This video was filmed at Bahrain International Airport, where the maintenance team made a live leak repair to seal a leaking step joint on a 100mm UPVC pipe in under 30 minutes after cement solvent bonds weakened and allowed water to seep out.
About this Pipe Repair Video
A leaking step joint where pressure cannot be turned off is difficult to repair. A pipe repair clamp is not effective because of the difference in height between the step and the line. Epoxy putty will not form an effective bond to repair a leak where water is seeping out.
The UPVC pipe played a vital role in a critical system at the airport and so could not be shut off for repair or replacement. The maintenance team therefore contacted Sylmasta for help with a live leak repair method.
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was used to seal the leak. Wrap & Seal is a self-amalgamating tape which stretches by three times its length. When wrapped around a leaking pipe, it fuses to form a solid rubber band which contains content by creating a high-pressure repair.
Application began around 100mm away from the step. Wrap & Seal was wrapped towards the joint with a 50 percent overlay. Once the step was reached, the tape was wrapped directly on top of itself and a ridge built up to reach level height with the joint.
Wrap & Seal was then wrapped for a further 50mm along the step before application moved back to concentrate directly over the leak area.
Layers continued to be added until no more water was leaking from the pipe, indicating enough resistance had been created to seal the leak.
Two 50mm x 4m Wrap & Seal Tapes were used in the application. The repair was then reinforced with a SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandage. SylWrap is a composite fibreglass wrap with a water-activated resin.
It was wrapped and smoothed over the area covered by Wrap & Seal, setting rock hard in minutes to provide an impact resistant protective sleeve encompassing the step.
Completing the leaking step repair took less than 30 minutes whilst the pipe remained fully operational, meaning there was no impact to operations at the airport.
Both Wrap & Seal and SylWrap have WRAS approval, meaning they can be used on pipes carrying drinking water. Repairs are temperature resistant to 200ºC and effective on pipes of most substrates carrying hot and cold water and chemicals.
The products were supplied to the airport in a SYL-PRO-633 SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case. A Contractor Case contains enough products to make up to six live leak repairs on pipes of all types and diameters.
It is easy-to-store on-site and transport via car or van, ensuring everything needed to fix a leaking pipe is close to hand for making repairs as soon as problems are identified.
Kits to Make This Repair
SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit Contains Superfast Epoxy Putty, Wrap & Seal and SylWrap Bandage for making a permanent live leak repair
SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case Easy-to-store, robust red case with enough SylWrap Pipe Repair products to make up to six permanent live leak repairs.
If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch
Sylmasta add South East Regional Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award to their Sussex title
Sylmasta have picked up their second Chamber of Commerce Business Award of 2023, being named South East Regional Global Player Export Business of the Year.
The Global Player Award goes to a company that has demonstrated significant and sustained growth internationally through harnessing the opportunity of overseas markets, proving that exporting can power business growth.Â
Sylmasta were eligible for the accolade having won the Sussex Chamber of Commerce Export Business of the Year back in June. The South East Region covers Sussex, Kent, Hampshire, Isle of White, Surrey and Thames Valley.
Being named South East Regional Global Player sees Sylmasta progress to the national finals to take on other Export Business of the Year winners from around the United Kingdom.
2023 saw Sylmasta bring online new distribution in Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. This built on partnerships confirmed with several Latin American countries in 2022, meaning exports account for 45 percent of sales.
Sylmasta now supply pipe repair, refurbishment and maintenance products to more than 20 countries worldwide, working with water companies, oil refineries, desalination plants, wastewater treatment works, nuclear power stations, pumping stations, quarry wash plants, shipping, agriculture and within the hospitality and leisure industries.
Managing director Simon Bedding said: “We were especially pleased to win this particular award because exporting is so close to our hearts here at Sylmasta.”Â
“We consider it a win for everyone in our team, who continually work hard to ensure that we manufacture and deliver our SylWrap pipe repair solutions and Sylmasta epoxy repair compounds to customers around the globe.”
