Sheet Piles

MCU-Coatings are moisture tolerant; have great adhesion; high abrasion resistance; and good long term flexibility, which are all essential attributes for sheet piling applications. But most importantly, they cure quickly and have a degree of salt tolerance so they can be applied to semi-dried, ‘fresh water, abrasive blasted’ steel at low tide.

In-between tides, only a fresh water wash is needed to apply the next coating.

With this kind of preparation and in this environment a coating’s longevity on the water-line and below will only ever be as good as the surface preparation and application environment allow. However, above the water line MCU-Coatings will last a long time, provided the steel is suitably prepared and the applicator ensures they achieve good adhesion.

Our standard specification for sheet piles is: 90µm DFT MCU-Aluprime Primer, 90µm DFT MCU-Miomastic followed by 90µm DFT MCU-Miotopcoat – total DFT of 300µm.

Other relevant system features:

• Single-component system that can be brushed, rolled or sprayed
• It is not weather restricted:
  • can be applied between 6% – 99% relative humidity
  • can be applied at -15°C and even onto 70°C steel surfaces
  • no dew point restrictions; and
  • are not troubled by rain events 15 minutes after application and will continue to cure underwater
• Is surface tolerant. Our universal primers bond well to steel, even in moist environments
• Can be over-coated in 45 minutes, which is useful when working in tidal zones
• They do not embrittle over time and have excellent UV resistance

Coating sheet piles at low tide would almost have to be the most severe environment possible to apply protective coatings.  While there can be no guarantees to the potential longevity and effectiveness of a coating in this situation it is noteworthy that MCU-Coatings have been moderately successful in these environments because of the material’s ability to develop its steel adhesion and continue curing underwater.