1. Following international
industry trends, Dekro
Paints is committed to the
use of formulations that
are not toxic or hazardous
to the environment. On-
going research provides
guidelines for the user - to
ensure safety in
application and warn of
possible effects on the
environment.
Dekro's research
department is continually
investigating the latest
raw materials available
abroad. The aim of this
research is to move away
from toxic solvents to
water-based or high solids
coatings.
Newsletter
Issue 05 – July 2014
The Edward Nathans Sonnenbergs (ENS) building in Cape
Town recently received unfavourable scores for their
health and safety ratings due to non-conforming coatings
on their fire sprinkler system. We provided them with our
QD (quick dry) enamels to achieve a time effective
turnaround on recoating the fire sprinkler system to SANS
approved standards. ENS is in close proximity to the ocean
and the pipes were also treated for extensive corrosion.
We specified the following products on the fire sprinkler
 Detailed Commercial Specifications
 Property Diagnostics
 Project Monitoring
 Quality control and site inspections
 Product education and
development
 Cost effective maintenance
 After sales service
 Decorative and industrial coatings
 Product Training
 Application Training
The last Wednesday of every month
we conduct factory tours to show you
the operational side of the business.
To reserve your seat in our training
facility on the 27th of August 2014,
please forward your details to
helpdesk@dekro.co.za

2. Before any coating can be applied it is very important to ascertain the extent of the repairs required to
the facades of the property. Inadequate repairs are generally the reason for water ingress into the
substrates causing the coatings to fail. Below is a summary of what to look out for during the repair
assessment.
There are three main
reasons for hairline
cracks:
The environment in
which the plaster dried.
Wall movement
Poorly mixed plaster
and or structural issues
Hairline crack are easily
repaired by opening all
cracks and brushing them
clean using a wire brush.
Apply one coat of Dekro
Masonry Primer into all
cracks and allow 8 hours
drying time before over
coating. Brush Dekro
Fibre Strength into all
hairline cracks to bridge
cracks. Allow to dry for 8
hours
Plaster cracks larger than 1mm requires to be
filled prior to over-coating using quality external
fillers. When plaster cracks straight through to
the concrete or brickwork more rigid repair
methods are required using reinforcing mesh.
For ordinary plaster crack repairs open all cracks
and brush clean. Apply one coat Dekro Masonry
Primer into all cracks and allow 8 hours drying
time. Cracks less than 10mm deep should be
filled with PROFILL Exterior crack filler in layers of
not more than 4mm at a time to allow quick
drying. (Drying time depends on thickness of
application). Sand to smooth finish and remove
dust.
Spot prime all filled areas with one coat of Dekro
Masonry Primer and allow 8 hours before over
coating. Apply one coat of Dekro Fibre Strength
over the repaired areas and allow 8 hours drying
time before over-coating.
Separation within a plaster wall or ceiling is a rare
occurrence, but, because it is encountered
occasionally, discussion of possible causes and
prevention is appropriate. Delamination may occur
and become evident in one or more of several
possible ways.
Delamination between the brickwork/concrete
and plaster layers due to poor adhesion. Typically
because of poor plaster ratios.
Water ingress between layers caused by failed
coatings, joints and or waterproofing.
Thoroughly inspect and hammer test all plaster and remove all delaminating plaster back to
sound surface. All plaster areas to be broken out are to be squared off to allow better adhesion
between the new plaster and existing substrate. Apply a mortar repair slurry. The mortar is to be
well compacted in layers not exceeding 30mm and is to be trowelled off to the profile of the
surrounding plaster. Patches may be visible, as it is not always possible to match existing surface
textures.

3. www.dekro.co.za TOLL FREE HELP LINE: 0800 222 423 info@dekro.co.za 24 Fabriek Street Kuils River 7580
Concrete spalling is often termed concrete cancer.
Its main symptom is concrete flaking from the
surface of the affected area accompanied by
nearby staining. Staining can be a first symptom,
with a commonly held misconception being it is
caused by the weathering process.
Concrete spalling is caused when steel
reinforcement within a concrete slab begins
rusting. When steel rusts it expands approximately
5 times its original size causing concrete
displacement and flaking. On becoming damaged,
more water can enter the affected area, speeding
up the process.
Thoroughly inspect and hammer test all concrete surfaces to locate and expose defective concrete which is
not readily visible. Identify and inspect cracks in order to investigate the cause of cracking. Any cracks
containing corroding reinforcing steel must be cut open and treated. All concrete areas to be broken out
are to have rebated perimeter of at least 10mm deep and ± 50mm either side of defected steel. Thoroughly
clean down all exposed steel by abrasive grinding to remove all rust and to expose clean bright steel.
Apply a coat of approximately 1mm thick approved anti-corrosive coating to the reinforcing steel. Allow to
dry (Please refer to Suppliers technical data sheets). Apply repair mortar to the area whilst the coating is
still wet. (Wet on wet application)
Apply onto the bonding slurry and approved patching mortar. The mortar is to be well compacted in layers
not exceeding 30mm and is to be trowelled off to the profile of the surrounding concrete. For areas of
overhung concrete, light weight mortar may be used. Patches may be visible, as it is not always possible to
match existing surface textures.
Defective joint seals are the common cause for water ingress into substrate. Regular maintenance and
repairs to the following areas must be conducted to prevent failure of coatings.
Expansion Joints V-Joints Window Joints
Always use quality primers and sealants for each individual repair. Consult the supplier technical data sheets
for preparation and application methods.