Sydney heritage restoration protected from rust and fire

A striking integration of old and new, The Brewery sits at the centre of the Sydney Innovation and Technology Precinct in Chippendale. Architects Tzannes re-imagined the use of the historic Kent Brewery brickwork and chimney, creating six floors of commercial workspace with ground floor retail and dining spaces. Preserving the heritage facade, an innovative trigeneration plant was added to the roofline to deliver sustainable energy to the surrounding precinct.

Specifying a fire-resistant, high performance coating system

Pacific Steel Constructions Pty Ltd fabricated the new steelwork for the project, including the extensive mesh-style steel that makes up the geometric form of the roofline. All this new steel, as well the existing structural steel, required a highly durable coating that would provide protection from abrasion, corrosion, chemical splash and importantly, fire.

The highly experienced Dulux® Protective Coatings team stepped in to support project managers Johnstaff, the builder Icon Group, and the applicator, Doolee Construction. The Dulux PC team included Business Development Executive Darren Brewer, Business Development Manager Roger Tobler, and Technical Sales Representative, Jack Jaber. Together, the team recommended the following three-step system:

• Step 1 - Pacific Steel Constructions Pty Ltd applied Dulux® Duremax® GPE ZP at precisely 100-microns (µm) DFT to the steel components in the factory before they were delivered to site. This epoxy primer has been enhanced with zinc phosphate pigment, giving the steelwork inhibitive corrosion protection.

• Step 2 - Doolee Constructions applied an intermediate coat of Promat Cafco SPRAYFILM® WB3 was applied to achieve fire protection in accordance with Australian Standard AS 1530: Part 4: 2005. This leading water based intumescent coating consists of resins and fillers that will expand in a fire, insulating steel for up to 120 minutes.

• Step 3 - Dulux® Luxathane® MPX was applied in two coats @ 60-microns (µm) DFT each, tinted to match the the powder coat colour, Dark Storm Pearl Matt. With all the durability and performance expected from the Luxathane range, this smooth matt topcoat built another layer of anti-corrosion resistance as well as a great looking finish.

The steel components were then delivered to site, where Doolee Constructions were blasting and coating all the existing steel in the same three-step system in situ, sectioning off levels one at a time and adapting the application for areas that were difficult to reach.

Unrivalled coatings expertise

The Dulux Protective Coatings team enjoyed being an integral part of this heritage restoration project on behalf of asset owners, IP Generation.

“The steel was originally specified to be coated in a competitor product,” Darren explains. “Pacific Steel, however, chose to prime with Duremax GPE ZP, and it made sense for the project team to explore the benefits of using a full Dulux Protective Coatings system.”

“Jack Jaber's ability to cultivate strong relationships with our clients in Sydney was crucial in assisting with equipment setup, product supply, and on-site support.”

Project partners also valued the Dulux Protective Coatings team's expert knowledge of intumescent coatings on The Brewery's restoration.

Support that goes beyond the specification

Our Dulux Protective Coatings technical consultants do more than recommend and check coatings specifications. They partner with architects, builders and applicators on large-scale projects to provide ongoing support throughout the project.