Conservation in Action
We are painting the ship’s hull to keep it shipshape and Bristol fashion. The topsides of the ship are being repainted – this means everything that is visible above the glass sea. We do this about every five years and isn’t just to keep the ship looking good, it’s also part of our ongoing work to conserve her original wrought iron.
How will it be repainted?
We use a specialist coating made up of three different layers, developed specifically for this ship. Where the existing paint is damaged, it will be removed back down to the best layer or metal underneath and the specialist coating will be reapplied.
How long will it take?
We are expecting that the process will take around eight to ten weeks.
The exact timing will depend on the weather and the results of the contractor’s initial inspection of the current paint.
The art of gold leaf
The decorative gold leaf requires great care and specialist training. Our team will apply 23 carat gold leaf with a special squirrel-hair brush and gilding glue.
Doing such delicate work outdoors at height isn’t easy!
Why don’t we paint the lower half of the ship too?
Repainting the lower part of the ship wouldn’t be enough to slow the iron corrosion. To conserve this part, we instead use two dehumidifiers to reduce the relative humidity, removing moisture from the air around the lower part of the ship.
Why is it so important to protect the ship from the elements?
One of the reasons the SS Great Britain is so important is because it was the first ocean-going ship to be made from iron, a significant technological milestone which allowed it to be bigger and stronger than any ship before.
When iron is exposed to moisture and oxygen in the air it corrodes, or rusts. We protect the ship’s original material from corrosion damage (rather than replacing with newer material), because Brunel’s wrought iron is such a key part of the ship’s story.
