Frimax Foods, based in Verulam KZN, a producer of various potato and corn chips, required waterproofing on their Administration Block roof. As the maintenance was critical, it was initiated on the 12 May 2020, during level 4 of the Covid-19 lockdown period. It is no exaggeration to say, that executing a revamp of this nature, during lockdown, came with many challenges.
To maintain the quality that Frimax project, their roofs had to be done with tried and tested quality products. It stood to reason then, that Sika’s proven products were chosen to meet the project specifications. The contractor for this repair was R & D Contracting; and keeping his finger on the pulse of events, was Sika’s trusted Technical Sales Representative, Mark Duckham.
Two of Sika’s renowned products were used for waterproofing the roof: Sikalastic®- 560 in grey, and Sika® Reemat Premium, a chopped strand glass fibre mat. Twenty four kits of the Sikalastic®- 560 were used on the span of the waterproofing area. Sikalastic®-560 is a co-polymer acrylic, polyurethane, one-component, water-based waterproofing membrane. This fully bonded, seamless waterproofing membrane is highly elastic, UV-resistant, and has excellent adhesion on both porous and non-porous substrates. It is a product suitable for use on both new construction and refurbishment projects. Sika® Reemat Premium is used as a reinforcement, in the entire range of Sika’s liquid-applied waterproofing membranes. Lockdown aside, waterproofing the roof was a simple task – with a base coat layer of embedded Reemat Premium followed by two layers of the Sikalastic®-560 top-coat to finish. This system is ideal for roofs with many details and complex geometry, even where accessibility is limited.
Despite strict Lockdown regulations such as social distancing, restricted travel, and on site labour reductions (50%), the project was successfully completed. Furthermore, it was completed on the 25 May 2020, a mere two weeks after its commencement. Surely now, there will be no more rainy days in the Frimax building.
