Case Study: Breathable Claypaint used in the restoration of a decorative pattern discovered in a Church

St Lawrence’s Church is a Grade II listed building that is perched on a hill in Longridge, Lancashire.

With the original stone walls dating back to the 16th century, the Church has undergone several restorations over its 470-year history.

Most recently, the team at Heritage Property Repairs were asked to assist in the restoration of the Chapel of Remembrance.

Whilst working on this section, they made a remarkable discovery.

The team uncovered an original pattern that would have once adorned the Church’s former entrance.

Prevent and protect

Many historic buildings suffer from issues of damp, so to help prevent and to protect the future of the building, it’s important that breathable materials are used for any restoration or decorative work.

In this case, years of non-breathable paint coverings meant the recovery of the original pattern would be a difficult and expensive operation. Thankfully, the team at Heritage Property Repairs found an alternative approach.

Using limewash to preserve the original pattern and Earthborn Claypaint to recreate the pattern’s design, they ensured that breathability was at the forefront of their restorative work.

The before photos of a restoration of a decorative pattern on a Churches walls.

Breathable Claypaint

Earthborn Claypaint was picked due to its highly breathable properties meaning that moisture doesn’t become ‘trapped’ beneath the surface of the paint.

Instead, Claypaint allows any moisture to pass through the walls and evaporate, effectively allowing the walls to ‘breathe’. Scott at Heritage Propety Repairs tells us ‘Most choose Claypaint for it’s breathability, however the environmentally friendly benefits are also an important factor.

One particular feedback I recall is that the very low VOC was appealing, the client could therefore ‘paint right through the night’ without the chemical smell making her feel unwell!’.

Earthborn paint tins and brushes on on a wooden table inside an old Church.

Stencils and Pattern

Firstly, Scott traced what was left of the original pattern and used these drawings to create stencils. ‘The traced patterns were marked on a firmer backing card.

We found that for our repetitive patterns, thick paper was too flimsy to use multiple times. Instead, Manila card proved ideal for transposing the patterns’.

Next, a bespoke green hue was specially mixed to provide the background with Lady Bug(Colour of the year 2023), Hobby Wood, Sapling and Straw picked from our Classic palette to recreate the rest of the pattern.

Progress shots of using a stencil to paint a border on a wall.

Scott Little, co-founder at Heritage Property Repairs secured the stencils in place before dabbing on Earthborn Claypaint. ‘Thick stencil brushes give clean lines as the bristles do not force the paint under the stencil’.

The process involved using different stencils after allowing the paint to dry, creating an overlayed pattern. Scott finished off by masking off solid lines to define the borders of the pattern.

We just love the end result, as we’re sure you will too!

Have you used Earthborn Claypaint in your home? For a chance to feature on our social media be sure to tag us @earthbornpaints using #earthbornbyme.

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