Lightkeepers Cottages - St Abbs - Scotland

background -

The lighthouse and the lightkeepers cottages at St. Abbs Head sit on top of a breathtaking headland which towers 300ft above high water. The buildings are acutely exposed to vicious North Sea conditions, such as high winds, driven rain and constant sea spray.

the problem -

When the owners of the site sought an external coating for application to the walls of the listed cottages, outbuildings and the perimeter wall, they approached various manufacturers of weatherproof coatings to recommend a suitable system. But when the manufacturers discovered how exposed the site actually was, none were prepared to guarantee their products would withstand the horrendous conditions.

the solution -

Liquid Plastics could assure the client that one of the company's high performance BBA-certified products, Monolastex Smooth - an acrylic based coating - would offer at least 15 years' protection before first maintenance. Monolastex Smooth was applied in white and another LPL coating, Isoclad - a water based copolymer coating - was applied to the window surrounds, down pipes and plinths in a special 'bamboo' colour as a distinctive complement.

the benefits -

The coating was subsequently specified because of its long life span and ability to withstand regular cleaning and bird spittle - a form of attack which had caused previously applied conventional paints to seriously degrade within months of application. Another advantage of Monolastex Smooth is that it stays bright and attractive throughout its design life, which was essential for this project as the cottages are let out to tourists during the holiday season.