Painting and Fireproofing Blog

Investigation into Transit Hub fireproofing

2012-01-01T11:36:00.001-05:00

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness News

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The World Trade Center Transportation Hub is behind schedule and hundreds of millions over budget.

The dual pressure of time and cost-overruns might help explain why the Port Authority has decided to eliminate the fireproofing of the huge above-ground steel structure that 200,000 people will pass under every day.

"Fireproofing is a critical piece of fire protection, a blanket we put on buildings to insulate the steel from heat of fire and in my estimation it is critical component for any large building particularly a transit facility like this one," said Glenn Corbett, a fire safety expert.

But more than a year ago, Eyewitness News pressed then Port Authority Executive Director Chris Ward on whether the $25 million fireproofing had been yanked from the Transit Hub contract.
"Has that been taken out of the project, the fireproofing of the steel columns?" Eyewitness News Investigative reporter Jim Hoffer asked.

"No, complete news to me. The Port Authority has the highest standards for the safety for all of its facilities. We wouldn't compromise a structure like the Transit Hub in terms of fireproofing in the least. I don't know where you are getting that information at all," said Chris Ward, the Former Port Authority Executive Director.

Eyewitness News was getting the information from a well-placed source who also provided a Port Authority document.

It requested that those bidding on the Transit Hub contract "Should exclude the cost of fireproofing or intumescent coating from the structural steel."

At the same time the head of the Port Authority was telling Eyewitness News this:
"So it's going to be fireproofed?" Hoffer asked.
"Of course!" Ward said.

Soon after, the Port Authority hired an engineering firm to conduct a test to see whether the steel structure without fireproofing could hold up under a fire.

It concluded that it could because of "the high volume of the space and robustness of the structure".
The problem according to experts Eyewitness News spoke to is that the test was based on a fire equal to "two-to-three closely spaced passenger cars".

"Given the fact this is such a large building and is a terrorist target, a small fire in this building is not something I'd be planning for, I'd be planning for much larger worst case scenario," Corbett said.
Yet, based on the Port Authority's two-to-three car fire test, a Deputy Commissioner for the Buildings Department signed off on the Agency's decision not to fireproof the Transit Hub concluding it meets required fire resistance ratings.

What about the painful lessons of World Trade Center history where thousands died from two terrorist attacks, one in which inadequate fireproofing hastens the collapse of the twin towers?
"I'm really shocked given what happened on 9/11 including issues of fireproofing where these lessons seemed to be unlearned and unheeded," Corbett said.

The Port Authority says the below ground steel where the retail stores will be located will have fireproofing.

In a statement to Eyewitness News, the agency says, "Our engineers have conducted a thorough review of the fireproofing requirements and found that we will satisfy our high safety standards for the project as well as meet or exceed New York City Building Code requirements."

City of Oceanside Employs Anti-Graffiti Measures

2012-01-01T11:18:00.000-05:00

Coating that repels unwanted paint has been applied to parts of the Pier View undercrossing. By Daniel Woolfolk

Taggers striking the Pier View undercrossing in Oceanside might see their spray paint drip before they are finished defacing the concrete walls.

Some pedestrian facility’s surfaces have been treated — as late as this fall — with urethane that doesn’t allow paint to soak into the concrete walls.

Oftentimes, pressurized water or a solvent will remove unwanted paint and marker residue.

“It doesn’t really stick, so it’s a lot easier for us to wipe off,” said Kiel Koger, Oceanside’s public works division manager. “It’s way cheaper than to go wipe it down with a cleaner and a rag.”

The city has already applied it to various walls and signs around Oceanside, but at about $1 a square foot, Koger said, he’s got to be selective. “Tagging and vandalism occurs all the time (at the undercrossing). It’s such a prime spot for taggers."

“It really only makes sense to put it in areas that are constantly getting tagged,” he said, adding that the Pier View undercrossing gets hit almost daily.

Wiping away a tagged area one December day for a demonstration was Spencer Ford, of Infinite Coatings, the company that sold the city the product.

Ford, a long time Oceanside resident, demonstrated the product one December morning.

"I've lived in this area for 30 years," he said as he wiped graffiti with a rubber glove, a rag and some citrus solution. "I feel protective of this area.”

Video

Sherwin-Williams acquires UK fire protection coatings firm Leighs Paints

2011-11-03T18:26:00.002-04:00

07.07.2011

UK-based industrial fire protection coatings company Leighs Paints has been acquired by US-based paints major Sherwin-Williams. The acquisition significantly enhances the product portfolio of the company’s protective and marine business, the company said.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Leighs Paints manufactures a comprehensive line of intumescent passive fire protection products for the hydrocarbon market. Its FIRETEX brand has been used on more than 400 projects around the world protecting offshore platforms, refineries and chemical plants, officials said.

“Leighs has a reputation for high quality products and expertise which will complement our current product line, making it possible to offer a comprehensive portfolio to our customers globally,” said Narsi Bodapati, vice president of marketing.

“The Leighs brand is an established leader in the protective & marine segments with a broad technology offering including intumescent fireproofing products and high performance protective coatings and linings.

The FIRETEX technology, consisting of epoxy intumescent coatings, helps achieve the fire resistance ratings necessary for a sound passive fire protection system. It is engineered to achieve this with a lower required film thickness than alternatives, Bodapati said.
Intumescent coatings react to fire by rapidly swelling, forming a thick char barrier that protects a steel substrate from structural failure.

