nC2’s expertise in paint and coatings testing contributed to the preservation of an icon of maritime history – Nelson’s flagship, HMS Victory.
The challenge: selecting paints fit for the future
When the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) began a 10-year restoration project to replace HMS Victory’s external planking, they wanted to be sure of choosing the right products to keep the ship weatherproof and looking her best for as long as possible. An essential element of this was the paint used to protect the ship’s timbers.
As part of a package of materials testing, the NMRN asked us for help with identifying the best performing paint in terms of both protection and appearance.
Diana Davies, Head of Conservation at the NMRN, explains: “Our aim is to bring the ship up to a condition that means no further major work will be needed in the next 50 years. It’s essential that we take an evidence-based approach to choosing the right products, and nC2 is helping us to do that.”
Applying nC2’s paint testing expertise
Lab-based tests
To identify the most suitable products for the ship, the nC2 team undertook a range of tests on hundreds of specially prepared painted oak samples to assess:
- Baseline properties: colour, gloss, adhesion, flexibility.
- Liquid water permeability.
- UV (sunlight) weathering resistance – accelerated and real-time.
The tests were repeated using different combinations of product, and on samples that had been treated to simulate the effects of wear, rain, sunlight and time.
- The paint was tested for adherence to the wood, flexibility and water resistance, using freshly painted samples.
- The same tests were then undertaken on samples that had been ‘aged’ using UV and salt spray, and samples that had been cooled or heated to specific temperatures.
- The paints’ interaction with different types of caulking and glue (the sealant between the planks) was examined.
- The team looked at whether the use of nanoparticles in the wood (a potential fungicide treatment being investigated as part of NMRN’s conservation project) would impact the paints and coatings on top.
Outdoor exposure paint testing panels
Each test produced metrics that were used to provide comparisons and ultimately enable the different products to be ranked.
Outdoor exposure testing
In addition to the lab-based paint testing, we gathered evidence from an outdoor exposure rig, set up alongside the ship at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, where samples were out in the elements for two years.
- ‘Real’ environment testing provides more data to help build a picture of how well a paint will perform over time.
- We compared the outdoor exposure results of two potential paints with the laboratory results and found a good correlation between them, providing additional verification of the lab results.
nC2’s added value
The nC2 team brought:
- The knowledge and experience to interpret the brief to get the right insights for the client.
- The ability to design and perform a complex suite of bespoke paint tests.
- Facilities for testing under a range of simulated and real-world conditions.
- The specialist expertise to analyse and interpret the results, and present them clearly for the NMRN conservators.
The outcome: preserving a maritime icon for future generations
The results have given the NMRN conservation team a comprehensive set of evidence to select the best performing paint scheme to protect HMS Victory for decades to come.
As well as hard scientific evidence, we fed back on how user-friendly the products were, bringing an invaluable practical perspective for the NMRN team.
