Ewan Hyslop

“Plastic” repair of natural stone in Scotland: perceptions and practice

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address the issue of perceptions of suitability of different materials for a repair. The use of highly cementitious materials in the repair of historic masonry is causing great concern due to their incompatibility with adjacent stone and the associated accelerated deterioration which results from their use. The relatively recent development of so‐called “restoration mortars” based on a “mix and go” application, combined with the enhanced weathering of stone in a changing climate, may be contributing to the use of “plastic” repair materials on stone across Scotland.Design/methodology/approach – Following a literature review, case studies of repairs are presented to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of using such materials, and comparisons are made with the alternative options.Findings – The case studies presented highlight the use of a number of different stone repair materials, sometimes in combination with stone replacement, representing functional and p...