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, including historical buildings and sites.
“If it can be wrapped, we can do it”
Historical preservation has many considerations, including restoration, reconstruction, and rehabilitation. In addition, historical preservation often requires long processes. For example, a historical building requires experts to keep it intact. Ensuring the building has enough structural support is essential before beginning reconstruction.
In the meantime, covering a historical building or site enables this without leaving the structure prone to damage. Shrink wrapping can cover large areas. We can cover extensive structures, including planes, cars, and buildings. Large historical buildings need sufficient protection against more damage.
What is Shrink Wrap for Historical Preservation?
Historical preservation projects generally center around shrink wrapping for a building or other large structure. If a historical structure requires protection, shrink wrapping is the ideal material. Our trained professionals use the proper amount of heat to shrink the plastic without damaging the structure. This heat creates a kind of protective shield over the building.
Shrink wrap creates a tight seal that prevents weathering, mold, or other damage. This innovative protection is valuable if there is significant time between moving and/or restoring the structure.
The shrink wrap will provide a reliable seal and protection until rehabilitation can begin. It will not only keep out weather and debris but also unwelcome visits from vandals, wild animals, bugs, birds, and more. Most significantly, shrink wrap contains UV inhibitors to protect structures from the sun.
Historical structures are highly valuable; damage from water, bugs, mice, and even the sun can mean more preservation work. Shrinkwrapping can prevent further damage to a historical object.
Alternatives like tarps do not offer a tight seal. Unlike shrink wrapping, tarps do not protect objects from sun damage. Tarps cannot ensure protection against 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, historical objects in particular, requires care. Preservation requires careful planning and execution to ensure tor properly maintain landmarks and buildings for future generations.
When we wrap historic buildings or objects, we use shrink wrap with inert properties that will not affect aged materials. The shrink wrap is also flexible enough to protect large buildings without tearing.
Considerations When Shrink Wrapping Construction and Historical Sites
Our team will consider multiple factors when we carefully shrink wrap historical or construction sites. We understand that delicate materials need careful preservation to maintain the site’s integrity.
- Materials: We avoid materials with harmful chemicals that may react negatively with historic materials. Our team also uses UV-resistant shrink wrap to protect artifacts from sunlight, which can fade or deteriorate materials over time.
- Structural Support: If needed, we will recommend more support to the site to prevent the wrap from tearing or sagging. We will secure the shrink wrap so it does not move.
- Careful Application: We will avoid adhesive that could damage the site. Our team may also use soft padding in fragile areas. The padding will prevent pressure on the site and potential damage.
We work with conservation professionals and use proven methods to keep buildings, installations, and more protected. The proper shrink wrapping can prevent damage to objects during bad weather
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 this project by a construction firm tasked with clean up and partial demolition of the train station after a fire.
The train station’s historical significance added a level of difficulty to the project. The 120-year-old walls and chimney were to remain protected while other building areas were demolished and rebuilt.
This project would take several months. Our crew needed to cover the historical structures with adequate support against snow, heavy winds, and water.
The firm considered tarps to cover the station. However, the ultimate decision was made in favor of shrink wrapping. Shrink wrapping would be 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 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 could not withstand this wind, and the contracting company could not make this structure waterproof. Shrink wrap was the only option. After developing a plan of action based on only pictures, the train station appeared much more difficult than originally thought.
Our crew of only three men started preparations to construct a temporary but strong roof truss system to support the plastic. First, our crew wrapped the chimneys. Then, our crew wrapped and secured the main body of the building. The final product was a streamlined, 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. We will help you preserve your historic building or structure with our shrink wrapping services.