Category

Mosaic

Aug 21
mosaic restoration service in progress. mosaic tile specialists and mosaic restoration experts at work on project

How to Choose a Professional Mosaic Restoration Service

By Commercial & Public Buildings, Ecclesiastical (Church) Restoration, Heritage & Conservation, Mosaic, Residential Restoration

If you are working on a building that requires a professional mosaic restoration, it’s important to always use experienced and skilled craftspeople. The aim should be to preserve as much of the mosaic as reasonably possible, using a careful approach to replacing tesserae. We look at what you need to consider when choosing a suitable mosaic restoration service.

Use a Mosaic Tile Specialist

When researching mosaic restoration specialists, make sure you check their credentials and expertise. Always use skilled artisans with credible experience working with a variety of different mosaics and materials, such as rare marble and venetian glass tiles. Study their website gallery to see if they have worked on similar mosaic restoration projects.

Look for a mosaic restoration business with a directly employed team, as this will give you greater confidence that everyone has been trained to a high standard. If they have their own mosaic workshop, tile stock, and the ability to fabricate bespoke designs, this can be very beneficial too. A restorer skilled in crafting replacement tesserae for various historic mosaics will ensure your project meets or exceeds your clients’ requirements upon final completion.

Engaging a Mosaic Restoration Expert

Before you commit to using a mosaic restoration service, read their client testimonials to make sure they have the relevant expertise for your project. It’s important to make sure you use someone who has genuine experience of restoring, designing and fabricating a mosaic.

When you engage with a mosaic restoration company, talk to them about the types of commissions they have worked on, their restoration process, and their approach to different projects. Certain permissions might be needed before mosaic restoration works can begin.

If your building has high footfall, for example, then make sure the mosaic restorer are friendly and able to deal with the general public. Where access is limited during the day, they might need to work outside of usual working hours. It’s also a useful advantage if they can deliver a full end-to-end service, from initial surveys to installation and ongoing monitoring.

Your Mosaic Specialists

The Mosaic Restoration Company is the UK’s leading specialist when it comes to restoring, conserving, designing and fabricating mosaics. We work on a range of different projects, including high-profile buildings such as Westminster Chapel and Manchester Town Hall.

Before we start a mosaic restoration project, we carry out a full condition survey and conservation report. Our one-stop-shop approach to project management means you can focus on your building works, while we work on your mosaic. After our restoration service has been carried out, we offer ongoing condition monitoring and maintenance.

Our skilled craftspeople are used to working in public buildings with heavy footfall such as the V&A Museum in London. In fact, our friendly team enjoy interacting with the public in these environments, as they are always fascinated by our work! We will ensure all health and safety concerns are covered, and we always work to the highest standards.

If you would like to discuss a mosaic restoration project, please get in touch.

Aug 06
mosaic restoration services completed. mosaic restoration for historical buildings. Our team of mosaic restorers and specialists worked on this historical mosaic project at St Kevins Church, Dublin

How to Find Mosaic Restoration Services for Historical Buildings

By Commercial & Public Buildings, Ecclesiastical (Church) Restoration, Heritage & Conservation, Mosaic

Historic mosaics are a precious part of a building’s character. Whether set into a church wall or a castle floor, such features often reflect a level of craftsmanship that’s difficult to replicate. If you are looking to restore or conserve a mosaic in a place of interest or worship, using skilled and experienced craftspeople is crucial. We look at what you need to know when it comes to finding suitable mosaic restoration services for historical buildings.

Check Credentials, Experience and Approach

Always choose an established mosaic restorer with an excellent reputation in all areas of mosaic design, restoration and conservation. They need to be able to carry out sympathetic conservation and restoration for a wide range of historic mosaics. Ask them to share examples of similar commissions they have worked on. Also, ask them to explain their restoration process, approach, and their craftspeople’s skills to give you full confidence.

A specialist mosaic restoration company should have the ability to carry out a condition survey and conservation report. Depending on the findings, certain permissions may need to be sought.

For most listed buildings, any work that could affect the mosaic will require Listed Building Consent. It’s worth speaking to your local conservation officer early in the process. They can establish whether the proposed works will affect the building’s special interest and what documentation you’ll need to support an application.

For churches, the equivalent step is to consult your diocesan advisory committee (DAC) and, where necessary, apply for a faculty (permission) before works begin.

Key Questions to Ask a Mosaic Restorer

When you engage a mosaic restorer, ask the following questions:

  • Do they have the expertise to provide full restoration of a mosaic from a derelict state to a new condition for your type of building?
  • Are they able to carry out a full, non-invasive condition survey and conservation report to accurately assess the works needed?
  • Do they have all relevant insurances and accreditations to carry out the works?
  • Will they use salvaged or sympathetic materials and suitable cleaning processes?
  • Do they have access to the correct materials, such as salvaged ceramic, glass or marble tesserae?
  • If necessary, are they able to fabricate and install replacement tiles in-house?

Your Historical Mosaic Specialists

The Mosaic Restoration Company is your historical mosaic specialist. Our skilled artisans have a combined experience of 100 years when it comes to restoring and conserving mosaics. We have our own workshop and studio where we can fabricate tiles as needed.

Our skilled team of mosaic artisans have one guiding principle: to preserve original materials as much as possible with minimum intervention. In most cases, stabilising and consolidating the existing tesserae is usually preferable to replacing tiles. Cleaning methods and mortars must be compatible with historic materials, as abrasive approaches can cause damage.

