A stone preservative is intended to prolong the life of a stone by either restoring its physical

integrity or by inhibiting its decay. Its use should not change the natural appearance or
architectural value of the stone. There are two principal means by which stone can be
preserved. One involves the formation of an outer stabilized zone around the stone, the other
alters the chemical composition of the stone. A number of examples of stone preservation
carried out in the United Kingdom are taken to illustrate stone preservative methods and a
case history outlining the lime method as used to preserve limestone statuary at the West
Front of Wells Cathedral is given.

In spite of the fact that there exists a different preservation or restoration method for each type
of stone used in historical buildings; both the overall damage detection works, experiment
systematic and the application process of the methods require an interdisciplinary study and
include certain basic steps. This article suggests a method to be applied in the preservation
and restoration of the stones used in historical buildings. The aims of this method are to
establish a common language and procedure among the parties which take part in preservation
and restoration and to minimize changes together with the time loss. DIN 52106 has been
used as a guide in this method. The method has been based on the below summarized point of
view. Thus, in the evaluated building, it has been assumed that the stones in the undamaged
parts of the building are resistant to climatic and environmental effects and that similar stones
can be found and used. In cases where there are no undamaged parts with enough resistance,
appropriate stones can be sought through petrographic research, physical and technological
experimentation and observation on samples taken from the original stone. It has been
assumed that the material gained by using water-repellent agents and conservation processes
can be tested with physical and technological experiments to evaluate its applicability when
compared to the original material itself.