Cleaning cills

[paulb33]

What are folks' thoughts on cleaning bathstone (limestone?) cills?

I'm trying to get all the messy jobs done before our nice new windows go in. We've taken off the gloss paint from the render (to be redone in silicate paint), which I'm really pleased with. Our stonemason is now repairing some spalled coping stones and suggested we should clean/repair our window cills. He'll be using a hot pressure washer, then repairing. He's done a lovely job on a local church.

I guess now's the time to do it - if its a good thing to do? At £1k (including some stone carving) its a not inconsiderable investment. But, the scaffold is already up....


Thanks again.

Paul

http://www.redhouserestoration.wordpress.com

 

[plasticpigeon]

I'd leave them. You are really lucky they aren't painted, as taking the paint off can cause damage. i wish mine were as good as yours.

 

[88v8]

Inclined to agree. They're part of the patina. One can over-restore. Subjective, of course. And the concept of 'patina' can save one a lot of money.

Ahh, scaffolding, coupled with while-you're-here syndrome. Look on the bright side - your bum will look smaller once your wallet has been emptied.

Ivor

 

[paulb33]

I'd leave them. You are really lucky they aren't painted, as taking the paint off can cause damage. i wish mine were as good as yours.

Agreed. I've damage one on an outbuilding already. An ill-advised experiment with a pressure washer....

Inclined to agree. They're part of the patina. One can over-restore. Subjective, of course. And the concept of 'patina' can save one a lot of money.

Agreed 2: That was niggling in the back of my mind.

Ahh, scaffolding, coupled with while-you're-here syndrome. Look on the bright side - your bum will look smaller once your wallet has been emptied.

You seem to know me too well....

 

[Feltwell]

I'd definitely leave them well alone. If you clean them they'll stick out like a sore thumb against weathered brickwork until they weather back to - well, back to like they look right now really. They look pretty good as they are to me.

Unusual that your stone cills sit flush with the brickwork - no overhang with drip-stop underneath as usual. Doesn't look like it's done any great harm to the brickwork below though.

 

[paulb33]

Unusual that your stone cills sit flush with the brickwork - no overhang with drip-stop underneath as usual.

John Coates Carter was somewhat of an avant-garde architect. Unfortunately, some of his approaches were of dubious practical application and suffered for the aesthetic. Particularly in this house, where he only had himself to please. :roll:

 

[LadyArowana]

A hot pressure washer might just increase the need for the repairing, I smell job creation and would leave well alone.

 

[paulb33]

A hot pressure washer might just increase the need for the repairing, I smell job creation and would leave well alone.

Agreed. Glad I asked.

 

[Keithj]

Stiff bristle brush is about as far as I'd go.

 

[davidbrac]

i would use a stiff pigs hair brush, and then start to clean the windows with ionised water and over time they will clean up a treat