Soft Washing in Tavistock

Stone is part of the village's story. Tavistock Queen's Park was set out in 1928, and its stone gates were funded by the local Women's Institute. A stone cairn honours Captain Henry Eckstein, who founded Tavistock in 1848. If your home has a stone porch, foundation or trim, the same rule applies as with any old stone: low pressure, a gentle product and a hidden test patch before the main wall.

Early houses are the other case. Homes from the village's first decades may have painted wood siding, brick with soft mortar and caulk that has dried out. Hard spray can lift paint and drive water into joints. Soft washing uses low pressure and lets the cleaning product do the work. Green algae gathers on shaded walls, and lichen on older brick or stone. Both may need more than one pass.

Farm country adds a fine film of dust and pollen, especially low on the walls, where soil splashes up in the rain. It is a different problem from algae, and it comes off more easily. Soft washing starts from $350. The extent of the growth, the wall height and the materials set the price, and the quote names every area that will be treated.

What we plan for in Tavistock

• Stone and mortar: we test a hidden patch on stone, and look at the mortar before choosing a product.
• Painted wood: we check for flaking paint and dry caulk, and keep the spray gentle around them.
• Tree shade: walls under branches stay damp, so we treat them longest and check for lichen on older brick.
• Low film: we note the dusty band along the base of the wall and treat it as its own step.
• Rinse water: we note where downspouts and beds are, and plan the path the rinse water will take.

Questions from Tavistock homeowners

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