Masha'Allah Building, Al Nahda

The challenge

An occupied residential building in Al Nahda had visible façade cracking, hairline spalling around the parapet and signs of rebar corrosion telegraphing through the paint. The owners had been told by previous contractors to 'just paint over it'. We took the brief as a repair problem, not a paint problem — but the repair work had to happen on an occupied façade with residents still living in the apartments below.

Our approach

Step one: non-destructive testing. Half-cell potential survey, carbonation depth tests, cover-meter rebar mapping. Step two: chip back to sound concrete around exposed rebar, treat rebar with corrosion inhibitor, build back with Mapei Planitop polymer-modified repair mortar. Step three: PU expanding injection on the wet/active hairline cracks, epoxy injection on the dry structural ones. Step four: AkzoNobel Dulux Stucco wall putty + Weathershield exterior + Velvet Touch interior, applied to TDS coverage rates.

The outcome

Repair scope handed over with a stamped engineering report. 18 months on, the repaired patches have not re-cracked, the paint film is intact, and there's no fresh rebar staining anywhere on the façade. The diagnosis-first approach is now our standard for any refurbishment tender that arrives as a 'paint job'.