Mapei specified for the external renovation of Ballard House, Plymouth

When Plymouth Council wanted to repair, clean and protect their main office building at West Hoe Road, a Mapei concrete repair system finished with Mapei Elastocolor Paint was chosen for its proven durability and performance. Following the successful completion of Opal Villas apartment building across town, the Mapei system was the sensible choice.

Ballard House – a high rise office building accommodating around 700 council staff, is situated on the coast and is constructed of aggregated precast concrete panels. The building needed localised concrete repair and overall protection from the aggressive environment, which had led to concrete deterioration and to the overall dull appearance of the concrete.

Working with Concrete Repairs Limited, Mapei developed a bespoke specification covering surface preparation, repairing the concrete with Mapemortar HB R3 – a prebagged high build concrete repair mortar and the application of Malech Primer and Elastocolor paint. Samples of the Elastocolor Paint were applied to the building to enable the council to select the desired colour. Oyster White was the colour of choice.

Mapei Elastocolor Paint is a water-based elastomeric coating with excellent crack bridging capabilities, which protects the concrete from carbonation and the aggressive agents in the atmosphere. It is impermeable to rainwater but permeable to moisture vapour allowing the structure to breathe. Also, Elastocolor Paint has excellent resistance to ageing and freezing weather conditions, providing a surface that has low dirt retention giving it a service life in excess of 10 years before first maintenance.

Using Mapei‘s concrete repair and protection solutions has prolonged the life of Ballard House, whilst also substantially improving the building’s appearance.

Mapei’s extensive range of solutions include concrete repair mortars, anti-corrosion coatings, reinforcement corrosion protectors and embedded galvanic anodes. All of which help to extend the life of concrete structures including social housing, bridges, car parks, education, health and commercial buildings. All projects are supported by our experienced technical team who offer expert specification advice and guidance.