16/09/2014
When Pyramids Shopping Centre in Birkenhead began to show signs of concrete deterioration, Sika supplied a comprehensive range of repair and protection solutions to bring its ageing staircases, walls and decks back to their best.
As part of a £1 million refurbishment, the Pyramids has undergone a major facelift to attract new retailers. Extensive updating to the external parts of the Centre included concrete repairs to fire escapes, parapet walls, car park ramp decks, lintels and columns – with Sika striking the perfect balance between proven performance, value and ease of application.
To meet the requirements of EN 1504: the European Standard for the protection and repair of reinforced concrete, specialist contractor Grade 2 specified a proven and comprehensive Sika concrete repair system. With a 15 year track record and conforming to the performance requirements of the more recent EN standards, this perfectly demonstrates Sika’s historical commitment to providing long term technically correct construction solutions.
Using a combination of cherry pickers, alloy towers and fixed scaffolding, Grade 2 applied Sika Monotop – a cementitious two-component system which consists of polymer modified mortars – to make primary repairs to the damaged concrete and lintels around the windows. With a good resistance to water and chloride penetration, it will help to protect the building’s concrete exterior from future damage.
Sika Ferrogard 903 was then spray-applied to the refurbished external elements. Easy to apply and cost-effective, Sika Ferrogard 903 inhibits corrosion by delaying its start and dramatically slowing its rate, extending the maintenance and service life cycle of reinforced concrete. The surface applied system penetrates the concrete to provide a protective layer around steel reinforcement whilst maintaining the aesthetic of the structure.
"As the shopping centre remained open throughout the project, all breakout works and surface cleaning had to be carried out in the evening to avoid any disruption to the public. We also worked on fire escape staircases to the rear of the building which required very close liaison with centre management and the local fire department." Dave Dinsdale, Managing Director at Grade 2
Sika‘s concrete repair and protection solutions are designed to rehabilitate and restore concrete surfaces back to their original quality. Concrete repair mortars, anti-corrosion coatings, corrosion inhibitors, reinforcement corrosion protectors and the full Galvashield range of embedded galvanic anodes make up the extensive range that Sika offers.
Now complete, the refurbished Pyramids Shopping Centre continues to provide an outstanding shopping environment for customers whilst offering a perfect base for new retailers to set up shop. A focal point for the town of Birkenhead, the shopping centre now has a reliable, durable and high performance concrete exterior, all thanks to a comprehensive selection of market leading products from Sika.