“We have taken time to do emergency repairs and fill some holes and we got protection in place, but given the size of the roof, it couldn’t continue like that.”<\/em><\/p>\n Large hail dents are visible across the entire roof of the National Library, many with holes several centimetres in diameter.<\/p>\n Grates on top of the roof have also been severely damaged by the hail.<\/p>\n “It’s not the biggest job we’ve done, but from a national-importance perspective, it’s the most prestigious job, I guess,”<\/em> Mr Lennox said.<\/p>\n “Having a copper roof is very unusual in this day and age, and the National Library being 50 years old and a national treasure, the replacement will take time.”<\/em><\/p>\n While the south side of Canberra became a sea of bright tarpaulins in the wake of January’s hailstorm, which led to more than 37,000 insurance claims being made, the sheeting covering the National Library will be more than just a humble tarp.<\/p>\n Mr Lennox said the material is a polymer sheeting heat-shrunk to fit over the affected areas to make sure it doesn’t come loose or fly off in strong winds.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stormseal.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/r0_511_5000_3333_w1200_h678_fmax-1024x578.jpg\")
Matthew Lennox, the managing director of Stormseal, the company behind the sheeting, said it would be a large undertaking.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stormseal.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/image002-300x226.jpg\")
The same materials have been used at other institutions across Canberra following the hailstorm, including buildings at the Australian National University.<\/p>\n