Condition
- Very poor, with significant areas of lost tile across the entire floor
- The remaining mosaic sections were covered in a bituminous adhesive, which needed to be cleaned back to reveal the detail and colour in the floo
Treatment
- Removal and disposal of compressed floor sheeting and adhesive to expose the whole mosaic prior to works. As work was about to commence, non-friable asbestos was identified in both materials, and the area needed to be isolated and monitored throughout the entire removal process.
- Removal of adhesive residue and staining of original tiles
- Removal of loose dirt and debris, cement fills and floor plugs added during 1990 renovation works
- Consolidation of tiles prior to the laying of new bedding
- Levelling of existing areas of screed, and introduction of a new screed
- Photogrammetry and rubbings of the original mosaic motifs to map out the losses and mosaic pattern
- Reconstructions of areas of loss using the rubbings
- Once all losses were replaced, the entire mosaic was regrouted with a pigmented grout that matched the original setting
- Staining and varnishing of the tiles to match the original tile colours when like-for-like matches were unavailable
- Application of a protective coating to protect the mosaic from the effect of foot traffic
Treatment Outcomes
The restored Mosaic now adorns the grand entrance to the newly refurbished banking chamber.
Before treatment
After treatment
