We like facades where you can see that time has passed. The irregularities captivate us. Those chippings that are like abstract paintings. Many contemporary artists would like to have as much taste, poetry and technique as time has in painting our facades. However, today we are going to discredit this great artist called the passing of time.
When weighing up the renovation of a historic buildingThe careful study of the health of the façade is essential as all those beautiful works of art can actually be signs that the façade is not working properly.
The most common problems in façades derive from the degradation of materials due to the passage of time, the action of external agents and poorly designed or poorly executed renovations. These causes produce:
- Cracks, causing damp due to seepage and efflorescence.
- Lack of breathability of the façade, causing cracks in the cladding, condensation and, in turn, new cracks.
The façade is the skin of the building, it must prevent the entry of water and external agents, but it must allow moisture to escape. If it does not function properly, the building dies.
There are various methods for cleaning facades: with water (sprayed, hot, pressurised...); chemical with acids or alkalis; with gels or absorbent pastes; abrasive (high-pressure particle projection or micronised); biological (with bacteria); ultrasound...
Any product applied to a façade to seal, consolidate or coat must be permeable. Silicate or pliolite paints can be used but, under no circumstances, plastic-based paints that prevent transpiration. In any case, the preparation of the base, removing dirt, old paint, moss, etc. is essential for the proper functioning of any coating.
Antana pays special attention to the façades in its renovation work on historic buildings. It is just as important to restore the original image of the building as it is to guarantee the proper functioning of all its elements.
