The Thiepval Memorial on the Somme, is a lasting and poignant memorial to more than 73,000 soldiers who were killed and their bodies never found after the battle of the Somme. Those responsible for its upkeep are determined to ensure that it will remain as a focal point, for decades to come, for those who wish to pay their respects.Designed by legendary architect Sir Edward Lutyens, the memorial was originally waterproofed using traditional Trinidad Lake mastic asphalt, which has protected the building for nearly 80 years.
It is now being replaced, once again with mastic asphalt, installed by UK MAC (Mastic Asphalt Council) contractor Bell Asphalt of Bexley, Kent, who were awarded the £150,000 project by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Keith Collins, of Bell Asphalt, won the contract with a specification to strip off the old asphalt from more than 37 separate flat roofs. As no-one works or lives in the memorial, there was no requirement for insulation but this time the roofing was replaced with Permaphalt polymer modified mastic asphalt advanced waterproofing. It will have a life expectancy of 60 years.
Work started on the 160 ft high memorial, officially opened in 1932,
in January 2007. Bell Asphalt, highly experienced in the provision of
mastic asphalt roofing for heritage buildings, have previously worked on Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and Leeds Castle and took less than
13 weeks to complete the project.
As an accredited MAC contractor, any labour and installation carried
out by Bell Asphalt, together with all materials, is fully guaranteed. Only MAC contractors are permitted to install advanced polymer modified mastic asphalt and have been fully apprentice trained to install the material to the highest standard.