With the acquisition, Sherwin-Williams gains a team of structural engineers who specialize in fire science and assist project owners and engineers with specification and compliance in this crucial area - another important asset, according to Bodapati.

“Leighs Paints, only a few years older than we are, has the same type of history, culture and customer focus that we have, which makes our companies coming together even more exciting,” he said.
The two companies combined have nearly three centuries of experience in coatings innovation, he added.

Sherwin-Williams Completes the Acquisition of Leighs Paints

http://www.leighspaints.com/en/News/SW_announcement.htm
On the 6th July 2011 the Sherwin-Williams Company acquired Leighs Paints.
The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution, and sale of coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers.
With 32,000 associates and $7.7 billion in sales, it is the USA's #1 paint and coatings company; #3 in the world.
Chris Connor, Chairman and CEO of the Sherwin-Williams Company, said,

“We are very pleased to bring Leighs Paints, a well-respected company, and their employees into the Sherwin-Williams family. Combined, our two companies have nearly three centuries of experience in coatings innovation.

This is another positive step in our strategy of steady growth and expansion through quality products and people who provide excellent customer service. This acquisition reaffirms our strategic commitment to growing globally.”

Brian Leigh-Bramwell, Chairman of Leighs Paints, said,

“This outstanding company has been a part of my family for the past 151 years. I am confident this decision will be of great benefit to both companies and our customers well into the future.”

George Heath, President of Sherwin-Williams Global Finishes Group, stated,

“This acquisition is another important step in our efforts to strengthen our growing global platform. In joining our Protective & Marine Coatings Division, Leighs Paints FIRETEX brand provides a new opportunity for us to better serve our customers around the world with outstanding technology, people, and assets.”

http://www.leighspaints.com/en/Fire.aspx

Decade after 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, skyscraper safety improving

2011-11-03T17:40:00.002-04:00

http://www.cleveland.com/science/index.ssf/2011/08/a_decade_after_the_911_attacks.html

Published: Sunday, August 14, 2011, 7:07 PM Updated: Monday, September 12, 2011, 11:50 AM

By John Mangels, The Plain Dealer

In the anguished weeks after terrorists toppled the World Trade Center towers, architects and engineers pondered the unthinkable: the end of the skyscraper era.

From the 1880s, when the first high-rises poked above Chicago and New York skylines, tall buildings had defined the nation's ingenuity, economic clout and can-do optimism. They were capitalism's exclamation points, steel fingers pointing the way upward.

Now, though, the structural and safety innovations that had made the world's tallest structures possible had failed in catastrophic, unprecedented ways. Skyscrapers suddenly felt like targets, like deathtraps.

On Sept. 10, 2001, New York architect Carl Galioto's firm had just wrapped up the design phase for a new 50-story Stock Exchange building. Two weeks after the attacks, when Galioto was able to return to his Wall Street office, the project was dead.

"I remember those conversations," he said recently, recalling his peers' gloom. "Will tall buildings ever be built again? Will people want to occupy them?"

A decade later, the answer is yes.

Following an exhaustive federal probe of what caused the towers' downfall, and years of debate and strife over how to respond, the building and fire codes that dictate safety features in new high-rises finally are reflecting the disaster's harsh lessons. They call for hardier structural systems, more-reliable fireproofing, and better exit stairs, among other things.

In Asia and the Middle East, skyscrapers are vying for the world's height record. And at lower Manhattan's Ground Zero, new towers bristling with enhancements that go beyond the code requirements are rising from the scarred earth.

Some recommended code changes remain unmade, however. And the standards for existing tall buildings like those in Cleveland are largely unchanged. That means older skyscrapers' components are not substantially safer than before the jet strikes, although evacuation planning and drilling has gotten better.

The post-9/11 enhancements won't make high-rises or other buildings terrorism-proof, experts stress. A determined assailant, armed with enough firepower, can overwhelm the sturdiest structure. The changes are meant to give occupants a greater chance of getting out safely after an attack or other calamity -- particularly a large fire -- and to lessen the odds of a full-scale collapse.

"The [high-rises] that are being built now and in the future, I think we can feel have better resistance to whatever happens," said structural engineer Gene Corley, one of the world's foremost authorities on building collapse. "I'm troubled by our slowness in adopting some of these recommendations, which have extremely low cost and would do a lot of good. But I do think we have made some progress."

An unprecedented collapse

No American high-rise had succumbed to a total collapse before 9/11, although there had been warning signs. Several skyscraper fires, including a raging 19-hour blaze in Philadelphia's 38-story One Meridian Plaza in 1991, had caused significant structural damage and raised serious questions about the adequacy of safety systems and firefighters' ability to cope with the challenges that high-rises posed.

The 44-inch stairwell widths dictated by building codes, which helped determine how many people could evacuate at a time in an emergency, hadn't changed since the early 1900s. They were based on stationary measurements of pre-World War I soldiers and didn't reflect how people move on stairs, much less the jump in body size and obesity rates that had occurred in the following century.

"We've known for decades that the width of stairways is not adequate," said Norman Groner, a John Jay College researcher who studies emergency behavior, and who has pushed for width increases as well as elevator safeguards that would allow occupants and firefighters to use them during emergencies. But "the wider you make the stairwells, the more you subtract from the leasable space and the less the building is worth."

Advances in lightweight construction methods and materials made it possible to build super-tall buildings 100 stories and higher, with huge floor spaces unobstructed by support columns. That meant many more occupants and far more combustibles – 40,000 people in the Trade Center twin towers, and about 60 tons of paper, furniture and other flammable material on each nearly acre-sized floor.

