Peppers Soul, Gold Coast

The Challenge

The bespoke, 77-storey architecturally designed building presented a number of technical challenges, with applicators having to abseil or use swing platforms to reach the higher or more intricate parts of the building.

To minimise premature curing, optimise application conditions and minimise delays, applicators carefully managed their work schedule to accommodate the weather and the position of the sun. Being a coastal property, minimising salt contamination from sea spray was an important consideration.

Due to the busy Surfers Paradise tourist trade, the project had to be carefully managed to minimise downtime for commercial tenants, while ensuring the highest levels of safety for tourists in the vicinity of the works.

“The project had to be completed within strict timeframes and to the highest standards,” Dulux Commercial Account Manager, Brendan Blake said.

“Because of the size and complexity of the job, the client wanted a top-of-the-line system to ensure longevity and optimal performance. They did not want to be doing this again in 8 to 10 years.”

The Solution

Brendan created a comprehensive DuSpec+ paints and coatings specification document for the project, specifying a proven Dulux Acratex system of Dulux Acratex Green Render Sealer and Dulux Acratex AcraSkin to provide an attractive, lasting finish for the building’s façade.

Dulux Acratex is a water-based primer and sealer designed for the preparation of fresh "green" masonry surfaces. It minimises efflorescence migrating through the coating system and fast-tracks project coating schedules by reducing the typical concrete and render waiting period to only two days.

Dulux Acratex is a high-build, elastomeric membrane that can bridge superficial cracks and offer long term protective performance. Thanks to its excellent crack-bridging performance, AcraSkin is capable of accommodating masonry crack movement of up to 2.7mm at 300 microns dry film thickness.

With stringent application standards and processes agreed and observed by the project management team, applicators and Dulux specification team, this system of Green Render Sealer and AcraSkin allowed Dulux Acratex to offer a 20-year material warranty for this project.

Product support and expertise

Prior to the start of the project, Brendan met with applicators and the project team to brief them on the specified products and provide application advice and training. Once spalling work had commenced, on-site training was provided. These sessions were important in ensuring there was a clearly defined and agreed way forward to deliver the 20-year warranty required by the client.

Throughout the project, Brendan was regularly on site, conducting application inspections and taking dry film thickness readings.

Surface cleaning

Cleaning was completed in small manageable sections to ensure that a first coat of AcraSkin could be applied within 24 hours to avoid recontamination.