Cleaning Sovereign Quay in Cardiff bay
Low pressure building restoration
We were invited to quote for cleaning Sovereign Quay in Cardiff Bay. The project involved a deep clean of all exterior surfaces, but using low pressure. It had been 17 years since the building had been built and it was still waiting for it’s first clean. Due to the location of the building the wind and rain had taken its toll on the surfaces and left the building looking tired. Render cleaning was needed on this building that would transform the building to its former glory.
Sample Patch
On our first visit to Sovereign Quay we carried out a sample clean. This was to show the standard of clean that we can achieve. We applied Metaclear to the render for the oxidisation of metabolites on the rendered surface. Next, we steam cleaned the area to remove the surface deposits. This meant we were able to remove the 17 years of algae growth! This allowed us to reveal the true colour of the building.
We chose to carry out the sample patch on one of the worst affected walls. This was to show the difference that could be made from the cleaning. Along with the sample of our work we walked around the site with the directors. Explaining about our approach to the clean and work out access requirements.
Dockside Elevation
Cleaning Sovereign Quay in Cardiff Bay
Access
The access to the dockside elevation was very limited. We needed to reach a height of around 25 meters, but only had around 3m width to work with. We accessed the situation and worked out the right cherry picker for the job. It was first thought that we would need two machines for the dockside; a large cherry picker and a smaller spider lift. However, with some great driving by our operatives, we were able to use just the one machine on the dockside.
About the clean
The dockside of the building contained a lot of balconies and awkward angles to clean. Our team started at the highest point and worked their way down the building. With the correct tools and skills our dockside team were able to remove the algae growth. This mean that the render and metalwork was left looking looking great.
The finish of this building is Sto Render. Sto render is very thin so, care must be taken not to damage the surface. For this reason we applied the softwash chemical solution (Metaclear) using very low pressure, no more than a watering can. After sufficient dwell time we steam cleaned the render under very low pressure. Several applications were needed on the whole property as the algae growth was so intense. Metaclear was used for the oxidisation of the metabolites. This is to remove the black appearance that had resulted from years of growth. Cleaning Sto Render is a job that needs to be carried out by an experienced professional. In the wrong hands a lot of damage can be caused.
Carpark Elevation
Cleaning Sovereign Quay in Cardiff Bay
Access
The carpark side of the building needed a larger cherry picker for the render cleaning. We used a Genie S85 cherry picker for cleaning Sovereign Quay in Cardiff Bay. That meant we had a working height of 91ft and an outreach of 70ft, which was needed to get to the awkward areas. There were lots of balconies and roof areas to access on this side of the building. This meant this cherry picker was the perfect tool for the job.
About the clean
The carpark elevation of the building was very different to the dockside in appearance. The design was less orderly, meaning there we lots of hidden areas on or above balconies and roofs. This side of the building was suffering badly with algae growth. After 17 years the algae growth on the building that once looked white, now looked grey and black. All render needed to be treated several times with Metaclear to kill off the growth and have a light steam clean.
As this side of the building is seen by many visitors to the area, including hotel residents at Voco St David’s – Cardiff Hotel. With the 5* hotel just a few meters away the look of the building, before we arrived, was not suited to the area. Every day we had many people complimenting us on the work as they passed by. The difference between the dirty and areas and clean areas was staggering.
Due to the positioning of the building it was quite windy some days. This meant working from the cherry picker a little nerve wracking when cleaning some areas, especially when cleaning close to the roof line or on the far edges of the building. However, the we tested the wind speed regularly and luckily it didn’t get to a point where we needed to halt the work.
Before and Afters
Do you need your render cleaned?
If you have a building coated in render and are interested in softwash render cleaning get in touch today. The render cleaning equipment and render cleaning solutions we use will guarantee a first class finish every time. So if you are looking at render cleaning prices or searching for “render cleaning near me” we can help you with your K render cleaning. We have worked directly for Weber, Monocouche, and K Rend. There will be differing advice on how to clean your render such as sodium hypochlorite render cleaning, cleaning render with bleach and steam cleaning render. Due to our 14 years experience in cleaning render we can offer sound advice on how to clean your render in a way that will achieve the best results whilst ensuring no risk of damage to your rendered wall.