One of Dublin’s oldest and finest department stores has been given a stylish new look thanks to leading trade brand Johnstone’s and its innovative Stormshield Self-Cleaning Masonry paint system.
Established in 1849, the Brown Thomas store on Grafton Street boasts a successful heritage that spans over 160 years but the damaging effects of time, weathering and pollution had left the exterior of the building looking its age. An ambitious refurbishment programme was subsequently launched to help breathe new life into the landmark listed building and thanks to the products and technical advice provided by Johnstone’s, appointed professional contractor Peter Caffrey Decorating was able to ensure the store’s brand new look was a great success.
Key to the specification of Johnstone’s Self Cleaning Masonry paint, which uses groundbreaking nanotechnology, was the coating’s impressive anti-carbonation properties. Located in the heart of Dublin, the Brown Thomas department store overlooks a main thoroughfare in close proximity to several busy roads and so protection from the high levels of carbon pollution generated by the nearby traffic was vital. Johnstone’s Self-Cleaning Masonry Paint has undergone stringent anti-carbonation tests to successfully meet the standards of Class 1 of the EN ISO 1062-6 accreditation and has provided this prestigious building with a highly protective barrier against CO2 emissions.
As the store and those nearby remained open to the public throughout the refurbishment programme, time was also of the essence. Touch-dry in one to two hours, Johnstone’s Self-Cleaning Masonry paint allowed the redecoration work to be completed quickly and with minimum disruption. Carrying out work in such a high-traffic area also meant that health and safety was a prime concern and the Ability Group had to exercise extreme care and caution when using ladders, platforms and machinery to ensure the safety of both the contractors and the general public.
The restoration of such a high-profile public building presented numerous challenges but as decorator Peter Caffrey explains, specifying a product that ticked all the boxes made all the difference.
“The exterior of the building was in serious disrepair and so the first two weeks of our work on site were dedicated to the careful restoration, cleaning and preparation of the external masonry and timber windows”, says Peter. “Once the repainting work could begin, it was imperative that we used a product that would not only respect the delicate substrate of the listed building but also protect the masonry from any further damage caused by weathering and traffic pollution. Johnstone’s Self-Cleaning Masonry paint proved to be the ideal choice to restore the building’s once impressive façade and provide a low-maintenance solution to help keep it looking its best for many more years to come.”
As well as successfully meeting the many practical requirements of the project, Johnstone’s was also able to provide a fashionable new look for the leading department store through the use of its market-leading tinting machine. To complement the use of the Self-Cleaning Masonry paint in Brilliant White, a bespoke colour was also created to give the Brown Thomas store an attractive ‘mocha’ brown coloured façade. To complete the store’s new look, Johnstone’s high opacity Advanced Technology Acrylic Satin was also specified for use on the timber windows.
Providing a 15 year life expectancy, Johnstone’s Self-Cleaning Masonry Paint features microscopic nano particles, which at one billionth of a metre are invisible to the human eye. It is these tiny particles that adhere to the surface, transforming the normal crater landscape into an extremely smooth finish that dust and dirt simply can’t stick to.