It’s not every day we get transported to Antarctica. Well, our paint, anyway…
The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust is embarking on a large conservation project, caring for and conserving six historic sites and monuments on the Antarctic Peninsula - and we're thrilled to have contributed paint to the latest restoration: the Damoy Hut.
The hut, which was scheduled for demolition in 2007, has been under UKAHT’s care since 2009. This unique hut is the only protected historic ski and airway, providing shelter and safe passage for early climate scientists on their way to making critical discoveries about the increasing temperature of our planet. Damoy has long been home to stories and artifacts that provide a glimpse into the fascinating, often hidden, history of how logistics supported science in Antarctica.
The future protection of the site involved restoring the hut to its original condition, and colour scheme. This labour-intensive process involved stripping back the existing teal paint scheme, repainting in primer and paint specially formulated to withstand the low temperatures.
Enter Valtti Opaque. Our exterior wood paint was developed specifically for dealing with extreme weather conditions and provides the ideal solution for protecting the hut's surface from freezing temperatures and other challenges posed by the harsh Antarctic climate. The bright orange colour (S1050-Y50R) chosen reflects the original shade of the hut, according to the conservation team. The restoration of the original colour scheme will improve the legibility of the hut's historic function as an air transit facility, as well as provide a key hook for the improved interpretation of the entire site.
The team's hard work has given the hut a new lease of life, and it now serves as a symbol of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust's dedication to preserving Antarctic heritage. At Tikkurila UK, we are proud to have had the opportunity to contribute to and be part of this special project.