Spray-on fireproofing material had replaced the heavy masonry and concrete encasements that protected the structural steel frames of older buildings. The fluffy insulation was known to flake off when an elevator cab rumbled by, or when ventilation fans kicked on.

Automatic sprinkler systems were helpful, but had capacity limits. In the twin towers, the sprinklers could deliver enough water to snuff a fire covering about one-tenth of a floor's 40,000 square-foot area. Firefighters' hoses could cover at most another one-quarter.

As a result, firefighters in New York and elsewhere reluctantly adopted a "defend-in-place" strategy with large high-rise fires. They were allowed to burn out, while firefighters concentrated on evacuating people from the affected floor and those immediately above and below who were at greatest risk. Other occupants were told to stay put, since stairwells couldn't handle a rapid full-building exodus.

For the strategy to work, though, smoke and fire had to be kept to one floor – a tough prospect, given numerous ventilation ducts and other routes of spread.
Another critical necessity: a high-rise's supports and their fire-proofing had to be able to withstand high temperatures until the fire exhausted its fuel.

Otherwise, the building and its occupants would be at risk from progressive collapse, where a buckling column or slumping floor launched a cascade of structural failures that brought the entire skyscraper crashing down.

The twin towers' fire-proofing was supposed to provide protection for 3/4 of an hour to four hours, depending on the component.
But when Islamic extremists exploded a truck bomb in the Trade Center's underground garage in 1993, forcing a complete evacuation, "it took us five hours to make sure everybody was out," said retired New York City deputy fire chief Vincent Dunn. "And we had floors that were [fire-] rated for two hours. There's a lot of problems with that."

Federal studies lead to recommendations

Several government agencies and engineering groups launched investigations in the wake of the twin towers' collapse. The most detailed was a three-year probe by the federal National Institute of Standards and Technology.

NIST researchers determined that, even though the jet impacts caused heavy structural damage on multiple floors, the skyscrapers would have remained standing if the jets hadn't knocked off fire-proofing coating columns and floor trusses.

Without that protection, steel supports weakened under the relentless fires, which burned unchecked because the impacts severed the sprinklers' supply pipes. The jet strikes also destroyed all but one escape route, a single set of stairs in Tower2, trapping those in the upper floors

Still, 87 percent of the twin towers' estimated 17,400 occupants that morning got out', either because they were below the impact zones or, in the case of Tower 2, had begun to leave before the second plane hit. More than 2,700 people, a mix of tenants and rescuers, were still inside when the columns and floors finally gave way and the skyscrapers pancaked to the ground.

Researchers interviewed Trade Center survivors, to learn more about how people behave in emergencies, especially in tall buildings. Although occupants largely didn't panic and helped others, the scientists found that tenants were generally unfamiliar with the towers' design and safety features. Only 10 percent had ever entered a stairwell as part of an emergency drill. After the jets struck, occupants took an average of 6 minutes to begin leaving, spending the time collecting belongings, shutting down computers, making phone calls or waiting for instructions.

"In general, people [in skyscrapers] react in the same way as in other settings," said occupational health researcher Robyn Gershon, who led Columbia University's survivor study. "That's not the right way. In a high-rise, you don't appreciate the scale. You think you're living in the horizontal world." Trade center occupants "had almost no sense of how long it would take to move through that many stairs."

Although the twin towers were disaster investigators' primary focus because of their sheer size and the human toll, engineers were keenly interested in the Trade Center complex's Building 7, which also collapsed on 9/11.

That 47-story skyscraper had a more conventional structural frame than the twin towers, and it wasn't hit by jets or doused with fuel. But when debris from Tower 1 set Building 7 afire – a blaze that burned for 7 hours because the sprinklers were disabled – it fell too. Fortunately, all occupants had evacuated and emergency teams were ordered out. Building 7 was the first total high-rise collapse strictly due to fire, and further highlighted the need for improved fire-resistance.

NIST investigators made 31 recommendations based on their reviews of what happened in the twin towers and Building 7. The proposals called for substantial changes in how new high-rises are designed, built and maintained, and in evacuation and emergency response, though the researchers urged owners of existing buildings to also consider acting on the suggestions.

Turning the NIST recommendations into mandatory building and fire safety codes took several years. The voluminous "model" building and fire safety codes from which state and local governments pattern their own binding standards first had to be updated.

That process involves debate not just about the technical basis for the changes, but their applicability and cost, too. Most tall buildings probably are not terrorism targets. Some developers objected to the requirements, saying they might make skyscrapers prohibitively expensive.

"We're always trying to make a balance between cost and safety," said Shyam Sunder, who led the NIST investigation. "And we're always trying to make a trade-up in how safe is safe enough."
"The question is what I call the bookends," said Robert Solomon of the National Fire Protection Association, a non-profit group whose model fire codes are used by many cities. "Do we say [the Trade Center attack] is such an unusual occurrence that we're not going to do anything? Or do we really up the ante and go with all kinds of redundant systems and features?"

Significant changes in building codes

In the end, the National Fire Protection Association and the International Code Council, whose model building and fire codes are the blueprint for most U.S. communities, followed most of the 9/11 investigators' recommendations. They made significant changes in the 2009 and the upcoming 2012 codes, which apply to new high-rises. Ohio is preparing this fall to adopt its version of the 2009 codes, mirroring the changes.

