Care & Repair

Simple repairs

Many simple repair jobs can be carried out to extend life of the shopfront.

1. The flashing over the capping prevents water getting behind the woodwork. The flashing is usually lead or bitumen felt.

2. The caps over the brackets (little roofs) must be kept watertight or the brackets will rot. This rot usually begins at the joints on top and then works through the center. Normally, it is not noticeable until the damage is extensive.

3. Putty filling in woodwork eventually dries out and lets in water. Crevices should be plugged with fresh, ready mixed, exterior filler.

4. Woodworm should be eradicated by using a proprietary band of wood preservative.

5. Guard against a heavy build-up of paint which can hide a multitude of ills, especially structural problems.

6. Paint blisters should be cut out with a knife, sanded flat, primed, undercoated and painted.

7. Flaking paint due to age should be removed, sanded, primed, undercoated and painted.

Shopfront Maintenance

If you have a shopfront, the advice below will help you to maintain and carry out repairs. The main enemy of shopfronts is water. Water, if it does not dry off the surface quickly will eventually rot woodwork. The following preventative action should be undertaken regularly:

1. Clean painted shopfronts to remove any dust or mute which might hold water against the paintwork.

2. Clean thoroughly any crevices or level places where dust could accumulate. For areas of rotten timber see under structural repairs.

3. To stop dust being thrown up on to the shopfront the pavement in front of the shopfront should be swept regularly.

4. Exhaust gases from vehicles contain sulphur which, when combined with the damp atmosphere, make sulphuric acid. Lead from exhausts leaves black marks on surfaces. These marks should be washed off as they stain stonework and paintwork, and become impossible to remove later.

5. Remove lichen, moss or leaves from the flashing over the shopfront with a stiff fibre brush. Water falling on the shopfront from higher up must be stopped at source, for example by cleaning gutters.

This shopfronts was constructed in 2010 by our company. Due to neglect it is in some need of repair.

To bring it back to it’s orginal glory:

1. Tighten, repair or replace mouldings and plint
2. Straighten, seal and oil lead flashing.
3. Clean down, fill, sand, prime, two undercoats and a gloss paint finish in colour of your choice.