Winner of the RIBA Book Award, this important and timely publication brings together contributions from leading stone conservation practitioners. It discusses the philosophical principles on which stone conservation is founded and the need to understand the full history and development of a building before starting work. Other topics covered in this book include consolidation, cleaning, and the replacement of stone; conservation of different stone types, including limestone, sandstone, and marble; problems of dealing with polychrome stone; and finally, issues relating to church monuments and graveyards, taking account of the need for good maintenance and health and safety requirements. The book is illustrated with the authors' own examples of stone conservation in practice. Architects, surveyors and craftsmen involved in the conservation of stone structures will find this both a practical and useful reference work.

This book provides an introductory text for students in built environment disciplines, as well as those who manage or own historic properties, and those embarking upon architectural conservation professionally. It is designed to give an understanding of the main principles, materials and problems in the field of conservation and it features a number of case studies.

First published in 1996, this volume has been substantially updated to reflect new research in the conservation of stone monuments, sculpture, and archaeological sites.

In Specifications for Building Conservation, the National Trust draws on a range of case studies and specifications to provide a much needed guide to specification writing for building conservation. Although traditional building accounts for approximately a quarter of all buildings in the UK, the old skills and understanding required for their care and maintenance have been increasingly eroded over the last century. As the largest heritage charity in Europe, the National Trust has a first class reputation for high standards of conservation and care, and in this three volume set, the Trust brings together a remarkable pool of expertise to guide conservation professionals and students through the process of successful specification writing. This first book focusses on the materials used for the external fabric, detailing successful approaches employed by the National Trust at some of their most culturally significant sites. A range of studies have been carefully selected for their interest, diversity and practicality; showcasing projects from stonework repairs on the magnificent Grade I listed Hardwick Hall to the re-thatching of the traditional cottages of the Holnicote Estate. Complete with a practical Conservation Management Plan checklist, this book will enable practitioners to develop their skills, allowing them to make informed decisions when working on a range of project types. This is the first practical guide to specification writing for building conservation and the advice provided by the National Trust experts will be of interest to any practitioners and students involved in building conservation, both in the UK and beyond. Profits generated from the sale of this publication will go to the National Trust Building Apprenticeship Scheme. This provides placements for traditional skills at National Trust properties.

Stone considers the wide variety of historical uses, from simple masonry walling through to elaborate carving and decoration. The book considers why stone decays or fails and how to assess and understand the causes, before concentrating on the practical methods of treatment, repair and maintenance.

This bestselling book has been fully revised and updated to include valuable new case studies and examples which help to demonstrate the common problems found in older buildings. It features many additional photographs illustrating the decay mechanims and individual issues associated with damp, timber decay, masonry defects, roofing problems and many other aspects. The book begins by summarizing the basics of surveying practice, including the inspection, assessment, defect diagnosis and monitoring of defects. It then examines the building elements, discussing their construction, typical faults and their diagnoses. This section provides specific advice on assessing industrial monuments and features concise inspection checklists for ease of reference. In the final section, the author looks to the future, considering the specific challenges faced by property professionals when employed to survey historic buildings. The book is accompanied by comprehensive appendices, including sample survey forms, and a list of useful contacts is followed by an extensive bibliography. This book will be of particular interest to conservation officers, surveyors, architects, archaeologists and planners.