Keeping the largest mall in Kuwait waterproof was quite a challenge considering the massive areas involved and it was a task that Tremco – a global leader in the manufacture of sealants, coatings and adhesives – tackled successfully, thanks to its quality products, extensive experience and local support.

“Our involvement in the project began in the early design stages when we were asked by Norr Consult to devise a versatile liquid-applied deck coating system,” says Stuart Wakeham, regional manager of Tremco Middle East. “The system was required to provide a cost-effective long-lasting protective and decorative wearing surface capable of coping with the differing demands of the various car-park areas that would include a large basement slab, suspended slabs, ramps, driveways and pedestrian walkways, both internal and external.”
“The coating would need to provide waterproofing to the structure to protect against water ingress, carbonation and possible chemical attack whilst being able to accommodate the anticipated movement caused by both the live loadings of vehicles and the extremes of temperature that are prevalent in Kuwait.
“In addition, it would need to protect against impact and abrasion and maintain an aesthetically-pleasing appearance,” he points out.
Tremco proposed the Vulkem system, which has been used extensively throughout the Gulf since its introduction in 1989. The Vulkem M configuration used on the basement comprised an elastomeric polyurethane primer overlaid with two coats of Vulkem 345, a flexible two-component polyurethane wear coat containing an aggregate to provide a non-skid finish.
On the suspended car-park decks and ramps, Tremco utilised the Vulkem 350/345/346 system, a fully-elastomeric ASTM C957-compliant UV (ultra-violet)-resistant coating system with an integral elastomeric waterproof membrane and a high-performance aliphatic polyurethane top coat, he says.
“The thickness of the wear coat is increased in areas anticipated to have high traffic to attain a fully wear-balanced system, ensuring the integrity of the waterproof base coat throughout the life span of the system,” Wakeham says.
He continues: “The size of the project was considerable, with 75,000 sq m of basement and 45,000 sq m of suspended slabs and ramps, which meant that a high level of coordination was necessary between Tremco’s Middle East office, Tremco’s Kuwaiti agent Al Hamra Kuwait and Tremco Incorporated’s manufacturing facility in Cleveland Ohio, to ensure timely production and delivery of material.”
In addition to the Vulkem deck coating, Tremco also provided 40,000 linear metres of THC900, a fully trafficable expansion joint sealant and 5,000 sq m of Tremproof 60 as a protected liquid-applied waterproof membrane to washrooms and wet areas.
“Such a large and prestigious project also demanded a high level of supervision in terms of application with regular visits by technical staff of both Tremco and Al Hamra at critical stages of the contract,” Wakeham points out.
Preparation of the concrete was done using a grit-blasting machine, which removes the surface laitance and provides a sound, porous substrate, enabling the PU (polyurethane) coating to gain a highly penetrative mechanical bond. Removal of the laitance also exposes any cracks in the concrete, which must be repaired prior to the coating being applied.
“Application of the material itself was straightforward – the technology is in the product not in its application – with a short nap roller being the preferred method of application, with great care being taken to achieve the specified coverage rate and wet film thickness,” he explains.
 A two-colour scheme was selected by the client differentiating between the driveways and parking bays.
Tremco was formed in 1928 when William Treuhaft opened his small roofing materials manufacturing plant in Cleveland, Ohio. Today, that single plant has grown to become the Tremco Group, an RPM International Inc. affiliate company employing more than 1,900 people in dozens of locations around the world. The Tremco Group consists of operating divisions specialising in the manufacture and sale of roofing materials and services, construction sealants, glazing and gaskets, waterproofing systems, concrete admixtures and sealers, grouts and mortars, fire stopping systems and a host of custom-designed products, programmes and services dedicated to the worldwide construction and maintenance and repair industries.
The Tremco Group business divisions are: Roofing and Building Maintenance, Sealants/Weatherproofing, The Euclid Chemical Company and Tremco-Illbruck Europe. All Tremco Group facilities are ISO 9001/9002 registered.