The Lauttasaari Bridge, built in 1969, connects the centre of Helsinki with the island of Lauttasaari. After 50 years of use, the poor condition of this 23.5-metre wide, 317-metre long beam bridge finally meant it was time for renovation. Work on the bridge started in August 2019 and lasted for more than a year, reaching completion in June 2021.
The re-painting of the bridge was performed by a Lithuanian company Švykai, which, due to the impeccable quality of its work both in Lithuania and abroad, is often entrusted with complex renovation projects of metal steel structures.
10,000 litres of paint
The bridge, which exists in a highly corrosive environment, connects important parts of the city and has to withstand high traffic and pedestrian flows on a daily basis, has been severely affected by corrosion.
Bridge is an important part of the transport infrastructure. It has to remain reliable for decades, therefore not only its construction, but also the coating is subject to extremely high requirements.
The coating used for steel bridge structures must not only be durable; it must also provide optimal protection against harsh climates, wind, precipitation and moisture, which can cause corrosion.
Specialists from Švykai performed blast cleaning, abrasive collection and painting of all metal elements of the bridge structure, as well as restoring the surface of the internal part of the bridge affected by corrosion. All cleaning and painting work was done on site. The painting work covered 12,900 m2, and 10,000 litres of Tikkurila paint were used.
Tough coating solutions for demanding conditions
A 5-layer polyurethane coating system was used for the outside of the bridge and the lifting mechanism, and a 3-layer polyurethane coating system was used for the inside. Polyurethane coating systems are designed for steel surfaces exposed to harsh climates and can be used both outdoors and in painting workshops.
Temabond WG 200, a two-component, low-temperature-drying and high-residue modified epoxy paint with aluminium pigments, adheres perfectly to blast- or hand-cleaned steel and it forms a high-density, chemical- and abrasion-resistant coating.
Two-component semi-gloss polyurethane paint with aliphatic isocyanate hardener Temathane 50 and it has very good resistance to weathering and abrasion. This paint is durable and easy to clean. It does not stain, and retains colour and shine well.
Temazinc 77, a two-component zinc-saturated epoxy primer with polyamide hardener, provides cathodic protection to steel, and it is used for priming steel surfaces exposed to harsh climates before coating them with epoxy and polyurethane paints.
Temacoat Primer, a two-component resin-modified epoxy paint with anti-corrosion pigments, adheres well to steel, galvanised and aluminium surfaces, and it is used for priming atmospheric, mechanically and chemically exposed surfaces and as an intermediate coat.
Temathane PC 50 polyurethane paint is a great choice when you need a weather- and abrasion-resistant top coat that is particularly good at gloss and colour.
In order for the coating to provide optimal protection against corrosion, it is important to carefully prepare the surface to be coated and to choose a suitable coating system, taking into account the corrosivity of the environment. Read more about Tikkurila’s solutions for bridges here.
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