'New' Boat Shed on Skomer Island with Keim
Posted by Celtic Sustainables on 5th Jan 2018
Skomer and Skokholm Islands are both National Nature Reserves just off the coast of Pembrokeshire, managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales - with much assistance from the "Friends of Skokholm and Skomer". The islands are home to probably 3/4 of the world's population of Manx Shearwater. The islands have a rich cultural heritage thanks to the pioneering research work of R. M. Lockley in the 1930s. Skokholm was the UK's first bird observatory - established in 1933. 17,000 people visit Skomer each year, attracted by the islands natural wildlife and beauty.
Bee a warden on Skomer Island approached Celtic Sustainables in August 2016 to inquire about painting the boat shed on the island which hadn’t been painted for some time. Interested in environmentally friendly masonry paint for the boat shed, she turned to us to find out more. The island is a part of the Wild Life Trust of South and West Wales and has over 17,000 people visit the island every year.
You can find out more about mineral paints here and about the Keim products here.
“What we hadn't realised is how much work would be involved. It was a classic case of opening a can of worms. As we scraped the old paint off we realised that a lot of the render was also falling off and to cut a long story short we spent the whole of this summer knocking off loose render and re rendering. This was done with a lot of help from our weekly volunteers and even friends and family that came to visit us on the island. Then came the satisfying job of getting the paint on. Anti-fungal solution came first then three coats of Keim paint.”
Silicate mineral paints are a fantastic alternative to conventional masonry paints; they are tough, long lasting and highly breathable whilst being environmentally friendly.
These paints are especially suited for use over mineral based substrates; they become chemically bonded to the substrate when applied which makes them especially tough and long lasting. The high breathability of these paints makes them especially suited for use on older properties making them a great alternative to conventional methods such as limewash.
Extreme climatic conditions such as the exposed coastal conditions that Skomer endures year round are a challenging proposition for any exterior masonry paint, which is why Keim Royalan was a suggested solution for the boathouse on Skomer Island as it is specifically formulated for use where climates are particularly extreme, this paint should last well over a decade even with the harsh conditions whilst being an environmentally friendly product.
Bee a warden on Skomer Island and for the wildlife trust says “We would like to thank everyone involved. This includes Celtic Sustainables for the paint, Chris Ward of BC Building for his help and advice with the rendering and of course everyone who helped with the work through the middle of an incredibly busy season on Skomer. The paint was a pleasure to use and looks great so we are happy to recommend the paint itself and Celtic Sustainables for sustainable building options from natural insulation to heating and rainwater harvesting. Check them out online or at their store in Cardigan.”
We at Celtic Sustainables’ would like to thank Bee and all the volunteers on Skomer Island for allowing us to share their pictures of their hard work and hopefully they are satisfied with the end result. The Boat House looks brilliant and hopefully it will stand up to the kind of weather they get on the island. Keim is a very tough paint, resistant to salts and it’s also eco-friendly!
Preparation:
All areas to decorate should be free from all surface contaminates, sound, dry and dust free.
All loose, flaking and unstable material must be identified and then thoroughly removed using stiff brushes and broad bladed scrapers to get back to a sound edge.
Any powdery or chalking surfaces will require treatment prior to decoration.
Application:
Always maintain a wet edge when painting and work the paint out well
Thoroughly mix the paint beforehand, and periodically during decoration, using a mechanical mixer.
Here’s the Royalan data sheet!
Here’s the Royalan Grob data sheet!
