When architects wanted the remodeled exterior of the original Ecker Hill Middle School to match the color of a new addition, they enrolled Tnemec’s Series 156 Enviro-Crete, a waterborne acrylate known for its aesthetic appeal and performance. “We worked very closely with the architect and school board to match the existing facility to the integral earth-tone colored block used for the new addition,” according to Tnemec coating consultant Tom Quammen. “Drive by the school today, and you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the original building and the new addition.”
Color samples taken at the construction site were sent to Tnemec’s technical laboratory in Kansas City, where a custom match was made. Because three different colors had to be matched, the process involved several steps and technical expertise to achieve the desired result.
In addition to aesthetic considerations, the designer wanted long-term performance from the coating selected. “The sun, ultraviolet light and freeze/thaw cycles in this region are incredibly hard on building materials, which take a beating,” Quammen acknowledged. “With Series 156, we were able to provide excellent protection against rain, alternating freeze-thaw conditions and ultraviolet light while matching the color of the existing building.”
Surface preparation was in accordance with SSPC-SP13/NACE No. 6 Surface Preparation of Concrete, which requires that the substrate to be treated is sound, dry and free of contaminants which can affect the penetration of the coating. The field applicator then spray-applied two coats of Enviro-Crete on the building’s exterior at 4 to 8 mils dry film thickness (DFT) per coat. Enviro-Crete can be used as a low cohesive stress overcoat for aged oil or alkyd systems.
Reconstruction of the Ecker Hill Middle School was completed in January 2005 at a cost of nearly $9 million. The project required 1,000 gallons of Series 156, along with a small quantity of Series 22, a 100 percent solids, high-build epoxy which was used to protect miscellaneous steel and concrete surfaces.
“The following year, we ended up being contacted by the same architect on behalf of a different school district for another similar application, which was evidence of his satisfaction with this project,” Quammen added.