When it came to choosing an exterior coating system for the home of the Baltimore Ravens football team in 1997, the Maryland Stadium Authority wanted a proven performer with a solid record of abrasion, moisture, chemical and corrosion resistance. After considering all the options, the owners handed the ball to Tnemec. “They really liked the aesthetics of Series 530 Omnithane, a moisture-cured urethane which provides a bright metallic finish when used as a topcoat,” recalled Tnemec coating consultant Todd Guntner. “That had a lot to do with Tnemec being chosen for the project.”
Another factor in the selection of Tnemec over five of its competitors was the teamwork between Guntner and Darrell Buerky, a fellow Tnemec coating consultant in Kansas City, MO. Buerky had previous experience working with the Kansas City-based architectural firm that designed the stadium, HOK Sport, and was also knowledgeable about the use of Omnithane as a topcoat. Together, the two consultants successfully demonstrated the performance advantages of their two-coat system compared to the competitive products.
The Tnemec coating system was used on all exterior exposed steel including structural beams, columns and joists, which were subcontracted to four different fabricators. Following commercial blast cleaning in accordance with SSPC-SP 6/NACE No. 4, the steel received a shop-applied prime coat of Series 90-97 Tneme-Zinc, a zinc-rich polyurethane with excellent corrosion resistance that was also used at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Omnithane topcoat was then brush- and roller-applied by the field applicator. More than 8,000 gallons of exterior coatings were required to complete the project.
After more than a decade of exposure, the original two-coat system is still turning in a winning performance as it resists corrosion while maintaining aesthetics. “There’s hardly any visible rust at all,” Guntner reported. “It’s protecting well.”
Completed in 1998 at an estimated cost of $220 million, the stadium has a capacity of 71,008 and features 119 suites and 8,196 club seats. HOK architects designed M&T Bank Stadium, which was completed in less than 2 years and funded through a combination of proceeds generated from the sale of taxexempt revenue bonds, debt service paid by lottery proceeds and the Ravens