“From conversations with these customers, they see British-made goods as a badge of quality and our reputation remains for trust and fair dealing – something we in Britain don’t perhaps fully appreciate ourselves.”Â
“In fact, many have demanded that we put ‘Made in UK’ on our packaging, and we have been happy to oblige. Being based in Sussex, we are fortunate to be in a great location for exporting goods as we are near to major ports and international airports. This enables us to respond to urgent orders quickly and meet the demands of our customers, no matter where in the world they are.”
Building on their success in 2023, Sylmasta are putting a renewed focus on product innovation looking ahead to 2024. New lines in pipe repair bandages and epoxy repair putty are set to be offered to the global distribution network.
These products will improve and increase the Sylmasta product range, allowing contractors worldwide to repair and maintain ageing pipework more quickly and easily than ever before. In doing so, Sylmasta are helping to reduce water loss at a time when climate change makes conserving every drop more critical than ever.
Following vigorous testing, Superfast Aqua PW and SylWrap HD are approved for repairing leaking ABS pipe joints in a chilled water system at a luxury complex in the UAE
After several failed repair attempts, a leaking HVAC cooling tower at a production facility is sealed within a matter of hours to restore full efficiency to the temperature control system
Two cracks in an underground clay drainage pipe – one of which was severe enough to almost split the pipe into two – are sealed by a UK homeowner making a DIY repair
The alcohol line repair which had a sugar mill in Costa Rica raising a glass of guaro to the SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Having a SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case on site enabled a sugar mill in Costa Rica to make an instant live leak pipe repair when a pinhole was discovered in an alcohol line running vertically up a tower.
Case Study Data
Site Sugar mill Location Costa Rica Repair Type Live leak pipe repair Defect Pinhole leak in 70mm alcohol line
Products Used
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape Self-amalgamating silicone repair tape seals live leaks by fusing together to form a solid rubber band
A SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case contains enough products to seal up to six live leaks, making it the ideal kit to keep on-site for rapid response to emergences.
The sugar mill had approved its use several years earlier. Because the milling season in Costa Rica lasts only around four months, efficiency is paramount. Any downtime, disruption or delays to production are costly.
Numerous repairs had since been made by the sugar mill using their stock of Contractor Cases. These included 90 degree elbow bends in elevated pipelines and a particularly challenging Y-joint leaking from the exact point where three separate pipes connected. Most of these pipes carried hot water.
Previous repairs made by the mill using Contractor Cases
The leaking alcohol line was 70mm in diameter and transported alcohol juice extracted from sugar cane during fermentation, which would eventually be used in the production of spirits including rum and guaro, the official liquor of Costa Rica.
It ran vertically up the tower, with the leak developing in a weakened section as the line passed through a circular hole in one of the upper floors. Alcohol juice was left spraying through the pinhole at around two bar pressure.
Alcohol juice spraying out of the pinhole leak in the pipe
As the pipe could not be isolated, Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was used as the leak sealant. Wrap & Seal is made from self-amalgamating silicone. When stretched by up to three times its length as it is wrapped around a pipe, the Tape fuses to form a solid rubber band capable of sealing live leaks .
Despite the space constraints around the pipe where it passed through the hole in the floor, the engineer making the repair managed to stretch the Tape to a suitable length so that it amalgamated successfully.
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape sealed the live leak
Once the engineer was satisfied the leak had been fully arrested and alcohol was no longer escaping, a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was applied over the top to reinforce the Wrap & Seal.
SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap containing a water activated resin. As it was wrapped and smoothed around the Wrap & Seal, it cured to form a rock-hard protective sleeve over the pipe.
SylWrap HD reinforced the repair with an impact resistant layer of protection
Both Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD have WRAS approval, meaning they are safe to use with drinking water. The sugar mill were therefore reassured that neither product would affect the alcohol juice inside the pipe.
Because the sugar mill already had all the products required to repair the pipe on-site in their Contractor Case, it took less than 20 minutes to seal the alcohol line from the moment the pinhole was discovered.
Only a minimal amount of alcohol juice escaped thanks to the speed and ease of the repair. All systems remained fully operational, meaning there was no disruption whilst the application took place.
Had a Contractor Case not been available, a much greater quantity of juice would have been lost. The mill may have even been forced to shut down the leaking section until such time as it could be repaired at significant cost both financially and to production.
