Since 1951, the Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, has been home for the NCAA Senior Bowl, but when the 50,000-capacity facility started showing its age, major renovation was required that included a new, high-performance coating system from Tnemec. “It was quite a mess,” Tnemec coating consultant Robert Crumbaugh recalled. “The original coating system was still on part of the structure and over the years the stadium had been overcoated several times. The latest repaint only lasted a couple of years, so the architect wanted corrosion protection and long-term color and gloss retention.”
The specification called for structural steel to be prepared in accordance with SSPC-SP10/NACE No. 2 Near-White Metal Blast Cleaning followed by a prime coat of Series 90G-1K97 Tneme-Zinc, an aromatic zinc-rich polyurethane. “The project required containment because of its location,” Crumbaugh noted. “Openair blasting and spraying the coatings could have caused a problem with nearby houses and traffic.”
Series 20 Pota-Pox, a fast-curing, polyamide epoxy, was spray-applied as an intermediate coat, followed by a topcoat of Series 740 UVX, an advanced technology polyurethane. The hard, durable finish coat offers superior color and gloss retention, resistance to abrasion and exterior weathering. UVX is formulated with less than 100 grams per liter volatile organic compounds making it VOC-compliant for all air districts. An estimated 1,000 gallons of primer, 1,700 gallons of epoxy, and 1,800-gallons of slate grey finish coat were required to complete the project.
“This coating system was specified to provide the owner with excellent corrosion protection and aesthetic durability,” Crumbaugh explained. We chose the Series 740 polyurethane topcoat because it was the right product for the right job.”
After all of the support steel underneath the stadium had been coated, both the owner and coating contractor were pleased with the results. “The contractor was very pleased with the application characteristics of all three products, especially the Series 740,” Crumbaugh added.
Since Ladd-Peebles Stadium opened in 1948, it has been the centerpiece for sports in Mobile, serving as home field for the Senior Bowl, GMAC Bowl, and the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic featuring the best senior high school players from the two states.