Our restoration projects include various church projects and high-profile public buildings such as Manchester Town Hall. See our noteworthy Projects, Gallery, and numerous Testimonials from our happy clients.

If you would like to discuss a mosaic restoration project for a historical building, please get in touch.

Jul 23
Mosaic Restoration - mosaic tiles specialists

Craven Dunnill & Co Ltd have won the Best Heritage Project at the 2026 TTA (Tile Association) Awards for the outstanding tiling work on the Blandford Corn Exchange in Blandford Forum.

By Commercial & Public Buildings, Heritage & Conservation, Mosaic

Craven Dunnill & Co Ltd have won the Best Heritage Project at the 2026 TTA (Tile Association) Awards for the outstanding tiling work on the Blandford Corn Exchange in Blandford Forum.

Mosaic Restoration were pleased to have carried out the on site in-situ work on this noteworthy tile conservation project. Working together with Spencer Hall, Hammond Building Contractors and of course the talented Craven Dunnill team achevied an excellent finished result. Where possible the original tiles were stabilised and retained, sympathetically replacing missing or damaged with new to accurately match where necessary.

The project was carried out in two phases and completed over a six month period taking into account the considerable surveying, cataloging and specialist lead-in times.

Mosaic Restoration - mosaic tiles specialists
Mar 26
Trevor Caley - mosaic artist and specialist - team header photo

With great sadness Trevor Caley passed away on Monday 16th March.

By Heritage & Conservation, Mosaic

With great sadness Trevor Caley passed away on Monday 16th March. 

Trevor was a leading mosaic artist and specialist with many noteworthy commissions internationally. 

Trained at Chelsea College of Art in Mural Design, he went on to work for Anthony Holloway specialising in large concrete relief and decorative murals. Trevor set up his own practice in London in the early 1970’s carrying out numerous private and commercial commissions. Noteworthy projects (of which there are many) include new mosaic works for Westminster Cathedral , London transport, three Underground Stations and Melbourne Cathedral, Australia. He also undertook large prestigious restoration and conservation works including St Paul’s Cathedral and the Albert Memorial, to which we won the RICS award for conservation and Trevor was featured in Country Life magazine as a ‘living national treasure’, during the project and later met the Queen during the grand opening on Hyde Park in 1998.

His high standard of workmanship and attention to detail was always appreciated by anyone lucky to have known or worked with him and of course for those that meet Trevor we all remember his great sense of humour. There are so many funny stories and pranks to tell. To follow at a later date…

Trevor leaves behind his wife Melissa, children Austin and Isabella, and recent granddaughter Piper, and of course many friends and colleagues.

Gary Bricknell,

Nephew, business associate and close friend.

Trevor Caley - mosaic artist and specialist
Trevor Caley - mosaic artist and specialist
Aug 27
The Church of The Sacred Heart and St Catherine of Alexandia, Droitwich - after

The Church of The Sacred Heart and St Catherine of Alexandia, Droitwich

By Ecclesiastical (Church) Restoration, Mosaic

We’ve been fortunate to contribute to many significant projects over the years, and our recent work at The Church of The Sacred Heart and St Catherine of Alexandria in Droitwich is certainly one we are proud to have been involved with.

This beautiful Church is extensively decorated with Venetian glass mosaic, predominantly carried out between 1922 and 1932 by Gabriel Pippet, using the ‘direct method.

This comprehensive project required nearly four months to complete by our specialist team. To ensure minimal disruption to the Church’s regular services, access to the high-level mosaics was carefully managed using scaffold towers and a cherry picker. The work involved the cleaning, stabilizing, and careful reinstatement of loose and missing gold and glass smalti, which were supplied by Angelo Orsoni of Venice.

We hope to share videos of this project in the future to provide a more in-depth look at the intricate work involved.

See more photos on the project page here: https://www.mosaicrestoration.co.uk/portfolio/the-church-of-the-sacred-heart-and-st-catherine-of-alexandia-droitwich/

Jul 10
St Kevins Church, Dublin - Mosaic Restoration Project Complete Large building church

St Kevins Church, Dublin

By Ecclesiastical (Church) Restoration, Mosaic

We will be back in Dublin again soon and looking forward to working on the highly decorative ‘Minton’ tessellated un-glazed ceramic mosaic flooring to the Chancel and side Chapels within this beautiful Church. 

A late Victorian installation executed in the ‘in-direct method’, our works include the stabilisation and reinstatement of loose and missing sections, cleaning and finishing treatment.

More information to follow, with before and after images to illustrate the fine mosaic work required to restore to its former glory.

St Kevins Church, Dublin - Before
St Kevins Church, Dublin - After
Jul 02
Blandford Corn Exchange - Mosaic restoration works victorian grand hall

Blandford Corn Exchange 

By Mosaic

We are currently working at the old Corn Exchange Building, Blandford Forum. 

The building is undergoing extensive restoration works and we were awarded the contract to conserve and restore the extensive Victorian fine glazed wall tiling within the Grand Hall. The replacement tiles have been specially manufactured by Craven Dunnill Jackfield, we are working with Spencer Hall Historic Building Conservation Ltd  and looking to complete the project in August 2025.

More information and images to follow as the works progress.

Blandford Corn Exchange - Mosaic restoration works conserve and restore the extensive Victorian fine glazed wall tiling
conserve and restore the extensive Victorian fine glazed wall tiling Mosaic Restoration