The national code improvements include glow-in-the-dark exit markings in stairways; a third or fourth stairway depending on the building's height; greater separation between those stairways to lessen the chance of a single calamity disabling all of them; stickier, more robust fire-proofing, with inspections to ensure its proper application; backup water supplies for sprinklers; impact-resistant walls around elevator and stairwell shafts; fortified elevators that firefighters and, in some cases, occupants can use in an emergency; stricter and more consistent fire-resistance standards for skyscrapers' structural components; radio amplifiers that help rescuers better communicate inside buildings; and improved emergency evacuation plans and disaster drills.

Even before the code changes, the designers of the replacement World Trade Center buildings voluntarily were incorporating advanced safety features into the new towers, including some – like blast-hardening and extra backup systems – that went beyond the anticipated requirements.
"We felt we had something to prove," said architect Galioto, whose former firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, designed the new 1 World Trade Center and 7 World Trade Center towers. Galioto is now the managing principal of the New York office of HOK, one of the world's largest architecture firms. "We felt we had to develop a tall building in downtown Manhattan that people would be comfortable coming to work in."

Likewise, newer high-profile federal buildings such as courthouses have protective designs and features that exceed local and state building codes, even though the structures technically are exempt. The heightened security focus pre-dates 9/11, stemming from the 1995 truck bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

The building design details are classified, but "the level of capacity, the redundancy of [safety] systems, the willingness to assume risk, has changed dramatically for our clients," said Cleveland architect Paul Westlake, whose firm works extensively on federal projects.Among its efforts: a prototype perimeter security system of planters, benches and other functional, visually pleasing vehicle barriers that safeguard historic buildings such as the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

While high-rise safety is improving, more changes are needed, according to the Skyscraper Safety Campaign, an advocacy group founded by New Yorker Sally Regenhard, whose son Christian was among the 343 firefighters killed in the twin towers' collapse.

Regenhard and two of the group's advisers, safety expert Jake Pauls and fire protection engineer and John Jay College professor Glenn Corbett, say high-rises should be required to have stairwell video cameras and other monitoring technology to give rescuers better "situation awareness" of fire, smoke, evacuation progress and structural dangers.

That information would help commanders make better decisions about where, how and whether to deploy their personnel. "Had the fire services had situation awareness [in the twin towers], they would have saved a lot of their people by not entering the buildings, because there was no way they could do anything except die," Pauls said.

Cost and privacy concerns so far have stymied attempts to add video monitoring to building or fire codes, Pauls said.

The minimum widths for stairwells in new skyscrapers also remain unchanged. "This was the frustration," Pauls said. "We couldn't even get that adopted . . . when the needs had obviously grown, with people's larger body size, larger girth and reduced fitness."

High-rise occupants and building managers bear some responsibility for being prepared for emergencies. That includes reacting promptly to alarms, knowing how to get out, and even something as simple as keeping comfortable shoes around for long stair descents.

"When you get on an airplane, the first thing they tell you to do is look around and make sure where the exits are," said Henry Green, president of the National Institute of Building Sciences. "We don't do that when we go into buildings, even now. How many folks have actually looked down the stairwell when they see an exit sign?"

In Ohio's tallest skyscraper, the 57-floor Key Tower in Cleveland, there are yearly evacuation drills where tenants must completely exit the building, even if it means walking down dozens of stair flights. Floor wardens check offices and direct traffic. Tenants get a printed report of how long it took their personnel to get out.

Mega-law firm Squire Sanders occupies eight of the tower's uppermost floors, with 40-mile views and window ledges that double as falcon perches. Managing partner David Goodman remembers the hasty exit on that terrible morning a decade ago. With enhanced evacuation planning and practice, he feels safe.

"We believe we've done the right things, but we know it's easy to become complacent a year or 10 years after some incident that prompted new procedures," Goodman said. "We have strived not to."

Avondale's program to fight graffiti is winning 'war of wills'

2011-11-03T16:52:00.002-04:00

by David Madrid - Aug. 19, 2011 09:27 AM
The Arizona Republic

Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic

Joe Bender, with Graffiti Protective Coating, paints over a graffiti in Avondale.

The problem of creeping graffiti in Avondale once threatened to overtake the city.
But the vandalism was attacked in 2008 when a pilot program began using a private contractor to paint over illegal graffiti and restore damaged areas.
The pilot was a success, said Gina Montes, Avondale Neighborhood and Family Services director.
So last week, the Avondale City Council approved a $90,720 contract with Los Angeles-based Graffiti Protective Coatings for graffiti-abatement services for a year beginning Sept. 1 with three possible renewal periods.
Since May 2008, the Neighborhood and Family Services Department has contracted with Graffiti Protective Coatings to remove graffiti at city facilities, rights-of-way and parks.
"We were very happy to find this service," Montes said. "It has resolved what has become a big issue for Avondale, simply because graffiti tends to be a war of wills. The longer graffiti is left up, the longer graffiti offenders are encouraged to continue."

If not addressed, graffiti can attract other forms of crime and street delinquency to a neighborhood, while also decreasing residents' feeling of safety. Graffiti also decreases property values, city officials said.