If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch
Cottages counter corrosion – the Sylmasta Pipe Refurbishment System is used to repair and reinforce a water supply line shared by eight properties
Four cottages in a terrace of eight in London use the Sylmasta Pipe Refurbishment System to repair and reinforce their respective sections of a 48 metre long shared water supply pipe weakened and breached by corrosion.
Case Study Data
Site Terraced cottages Location London, UK Repair Type Leak repair and pipe reinforcement Defect Heavily corroded 48 metre long steel shared water supply pipe breached in places
Products Used
Superfast Aqua PW Epoxy Putty Stick Fast working, WRAS approved epoxy putty with excellent wet surface adhesion used to seal leaks in pipework
Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating Brush applied coating which cures to a hard wearing, metallic surface for strengthening pipes and protecting against corrosion
SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage Composite repair wrap with water activated resin which sets rock hard to encompass pipes with an impact resistant outer sleeve
The row of eight terraced cottages were built in the middle of the 19th century. They were connected to the public water network at a later date, which led to a somewhat unusual setup involving an above-ground shared supply pipe.
This steel pipe connected with a water main underground at one end of the terrace. It rose up the side of the first cottage and was then fixed at a height of around three metres to the back wall of all eight properties, along which it ran for 48 metres.
The height of the line meant it was surrounded by extensions built onto the cottages, downpipes, guttering and other installations and improvements added to the buildings over time. Access to certain sections was therefore severely restricted.
Lagging being removed from the section of pipe climbing up the side wall. The line then ran for 48 metres along the back of the cottages.
Each cottage was responsible for the section of pipe outside their property, giving them around six metres to maintain and upkeep. Lagging had been added around all 48 metres of the line to protect it during winter.
Unfortunately, low-quality insulation material was used which soaked up moisture like a sponge, causing water and condensation to become trapped against the steel. Over time, this led to heavy corrosion and a weakening of the pipe.
When temperatures in London dropped as low as -8°C in an unusually cold spell and water inside the pipe froze, the brittle metalwork was unable to cope. Several cracks appeared outside one cottage, requiring repair.
The lagging was removed from the leaking section to access the pipe, at which point the extent of the corrosion problem became clear. The other seven cottages were inevitably going to suffer from bursts on their sections in future if something were not done.
Corrosion covered the pipe where it ran along the back wall of the cottages
Initially, the cottages contacted their water company for help. Because the pipe was a shared supply line and not part of the public network, the water company said they had no responsibility for it. It was therefore down to the eight property owners to find a solution themselves.
The cottages were quoted £22,000 to replace the entire line. Some of the property owners did not wish to contribute £2,750 towards the cost, preferring instead to take a chance their section would not burst.
It next became clear that replacing individual sections of pipe for those cottages wanting to avoid future leaks would not be practical either. New fittings would struggle to connect with old, brittle pipes not being replaced.
Installation would also be disruptive to those cottages not undertaking work, with shared electrical boxes and satellite dishes having to be taken out of service whilst new sections of pipe were fitted.
With no common route forward found, the cottage with the leaking section contacted Sylmasta for advice on sealing the holes on their part of the line. At this point, the owner also explained the complications caused by the shared water supply pipe and the concern about how it might deteriorate further.
Sylmasta suggested that in addition to sealing the cracked section of pipe outside one cottage, their Pipe Refurbishment System be used to reinforce individual sections along the line for those property owners wanting protection against future leaks.
Two cottages requested their sections be attended to, and so Sylmasta sent an approved contractor to London to carry out the repair and strengthening of the shared water supply pipe.
Superfast Aqua PW Epoxy Putty sealed the holes in the section of pipe which had burst
Once the lagging had been removed, the first stage of the Pipe Refurbishment System involved application of the leak sealant – in this case, Superfast Aqua PW Epoxy Putty.
Superfast Aqua PW was chosen for its excellent wet surface adhesion to alleviate concerns the pipe may have been weeping water. It has WRAS approval, meaning it is certified as safe to come into contact with potable water.
