls.
Vertical cracks at the corner of the barns south and west elevations and the south east corner of the stable block were all stitched by bonding grouted HeliBars into channelled-out mortar beds every 450mm vertical centres. These repaired and reinforced the random stonework, none of which had to be cut as the stainless steel HeliBars are flexible enough to be bent to suit the mortar beds without loss of performance.
Minor cracking above the archway entrance to the main barn was considered insignificant and was simply repointed, as were all bed joints where HeliBars had been installed, using new, matching, lime mortar.

The well proven sympathetic Helifix repairs restored integrity to the 200 year old farm buildings while retaining their original character and visual appearance.

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