Caring for the nation's natural stone

So much of the continuation of Britain’s built heritage relies upon the conservation and restoration of natural stone buildings. Churches, monuments, town halls and residential properties across the length and breadth of the British Isles all depend upon the skills and expertise of the natural stone industry’s restoration and conservation sector.

The most common challenge faced by those looking to care for these historic structures is selecting the correct professional to undertake the work.

The question that often arises is: “How can I be sure that the job will be done properly?” This is where Stone Federation Great Britain can help.

Stone Federation is the trade association for the natural stone industry with over a century’s experience in connecting architects, local authorities and clients with the finest stone professionals. They have a vetted membership of over 240 firms that offer clients excellence in all areas of your business, from technical support and expertise through to ethical sourcing and sustainability.

Within the overall membership, almost 50% work in the conservation and restoration sector, and as a result, the Federation is well placed to help connect heritage architects, clients and contractors with the best natural stone professionals.

As a large proportion of heritage buildings are constructed using natural stone, the Federation aims to make people more aware of this fact and the need to have available supplies of stone for future repairs.

The professionals, architects, surveyors and structural engineers need to fully understand natural stone from quarrying to its incorporation in the building. They need to comprehend that there are large differences between today’s methods of construction and those of yesteryear and to be aware of the circumstances leading to the decision making process of when to conserve and/or clean or to do neither.

The Federation aims to ensure that the correct training is given to both professionals and stonemasons to carry out the work. They endorse the need for further training for stonemasons who work in the heritage field beyond the normal banker skills and general site fixing.

To this end, there are specialist apprenticeship programmes and NVQ courses as well as management and business improvement programmes provided by StoneTrain, some of which are available online.

These training courses include the SAP Façade Preservation and SAP Heritage Masonry, both of which are eligible for ConstructionSkills grants. The one year SAP Heritage Masonry programme is perhaps the most popular of the courses, providing candidates with four one-week long residential held at Fountains Abbey, courses covering conservation, repair and maintenance of stonework.

The superb conservation and restoration work carried out by members is showcased at the biennial Natural Stone Awards. Held in London, the Awards celebrate the best and brightest projects and professionals from within the natural stone sector with categories covering everything from cladding through to repair and restoration. In 2014, all bar one of the winning, highly commended and commended projects within the repair and restoration category were undertaken by Stone Federation members.

The Awards judges noted that these projects were: “…a textbook example of how to carry out major and challenging masonry conservation schemes in a highly successful manner.”

The overall Repair & Restoration winner was the Guildhall, Londonderry that saw an 18th century structure undergo a large-scale restoration. The central aim of the project was to transform the building from the city’s civic space into a multi-faceted visitor experience.

Other projects within the category included a number of churches as well as a restoration project carried out on what is now London’s favourite restaurant for the rich and famous.

The Chiltern Firehouse (left) saw the restoration and redesign of what was the Manchester Square Fire station, which was originally built in 1890. The fire station had been empty for some 20 years until, in 2012, restoration commenced as part of the site’s transformation from a fire station to a boutique restaurant and hotel.

This project was undertaken by a Stone Federation member firm, proving once again that when looking for a conservation and restoration expert, their members really are the first choice for the industry.

Jane Buxey, the Federation’s Chief Executive, spelled out some of the many reasons for using a company accredited by the Federation when undertaking any project involving natural stone.

“When you use a Stone Federation member you can rest assured that the firm is operating to the highest standards of workmanship, in accordance with the latest industry standards and codes of best practice as well as having a fully trained workforce.”

Stone Federation provides all members with the latest in health and safety developments and data, as well as publications on any relevant industry changes alongside expert technical backup.

Keeping members up to date is a key part of the Federation’s activities and is done in a number of ways.

Stone Federation offers its members a variety of courses and seminars throughout the year on a wide range of topics. Some are based around particular sectors of the industry, like the Design & Installation of Natural Stone Flooring course whereas others address more general industry topics such the CE Marking: Explained seminar.

Industry professionals are also given opportunities to benefit from the Federation’s expertise. One of its most valuable services are the range of CPD seminars arranged for architects, often held at the architect’s own practice or at other locations across the country.

Architects and other professionals such as engineers and surveyors are welcome to attend the Federation’s popular Stone in the City presentations which are held across the UK or the popular Use of Stone in Building Course held in London in September.

Stone Federation’s website is packed full of useful resources and is a great place to source a natural stone professional as well as finding out more about the Federation and how they operate.

Furthermore, the Federation also produce a range of publications covering a wide array of topics, written by the Federation’s technical experts. These include: Guide to Best Practice on the Cleaning of Internal and External Masonry Surfaces and Guide to Best Practice of the Repair and Maintenance of Internal and External Masonry Surfaces.

One good way to start searching for the right company to carry out work is to visit the website, which allows you to search by area, type of stone, and company specialities. The Natural Stone Source Book is another great tool for finding the right company for your project. This Source Book is available to architects, designers and clients and published annually.

This contains a full A to Z of every member company, areas of special interest and background such as turnover, number of employees and contact details. It also features projects using stone across a range of applications which, in turn, provides design inspiration for the reader.

The Source Book also lists industry events, consultants and service providers to the industry and useful industry contacts, such as Government organisations.

To get hold of your free copy, contact Stone Federation Great Britain E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. T: 01303 856123

You can find a selection of heritage specialist members in our directory here. Look for the SFGB logo.