Caulking in Wollongong, NSW: is your project one we take on?
Australian Caulking Experts takes on selected projects in Wollongong. We are based in Smithfield, Sydney, and the Illawarra sits south of us, so caulking in Wollongong is something we travel for rather than a daily run. Whether we can take a particular job is decided project by project. Ring 1300 941 683, or email the drawings, and you will get a straight answer on fit before any other step.
There is no Wollongong office or local team. The Illawarra Shoalhaven planning region covers the Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and Shoalhaven council areas, and enquiries from any of them are weighed the same way.
Facades between the escarpment and the sea
The NSW Government's regional plan vision describes the Illawarra as a place where the escarpment meets the sea, and names Metro Wollongong as a city of national significance, with Corrimal and Warrawong among the other centres it names. For Wollongong caulking work, that coastal setting puts the focus on external joints.
Our external caulking work covers:
- Movement joints in brick and block walls
- Expansion joints and saw cuts in concrete slabs and paths
- Abel flex and other joints in rendered walls
- Junctions in tilt panels, FC sheeting and Alpolic cladding
- Perimeters around windows and sliding doors
External sealants on a coastal facade have to cope with sun, heat and wet weather while flexing with the building, and they also stop air and dust getting in through the joints.
Re-caulking for Illawarra strata buildings
Not every Wollongong enquiry is a new build. Older buildings tend to show their age at the joints first, as visual defects such as discolouration, shrinkage, cracking or sealant pulling away from the substrate. Commercial builders and strata managers rely on our remedial caulking for that kind of problem, which can mean anything from a small one-off fix to whole-building rectification.
For remedial caulking in Wollongong, photos do a lot of the early work. Send close-ups of the failed joints, a wider shot showing where they sit on the building, and an idea of how many lineal metres are affected. Repair work like this is often charged by the hour or day instead of per metre.
What happens on site
- A visual inspection of the joints in scope.
- Old sealant is cut out and removed, including incompatible or expired material.
- The joint is cleaned and backing rod fitted where needed.
- New sealant, chosen for the joint's movement, exposure and finish, is applied.
- Each joint is tooled to a clean line, matched to the surrounding colours, and the site is left clean.
For the warning signs inside units, our guide to failing bathroom caulk is a useful read for strata committees. Other regional and Sydney areas are listed on our service locations page. Send the photos or drawings when you are ready and we will review the job.
Frequently asked questions
Do you take on new apartment builds in the Illawarra?
We consider them project by project. Apartment developments feature in our Sydney projects: at Dwell in Bondi Beach we completed all internal caulking across a 50-unit development, sealed the external window and door frames and carried out fire-rated caulking in the basement. Send the drawings and programme for a Wollongong build and we will tell you whether it fits.
Can the work be done while residents are still living in the building?
The crew is trained for work at height and on active sites, under WHS requirements. Access to units, balconies and common areas needs to be arranged by the strata manager or building manager, so include any access rules, notice periods or restricted hours in your enquiry.
Is paintable sealant available for rendered or painted facades?
Yes. MS sealants can usually be painted over, which suits a joint in a rendered wall that has to disappear under the finish coat, and they handle the movement of external joints well. Silicone generally cannot be painted and belongs in bathrooms, kitchens and other internal wet areas. If your painter or consultant has specified a product, send that through with your plans.