A single surviving section, on the building
Cornice or string course still in place, others failed. We come to site, mould it in situ, and use the mould to reproduce the failed sections.
For heritage restoration · Silicone moulding from a single surviving section
One survivor is enough to rebuild the whole run.
Silicone moulding from surviving cornices, finials, string courses, capstones and keystones — in situ on listed elevations, or on our Warwickshire bench from a section you send us. Reproductions that read as originals, not as replacements.
What matters to you
What separates a good reproduction from a bad one.
Fidelity to the original — silicone captures weathering, tool marks and small asymmetries that make the reproduction look right. A drawing-based reproduction always looks slightly wrong. A mould from the original does not.
Choice of casting material — silicone is the mould; what you pour into it (concrete, GRC, cast stone with the right aggregate) determines how the reproduction weathers next to the originals. That's a conversation with the conservation officer as much as with us.
Care of the surviving original — in-situ moulding has to leave nothing behind and cause no damage. Bench moulding has to protect the original in transit. We plan for both.
Documentation for the conservation record — every mould we make gets a photographic record, a note of what it was moulded from, and a material spec, so the record shows how the reproduction was arrived at.
How your work looks
Three ways heritage moulding jobs arrive.
A surviving section, off the building
A finial or keystone removed for safety, or already fallen. We mould it on our bench, then reproduce it in the right material for the reinstatement.
A completely lost detail
The feature is gone, but photographs, drawings and neighbouring buildings survive. Pattern-making from those sources, then mould from the pattern.
Services that fit
Services this sector reaches for most often.
Master patterns and scanning
Pattern-making from drawings, photographs, or a surviving section.
Read moreHow the first conversation goes
The first conversation is usually with the conservation officer as well.
For listed jobs, we often join the initial site visit with the conservation officer, the specifying architect, and the contractor. It's the fastest way to agree how the reproduction is being made and what the finished pieces should look like.
For jobs that come to us second-hand (through a main contractor or an architect who's already had the conservation conversation), we work to the agreed methodology. If we think there's a better route, we'll flag it — but the decision rests with the conservation team.
For simpler heritage jobs (a garden ornament, a non-listed finial), the conversation is straightforward and quick. We mould, we reproduce, we deliver.
At a glance
The idea in a picture.
How a two-part mould fits together
Swipe to see the whole diagram
FAQs
Questions we hear from this sector.
How do you mould something without removing it from the building?
Brush-on silicone applied in layers, thickened so it stays where it's put, backed with a rigid mother mould before it comes off. We've done this many times; the process is well-worked.
Will the mould leave any residue on the original?
No, provided the original is properly prepared. Silicone is chemically compatible with stone; the release regime prevents any physical adhesion. We prepare a small test area first if the stone is particularly friable.
Can we get a like-for-like colour match on the reproduction?
That's a conversation about the casting material — the aggregate, pigment and cement blend used to cast into the mould. We'll help you get it right, but it's not something the mould alone decides.
Do you attend site for in-situ moulding, or do we manage that ourselves?
We attend for anything listed, or where the geometry is complex. For simpler in-situ jobs we can supply the materials and a written procedure if you have a qualified team.
Can you handle the reproduction manufacturing as well, or just supply the mould?
Both routes are possible. Some contractors want the mould and will cast in-house; others prefer us to supply the finished reproductions. We're set up for either.
Get in touch
Send us a photograph of the panel or the elevation.
One photograph tells us what surface you're chasing, and one line about the mix tells us what silicone or polyurethane will survive it.
Real people, a real workshop
You deal with the people who make it.
No call centre and no middlemen. When you contact TCI Construction, you speak to the team who design, build and check your mould.
- A real Warwickshire workshopUnit 15, Waterloo Park, Bidford-on-Avon, Alcester B50 4JG.
- Real people on the phoneCall the team on 01789 224228, Monday to Friday.
- The same team on every jobDesign, production and aftercare come from the people you see here.
- Part of TCI GroupFive specialist brands, one engineering team. Visit TCI Group.
Thomas LaneManaging Director
George PrestonDesign & Project Manager
Kelly BallingerHead of Partnerships
Jim AndertonProduction Manager
TheodoreEmployee Welfare