Overview
Project Overview
Following the successful completion of the complex roofing works at RNLI Sennen Cove, Certifix was selected to advise on and supply solutions for the total roof build-up of the RNLI Exmouth Lifeboat Station. Located right on the beach at the eastern end of Queen's Drive in Devon, the state-of-the-art station operates 24/7 in one of the UK's most aggressive marine environments. Housing both the jet-driven Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat (R and J Welburn) and the D-class inshore inflatable (George Bearman II), maintaining complete structural integrity was vital to ensure the volunteer crew could maintain uninterrupted emergency response capabilities throughout the build.
The Challenge
The station required a major structural overhaul of its roof after extreme sea spray and wind loads caused severe weather leaks and areas to become loose. Investigations revealed that the harsh, salt-heavy marine air had severely corroded the original internal fixings. The replacement build-up presented a critical engineering dilemma: managing dissimilar metals to prevent galvanic corrosion while accommodating both high thermal movement and extreme seafront wind loads. Furthermore, standard-grade stainless steel was rejected due to the severe corrosivity factor.
The Certifix Solution
To buy the station time to raise funds for the main project, Certifix initially supplied matching copper-coloured rivets and oversized 50mm washers for an urgent temporary fix, earning commendation from the RNLI for the quality of the aesthetic match.
For the main overhaul, Certifix supplied the entire backing structure supporting the standing seam roof, including marine-grade aluminium sheets, high-performance adhesive, standing seam clips, and various specialized stainless steel fixings. All consolidated into a singles order and delivery.
Central to this solution, Certifix designed and manufactured custom marine-grade 316 (A4) stainless steel bi-metal screws, featuring an ultra-low-profile 0.8mm flat head with a T20 drive, the lowest profile heads on a stainless steel drill screw available on the market today. This innovative fastener now forms a core part of the Certifix standing seam product range.
Reason(s) for choosing Certifix
Personal approach and problem solving acumen of key Certifix staff.
Products Supplied
- Copper Colour Matched Rivets
- Matching 50mm Colour Coded, Oversized Washers
- Aluminium Sheets, Marine Grade 5083 Mill Finish
- Formoa 024 MS Polymer single-component, permanently elastic adhesive/sealant in 600ml foils
- A4 Stainless Bi-Metal Standing Seam Clip Screws (
SSCSB4-4.8*24) - Long A4 self-drilling insulation screws (
CIS4-4.8*140) - Both fixed (
CCSSC-FA4) and sliding (CCSSC-SA4) 25mm 316L/A4 CertiClip standing seam clips
Services Provided
- Pull out tests
- Technical data
- Site reports
Contract size
£68k+