Aqua PW is supplied in a pre-measured 114g stick. The required amount of putty was cut from the stick, kneaded by hand and then pushed into the cracks and damage in the pipe whilst soft. Within 20 minutes, it cured to form a rock-hard sealing material.
Liquid Metal could be easily painted onto difficult-to-access areas of the pipe
The second stage of the Pipe Refurbishment System saw Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating applied to strengthen the line and protect it from corrosion. Liquid Metal was painted on by brush to sections of the pipe outside every cottage who wanted their part of the line reinforced.
Liquid Metal coated onto the pipe to form a new metallic outer surface
Once cured, Liquid Metal formed a smooth, metallic, hard-wearing outer surface around the pipe to act as a shield against external corrosion. Should the brittle steel be breached from the inside by freezing temperatures in future, the Liquid Metal shell will contain the contents of the pipe.
The cottages who did not wish for their sections of pipe to be reinforced were left with the original lagging and corroded pipe, contrasting with the refurbishment provided by Liquid Metal
SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was added as the final stage of the Pipe Refurbishment System, to provide the shared water supply pipe with another layer of protection. SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water-activated resin which sets rock-hard in minutes when wrapped and smoothed around pipework.
The pipe was given further protection using SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Nine SylWrap Bandages were applied per cottage to build up thickness to four layers, with the application taking place whilst the Liquid Metal remained tacky to improve adhesion to the pipe. Once cured, SylWrap HD formed an impact resistant shell encompassing the pipe.
In addition to the two planned repairs, a third cottage owner asked for their section to be reinforced, having seen how straightforward and cost-effective the process was. Their part of the shared water supply pipe had not been as badly weakened by corrosion and therefore required only Liquid Metal for suitable strengthening.
All three cottages were completed in a single day, with the approved contractor also installing new lagging to replace the original insulation which had to be removed. A fourth cottage then requested the approved contractor return and attend to their part of the pipe, meaning half the 48 metres had been reinforced.
Lagging added to complete the repair
Around one year after the original repair and a fifth cottage contacted Sylmasta. 12 months of further corrosion had left their section of the pipe on the verge of collapse.
Refurbishment of this section was now far more challenging and costly than the repair the other four cottages had opted for – highlighting the benefits of strengthening and protecting systems before more serious problems develop.
If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch
Repair and refurbishment helps a portable toilet company avoid flushing two working luxury trailer units down the drain
Holding tanks with the capacity to store 3000 litres of wastewater underneath two luxury portable toilet trailers undergo repair and strengthening after the metalwork became weakened by corrosion, causing numerous holes to appear.
Case Study Data
Site Luxury Portable Toilet Trailer Location United Kingdom Repair Type Tank repair and refurbishment Defect Heavy corrosion to two wastewater storage tanks
Products Used
Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty Epoxy putty pushed into holes and cracks in tanks and pipes, where it will cure to a rock-hard material which permanently seals leaks
Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating Brush applied coating which strengthens and protects metalwork by forming a new metallic, hard-wearing surface
Luxury portable toilet trailers are mobile restroom facilities used for large outdoor occasions, such as music festivals and sporting events. They include flushing toilets, urinals, sinks with running water, mirrors and lighting, offering a much more comfortable experience than standard portable toilets.
Toilet trailers require no connection to permanent plumbing. Instead, the wastewater they produce is stored in holding tanks between the floor of the restroom and the undercarriage of the trailer. When the event has finished, the tanks are drained and the wastewater taken to a treatment site before the trailer is moved onto its next destination.
Constructing a portable toilet trailer is expensive, and so when one of the United Kingdom’s leading suppliers discovered holes starting to appear in the wastewater holding tanks of two of their units, they contacted Sylmasta for advice on whether a repair was feasible.
Damage to the underneath of the first portable toilet trailerThe second trailer was suffering from more extensive corrosion and surface damage
The plumbing, fixtures and fittings in each of the trailers were otherwise in perfect working order. The company therefore wanted to avoid decommissioning the two trailers if the holes in the wastewater tanks could be plugged and the weakened metalwork strengthened against future damage.
Sylmasta recommended a two-stage repair, starting with Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty and finished with Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating. The first trailer was jacked up, enabling access underneath the wastewater holding tank. The metalwork was then ground down to remove rust, dirt and grime.
