Terracotta & Faience

The early 20th Century saw the introduction of terracotta and faience in the construction of building façades. These still grace the exteriors of such elaborately designed buildings as the Royal Albert Hall. Regrettably, a lack of regular maintenance and building care over the past 50 years has resulted in severe deterioration of many of these captivating façades. This decline is typically due to inadequate repointing, which allows rainwater to penetrate the hollow filled blocks. Occasionally, a breakdown of the material’s final glaze leads to crazing and spalling of the surface.

The high level of expertise involved in the manufacture of the replacement blocks has significantly limited the number of suppliers in the United Kingdom. The industry is now primarily reliant on just two providers - Hathern Terracotta and Shaws of Darwen. Over the past four decades, Stoneguard has nurtured close working relationships with these terracotta and faience manufacturers, establishing ourselves as a go-to faience installation specialist. This reputation is further solidified by our recent successful projects in this field.