Sky Scaffolding is the leading supplier of scaffolding for heritage and conservation projects throughout the UK. Our unrivaled expertise and specialisation in working with assets owned or managed by English Heritage and The National Trust make us the go-to choice for scaffolding solutions that seamlessly blend with and enhance the aesthetic appeal of historical buildings.
Whether it’s routine maintenance, extensive refurbishment, or intricate reconstruction, our team of skilled professionals is well-versed in delivering reliable and respectful scaffolding structures that preserve the historical significance of the sites we work on. Trust Sky Scaffolding to provide the highest quality scaffolding services for your heritage and conservation projects.
Contact Sky Scaffolding for the ultimate access solution for your projects involving grade listed properties, scheduled monuments, and significant buildings.
Protecting vulnerable structures
A significant number of projects in this field involve restoration and repair. The urgency arises when fragile structures are in danger of becoming unsafe or damaged.
Our ability to react promptly and offer delicate solutions is crucial in preserving the integrity of these remarkable buildings.
Understanding the restrictions
Adhering to conservation and planning requirements and restrictions is crucial when working in a conservation building, listed building, or historical monument.
Our team works hand in hand with architects, planners, engineers, and conservationists to ensure that all projects are executed according to plan.
Protecting the public
Preserving and restoring heritage buildings is not only important for their cultural and historical significance but also for the enjoyment and education of the public.
Careful planning and implementation of necessary safety measures are crucial for ensuring the protection of the public during scaffolding works.
Freestanding scaffolds for heritage works
All scaffolds must be secured to ensure stability against horizontal loads, whether they are caused by horizontal live load or wind loading. This is normally achieved by using an anchor tie into brickwork, or clamps onto steelwork, but may also be achieved with some other tie formation such as lip tie or reveal tie.
As an alternative to a physical tie into a building, NASC TG20 permits raking tubes to provide stability for unclad independent access scaffolds up to 6m in height. However, as is often the case with scaffolding works on heritage buildings, the scaffold is required to a greater height than 6m and physical ties into the historic stonework is to be avoided.
The solution to this problem is to use a buttressed scaffold. The buttress extends the width of the scaffold away from the building to give more stability, this can also be loaded with kentledge (ballast) to provide further restraint against horizontal forces.
It is important to note that all scaffolds that use a buttress for stability must have a specific design that takes into account the site location, scaffold size, lateral forces, and the necessary amount of kentledge.
Tying into historic stonework and masonry
In certain cases, the limitations of the site make it impossible to install a buttressed scaffold. The lack of sufficient space at ground level restricts its feasibility and when faced with such constraints, the only viable solution may be to secure the scaffold by tying it into the existing historic stonework.
It is crucial to conduct anchor pull tests in accordance with NASC TG4 when connecting to historical stonework. Old stone and masonry have withstood years of weathering and cannot always be relied upon for uniform strength.
Aside from conducting all the essential anchor tests, we make certain to choose discreet locations when tying into historic stonework in order to minimise any visual impact.
Scheduled ancient monuments
With Warwick and Kenilworth Castles both in close proximity, we have a wealth of experience to draw on when working on scheduled ancient monuments.
Scaffolds used on such sites must be sympathetic to the fabric of the building, and considerate of the visitors who come to explore these sites.
The scaffold shown here is a freestanding buttressed scaffold with a staircase and hoist for replacing stonework at the top of Guy’s Tower at Warwick Castle.
Churches and cathedrals
Just as with projects on scheduled landmarks, scaffolding works on churches and cathedrals have to be careful not to damage the ancient building fabric, whilst protecting the public from the hazards of the restoration and conservation works that are taking place.
Careful consideration must also be given to site security. Where required, we provide robust steel hoarding systems to prevent unauthorised access, and mains-free GSM monitored scaffold alarms, fitted by an NSI approved installer.
Keeping up appearances
A significant portion of our involvement in heritage conservation revolves around public spaces and visitor attractions. Ensuring that the scaffold has a minimal impact on the visitor experience is of utmost importance.
This project at the National Trust’s Croome, showcases how the scaffold can be used to enhance the visitor experience.
Visitors were welcomed onto the scaffold to witness the ongoing restoration work, and were also given the opportunity to enjoy a cup of tea at the ‘Sky Café’ located on top.
Want to see examples of our Heritage and Conservation work?
We regularly update our website with examples of our work, to demonstate our knowledge and expertise, and to share the exciting projects we have had the pleasure of working on.
Go to Our Projects to find out more.