When architects begin working on medical facilities, there are numerous factors that go into the initial planning and design stages. Certain areas are critical, and particularly when it comes to the coatings selection, architects must consider ease of cleaning and sterilization of patient areas, sustained durability and performance of the products used, along with the overall appearance of the building. When Randall Dover Architect began designing the Vanderbilt Dialysis Clinic in Nashville, Tennessee, special consideration was given to the flooring and the walls due to the sensitive nature of the work that would be performed in the clinic, as well as the wear and tear the building would be exposed to on a daily basis.

“All of the dialysis equipment rolls, so there is potential for great damage to the floors and walls,” said Tnemec coating consultant Tiffany Goulet. “They needed a hard coating with chemical-resistant characteristics in case there were any spills.”

Series 218 MortarClad, an aggregate-reinforced epoxy mortar, was trowel-applied to fill the joints in the plywood walls in the patient treatment area, followed by a prime coat of Series 201 Epoxoprime, a penetrating epoxy. Series 273 Stranlok ML, a fiberglass mat reinforced epoxy coating system that provides cleanability and protection against chemical and physical abuse, was applied, along with a topcoat of Series 280 Tneme-Glaze, a polyamine epoxy, applied up to the chair rail of the wall surface.

The Series 273 and Series 280 coating system was also installed in the chemical storage area, providing a seamless surface with superior stain, chemical, impact and abrasion resistance. The chemical storage room floor received two coats of Series 282 Tneme-Glaze, a novolac epoxy that provides protection against abrasion, impact and many acids, alkalis and solvents.

“The owner remains very pleased with the performance of the coatings in the facility,” noted Goulet. “In fact, they have gone on to use Tnemec in a number of other projects.”