More than
150 litres of Sandtex Trade’s X-Treme X-Posure Smooth Masonry Paint have been
used to repaint the striking red and white bands of East Anglia’s iconic
Happisburgh Lighthouse, in time for the busy summer holiday season.
The
landmark opened in 1791 and is today run by The Happisburgh Lighthouse Trust,
having been saved by the local community from the threat of closure in 1990,
and it remains the only independently run, fully operational lighthouse in
Great Britain.
With its
distinctive red and white bands, Happisburgh Lighthouse is only one of ten per
cent of lighthouses in the UK with horizontal bands as opposed to being plain.
Situated
on the East Anglian coast, the 85 foot high lighthouse bears the brunt of
extreme weather from wind driven rain to coastal tides, so painting the
exterior is a vital way to ensure this landmark is protected from the harsh
weather it is exposed to all year round. Sandtex Trade’s water-based X-Treme
X-posure paint, which has been specifically formulated for use in even the
harshest of weather conditions to provide protection from the elements for up
to 20 years, was the perfect choice for Happisburgh Lighthouse.
The team
of four decorators from P H Hairsine & Sons repainted the entire lighthouse
exterior, using Sandtex X-Treme X-Posure Smooth Masonry paint in white and a
specially tinted red, over the course of two weeks.
The
specialist painters painstakingly prepared the surfaces, by filling in small
cracks and washing the whole building down ready for application of the first
coat of paint to ensure a high quality, long-lasting finish. The team used a
hoist to reach the top of the lighthouse, repainting each band as they worked
their way back down.
Because
the refurbishment was such a huge job, working quickly and accurately to ensure
the job was finished on schedule was key. X-Treme X-Posure is touch dry in 30
minutes and ready to re-coat within two to four hours, meaning the team could
efficiently paint the exterior, making the most of the fine weather at the same
time. Furthermore, X-Treme X-Posure has excellent adhesion properties so can
easily be applied to most exterior masonry services, regardless of whether it
is new or previously painted, while its flexible formulation helps to disguise
hairline cracks in exterior surfaces and stop them from reappearing.
Peter
Hairsine, of P H Hairsine & Sons, said: “We use Sandtex X-Treme X-Posure
for its durability as it lasts longer in extreme conditions, which is needed
for the lighthouse as it is exposed to a lot of salt, as well severe weather.
For us, this is also the best product because it dries quickly, which has been
particularly important throughout this refurbishment as we needed each band to
be dry before we moved down to the next one.”
Sandtex
X-Treme X-Posure has been subject to extensive testing in accelerated and real
time weathering conditions and is proven to offer exceptional long-term
protection and an enduring high-quality finish. Whatever the weather, Sandtex
X-Treme X-Posure is guaranteed to provide excellent dirt-resistance and colour
retention to ensure the iconic lighthouse will retain its fresh ‘just
decorated’ look for many years to come.
Stephen Burke, vice chairman of the Friends of Happisburgh
Lighthouse, said: “The lighthouse is an iconic landmark on the north-east
Norfolk coastline and has become a popular family day out with more than 4,500
people visiting last year. As a working lighthouse it’s much more than a
tourist attraction so it’s vital that it continues to stand out to mariners. It’s
fantastic to see the lighthouse looking so bright and vibrant following the
redecoration and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more visitors to our
open days this year.”