During 2010-11, the company removed graffiti at 3,007 sites totaling 61,457 square feet.
Since the start of the program in May 2008, Graffiti Protective Coatings has removed graffiti at 10,093 sites for a total of 298,183 square feet.
Joe Bender, 45, and Rene Mercado, 38, work for the graffiti-abatement company.
They drive around in trucks armed with paint, compressors and high-pressure spray to fight graffiti. On Wednesday, they painted a wall at an abandoned facility near Avondale Boulevard and Lower Buckeye Road. Graffiti was visible from the street.
Bender said when the contract first began, employees were painting and restoring about 200 sites a week. That number is now down to 50 per week, which Bender said proves that constantly attacking the graffiti works to reduce the tagging.
"Most of it is just high-school kids running around, writing their names on stuff," Bender said. He added that the tagging is done with spray paint, Sharpies, paint pens and even old-time fire extinguishers that can be filled with paint.
"We've gotten a lot of them (offenders) out of Avondale," Bender said.
Mercado said taggers get discouraged when their graffiti continually disappears.
"It costs them money too," Mercado said.
The contract with the private contractor has enabled the city's Code Enforcement Division to deal with graffiti more efficiently and rapidly, thus freeing up staff time for other priorities, Montes said.
The graffiti-elimination services were procured by Avondale based on a cooperative-purchasing provision in a contract Mesa has with the company.
Avondale graffiti complaints are reported to code enforcement via a graffiti hotline or by iPhone, Droid application or e-mail. Work orders are transmitted by city code staff to Graffiti Protection Coatings via iPhone.
A city code-enforcement officer or resident photographs graffiti and sends the image to the company's database. The image automatically carries the location of the vandalism through the phone's GPS system, creating an electronic work order.
In minutes, a technician can be dispatched with the right color paint to cover the graffiti.
Typically, graffiti is removed in less then 24 hours, but there is a shorter timeframe available for priority work orders.
The company also removes graffiti along designated routes that Bender and Mercado drive regularly in search of graffiti.
"Most people view our city as being very clean in terms of graffiti, and it's because of this service that we're using," Montes said.

Savvy Homeowners Can Save Plenty by Painting, Rather Than Replacing, Vinyl or Aluminum Siding

2011-11-03T16:42:00.002-04:00

PHILADELPHIA, Aug 24, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- With the weak economy, few homeowners will be running out to replace their vinyl or aluminum siding. But that's not to say they can't improve its appearance or simply change the color by painting it.

"One of the best-kept remodeling secrets is that it's actually very easy to repaint these materials, especially vinyl siding," says Debbie Zimmer, spokesperson for the Paint Quality Institute. "And, it's a lot less expensive than replacing the siding."

While it can cost up to $20,000 or more to re-side a home, a professional painting contractor might charge $5,000 to paint it. Homeowners who do their own painting can often complete the job for just a few hundred dollars.

That said, do-it-yourself exterior painting isn't for everyone. Since spray-painting is best when painting vinyl or aluminum panels, it's preferable to have a little experience with this equipment. But for some homeowners, doing their own painting is a great way to save a bundle of money.

Zimmer says there are two secrets to painting vinyl or aluminum siding: good surface preparation and use of a top quality 100% acrylic latex exterior paint.

Surface preparation is simple when painting vinyl siding: just remove dirt and mildew from the panels with a commercial cleaner and garden hose, or rent power-washing equipment to speed the work. If any stubborn mildew remains, remove it with a solution of one-part bleach to three-parts water, then rinse the surface clean.

With aluminum siding, follow the same cleaning procedures. If excessive "chalk" is present afterward (run your hand across a panel to check for residue), repeat the procedure. Use bleach solution on any stubborn mildew, and rinse clean.

Keep an eye out for surface oxidation on aluminum. The tip-off is the presence of a white powdery substance on panels that are worn down to the bare metal. If oxidation is present, carefully remove the powdery material with a non-metallic scouring pad, then rinse the surface clean. Apply a quality exterior latex metal primer anywhere bare metal shows through. That will complete your surface preparation.

Choosing the right paint to use on vinyl or aluminum siding is simple, according to Zimmer: "These panels tend to be smooth to the touch, almost slippery, so you must use a paint with great adhesion. The paint that adheres best to these surfaces is top quality 100% acrylic latex exterior paint."

Paints made with 100% acrylic are a great choice on vinyl and aluminum siding for another important reason: They are extremely flexible. When siding panels expand or contract in very warm or very cold weather, these paints will tend to stretch or contract along with them.

Top quality paints also have superior "leveling", which means they will naturally tend to duplicate the original appearance of the siding, whether it is smooth or textured. They also resist fading, fight mildew growth, and are very durable.

When it comes to color choice, Zimmer offers one caution when painting vinyl siding: "It's wise to select a color no darker than the original. Dark shades tend to absorb the heat of the sun and can cause the panels to warp or buckle."

For those who truly desire a darker color, seek out one of the technologically-advanced paints that use reflective pigments to ward off some of the sun's heat. But be sure to ask the paint salesperson whether the color you like can be used on vinyl siding.

For more information, visit blog.paintquality.com or www.paintquality.com .

Never Paint Your Home Again - Rhino Shield

2011-11-03T16:06:00.008-04:00

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World Trade Center slowly being "knitted back into the city"

