In February 2016, we started this project in Gardens, Cape Town which lasted 12 weeks overall. MCM Painters has a long-standing relationship with Belmont Gardens, having painted this building twice in the last 15 years. We were well-acquainted with this structure and delighted to work on this building again.

The challenge

This brought us to the challenge at hand: water jetting a building with several layers of paint applied over the years can result in paint scaling off in uneven patches. This is due to some sections of paint having hardened more over the years than other sections which can leave rather nasty divots on the surface. The divots often cause an adhesion problem when we start to prepare the surface for the painting phase. Therefore, just the right amount of water jetting had to be applied to result in an even working surface. Careful and skillful filler application was a crucial element to the success of this phase of the project.

Texture rollers were used to create the desired surface and it was finished off by sanding it down to get the surface ready for our painting team. This phase required a lot of systematic and patient hand labour by our skilled craftsmen.

Two maintenance phases

The first phase involved waterproofing on the back walkway as well as constructing a French drain which is a trench filled with gravel that redirects surface- and groundwater away from the building.  With the building situated high up against the mountain and downhill from an underground river, we needed a solution to prevent ground and surface water from penetration and damaging the foundation of the building.

A four-coat system was applied to the walkway, starting with two coats of acrylic paint where the second coat is covered by silica sand to render the essential non-slip quality and provide it with hiding power. That was followed by two top coats to secure and finish off the walkway.

Next, our painting team took over for the second phase of this project. We applied a full four-coat paint system comprising primer, fibre seal and two top coats to complete the look.

Summary

Despite this being quite an old building, it has been very well-managed and boasts with good property maintenance record which has preserved its aesthetic integrity beautifully. We are very pleased with the result and grateful to once again have been the contractor of choice for Belmont Gardens.

About MCM Painters
MCM Painters is a professional company that specialises in painting, waterproofing and structural repair work in Cape Town and surrounding areas. As a local market leader with 15 years of experience in the business, we take great pride in our work and provide the highest quality workmanship at a competitive price. We guarantee our work, including manufacturer guarantees, for five years.
Contact Ross Peacock on 082 827 1817 or ross@mcmpainters.co.za for further information or to get a free assessment done. MCM Painters – We realise your renovation vision.