Rydges Mackay
Project Overview
Grant Painters’ project management skills were in the spotlight again during a full internal repaint and rooftop waterproofing of Rydges Mackay – a busy, centrally located hotel offering 24-hour service for business and leisure guests.
With the hotel operating at 80 per cent occupancy throughout the entire process, communication and coordination were critical.
The works comprised Stage One of the work, with a full exterior repaint to follow.
The scope involved a full internal repaint of 90 rooms and hallways, completed while the hotel remained fully operational, along with waterproofing of the roof seven storeys up. We also repaired an eight-metre long expansion joint at the top of a concrete ramp into the complex’s Level One parking.
Challenges and Solutions
Fresh and precise: Dulux’s timeless and ever-popular hue, Lexicon Half, replaced tired beige tones.
Interior Repaint
With the hotel operating around the clock, careful coordination was key. The team worked with management to block out four rooms at a time, ensuring minimal disruption.
A consistent crew of three to five painters developed a smooth routine—prepping, painting, and handing rooms back efficiently.
The interiors required significant patching, following the removal of downlights, TV outlets, and switch plates. A fresh Dulux palette featuring Lexicon Half in matte and semi-gloss replaced dated beige tones, giving the rooms a crisp, modern feel.
Grant Painters foreman Nathan Booth said the project had been a “massive undertaking”.
“Although the painting of the apartments was pretty straightforward, it was a case of pacing the project correctly to have the sparkies working in concert with us all the time.
“They would disconnect the light fittings and replace them with new downlights, as well remove TVs and switches. Once we had prepped and painted the rooms, they would come back for a final fit-off before we handed the rooms over to hotel cleaning staff.”
Project management was crucial: One room under way – just 89 to go!
Roof and planter box waterproofing
Grant Painters’ Peter Gravel, a seasoned waterproofing specialist with over 15 years of experience, coordinated all waterproofing works on the seventh-storey rooftop and a ground-level planter box.
On the roof, the team applied a five-coat system including hydrostatic primer, two acrylic polyurethane topcoats, and a UV-resistant, trafficable membrane for safe foot traffic and longevity.
All perimeter areas were bandaged, and over 150 hours of work was completed over three weeks.
Grinding machines with industrial vacuums ensured dust control during surface prep, with surfaces misted before priming for optimal adhesion. Hard-to-reach places, such as under pipes, had to be grinded by hand.
One of the major focuses was ensuring all footings for two new airconditioning chillers – which had to be positioned in place with a 260-tonne crane – were protected against the elements.
Prepping the planter box: All soil was removed, the render cut back and ground down to the substrate.
The planter box (2 metres x 7 metres) required a different approach. The original system had failed due to moisture becoming trapped beneath the render.
The team removed all soil (later recycled at a local garden centre), cut back the render and ground down to the substrate.
After applying a hydrostatic primer, a Sika sealant was used to seal joints, followed by a mineral-based polyurethane membrane designed for long-term moisture resistance and general resistance to penetration by plant roots.
Both waterproofing systems were applied to Australian Standards.
Repair of car park expansion joint
Expansion joint remediation: Eliminating all points of potential water ingress.
As part of the refurbishment works, the team completed a critical repair to the expansion joint at the top of the ramp leading into the Level One car park. The joint – measuring 800mm wide and 8 metres long – was suspected of leaking and required remediation to ensure long-term durability and waterproofing integrity.
The work involved:
- Removal of the existing metal plate covering the joint to inspect underlying conditions
- Installation of a 3mm thick rubber membrane beneath the plate, pressure sealed and brought slightly up adjoining walls to eliminate potential points of leakage
- Once the rubber membrane was installed, 15mm thick pieces of hard-wearing rubber were mechanically fixed at each end of the plates to alleviate potential load-bearing pressure from vehicles
- Application of a Sika sealant on both sides of the joint for maximum flexibility and weather resistance
- The joint was then finished flush with a sand-based epoxy screed. Curing to a compressive strength of approximately 65 MPa (megapascals), this provided a high-strength surface to support daily vehicular movement without compromising the joint.
The repair was completed over three days with minimal disruption to car park access and forms part of the broader waterproofing strategy still under way at the site, including further leak troubleshooting.
Results
Hotel Manager Armie Astridge said communication and coordination were “absolutely essential” throughout the project, especially with the hotel operating at around 80 per cent occupancy during the five months of Phase 1.
According to Ms Astridge: “The team’s ability to work around our schedule and minimize disruption was impressive.
“Nathan, in particular, was very proactive in coordinating with both the electrician and our hotel maintenance team.
“His efforts ensured that each painted room was returned to service within the timeline we needed, which is a crucial factor in maintaining our operational flow.
“The quality of the work was also excellent, with a consistent finish and attention to detail that reflected well on the property.
“Regarding the waterproofing on the rooftop of the building, communication was again key.
“The process generated a fair amount of noise, and the painters were flexible in scheduling work during quieter periods and keeping us informed, which helped us manage guest expectations effectively.”
Before: The rooftop required replacing the existing waterproofing in line with Australian Standards.
After: Meticulous preparation was key to achieving a finish of this standard.
The Project at a Glance
Client: Rydges Mackay Suites
Scope: Full interior and exterior repaint (Stage One – 90 rooms + hallways)
Special Inclusions: Roof and planter box waterproofing, carpark expansion joint repair
Key Outcomes
- 90 guest rooms and hallways fully repainted while hotel remained open
- Seventh-storey roof waterproofed with UV-stable, trafficable membrane
- Ground-level planter box sealed using mineral-based polyurethane system
- Interior modernised with durable Dulux finishes and updated colour scheme
- Minimal disruption achieved through tight coordination and staged access
- Over 150 hours of waterproofing and prep work completed safely and to spec
- Remediation of expansion joint at the top of a ramp into a car park on Level One