Click on the advert above to visit the company web site

Product category: Waterproofing, Sealants and Adhesives
News Release from: Sika | Subject: Sika concrete repair systems
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial Team on 07 June 2005

Embassy Court Deco-rated With Sika

Request your FREE weekly copy of the Buildingtalk email newsletter. News about Waterproofing, Sealants and Adhesives and more every issue. Click here for details.

Embassy Court, a Grade 2 listed, Art Deco style, 11 story building, situated on the Brighton sea front, is being extensively refurbished using Sika concrete repair systems and coatings.

Embassy Court, a Grade 2 listed, Art Deco style, 11 story building, situated on the Brighton sea front, is being extensively refurbished using Sika concrete repair systems and coatings Designed by the architect Wells Coates, and completed in 1936, Embassy Court's 72 flats have been home to many famous actors, writers and artists, including Lawrence Olivier, Rex Harrison, Diana Dors and the writer Graham Greene

Once an Icon of modern seaside architecture, the building had in recent years degenerated into an ugly eyesore.

With the flats' various owners failing to agree on a maintenance programme for the property, Embassy Court had fallen into a badly deteriorated state.

Following ten years of legal argument, the tenant led management company, Bluestorm , gained control of the freehold of the property, and appointed Architects Conran and Partners to begin a renovation programme.

Makers UK were appointed specialist contractors for the GBP 4.5 million project, and work started towards the end of last year.

Initial testing had showed that although basically sound, structural problems, including low concrete cover to the reinforcing steel, with carbonation and chloride contamination, had lead to spalling and staining, and an overall dilapidated appearance to the building.

Repairs involve blasting back to sound concrete, with defective areas being reinstated with Sika Monotop 615 a high build concrete repair mortar.

This one component, pre-bagged cementitious cement based, hand applied mortar has low shrinkage and when used in conjunction with Sika Monotop 610 has an excellent bond to properly prepared concrete.

This is followed by the application of two coats of Sika Monotop 620 levelling mortar, to give a smooth surface finish.

To arrest corrosion of the reinforcing steel, Sika Ferrogard 903 corrosion inhibitor is being applied.

Sika Ferrogard 903 penetrates the concrete and forms a protective film around the steel.

It is water based, gives long-term protection and durability by reducing corrosion rates of the steel reinforcement, and provides a cost effective corrosion control system.

SikaGard 550W, anti-carbonation, protective, decorative coatings have been chosen to complete the project.

BBA approved Sikagard coatings are water based with excellent UV and crack bridging properties, and can be manufactured by Sika to any colour specified by the client.

Sika systems are providing Makers UK with a complete solution, from reinstating the defective concrete, through controlling the corrosion of the reinforcing steel, to decorative anti-carbonation coatings, thus ensuring long-term protection to the refurbished Embassy Court from the aggressive seaside environment.

Sika: contact details and other news
Email this article to a colleague
Register for the free Buildingtalk email newsletter
Buildingtalk Home Page

Search the Pro-Talk network of sites