THE CALCITE PROCESS :

The exposure of stonework to urban and industrial pollution accelerates naturally occurring processes of erosion. Rainfall is the main vector of atmospheric and biological pollution. Current solutions designed to re-consolidate and waterproof damaged stone (using consolidating and/or damp-proofing products) implement synthetic resins which polymerise inside the pores of the stone.

These processes give short-term results but can prove harmful in the long term by causing a reduction in the gas exchanges between the stone and the atmosphere: the stone can fracture if residual water freezes, or when trapped salts crystallise. In addition, the polymers used are chemical products (therefore alien to the stone) which often cannot be removed or eliminated.

Aware of these difficulties, CALCITE Bioconcept, in collaboration with the Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques de Champs sur Marne (Historic Buildings Research Laboratory, Champs sur Marne, France) decided to invest in testing the application of a process resulting from the newest research.