AB Original Black was supplied in stick format for the plugging of the holes. An AB Original Stick combines the resin and hardener pre-measured rather than in a tub of Part A and a tub of Part B, eliminating the need for weighing out and mixing separate components. This makes a repair quicker and easier.
A significant number of holes underneath trailer one sealed with AB Original Black Epoxy Putty.Holes underneath trailer two sealed with AB Original Black
The required amount of putty to fill a hole was cut from the stick and kneaded by hand. Once the putty had turned a uniform black colour but was still soft, it was pushed into the hole. After two hours, AB Original cured to form a rock-hard sealing material. Every hole in the tank was permanently filled in this way.
Once all the holes had been attended to, the entire bottom of the trailer – an area 1.3 metres by 2.5 metres – was painted with Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating. Also painted were the metallic box and pipe fitted to the bottom of the holding tank, through which wastewater was removed. Two coatings of Liquid Metal were brush applied, curing to form a smooth, metallic, hard-wearing surface.
This new surface repaired and strengthened the weakened metalwork to increase structural integrity. It acted as a protective shield against further external corrosion and encased the wastewater tank in a new outer shell, capable of containing the wastewater if the original metalwork became fully breached in future.
Trailer one coated with Liquid Metal to complete the repairTrailer two having been reinforced and refurbished with Liquid Metal
After the repair of the first toilet trailer was completed, the second was jacked up and fixed by following the exact same process. Each trailer could go back into service 24 hours after the second coating of Liquid Metal had been applied.
In total, 10kg of AB Original and 10kg of Liquid Metal were used to repair the two portable toilet trailers at a cost of under £800, representing a huge saving on replacing the units. The company are now planning to use the repair method on other units when they become weakened by corrosion, potentially extending the lifespan of their entire fleet by up to 10 years.
If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch
Increasing growth into overseas markets sees Sylmasta pick up prestigious award from Sussex Chamber of Commerce
Sylmasta have been named Global Player Export Business of the Year at the Sussex Business Awards 2023.
Held annually by the Sussex Chamber of Commerce, the Sussex Business Awards are considered amongst the most prestigious in the county with hundreds of high-performing businesses put forward.
The Global Player Award goes to a Sussex-based company that has demonstrated significant and sustained growth internationally through harnessing the opportunity of overseas markets, proving that exporting can power business growth.
From their headquarters in West Sussex, Sylmasta manufacture industry-leading repair and maintenance products for the purpose of extending the working life of parts and equipment.
The Sylmasta Pipe Refurbishment System is at the core of the Sylmasta range, and is built around a flexible four-stage process enabling a wide variety of complex repairs to be made to pipework of all diameters and types.
Sitting alongside the Sylmasta Pipe Refurbishment System is the SylWrap range of leak repair solutions, a series of products used to permanently fix leaking pipes in under 30 minutes even when pressure cannot be turned off.
Away from pipe repair, Sylmasta manufacture additional epoxy putties, pastes and coatings which repair and protect machine parts and equipment from problems including corrosion, abrasion and impact damage.
Whilst Sylmasta has a strong presence in the United Kingdom including working with several water companies to repair live leaks on the public supply network, exports accounted for 45 percent of the company’s business in 2022.
That figure is set to grow through new distribution in the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia over the coming months. Sylmasta have made great inroads into Latin America, building on long-established distribution in the likes of Argentina and Puerto Rico with SylWrap gaining approval for use on the public water network in Mexico.
The majority of Sylmasta products are made-to-order, enabling rapid turnaround. An epoxy wear compound manufactured in Sussex on a Monday can be in use at a mine in Chile by Friday, repairing and protecting plant equipment.
Managing director Simon Bedding collected the award on behalf of the Sylmasta team, which has grown in size by over 40 percent since 2020 thanks largely to the increased focus on the export market.
Mr Bedding said: “What an honour it was for Sylmasta to receive the Global Player award, especially when up against such strong competition. We are grateful to Sussex Chamber of Commerce for the opportunity and for putting on such a fabulous awards ceremony, we had a terrific evening.”
