Promain‘s team were contacted by the team at a prestigious Hindu temple in Neasden, London for advice on how to protect the limestone stair entrance.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Neasden, London
Built entirely using traditional methods and materials, the Swaminarayan Mandir has been described as being Britain’s first authentic Hindu temple. Holding the Guinness World Record 2000 for the largest Hindu Temple outside of India, the temple is an iconic landmark within the capital.
The temple is constructed of 2,828 tonnes of Bulgarian limestone and 2,000 tonnes of Italian marble. The material was shipped to India to be carved by a team of 1,526 sculptors. After the hand carving, the parts were transported back to London ready for assembly. Costing a total of £12 million to build, the temple is a real marvel of construction.
During Summer 2017, renovation of the limestone steps was performed.
The Renovation of The Limestone Entrance
The areas of Italian Carrara marble appeared to be suffering from black fungicidal growth. Forming a biofilm, areas were becoming a potentially dangerous slip hazard as well as not helping the aesthetics of the white architecture.
They can find other natural materials such as Indian Ambaji marble in various components of the construction.
The grand entrance steps are Bulgarian limestone. To ensure the steps were safe for visitors to the temple, the require regular maintenance.
It was decided that a deeper level of protection was required in 2017. The step area was cordoned off to process a full preservation over the summer.
The renovation process began with specialized patch repair. After full cure, the area was thoroughly cleaned with a heavy duty hard surface cleaner such as Centrecoat R09 Heavy Duty Surface Cleaner. A hard surface cleaner such as Centrecoat R09 Heavy Duty Surface Cleaner is recommended for deep cleaning of unprotected stone and concrete. With superb degreasing properties, R09 removes grime and grease in one application without damaging the substrate. With the huge amount of visitors per year, a fast return to service product is ideal to reduce downtime.
Finally the whole step area was sealed with Centrecoat All Surface Protector using a low pressure backpack sprayer. Formulated as a clear finish, Centrecoat All Surface Protector helps keep the aesthetics of the stone yet delivering water, stain and soiling repellence properties. This allows for a much easier maintenance cleaning regime for the cleaning team.
Introducing Centrecoat All Surface Protector
Centrecoat All Surface Protector is a versatile product formulated to seal surfaces while keeping them looking natural and clean. Designed to help waterproof surfaces including brick walls, old roof tiles, paths and paving granite, stone, brick, sandstone, protecting limestone, travertine, concrete, porcelain, lime mortar etc. CE Marked (Class 1 – BSEN/1504-2) and BBA approved.
Centrecoat All Surface Protector can be applied using brush or low pressure backpack sprayer. This product has a theoretical coverage rate of 7m2 per litre when applied to conventional cement tiles. This rate will vary when applied to different surfaces with differing porosity.
Domestic Use of Centrecoat All Surface Protector
In a more domestic setting, Centrecoat All Surface Protector is ideal for patios, walkways, concrete and brick driveways. It is also ideal for protecting stone garden landscaping made from granite, sandstone or travertine patio slabs. Resisting moss and lichen formation for up to 5 years, Centrecoat All Surface Protector is ideal for stonework around pools.
Additionally, Centrecoat All Surface Protector can also be used internally. It is ideal for treating kitchen splashbacks or bathroom stonework against soiling or UV fading. It is water repellent, oil repellent, dirt and stain resistant.
Consequently, do you have any questions regarding specifying Centrecoat All Surface Protector? Contact our technical team today. Promain are proud to have supplied paint and coatings on a wide range of prestigious buildings around the UK. Therefore, if you would like to find out more about whether we have a product suitable for your circumstances, contact us today.
