Keim Case Study: Blaenffos Baptist Chapel

Discover how a quaint Pembrokeshire community chapel was transformed with Keim Silicate Paints, breathing new life into its historic walls.

Last year, we were approached by local trader Iwan Ward, seeking expertise in restoring the exterior of the historic Blaenffos Baptist Chapel. Situated in Boncath, a village in north Pembrokeshire, Wales, this Grade II listed building was originally constructed in 1785 and has undergone multiple renovations over the years. The chapel is close to the main road and can be seen by anyone travelling on the A4678 between Cardigan and Tenby.

Despite the numerous refurbishments, the chapel's exterior paint was in poor condition, featuring cracked surfaces and weathered areas that required thorough preparation before repainting. After evaluating various options, we identified Keim’s coatings as the ideal solution for the substrate, given the size of the surface area and the uneven weathering across different sections we recommended the Keim Silicate system for a durable and long-lasting finish.

To ensure the best outcome, we arranged for Bryan Roe, a senior sales executive at Keim with extensive experience, to conduct a site visit. He accompanied Iwan to assess the condition firsthand and subsequently provided a detailed specification plan. Bryan also took the opportunity to visit us at our shop and warehouse in Cardigan for a lovely overdue catch-up.

This project highlights Keim’s commitment to heritage preservation and our tailored approach to architectural restoration, ensuring long-lasting, high-quality finishes for historic structures.

During Bryan’s inspection, he observed moss and algae growth on the façade, along with hairline cracks and pitting in sections of the lime render. This highlights the importance of a thorough site visit for projects like this, as photographs often cannot reveal all the details or the extent of preparatory work required. Proper surface preparation is crucial; the quality of the final paint job depends heavily on the condition of the surface being painted.

Multiple sample shades were selected as colour match options to integrate with the existing paint seamlessly. Precise project management was essential to meet the client's deadline before the Eisteddfod Festival, an annual event hosted at the chapel.

Keim Exterior Silicate Paint is an ideal finish for the Chapel due to its high quality and versatility. This soldalit paint combines silica sol and potassium binding agents, making it suitable for various substrates, including areas repaired with lime.

Key features and benefits of Keim Soldalit include:

• Extremely durable and resistant to weathering
• Non-flammable, ensuring safety
• Suitable for mineral and previously painted surfaces
• Very low VOC emissions for a healthier environment
• Matte finish for aesthetic appeal
• Environmentally friendly formulation
• Easy and safe to apply and handle

Keim Products chosen for the project:

STEP ONE:  Keim Soldalit Fixativ was applied to the exposed lime render and freshly lime-repaired areas.  It can be used alone as a binding primer or mixed into Keim Soldalit exterior paint.  The Fixativ helps stabilise highly absorbent surfaces, providing a strong base for subsequent coats of Keim Soldalit exterior paint.

STEP TWO: The surfaces were then coated with KEIM Soldalit Grob, covering all areas—including previously painted sections—to conceal repairs and achieve a consistent finish. Grob equalises differences in surface texture, it's microporous and water vapour permeable and it's also free from solvents and biocides. 

STEP THREE:  The final layer was applied using KEIM Soldalit, a sol-silicate mineral paint available in colours 9510 and 9585. Soldalit classic mineral paint is easy to apply and provides a highly durable, lightfast, and UV-resistant coating. 

The chapel now looks fresh, bright, and much more inviting, ensuring it will continue to look wonderful for all its visitors for years to come.

If you have any questions about the products mentioned in this article, please don't hesitate to get in touch.