The award was celebrated back at Sylmasta HQ with a few bottles of English Sparkling Wine – also made in Sussex! Sylmasta will now move onto the South East Regional Business Awards, where they will be up against fellow Global Player Winners from Kent, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Surrey and Thames Valley.
Following vigorous testing, Superfast Aqua PW and SylWrap HD are approved for repairing leaking ABS pipe joints in a chilled water system at a luxury complex in the UAE
After several failed repair attempts, a leaking HVAC cooling tower at a production facility is sealed within a matter of hours to restore full efficiency to the temperature control system
Two cracks in an underground clay drainage pipe – one of which was severe enough to almost split the pipe into two – are sealed by a UK homeowner making a DIY repair
A leak repair using Superfast Aqua PW Epoxy Putty and SylWrap HD passes testing for ASME PCC-2 402-III Qualification – Validation for Repair of Leaking Component
Water fountain repair cracked – putting the pieces of a favourite garden ornament back together
A tiered composite stone water fountain in a Welsh garden undergoes a DIY repair after winter temperatures caused water left inside the upper bowl of the ornament to freeze, cracking it into multiple pieces.
Case Study Data
Site Garden Location Wales Repair Type High-strength bonding and stone repair Defect Composite stone water fountain cracked into multiple pieces
The water fountain consisted of two tiers and was made from composite stone. When winter temperatures in Wales plummeted below -10°C, the upper bowl cracked into several pieces due to water inside it freezing.
When Spring arrived, the owner of the water fountain decided to try and repair and restore their favourite ornament. Not only did the upper bowl need to be bonded back together, but there were numerous other cracks and missing sections requiring attention.
Crack lines show the significant damage across the entire upper bowl of the fountain
Sylmasta advised that Rapid 5 Minute Epoxy Adhesive be used first to reassemble the fountain. Rapid 5 Minute creates high-strength, permanent bonds between many materials, including composite stone.
The five-minute cure meanwhile is long enough for parts to be carefully assembled and rearranged if necessary before the adhesive sets, at the same time as requiring minimal holding or clamping.
Rapid 5 Minute comes with the two components that make up an epoxy adhesive – resin and hardener – kept separate. The 25ml cartridge extrudes the parts in equal measures, after which they are mixed together for around 30 seconds with a spatula.
The fountain owner extruded the epoxy onto a piece of cardboard for mixing. The mixed adhesive was then applied using the spatula to one of the surfaces to be bonded, and the pieces pushed together and held in place.
The two largest pieces of upper bowl after the cracks caused it to completely come apart
Any overspill of epoxy was thoroughly cleaned off the stonework. Rapid 5 Minute exposed to sunlight can yellow with age, which would have looked unsightly against the pale coloured fountain.
After five minutes, the stonework no longer needed to be held together as Rapid 5 Minute had begun to set. The fountain was left undisturbed for a further 30 minutes, allowing the epoxy adhesive to reach maximum properties.
Once the upper bowl had been reassembled, any remaining cracks and missing sections were filled in using Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty. AB Original is a hard wearing, waterproof, ceramic-filled putty which bonds to all materials.
It offers a two-hour work time, enabling the putty to be mixed, moulded into shape and applied without any worry about premature curing. It is suitable for use in interior or exterior settings and achieves a full cure in 24 hours.
Cracks and missing chunks were filled with AB Original, which can just about be identified as the off-white colour down the centre of the stonework
The putty was kneaded by hand until it turned a uniform colour. It was then shaped and formed to replace missing areas of stonework and pushed into cracks. For shallow cracks, the surface of the curing putty was wetted whilst still pliable to create a type of slurry which could be worked further in.
To help disguise larger sections of AB Original, powdered dust from the stonework was pressed into the putty. This took it from its standard off-white and towards the colour of the fountain, helping the repaired areas blend in.
Once the repair was completed, the water fountain retuned to full working order
The owner even discovered that painting yoghurt onto the fountain helped further disguise the repair by encouraging lichen and moss to grow. The distressed touch this added was in keeping with the original stone.
Once the repair and restoration had been completed, the end result was a robust and fully watertight upper bowl. The fountain could go back into use for the summer with any visitors to the garden none the wiser that just a few months earlier, it had been cracked into multiple pieces.
