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The Address Boulevard Hotel
Dubai · 2023
Façade joint sealing across hotel envelope
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Coatings & Protection · Joint sealing specialist
Expansion joints, control joints, perimeter seals, façade movement joints. Two-part PU, silicone neutral, polysulphide, MS polymer hybrids. Backer rod, primer, sealant — done in the right order.
Approved applicator · brand-certified
What we do
A 200 mm long sealant joint costs less than a square metre of waterproofing — and it leaks faster. We treat joint sealing like a system: backer rod sized to the joint, primer where the substrate calls for it, sealant tooled to the right hourglass profile, and the surface inspected before the bond is cosmetic-finished.
We apply Mapei Mapeflex range and AkzoNobel/Sika-equivalent systems on tier-1 hospitality and high-end residential.
System comparison
Four sealant families, four very different jobs. The right one depends on the substrate, the movement capacity required, whether it'll be painted, and whether it'll see fuel or chemicals.
| PU (polyurethane) | Silicone — neutral | Polysulphide | MS polymer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use case | Concrete movement joints | Glass, façade, perimeter | Below-grade, fuel-resistant | Mixed substrates |
| Movement | ±25% | ±50% | ±25% | ±25–50% |
| Service life | 10–15 yr | 20+ yr | 15–20 yr | 15–20 yr |
| Paintable | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cure type | Moisture | Moisture (neutral) | Chemical | Moisture |
| We typically use | Mapei Mapeflex PU45 | Mapei Mapesil AC | Mapei Idrostop / Sika-2c | Mapei Mapeflex MS45 |
Our process
Where it fits
Reference projects
The Address Boulevard Hotel
Dubai · 2023
Façade joint sealing across hotel envelope
Dubai Hills Villas
Dubai Hills · 2024
Perimeter and wet-area sealing for cluster villas
Jumeirah Golf Villas
Dubai · 2023
Movement joints across podium decks
Warranty
Workmanship warranty: 5 years on PU, 10 years on silicone neutral, 7 years on polysulphide and MS polymer. We won't sealant-over a moving substrate without backer rod and primer — that's a callback we don't take.
Service life
Frequently asked
PU for concrete movement joints, trafficked joints, and anywhere you need a paintable surface. Silicone (neutral cure) for glass, façade and perimeter sealing where movement is high and paint isn't required. We never use acetoxy silicone on concrete — it acid-attacks the substrate.
PU: 10–15 years. Silicone neutral: 20+ years if installed correctly. Polysulphide and MS polymer: 15–20 years. The biggest factor isn't the sealant — it's whether the joint geometry and primer were right at install.
No. Paint does not adhere to silicone. If the joint needs to be painted, specify PU, polysulphide or MS polymer instead.
Closed-cell foam rod sized 25–30% wider than the joint, inserted to set the depth. It controls the sealant's geometry (2:1 width-to-depth) and prevents three-sided adhesion — which is what makes sealants tear under movement. No backer rod = warranty void.
Yes — Mapei Mapeflex PU45 and equivalent self-levelling PU sealants rated for foot and vehicle traffic. The joint geometry is critical: we cut and clean before injecting, never apply over old failed sealant.
No. Sealants seal joints; membranes seal surfaces. A façade needs both — sealant at the movement joints, waterproofing on the wall. Treating sealants as waterproofing is the most common reason wet-room perimeter failures happen.
Workmanship: 5–10 years per system. Material: per manufacturer TDS (typically 20 years on silicone neutral, 15 on PU). Joint manufacturer-applicator warranty available on Mapei Mapeflex products where the application is inspected at install.
Yes — strip the old sealant, clean the substrate, insert new backer rod, prime if required, install new sealant. We don't sealant-over old sealant. Adhesion is unreliable and the failure mode is invisible from the surface.
Related disciplines
Free site survey across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Written quotation back within 48 working hours.
Brand-certified applicator