Waterproofing & Protection of the Parapet & Balustrade Areas
Background
Originally built in 1723, Sunbury Court is a Grade II* listed Georgian mansion overlooking the River Thames some 14 miles away from London. It was once a Royal Palace and ownership passed from one notable family to another, finally entering the possession of General Bramwell Booth who purchased Sunbury Court for The Salvation Army in the 1920’s in order to establish a training facility.
A major restoration and improvement of Sunbury Court was carried out in 2013/2014 to provide a venue for all High Councils, the body that elects the General of The Salvation Army. In addition, the redevelopment work was needed to allow the International College for Officers (ICO) and the Centre for Spiritual Life Development (CSLD) to move to Sunbury Court.
Unused buildings were demolished and sufficient accommodation was created for all members of future High Councils. As Sunbury Court is a site of historical importance, the work was protected, whilst ensuring the venue was fit for purpose in the 21st century. The renovation included work to an area of bituminous roofing, where the architects were seeking to reinstate waterproof protection to the parapet walls and balustrade areas.
The Solution
Flexcrete products were chosen for this prestigious project due to their track record of use to restore heritage buildings. Cracks, blow holes and other minor imperfections were first filled with Monolevel FC to provide an even surface before overcoating and Monolevel RM was used to reinstate areas of blown render to reprofile the surface and ensure a fair-faced finish. Bond-Prime was used to prime the parapet and balustrade areas before coating and the existing bituminous coating was treated with Metal-Prime WB.
A decorative, protective, anti-carbonation finish was achieved by applying Monodex Smooth, a high performance, water-based, elastomeric coating which provides excellent protection against water ingress and is CE marked in accordance with the demands of BS EN 1504. Cracks in the higher sections of the parapet wall were reinforced with Cemprotec Flex-Tape. Monodex Smooth was also reinforced with Cemprotec GFM 225 heavy grade glass fibre matting in areas where there was a need to impart additional protection. Monodex Smooth was specified in an attractive, neutral ‘gardinia’ colour.
Project Profile - Sunbury Court