2011-10-14T11:08:00.002-04:00

By Douglas Quan, Postmedia News August 27, 2011

NEW YORK — Life, finally, has returned to "The Hole."
After lying dormant for years, the 16-acre World Trade Center site is teeming with cranes, earth movers and 3,000 construction workers daily.
Their job? To transform the site into a place that simultaneously memorializes and revitalizes — where people can come to quietly reflect and where capitalism can flourish.
Architect Nick Zigomanis, whose Toronto-based firm Adamson Associates has played a role in shepherding major parts of the complex project, says he's confident the right balance has been struck.
"We had to decide what is the new way we're going to live after all this? Are we going to solidify all this into a gravesite and memorial and stop moving? Or are we going to live?" he said.
"For me there is absolutely nothing wrong in saying this is a place to live and shop and make money and bring the business here. That's why we're all here. New York wouldn't be New York."
*****
In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Zigomanis worried whether anyone ever wanted to build a skyscraper again.
Today, all he has to do is look out his office's windows at the World Trade Center site to get his answer.
Or rather, look up.
On the northwest corner of the site sits the partially constructed One World Trade Center tower which, when completed, will be the tallest building in the United States — a symbol of American resilience, some might say defiance.
In addition to the 1,776-foot-tall signature tower, the plans also call for three more office towers, retail stores and a major transportation hub.
Equally important, the site will provide space for people to get away from the hustle and bustle.
The centrepiece of the site is a memorial plaza filled with a forest of oak trees. The original footprints of the Twin Towers have been transformed into pools; water gently cascades down their walls, the names of each 9/11 victim inscribed in bronze around their borders.
There will also be an underground 9/11 museum and an above-ground pavilion, containing architectural elements from the original towers.
*****
Arriving at this balance between rebirth and remembrance did not come easily.
During early phases in the solicitation of ideas, some designers were adamant there should be no commercial development anywhere on the site.
Others took the opposite view. Don't just rebuild, but rebuild bigger and stronger, they said.
Contributing to the problem were the numerous parties who had a say in the redevelopment. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey owns the site, developer Silverstein Properties is the major leaseholder, and the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. is a joint state-city corporation co-ordinating the effort.
Even after architect Daniel Libeskind's master site plan was chosen in 2003 following a worldwide competition, the reconstruction project faced further delays because of disagreements over the specific designs of each element of the site, which were parcelled out to several different architects.
A New York Times article in 2005 referred to the project as "one of the most muddled developments in the city's recent memory."
"It was very depressing to go by the site and read on a daily basis the incompetence of the powers involved. Everybody was fighting everybody else. Nothing was getting done," recalled Andrew Dolkart, director of the historic preservation program at Columbia University.
But now that the construction is well underway, it has helped to give a psychological boost to those who live and work in the area, he said. A site that was a "barren wasteland" for years is now slowly being "knitted back into the city."
The redevelopment also sends a clear message that New York is a "city that remembers but a city that goes on into the future."
******
New York City architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and architect David Childs took the lead role in designing One World Trade Center.
From its cubic base, the 105-storey tower rises in the form of eight isosceles-triangle glass walls, and tapers at the top.
"A skyscraper of that height has to be an icon. One of the things that was important to us in the beginning was to create an icon, a building that's recognizable only by its shape," said Montreal native Donald Marmen, an associate director at the firm.
As for the detailing, the firm chose a type of glass that is very specular and that would reflect light. As the sun moves through the sky, the tower's surfaces shimmer like a kaleidoscope.
The other three towers, located along the site's eastern edge in descending height, each boast their own identities as well.
Designs for each were finalized over an intense period in the summer of 2006 with Zigomanis' firm, Adamson Associates, helping to oversee the process.
- Tower 2, designed by London-based firm Foster & Partners, comprises four mini-towers whose diamond-shaped tops are cut off at an angle, as if to point back at the memorial plaza below.
- Tower 3, designed by London-based Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners, emphasizes transparency — showing the mechanical "guts" of the building.
- Tower 4, designed by Maki and Associates in Japan, takes on a minimalist approach with a cooler feel.
Sept. 11 really caused architects to think the "unthinkable" when incorporating safety features into their designs, Zigomanis said.
To that end, each tower was designed with additional options for getting out of the building, features to avoid a progressive collapse, better fireproofing and more emergency backup lighting.
*******
A billboard next to the site says the future has "never been brighter."
But traces of 9/11's dark days are never far. Street vendors peddle $5 booklets with graphic images of the planes barrelling into the Twin Towers.
A memorial wall outside a firehouse next to the site pays homage to the 343 firefighters killed that day. The pews at nearby St. Paul's Chapel still bear scuff marks from when 9/11 firefighters came to rest or pray.
A big question, however, remains: will people want to work here again? Dolkart, the Columbia University expert, admits he would not want an office in One World Trade Center.
"If there's any building in the world that's a target, that's it," he said.
"It has symbolic meaning for people who are troublesome. What more obvious target would there be than that?"
But there are some promising signs. In May, a news release announced publishing company Conde Nast would occupy one-third of the One World Trade Center tower, using the building as its headquarters and home for its magazines and websites.
Zigomanis says he gets his confidence from an encounter he had with a stranger a few years ago.
He and other project planners were heading to a meeting with technical drawings tucked underneath their arms.
They passed a group of tourists trying to sneak a peek through the perimeter fencing. A woman in the group, recognizing they were probably involved in the redevelopment, stopped them.
"Whatever you do, make sure this doesn't become a graveyard," she said.
"This is a place to live."
Dquan@postmedia.com

Exterior Painting Should Be Done Under Right Weather, Institute Says

2011-10-14T10:56:00.002-04:00

Now that September is upon us, most of the country is entering the stretch run of the exterior painting season. If your house is in need of a new paint job, there’s little time to waste: “Paint-friendly” weather is fast disappearing.

