The historical Church of Our Lady of the Assumption is the largest in the Parish of Magherafelt in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The French Gothic-style Roman Catholic church was built in 1882 by contractor Matthew McClelland, based on the designs of Messrs O’Neill and Byrne.
With the last major renovation having been completed more than 100 years ago, the church was in urgent need of an interior redecoration. Nigel Wilkinson Painting & Decorating Ltd, based in Ballymena, was tasked with the unique project.
A long overdue refurbishment
An initial inspection by Nigel Wilkison Painting & Decorating revealed that the historic building needed a complete refurbishment.
Nigel Wilkinson explained: “The ceiling of the church hadn’t been painted since 1919 – we noticed this when the scaffolding went up and the previous contractor’s signed initials were found on the roof. It was clear that carrying out a redecoration of this scale, within the six-week timeframe, would require detailed knowledge of products and materials, so we worked closely with PPG’s colour consultancy and technical teams to match the specific requirements of the building.”
In close collaboration with PPG, Nigel and his team specified a range of Johnstone’s Trade coatings to complete a careful redecoration of the historic church. This included intricate details like pillars with carved lettering and a boarded and panelled ceiling – all of which needed refurbishing in such a way that would preserve the heritage of the building.
The team used Johnstone’s Trade Acrylic Durable Matt and Acrylic Durable Eggshell to make sure the walls would be protected against the wear and tear of regular building use. These durable paints are ideal for high footfall areas prone to scuffing and marking, thanks to their Class 1 ISO 11998 scrub resistance ratings and washable properties.
Award-winning work
The project received overwhelming praise from the customer, becoming the talk of the town thanks to the church’s key role in the local community. It was also shortlisted in the Historical category at the Johnstone’s Painter of the Year Awards 2022, facing stiff competition from a breadth of projects from across the UK.
Nigel Wilkinson Painting & Decorating bagged the title and went on to win Johnstone’s POTY Supreme Winner at the awards ceremony, in recognition of completing the challenging project to such a high standard within just six weeks.
Tony Walker, technical specification controller at PPG said: “The calibre of entries to the Painter of the Year Awards gets better and better each year. It was our most competitive year yet, so for Nigel Wilkinson Painting & Decorating Ltd to be crowned not only a category winner, but also the Supreme Winner really is a testament to the skill and craftsmanship that went into completing this outstanding project. Very well deserved!”
To learn more about the Painter of the Year Awards and enter your projects for the 2023 Johnstone’s Painter of the Year awards, visit: https://zealous.co/johnstonespoty/opportunity/Johnstone-s-Trade-Painter-of-the-Year-Awards-1/
