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Products from the Zinsser range of fast drying, high performance primers and paints have been used during the refurbishment of one of London's best known hospitals, St Barts.
This ever expanding hospital is making best use of all the space available, including the basement, where research facilities and the gene therapy unit are located. However, over the years, the walls of this area have suffered increasingly from damp and mildew, particularly in the gene therapy unit, and were badly in need of repair.
Contractors, A D Sullivan, who were approached to provide a cost-efficient and fast solution, decided to use a combination of Zinsser Watertite and Perma-White products to achieve optimal performance and minimal disruption.
"Both we and the client were reluctant to use disruptive trades like replastering, as this would take time and would increase the cost on this budget-conscious hospital", comments Carl Sullivan of the contractors.
"There was also a lot of sensitive equipment in there which we were reluctant to disturb. Zinsser Watertite has the advantage of adhering to the existing substrate, which meant that instead of fully replacing the walls, we only had to strip them back to the bare plaster, then apply the product. Health and safety was a key issue - especially as it was a hospital - and rigid checks were made and measures put in place to ensure that everything met the relevant criteria demanded by law."
Watertite Waterproofing paint is a sealer guaranteed to hold back water to pressure of 34psi, and prevent mildew and mould build-up for up to five years. It has an oil-based formula which combines waterproofing resin with
Portland cement. It also contains a mildewcide to prevent the growth of the fungus. It can be recoated in just four hours, speeding up the decorating process, and dries to a smooth, non-yellowing finish that resists dirt and dust.
Once the Watertite was applied, a final top coat of Zinsser Perma-White was applied for maximum protection and aesthetic appeal. It also contains a mildewcide guaranteed to prevent the growth of mould on the paint film for five years.
"Watertite was the only product that could tackle this task without having to resort to major rebuilding work," concludes Carl. "We are delighted with the results, and the gene therapy unit at St Bart's is now completely safe, clean and rejuvenated."
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