Sutherland Road is situated in Mutley, Plymouth. It is a residential street in a neighbourhood with a history rooted in Victorian and Edwardian development, including the construction of Mutley Plain and the surrounding area. The area saw further development with the arrival of the railways and the subsequent construction of Mutley Station. We were asked to apply a waterproof coating to the stonework of a period property along Sutherland Road. A scaffold was erected on the property to gain access.

The building was cleaned down using a DOFF cleaning system. Doff cleaning is a stone cleaning system that uses high-temperature steam to remove dirt, grime, and various types of contaminants from stone and masonry surfaces. It’s a gentle yet effective method that avoids the use of harsh chemicals and is preferred for its ability to preserve the integrity of historic buildings and other sensitive structures. The system heats water to a high temperature, creating steam that is used to clean the surfaces. While the steam is hot, the pressure is low, minimizing the risk of damage to the substrate. The combination of low water volume and hot steam used in Doff cleaning ensures that surfaces dry quickly, minimizing the risk of moisture-related issues. The property is predominantly built from dressed ashlar using Plymouth limestone. The detailing is done using a mixture of Bath and green Polyphant stone.

Only the Bath and Polyphant stone was treated. It was treated with a product called ‘Lotexan N’ made by Keim. Lotexan N is a siloxane based water repellent impregnation to reduce the water absorption of mineral substrates.

Lotexan N is ideal for sandstone. It’s breathable, dries colourless and does not alter the colour of the stone providing protection from water, acid rain and atmospheric pollution. It is also UV resistant. Two coats were applied by brush to the stonework.