If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch
Soil pipe sealing – Wrap & Seal forms a rubber ring to repair a porcelain toilet
A homeowner carries out a DIY pipe repair to a porcelain soil pipe which developed a hairline crack around its entire diameter after an unstable bathroom floor caused the toilet to shift away from the wall it was connected to.
Case Study Data
Site Bathroom Location United Kingdom Repair Type Leak repair Defect Hairline crack in porcelain soil pipe
Products Used
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape Self-amalgamating silicone repair tape which formed a watertight rubber ring to encompass and seal the pipe
The porcelain soil pipe connected the bowl of the toilet with the sewer pipe behind. The increasingly unstable bathroom floor meant that whenever anyone sat on the toilet, it tilted forward and pulled the pipe away from its fixed connection to the back wall.
Eventually, the stress being put on the pipe by the frequent movement of the toilet caused a hairline crack to appear around the entire diameter, through which water dripped whenever the toilet was flushed. This had the potential to make the floor even more unstable.
The crack caused by movement of the toilet pulling the porcelain soil pipe away from its connection to the bathroom wall
The homeowner was planning a full bathroom renovation to address the floor issue, which would include replacing the toilet. They therefore wanted a quick, easy and cost-effective DIY method to repair the porcelain soil pipe until said renovation took place.
There were several challenges with the repair. The crack was too thin to force epoxy putty into and was located on a bend in a difficult position, close to the back wall and with minimal space between the pipe and floor.
The continued movement of the toilet also had to be taken into account. Any repair needed to offer a degree of flexibility, as rigidly fixing the pipe back in place would leave the potential for cracks to develop elsewhere.
Sylmasta recommended encompassing as much of the pipe as possible with Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape to create a watertight rubber ring bonded to the porcelain. This would seal the leak, allow the pipe an element of movement to reduce stress, and prevent water escaping from any other cracks which developed elsewhere in the porcelain.
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape created a rubber ring around the entire leak area, sealing the crack
Wrap & Seal is made from self-amalgamating silicone which fuses to itself to form a solid rubber band as it is wrapped around a pipe. One 50mm x 4m tape was enough to cover the leak and the surrounding area susceptible to future cracks.
Despite the space constraints between the back wall, the floor and the toilet bowl, the homeowner was able to stretch the tape to three times its length whist wrapping, creating maximum tension.
The tape easily fused, fully sealing the leak and preventing any more water escaping when the toilet was flushed. Completing the porcelain soil pipe repair took less than 15 minutes and cost under £30, including delivery of the Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape.
If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch
WearShield – for ultimate resistance against impact, abrasion, corrosion and chemical attack
Sylmasta are delighted to introduce WearShield, their new high-performance, toughened epoxy wear compound, heavily filled with alumina beads for ultimate resistance against impact, abrasion and wear.
WearShield protects and repairs a diverse range of processing and plant machinery. Originally formulated to meet the tough requirements of maintenance and equipment protection in mines in South America, it is suitable anywhere impact damage and wear are common.
Other industries to use WearShield include power plants and quarries. It is ideal for the maintenance and repair of ash handling systems, scrubbers, silos, chutes, mills and metal castings. It can be applied to metal, wood and most plastics.
The formulation of WearShield is easy to mix. It is spread over the area requiring protection or repair using a putty knife, built up to a thickness of at least 6mm.
Once cured, WearShield provides a highly toughened, alumina reinforced shell capable of withstanding intense processes. The cured epoxy wear compound is a dark grey colour with the alumina beads it is filled with visible.
Two versions of WearShield are available. WearShield Standard has a work time of up to 60 minutes, a functional cure of 16 hours and a full cure of 24 hours. It is formulated so more epoxy can be applied in one go without the threat of premature curing, such as when covering large areas or in warm climates.
WearShield Rapid has a 5 minute work time, a functional cure of 45 minutes and a full cure of 3 hours. It enables equipment to go back into service quickly, reducing downtime and disruption. This makes it ideal for patch repairs between major overhauls.