“Doing exterior painting in the right weather conditions is extremely important,” says Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert at the Paint Quality Institute. “Fresh paint forms a better protective film when it’s applied in moderate weather like that commonly seen in early autumn. If your house needs to be painted this year, you need to paint it now.”
To appreciate the urgency, it’s important to understand how paint “cures”. While latex paint dries to the touch very quickly, it actually takes many hours for it to form the most protective paint film. If the temperature is very hot when the paint is applied -- or more likely as winter approaches, if nighttime temperatures get very cold -- that can adversely affect film formation, and even lead to early flaking and peeling of the paint.
This point is vividly demonstrated on test panels at the Paint Quality Institute. More than 40 years of outdoor testing there shows that exterior paint applied in moderate conditions can last many years longer than paints applied in very hot, very cold, or even very windy weather.
Those extra years of service can offer homeowners a big return on their investment in an exterior paint job. As an example, let’s say a new paint job costs $3,000. If it lasts only five years, the annualized cost is $600; but if it holds up for 10 years, the annualized cost is only $300 – half as much!
As the days get shorter and winter approaches, painting in moderate weather is one of the most important factors in getting a long-lasting exterior paint job. Other things that can affect the longevity of a coating aren’t so time-sensitive, according to Zimmer.
“To get the most durable paint job, it’s always very important to properly prepare exterior surfaces and to use a top quality paint,” she says.
Good exterior surface preparation requires that siding and trim be clean and free of dust, dirt, and mildew, so that the new paint can adhere properly. Of course, peeling, flaking, or otherwise unstable paint should be completely removed, and any bare wood primed before painting.
As for the type of paint to use, studies show that high quality 100% acrylic latex paints are the most durable coatings for most home exteriors, including wood, masonry, vinyl and aluminum siding. These paints adhere well, they’re tough, and they’re very flexible, so they tend to expand or contract with the home exterior when temperatures rise or fall dramatically.
Which brings us back to the weather: As the song says, “For everything, there is a season.” When it comes to exterior painting, that season is now.

Written by Debbie Zimmer
Paint Quality Institute

San Jose fights graffiti surge

2011-10-14T10:54:00.002-04:00

By John Woolfolk

jwoolfolk@mercurynews.com

Posted: 09/18/2011 03:14:12 PM PDT

Updated: 09/18/2011 03:14:13 PM PDT

San Jose has seen a sharp spike in graffiti, up 38 percent from a year ago to the highest number of documented tags since 1999.

The surge comes at a time when budget cuts have forced the city to outsource its cleanup work.
City officials say annual surveys done each January since 1999 noted 44,405 graffiti tags citywide this year, up from 29,285 in January 2010. That was the highest figure since the city first started tracking graffiti tags in 1999 and counted 71,541. The City Council will consider the issue Tuesday.
"The volume of graffiti is higher," said Mike Will, a San Jose parks manager who oversees graffiti abatement, adding that reasons for the spike are a mystery. There hasn't been a greater number of any particular type of graffiti, he said.
"It's generally everything," Will said. "Maybe it's something to do with the economy, people's frustrations. We're still talking to experts and police to see what's going on."
Mario Maciel, superintendent of the mayor's gang task force, doesn't believe the surge is related to gang activity and blames "tagging crews" of high-school kids who thrive on the thrill of spreading their tags all over town.
"When there's a quantifiable spike, it's these tagging crews," Maciel said. "It's the whole notoriety among their subculture. That's how they validate themselves. We see that as a social epidemic."
San Jose saw sharp drops in graffiti from 2000 through 2003, and the number of reported tags generally held between 2,000 and 4,000 for the next several years. But in 2008 the number jumped to 13,902 and has risen dramatically each year since.
City officials in the latest January survey noted the sharpest one-year tagging increase in the city's fifth council district, centered in East San Jose, where the volume nearly tripled. District 7 in central San Jose also saw a substantial rise in graffiti. Downtown's District 3 as well as West San Jose's District 1 and the Cambrian area's District 9 also saw increases. Tagging volume dropped elsewhere.
Councilman Xavier Campos, who represents District 5, said he has noticed the surge in tagging and vowed in a statement Friday to devote city resources to fight it.
"Despite our budget cuts, we can not allow for the city's graffiti problems to spiral out of control," Campos said. "Under my watch, I will work to get to the bottom of what has caused the recent increases. The taxpayers expect better, and as council member of a district that is plagued with graffiti, I intend on making sure they get the benefit of every dollar they spend."
To close a $115 million budget deficit in June, San Jose officials outsourced the city's graffiti abatement program to a private contractor to save $1 million. Under a $633,000 contract with the city, Graffiti Protective Coatings Inc. is taking a somewhat different approach to cleaning up tags. By taking time to match paint to the vandalized surface, they are working to erase not only the tags but evidence that they've been painted over.
Will said that because the city had a limited variety of paint colors, its graffiti abatement crews could seldom match the original surface when painting over tags. Over time, he said, those surfaces began looking splotchy, giving them away as prime graffiti targets.
"You ended up with a quilt-patch of covered graffiti, which in many cases looks just as bad," Will said, noting that those surfaces were often quickly vandalized again.
Barry Steinhart, general manager of Graffiti Protective Coatings, said San Jose isn't alone in seeing a surge in graffiti.
"Everybody's increasing," Steinhart, whose Los Angeles-based company also has served Alameda County and the cities of Santa Cruz, Long Beach, Santa Ana and Mesa, Ariz. "Graffiti's a problem everywhere. It's like a sport to these kids."
Steinhart said he was surprised how much graffiti there was in San Jose but that his crews are working to paint over tagged areas so that they don't invite repeat vandalism and are easier to manage. The company's crews are starting in the hard-hit East San Jose area.
"They had a lot more graffiti than we anticipated," Steinhart said. "It's just going to take a little bit of time to get everything under control and where it needs to be."

