Balfron Tower
Principal Contractor - Telford Homes
Delivered services
Concrete Repairs | External Cleaning | Corrosion Management | Protective coatings
As concrete repair specialists, PJ Mear were given the responsibility of restoring Balfron Tower, in association with Telford Homes. As a twenty six storey post-war Grade II listed tower block, every design detail had to be carefully considered to ensure sympathetic refurbishment to this iconic London building. The project was completed under the strict scrutiny of English Heritage and we are confident our work will be a lasting contribution to maintaining Balfron Tower as one of Britain’s leading “Brutalist” Grade II listed buildings. As a Finalist for the Concrete Repair Association Awards 2020, PJ Mear received a Highly Recommended trophy in the Repair and Refurbishment category.
PJ Mear was selected for the Balfron Tower project, not only because of our reputation, but also our ability to match aggregate repairs and complete aesthetic restorative works on historical buildings. We chose to use Flexcrete repair products for this project because these are used to solve complex structural problems in some of the world’s most hostile environments. A proprietary blend of Flexcrete mortars and aggregate was used to achieve an excellent match to existing exposed aggregate substrate, rendering the repairs almost invisible. We wanted to ensure that the products we used would offer the ultimate protection against water penetration, chemicals, chloride ions, carbonation, and other aggressive forms of attack.
In addition to the repairs, we were required to carry out our sympathetic cleaning processes to remove carbon staining which was very effective in uncovering the aggregate that lay beneath. Works on all storeys included internal and external cleaning, repair and corrosion prevention, waterproof rendering, and intumescent fire spray coatings. New developments in products and applications since Balfron Tower’s original construction in 1965-1967 enabled modern updates to the building without altering its appearance.
Operations had to follow the scaffold erection, with works commencing below the scaffold contractor, from the ground up. When the scaffold reached the top, it was then immediately struck, with finishing trades following it down.
PJ Mear provided extensive repairs to all aspects of this impressive structure. The works completed will extend the life of this historic, culturally significant building without impacting its distinctive aesthetics. Balfron Tower can now safely provide one-hundred and forty-six homes for many years to come.