Posted on 10/9/17 in Case Studies
B&W Damp and Timber, of Norwich, long standing members of the AAWU and faithful Wykamol customers, have successfully completed a timber preservation project on the historic Octagon Chapel.
The Octagon Chapel is home to a growing liberal religious community, meaning they welcome members of all religion and faiths, and those who do not prescribe to either. The Octagon has a long musical heritage, hosting the Octagon Concert Series, from which all proceeds go to charity.
The building itself is a Grade II listed building, originally designed by the architect Thomas Ivory and completed in 1756. Its name originates from the perfectly octagonal shape of the structure and it is a wonderful example of English Palladian Architecture – meaning in the style of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580). Palladian architecture highlights the symmetry of a building, and the Octagon Chapel illustrates this with it’s perfectly symmetrical structure. Today, examples of Palladian Architecture are not often seen in the U.K. as its popularity was stunted due to austerity during and after the Civil War. By the 19th and 20th Centuries, Gothic Revival Architecture had taken over, and Palladianism, with its Ancient Greek inspired pillars, was branded ‘too pagan’ for the Anglican and Anglo-Catholic population of the U.K.
Melvin Bowen-Jones, Managing Director of B&W Damp and Timber, took extra-precautions to protect the aesthetic features of the building while completing their preservation work, as English Heritage have strict guidelines concerning work on listed buildings. On this project they used Lignum Pro I 62.5 for the eradication and prevention of attacks from wood boring beetles, such as weevils.
The infestation of woodboring beetles can be identified by the tiny round or oval shaped holes they leave in timber when they start to emerge during the warmer months. They lay eggs within the timber, constantly increasing the size of the infestation, and seriously compromising the structural integrity of the wood. Weevils only attack timber which has been exposed to damp and decay, and therefore, where these insects are present there are often other remedial issues to address.
Lignum Pro is provided in a highly concentrated formula for easy transportation, which is then diluted at a rate of 1:24 with water. It contains micro-emulsion technology which produces a formulation so small it is measured on the nanometre scale. This allows the formulation to penetrate deep into the timber and throughout the tiny holes, which woodboring inspects leave behind.
B&W Damp are also members of the Guild of Master Craftsmen and offer a range of services, including damp and anti-fungal treatments and the eradication of woodworm and wood rot.
http://bwdamptimbernorwich.com
Ref: Greatest short history about Palladio and his works
James S. Ackerman – Palladio – publisher: Penguin
