From the Resene News – issue 2/2011

Fresh paint - Telecom

Imagine how worn you’d look if you had stood outside exposed to the elements for decades. That’s exactly what the Telecom building in Airedale Street, Auckland experienced. A bare concrete 70s style building that had never been painted, the exterior was looking decidedly tired.

With the substrate being prone for such a long period of time, it was critical to get the surface preparation right before applying any paint. An exposed building like this has a high risk of salt contamination so once the preparation was complete the substrate was sealed with Resene Sureseal to lock in any salt and provide a sound foundation for following paint coats. Walls were finished in topcoats of Resene Lumbersider waterborne low sheen and windows were finished in a contrasting high gloss Resene Super Gloss enamel.

With the new paint system designed to provide longer term protection for the building and blend in with the surrounding buildings, a simple neutral palette of Resene Half Napa (muted neutral) was chosen for all main wall areas and windows with feature bands in Resene Foundry (shadowy charcoal).

The balance of hues in the new colour scheme has led to an interesting change in how you view the building. With the original exterior the large expanses of concrete tended to draw in the eye and the feature bands faded into the backdrop. The new colour scheme has reversed this effect with the feature bands dominating the view and the larger expanses of concrete receding visually to act as a soft backdrop.

The building is now back exposed to the elements but this time with coats of paint that will help protect the once exposed concrete.

Painting Contractors: Action Painters, Transfield Services Limited
Resene: Ben Solly, North Shore/West Auckland Branch Manager; Sarah Gregory, Colour Consultant

 
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