Africa is renowned for some of the harshest climates on the globe and, on the south-western tip of the continent, no building is spared from gale force winds and persistent rain. Buildings, homes and even industry cannot escape the effects of a severe climate, industrial pollution, fallout, carbonisation and chloride attack to concrete structures, eventually succumbing to the effects of water ingress. Indawo Painting and Waterproofing was commissioned to restore the exterior structures, showing signs of water damage, at Tongaat Hulett’s starch operation in Bellville Western Cape. 

Indawo managing director, Peter Jäck, says, “Restoration projects at industrial plants pose significant challenges. The complex array of substructures on the roof and surrounding the buildings make it difficult to reach some of the water-damaged areas. Buildings tend to be a number of stories high and scaffolding and suspended access methodologies have to be employed to gain access to upper parts of the building. This makes it inconvenient for the factory’s workforce and dangerous for the workers. On top of this, care has to be taken when restoring buildings at factories, that rely on uninterrupted production, to avoid interference with factory workers.”

Safety standards were applied according to strict legislation defined by the Health and Safety Act to guarantee the safety of factory and office staff and construction workers. Signage clearly indicated areas that were under construction and were cordoned off to avoid anyone getting to close to areas where restoration work was being undertaken above. Safety officers play an important role in ensuring that the proper procedures are followed.

The scope of the project included:
Restoration of the building’s exterior affected by water damage. Spalling caused by water seeping into the exterior walls and, amongst other damage, caused rust to build on the steel reinforcing rods that results in the steel expanding while weakening the core of the rods. This damage manifested in the flaking of plaster and concrete and had to be repaired. Corrosion to reinforced steel was cleaned using wire brushes and mortar surrounding the rods replaced. Specialised rust inhibitors and mortar solutions are used to reduce the risks of rust and restore the concrete surrounding the reinforced steel rods.
Painting. Paint products were selected specifically for their application. The primer and top coat had to be 30% moisture tolerant with mould resistant properties, important factors in the Western Cape’s rainy winter months.

Jäck continues, “Product choice remains a critical factor in projects of this magnitude, more so because we have to provide product and workmanship guarantees to the client. Selecting superior products offers us the peace of mind that if our workmanship is to precise specification, the product supplier will honour their guarantee and vice versa. Our partnership with product suppliers is vital to the success of our projects and quality of our guarantee to the client.”

The extreme climate in the Western Cape spares no building. Owners and tenants need to adopt a philosophy of responsible occupation and regularly check buildings for the slightest damage. Water is an incredibly destructive force, initially working its way through a path of least resistance and collecting at a point before, either forcing its way through the outer surfaces, or evaporating leaving equally destructive properties behind, such as salt, to cause further damage.