Wharves and Jetties

This environment is exposed to the highest corrosion classification (C 5 V H). The most severe corrosion occurs at the waterline, where there is the greatest differential in oxygen concentration between the atmosphere and the water. This happens because the portion of the substrate exposed to higher amounts of oxygen (the area exposed to air) becomes a cathode, while the portion of the substrate exposed to less oxygen (the area in contact with water) becomes an anode. The creation of an anode and a cathode allows oxidation to occur.

Waterline corrosion is combated by coating the material being placed in the water with MCU-Aluprime primer that acts as a sacrificial anode and reduces the direct oxygen exposure on the substrate. MCU-Aluprime has exceptional adhesion, flexibility, and has allowed us to solve many of the toughest coating problems.

It is challenging to protect steel and concrete near the water at the best of times, without having to deal with tides, the weather and long curing times associated with traditional corrosion coatings. MCU-Coatings overcomes many of these problems.

Our standard specification for wharves and jetties is 90µm DFT MCU-Aluprime, 90µm MCU-Miomastic and 90µm DFT MCU-Miotopcoat:

Other coating features:

• Single-component system that can be brushed, rolled or sprayed
• Unlimited open times in a closed pot
• 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
• It is surface tolerant
• Can be over-coated in 45 minutes, which is useful when carrying out maintenance works
• They remain flexible and are not affected by vibrations
• They do not embrittle over time and have excellent UV resistance; and
• MCU-Coatings bond tenaciously to good ‘old’ coatings

MCU-Coatings products are ideal for fast project completion times; they adhere really well on mechanically-prepared surfaces and only require 2 coats. The system could not be simpler.