At Atlantic Shrink Wrapping, we pride ourselves on completing the best shrink wrap services available. Each project is a challenge and we aim to meet those challenges. We offer shrink wrapping services for many businesses and industries, including those in historical preservation. Historical preservation can work for various structures like historical buildings and sites.
“If it can be wrapped, we can do it”
Historical preservation has many considerations, including restoration, reconstruction, and rehabilitation. It also often requires long processes. For example, a historical building needs experts to keep it intact. We ensure that it has enough structural support before reconstruction.
In the meantime, covering the building or site enables this without leaving the structure prone to damage. Shrink wrapping can cover large areas. We can cover extensive structures, like planes, cars, and buildings. Large historical buildings need sufficient protection against more damage.
What is Shrink Wrap for Historical Preservation?
Historical preservation projects often focus on shrink wrap to protect buildings or other large structures. When a historical building needs protection, shrink wrapping is the best choice. Our trained professionals use just the right amount of heat to shrink the plastic without causing any damage to the structure. This heat creates a protective shield over the building.
Shrink wrap forms a tight seal that helps prevent damage from weather, mold, and other harmful factors. This type of protection is especially valuable when there is a long gap between moving or restoring the structure.
The shrink wrap will keep the building safe and secure until restoration work begins. It stops weather and debris from getting inside and keeps out vandals, wild animals, bugs, birds, and more. Most importantly, the shrink wrap includes UV inhibitors that protect the structure from sun damage.
Historical buildings are valuable. Damage from water, bugs, mice, or sunlight can create the need for more work to preserve them. Shrink wrapping helps prevent further damage and keeps the building safe.
Unlike shrink wrap, alternatives like tarps do not form a tight seal. Tarps also fail to protect against sun damage. They can’t offer the same level of protection from the natural environment.
Choosing Atlantic Shrink Wrapping Inc. for Your Needs
Atlantic Shrink Wrapping Inc. is a mobile shrink wrapping service. We transport anywhere in the world. Based in Annapolis, Maryland, we concentrate on the Atlantic seaboard. We provide shrink wrapping services in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
We understand that preserving objects, especially historical ones, requires special care. Preservation is not a quick process. It involves careful planning and attention to detail. We want to keep landmarks and buildings in good condition so future generations can enjoy and learn from them.
When we wrap historic buildings or objects to protect them, we use a special kind of shrink wrap. This wrap is safe for aged materials. It won’t damage or change the condition of the historic items.
This wrap is also more flexible and strong. It can cover large buildings and structures but will not rip or tear.
Considerations When Shrink Wrapping Construction and Historical Sites
When we shrink wrap historical or construction sites, our team carefully considers several factors to ensure proper protection. We know that historic and delicate materials require special care. We can maintain the site’s original integrity to avoid any damage.
Materials
We do not use shrink wrap that contains harmful chemicals. Some chemicals can react negatively with the materials in historical buildings or objects. They can cause damage over time.
Our shrink wrap is made with safe materials that will not harm these precious items. We also use UV-resistant shrink wrap to protect against the harmful effects of sunlight. Sun exposure can cause fading. Our shrink wrap helps block out UV rays so the artifacts remain in good condition.
Structural Support
We may add extra support to protect the site and ensure the shrink wrap stays secure. Our team wants to ensure the shrink wrap does not tear or sag during its use. This added support will help keep everything in place. It also keeps the materials protected throughout the process.
Careful Application
We take extra care not to use any adhesives that could damage the site. Some adhesives can leave marks or cause materials to deteriorate over time. Instead, we may use soft padding in delicate areas of the site to protect against pressure that might cause harm. It cushions fragile surfaces to keep them safe from accidental damage and provide a secure wrap.
We also work closely with conservation professionals. Our team follows proven methods that have been tested over time. We use the best practices to preserve historical buildings, objects, and construction sites.
The right shrink wrapping can help prevent damage during extreme weather, like heavy rain or strong winds. It keeps the site safe from the elements until more work can be done.
Featured Historical Preservation Project
Atlantic Shrink Wrapping Inc. has enough experience in the industry to handle your company’s project. We welcome you to learn about our process with a case of preserving a train station.
Historic Train Station, Pulaski, VA
ASI was called to help with a project by a construction firm that was cleaning up and partially demolishing a train station after a fire.
Because the train station had historical significance, the project was more challenging. The station’s 120-year-old walls and chimney needed to be protected. Other parts of the building were to be demolished and rebuilt.
This project was expected to take several months. Our team had to find a way to cover the structures and make sure they were protected from snow, heavy winds, and water.
The construction firm had considered tarps to cover the station, but in the end, they chose shrink wrapping. Shrink wrap was the best option because it was the safest, most durable, and most cost-effective way to protect the station.
All photos are ASI Actual Work Photos
Difficulties on This Job
The most difficult part of this job was making it waterproof. Our crew had to protect the plastic from the sharp and jagged edges left by the fire and the rock walls. It also needed to be strong enough to withstand high winds and heavy snow.
The job was scheduled for early January 2009. At this time of year, the valley of Pulaski seemed like a wind tunnel for every storm front that came near the area. We met on the job site in 6-degree temperatures and 20-mile-per-hour winds.
Blue tarps couldn’t handle the strong wind, and the contracting company couldn’t make the structure waterproof. Shrink wrap was the only choice. After we reviewed the pictures, the train station turned out to be much more challenging than originally expected.
Our team of three began by building a temporary, strong roof truss to hold the plastic. First, we wrapped the chimneys, then wrapped and secured the main part of the building. The result was a simple, low-profile, waterproof shrink wrap that stood up against Mother Nature.
Contact Atlantic Shrink Wrapping
See more of our featured projects, from industrial and commercial shrinkwrapping to military projects. If you are a new client of Atlantic Shrink Wrapping, call (410) 376-7052. You can also learn more about us on our website. We will help you preserve your historic building or structure with our shrink wrapping services.