CROCE ROSSA ITALIANA
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL
VIA ITALIA LIBERA – COMO
Restoration/Decoration, renovation and painting
The building, dating to the late fascist and immediate post-war period, rises on an area of approximately 940 m2. The building is composed of laid out on three above ground floors and one underground floor, and is divided as follows:
ground floor on a surface area of 470 m2
first floor on a surface area of 470 m2
second floor loft on a surface area of 470 m2
underground floor on a surface area of 470 m2
Starting from 1936, numerous uncompleted architectural and functional upgrading interventions were carried out.
ACTIVITY:
Stone parts: entryway walls, window surrounds, marble effigies.
Restoration works through sandblasting and water jet cleaning: cleaning of surfaces with an appropriate sandblasting system through a product called GMA GARNET (completely natural mineral abrasive, chemically inert and free of any toxic metal, silicon or ferrite) with low pressure portable machines.
This system, used to clean the most delicate surfaces, does not affect the support and prepares the surfaces for the subsequent finishing treatment.
Successively the water jet cleaning phase was performed, using atomised pressurised water (from 50 to 200 atm), to then apply the specific conservative product.
Façades
- Control of plaster stability, removal of damaged areas and execution of repairs
- Water jet cleaning of all surfaces subject to the renovation
- Painting, beginning with a first coat of consolidating fixative
- Façade smoothing
Application of a first layer of a lime stucco using stainless steel trowels, reinforced with ETA-certified network of fibreglass with an anti-alkaline band “160 netting” weighing 160 grams per m2, warp knitted, overlapping the frames by at least 10 cm 24 hours after the first coat, a second layer of lime stucco is applied 24 hours after the second coat, a third layer of finishing lime stucco is applied - Façade painting
Painting, beginning with a first coat of fixative – base for silicates
Painting with a first coat of silicate paint for exteriors
Painting of a second finishing coat with silicate paint for exteriors
Iron works: parapets, gratings, fencing, roofs
- Preparation of surfaces through manual and mechanical brushing and sanding, application of one coat of anti-rust product and two coats of finishing synthetic enamel.
Wood works: window frames
- Preparation of surfaces through manual and mechanical sanding including various types of stucco, application of base coat of water -based cementite and two coats of water-based finishing enamel.
Interior works: offices, laboratories and medical practices
- Application of 1 base coat for plasterboards and plasters, intermittent stucco and 2 coats of washable water-based paint and/or enamel.
REQUIREMENT – condition of the building:
The façades, the eaves and the areas in decorative cement were in a deteriorated state, with various types of painting and plaster coming away from the wall, and some damaged points. In addition, the window surrounds, the marble effigies and some stone parts of the building entrance were stained by the actions of atmospheric agents and deteriorated by smog.
The iron structures were deteriorated and characterised by widespread rust and peeling paint.
With regard to the interiors, however, after some structural modifications performed by the Client, we were requested to renovate all areas of the building.
SOLUTION:
After inspection and viewing of the state of the surfaces requiring repair, the intervention by a restorer/decorator for marble work was established, appropriate cycles of renovation for the façades were identified – and we also proposed the possibility of using the subsequent decennial liability policy through the drafting of a technical report by a technician of the manufacturer, Setteff.
For the interior works, cycles of painting with water-based paints and enamels have been envisaged. For iron and wood works, appropriate cycles of varnishing with water-based enamels have been envisaged.