To speak to a Sylmasta technician for more information on WearShield, please contact Sylmasta via email or on +44 (0)1444 831459.
Browse WearShield Epoxy Wear Compound Variations
WearShield Epoxy Wear Compound Alumina bead-filled epoxy paste applied to equipment to create a highly toughened layer of protection against impact damage and wear
WearShield Rapid Epoxy Wear Compound Fast working version of WearShield with a three hour full cure for rapid protection against impact and wear, reducing equipment downtime
Combined Liquid Metal and SylWrap HD repair combined heat and power system natural gas pipe
An industrial plant repair and refurbish a three-metre section of steel pipe carrying natural gas in a combined heat and power system after water trapped between the line and an incorrectly installed PVC tape caused heavy corrosion.
Case Study Data
Site Industrial Plant Location Puerto Rico Repair Type Pipe refurbishment Defect Three metre section of corroded 100mm steel pipe in CHP system
Products Used
Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating Brush applied coating which cures to form an ultra-smooth, hard wearing, metallic surface over pipes and structures
SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage Composite repair wrap with water activated resin which sets rock hard to encompass pipes with an impact resistant outer sleeve
The pipeline was 100mm in diameter and ran for 365 metres through the plant, carrying natural gas produced by a combined heat and power system. It was hung on a series of U-shaped supports welded to I-beams suspended from the roof of the building.
When originally installed, the pipe had been wrapped with a protective PVC tape. Unfortunately, incorrect application of the tape had left a three-metre section where it was possible for water and condensation to become trapped between the tape and the line.
Removal of the yellow PVC tape revealed very heavy corrosion to the steel pipe
This had led to heavy corrosion, which was particularly prevalent at the bottom of the pipe and the area where the section in question rested on its U-shaped support. The weakened three metres of the natural gas pipe now required strengthening and repair before the steel became breached.
The pipe was cleaned of paint and grime before repair of the corroded surface
The plant decided to use the Sylmasta Pipe Refurbishment System to bring the damaged section of the line back up to specification, by reinforcing the metalwork and giving the pipe greater protection against future corrosion.
First, the U-Shaped support was cut away from the I-beam to enable better access to the corroded area. The PVC tape was removed and rust, grime and paint ground off. Alcoholic cloths were then used to remove any remaining residue from the grinding process.
Liquid Metal was brush applied across the three metres of the pipe suffering from corrosion
To repair the damage and restore the pipe exterior, the three-metre section was coated in Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating. Liquid Metal is brush applied and cures to form a smooth, metallic, hard-wearing outer surface which acts as a shield against external corrosion and chemical attack.
The 90-minute gel time of Liquid Metal allowed significant amounts of epoxy to be mixed and painted on without the threat of premature curing. A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was then wrapped around the area of the line which had contact with the U-shaped support.
SylWrap HD was wrapped around the area of the pipe which came into contact with the U-shaped support, which was to be welded back in place to the I-beam above
SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water-activated resin. It was applied whilst the Liquid Metal remained tacky and cured within minutes to form a rock-hard, impact resistant outer shell around the pipe. This further increased the thickness of the weakened section and provided an additional layer of protection.
A second layer of Liquid Metal was applied across the three-metre section, including over the SylWrap HD. Although an additional coating on top of the composite bandage is not a required step of the Sylmasta Pipe Refurbishment System, the plant wanted to make the line look aesthetically pleasing with a final metallic finish.
A second Liquid Metal coating was applied over the SylWrap, the U-support welded back in place and the pipe fixed to it via a support clamp
Once the pipe had been refurbished, the removed U-shaped support was welded back to the I-beam. The line was then fixed to the U-shape via a new pipe support clamp fitted to prevent movement caused by vibration. The clamp was also coated in Liquid Metal.
Refurbishing the pipe was carried out with no impact to operations at the plant. It prevented an expensive and disruptive future repair or replacement being needed when corrosion eventually ate through the line.
The ultra smooth finish provided by Liquid Metal compared to the pitting caused by corrosion
The plant were very happy with the outcome and how easy their maintenance team found the application. They are now intending to use Liquid Metal to extend the lifespan of other pipes and structures at both this facility and across other sites.
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