Project Case Study
Project Title: Folkestone, Kent – Concrete Repairs, Corrosion Control & Anti-Carbonation Coatings
Location: Folkestone, Kent
Sector: Commercial / Retail
Project Overview
Concrete Repair Solutions were appointed by Boots UK Ltd to undertake concrete repair, corrosion control installation and anti-carbonation coating works to the external reinforced concrete elements in Sandgate Road, Folkestone.
The works focused on exposed concrete ring beams located to the rear elevations of the building. The scope included removal of defective concrete, treatment of reinforcement, installation of galvanic corrosion protection, reinstatement of concrete cover and application of a protective anti-carbonation coating system.
The project formed part of a targeted intervention to restore durability and provide long-term protection to the exposed structural elements.
What We Did
- Removed defective concrete cover via mechanical breakout
- Mechanically cleaned exposed reinforcement to remove corrosion products
- Installed PatchGuard galvanic anodes to repair areas
- Reinstated concrete using hand-applied repair mortar
- Applied cementitious fairing coat to exposed beam surfaces
- Applied anti-carbonation coating to exposed concrete ring beams
- Installed mastic fillet at junction between brickwork and concrete ring beams
Technical Overview
The retail structure on Sandgate Road, Folkestone is a multi-storey retail and office building comprising a ground floor shop with three upper office floors and a flat roof.
The shop frontage is clad in ceramic tiles, while the rear elevations are constructed in fair-faced brickwork with exposed reinforced concrete edge beams at each storey level. The exposed concrete elements had previously been coated with a cementitious fairing coat and painted with a coating of unknown origin.
Survey and testing works were undertaken to the North East, South East and South West facing elevations. Repairs addressed localised deterioration and reinforcement corrosion affecting the exposed ring beams.
Mechanical breakout was undertaken to remove defective concrete and expose sound substrate. Reinforcement was cleaned prior to installation of galvanic anodes to provide ongoing corrosion mitigation within the repair zones. Concrete cover was reinstated using suitable hand-placed repair mortar, followed by application of a cementitious fairing coat to achieve uniform surface finish.
A protective anti-carbonation coating was then applied to all exposed ring beams to enhance durability and reduce future risk of carbonation-induced corrosion.
Project Challenges
- Working to an operational retail premises
- Achieving consistent finish across multiple elevations
- Integrating corrosion control within localised repair areas
- Detailing junctions between brickwork and reinforced concrete
Outcome
The completed works reinstated the integrity of the exposed concrete ring beams and incorporated galvanic corrosion control to reduce future deterioration risk.
Application of the anti-carbonation coating system provided enhanced long-term protection while delivering a consistent and improved external finish across the treated elevations.
Services Demonstrated
- Concrete repair and reinstatement
- Reinforcement preparation and corrosion mitigation
- Galvanic anode installation
- Cementitious fairing coat application
- Anti-carbonation protective coating systems
- Commercial façade remediation
