Stone Initiatives assists owners, architects and conservators in developing the knowledge necessary to produce an informed conservation plan. Stone Initiatives specialises in the testing and evaluation of building stone and related materials such as historic coatings, mortar and cement products. Services available include determination of the physical properties of building materials, selection and sourcing of replacement stone for use in historic structures, analysis of historic mortars and analysis of lime washes and other organic and inorganic coatings.

Like all building materials, dimension stone is subject to failure through improper use, installation or maintenance. The identification of the cause of such failures is important to avoid recurrence of the problem. Stone Initiatives has expertise in the field of failure analysis that has assisted clients to determine the cause of failures in a wide range of materials, structures and locations.

Stone Initiatives can also assist in the development and trialling of suitable rectification methods, these may include investigations to select a suitable consolidant, cleaning method or matching and repair of historic materials. Determination of the material’s characteristics and physical properties allows the conservation plan to be based on informed decisions thereby minimising the risk of damage or unnecessary deterioration.