BMI Redland’s Rosemary Clay Classic tiles in Red have recently provided a new lease of life to the roof of the Fettes College cricket pavilion.
The pavilion, located in Edinburgh, is a single storey building with 400 square metres of roofing and traditional details, such as white pillars and fencing and a central bell tower. The roof had started to fail, with the tiles showing signs of going porous and, as a result, a complete refurbishment was needed.
With the original structure dating back to 1906, the Pavilion is not only a much-loved historical college building, but with many prestigious matches played every year, it is also one of the most-used sites for recreation on campus. Naturally, its roof needs to match the heritage of the pavilion and the wider college grounds, while being safe and watertight for the long term. Contractors Newtown Roofing chose Rosemary Clay Classic tiles in Red for their heritage aesthetic, and a renowned longevity that would be able to withstand even the harshest Scottish weather for years to come. It is also a solution that allowed them to carry out detailed work to preserve the historic building.
The Rosemary tile has been in production since 1837 and is available in a wide variety of colours and finishes, which are designed to fit in with the regional variations in clay found on plain tile roofs throughout the UK. Plus, as a complete system, the tiles are robust enough to withstand even the worst weather.
While the reroofing itself was fairly straightforward, the roofing team had to master a couple of unforeseen challenges during the refurbishment, working to tight deadlines, during unpredictable Scottish weather, and working on a live school site to complete the new roof ahead of a major annual cricket fixture.
The Challenge:
There were two main challenges of this project, the first being the bottom corners of the section underneath the bell tower. The vertical tiling had to be done with extreme caution to ensure the sand-cement needed to fix the tiles to the roof did not damage the remainder of the roof, while the tiles had to be cut by hand to ensure they fit the niche size required for this section of roof.
Additionally, Fettes College is a busy boarding school, with pupils and staff on site at all times. So, the contractors needed to work closely with the school and take extra precautions with the deliveries to site. Also, because the reroof took place during the coronavirus pandemic, once the materials were on site, the team had to work to strict health and safety measures, while ensuring minimal disruption to the lively campus, and securing materials safely while not on site.
The Solution:
Since the pitched roof of the Cricket Pavilion is the focal point of the Fettes College cricket field and a Listed Building, with over 22,000 tiles to be installed, Newtown Roofing needed to ensure attention to detail was maintained throughout the project. Therefore, they employed the use of BMI Redland’s SpecMaster service to guide the project and steer it in the right direction.
The refurbishment required complete stripping of the former roof, including both tiles and counter battening, before rotten timbers could be either replaced or repaired, depending on their state. The roof was then felted with a breathable membrane, and fitted with new code 6 lead valleys, before new cast iron gutters and downpipes could be installed.
Finally, the roof was retiled with over 22,000 Rosemary tiles on a wet verge with two coats of sand-cement. The section of roof underneath the bell tower presented the most complex challenge, as it required vertical tiling, which is difficult with sand-cement, and as the corner tiles did not fit the difficult corners of the roof, the team cut specific tiles by hand and installed them with precision.
The refurbishment of the entire roof took almost four months, as the Scottish weather kept the team of four roofers off the roof for a number of days, making the process that bit more challenging.
The Impact:
The new tiles matched the existing look of the cricket pavilion building, and the reroof therefore reflected the heritage of the pavilion and of Fettes College, all whilst being able to withstand the unpredictable Scottish weather. Additionally, because the new tiles were such a close match to the original, no planning permission was required, as the reroof was a like-for-like replacement.
Adding to the success of the project: it was completed on time, in exactly four months, on budget and completed to the client’s approval.
For further information on Etruria Marl clay, and Redland’s Rosemary tiles, click here.
