Across the country, community designers are rediscovering the merits of refurbishing outdated spaces to state-of-the-art standards that enhance functionality and aesthetics while preserving their unique character. This trend is evident in school districts, retail centers and office buildings where the life expectancy of existing structures are being extended for 30-plus years by bringing in new energy-efficient technology and upgrading aesthetics. “The belief that buildings ‘wear out’ is common but wrong,” according to architect David Anstrand in an article he authored for a special report titled Renovate or Replace. “A well-constructed school building can last indefinitely with good maintenance and a major renovation every 20 to 30 years.”

In addition to upgrading electrical and mechanical systems, schools are replacing windows and roofs to improve the building envelope and interior environment. Many PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride) coil-coated roof panels installed in the 1970s and 1980s, are being refurbished with field-applied fluoropolymer-based coatings designed to replicate the 20 or 30 year aesthetic service life provided by the original baked-on coatings. “When specifying coating products for this type of application, a designer will want to review the weathering performance including color and gloss retention for all candidates,” according to John Miller, director of Sales Development for Tnemec Company. “It is advisable to strongly consider case history data, adhesion qualities of the primer and the intended method of application.”

When the PVDF coil-coatings began failing on galvanized roofing panels at three Marion County Public Schools in Florida, a field-applied fluoropolymer coating system was specified to achieve long-lasting protection from ultraviolet (UV) light and weathering. Constructed between the early 1960s and late 1980s, Dunnellon High School, Dunnellon Elementary School and Emerald Shores Elementary School were prime candidates for refurbishment after adhesion tests found the original factory coatings were failing badly. “It was thought that only about 25 percent of the coatings were loose,” recalled Tnemec coating consultant Mike Stensrud. “When the contractor began his surface preparation, he realized immediately that the factory coatings were easily removed.”

The roof panels on the three schools were prepared in accordance with SSPC-SP7/NACE No. 4 Brush-Off Blast Cleaning with a water collar to reduce dust prior to receiving a spray-applied prime coat of Series 66 Hi-Build Epoxoline, a polyamide epoxy. The spray-applied topcoat was Series 1071 Fluoronar, an ultra-durable, semi-gloss fluoropolymer finish with outstanding color and gloss retention.

An epoxy/fluoropolymer coating system was also used to refurbish the exterior of the Magnolia Life Building in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where four decades of exposure to UV light and weathering had left the seven-story office tower in need of a facelift. “The building was clad in marble which had warped and was pulling away and there were some leaks, primarily in the window wall,” reported Tnemec coating consultant Brandon Lomasney. “They were looking for an improvement to enhance the aesthetics. The rigging was expensive and the building was difficult to coat, so they wanted a coating system that would perform long-term and not have to be repainted any time in the near future.”

After adhesion testing revealed the original coating on the framework around the windows was failing, the architect specified Epoxoline and Series 1070 Fluoronar to be brush- and roller-applied. “Many of the fluoropolymer-based products on the market are relatively low solids (25 percent to 40 percent by volume), which presents problems for projects that require brush and roller application,” Miller noted. “A higher-solids product like Fluoronar will help the applicator to achieve adequate and consistent film thickness.”

Environmental requirements for energy conservation and indoor air quality are also having an effect on refurbishment projects. In Silicon Valley, enclosed one- and two-story concrete buildings designed for light industrial use are being refurbished into high-tech office environments that open onto landscaped gardens and water structures. At one of these buildings in Santa Clara’s Great America Place, sections of concrete wall panels were replaced with low-e insulated glazing that overlook elegant landscaped sitting areas, walkways and a water structure. A grand aluminum trellis that spans the entire width of the building’s two-story glass lobby and entrance enhances the visual appearance of the building while providing shade from morning and afternoon sunlight.

The attractive trellis is protected from damaging ultraviolet (UV) light by a shop-applied coating system from Tnemec that conforms to California’s air pollution regulations limiting volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The trellis was primed with Series V69F Hi-Build Epoxoline II, a low-VOC advanced, generation polyamidoamine epoxy, followed by a finish coat of Series 1070V Fluoronar, a high-solids fluoropolymer with less than 100 grams per liter VOC.

“Compared to higher VOC solvent-based primers and finishes, low-VOC coating technologies require a higher level of sophistication on the part of architects, painting contractors and asset owners,” Miller added. “Low-VOC coatings are less forgiving of contamination and marginal surface preparation than solvent-based products, so South Coast architects will need to consider tighter application parameters in their specifications.” 

Press Release Archive