Fireproofing Materials - Mesothelioma Symptoms

2011-08-11T19:18:00.000-04:00

Historically, asbestos has been used for fireproofing. A wide variety of fireproofing materials were used in the construction of buildings, ships, airplanes, and even residential homes. The engineers in charge of safety features for these buildings provided fire safety in the best way available at the time, through the use of asbestos containing products. Although fireproofing materials are available in many forms, they have the common goal of reducing heat transfer. Before 1980, many fireproofing materials were made from asbestos. Now, most fireproofing materials are made of other materials like fiberglass or ceramics.
Asbestos used to be thought of as a miracle substance because of how durable and heat resistant it is, even though illness and disabilities have been observed in those working with asbestos for centuries. Asbestos use increased following the Industrial Revolution, and soon doctors began seeing the same diseases in workers from mines, factories, and construction developments. Many workers had severe chest pain and difficulty breathing.
Researchers issued warnings and informed the companies who manufactured asbestos products of the dangers of working with the mineral. However, the workers who actually dealt with these products rarely heard these dangers. In the general interest of saving money for the company, the health and well being of thousands of employees was neglected.
Asbestos in so dangerous because of the small sharp fibers it produces when it is damaged or broken down. These fibers can be inhaled and lie dormant in the chest and lungs for many years. The result can be inflammation, scarring, lung cancers like mesothelioma and other conditions like asbestosis. For many decades, people who have previously worked with asbestos or asbestos containing products have developed serious health conditions that can lead to death. People who worked with fireproofing material before 1980 may have been exposed to asbestos.
References:
EPA
Minnesota Department of Health
Mesothelioma Resource Online

Intumescent Paint and Coatings

2011-08-11T18:44:00.004-04:00

Written by: Tarun Goel • Edited by: Lamar Stonecypher
Published Jul 14, 2011 • Related Guides: Sun Exposure

Spray-on fireproof coatings are an effective method for protecting equipment and structures from fire and heat. However, these materials tend to have particular advantages and disadvantages. Read this article to learn about the properties, indications and applications for these coatings.

An intumescent paint is a type of coating that is a fire retardant that also protects structural members from the ill effects of hot weather and sun exposure. It can be applied to wood, bricks, walls, and other structural members of a structure, to steel and plastic piping, and to fiberglass structures. These coatings are usually made of organic substances like epoxy resins and other thermosetting polymers that have high resistance to heat and fire.

How Intumescent Spray-On Fireproofing Works

Intumescent substances swell when exposed to heat and fire. When used as a paint coat or fireproofing spray, they form a protective layer on the surface. When exposed to fire or excessive heat, the protective layer will resist and absorb heat, thus protecting the structural member from damaged or deformation. Volume expansion and density reduction takes place when temperature starts to rise. Organic materials used for the manufacturing of intumescent paints are inert at low temperatures, but they swell instantaneously when brought into contact with heat or fire.

Intumescent paints are either solvent based or water based. In both cases, they contain a sufficient amount of hydrates to help in cooling off the temperature because of evaporation effects. Water based paints are used most often because they are inexpensive and widely available. Solvent based intumescent paints have, so far, seen only limited usage.

Another classification system, which takes into account the nature of the char produced by intumescent paint, is also in effect.

Soft char intumescent paints produce only a light char upon initial heat exposure. The char is a bad conductor of heat, and it does not allow the heat to pass through the paint coat and reach the structural member. It also contains hydrates which have a cooling effect. This is used primarily for the protection of structural steel.

Hard char intumescent paints produce hard char, which is also a very poor conductor of heat. These paints are exclusively used for plastic pipe protection. The major constituents of hard char are graphite and sodium silicate.

Advantages and Applications

Intumescent coatings prolong the structural life of steel. As protected steel is less exposed to frequent temperature variations, its load bearing capacity also increases.
The coatings can be applied off-site as well as on-location. Off-site fireproofing means there is enough time for workers to fit, erect, and adjust their structural components. Faster and easier construction, reduced on-site activities, and ease of assembly are the major advantages of off-site coating.
These specialized paints have a wide range of use. They can be used for steel coatings, wooden coats, or for structural components like concrete as well. Recently intumescent fireproofing sprays have been developed that can be applied to fiber glass structural components, too.
Advantageous use of these products can be made in refurbishment projects. The structural, aesthetic, and architectural value of the structural objects remains preserved.

As already stated, intumescent paints have a huge scope of use. These paints are mainly used in fire-stopping, closures, and fireproofing works in buildings, houses, and manufacturing industries. Gasketing applications also make use of intumescent spray-on fireproofing paints. Major use of these paints is found in offshore drilling, aircraft maintenance, and the ship building industries.

Disadvantages

The intumescent fireproofing industry is on the rise and has already created a stir in the market. However, there are certain drawbacks associated with these paints.

UV exposure, operational heat, and the humidity of the work area are three major factors that affect the performance of intumescents. Intumescents are particularly vulnerable to environmental exposure at the time of application.
For sodium silicate based intumescent fire sprays, having rubber or epoxy in the coatings becomes mandatory in order to promote adherence.
They have a limited fire resistance period. The best quality, i.e. most expensive, intumescent fire sprays will not preserve your structural member for more than sixty minutes or so. As the fire resistance time duration increases, the costs also increases, and the cost rise is usually exponential.

Alternatives to the Intumescent spray-on paints are also available in the market.

Flexible blanket systems - Good - cheap, easy to use, dry fixing methods; bad - poor appearance.
Other fireproofing sprays - Good - covers complex details, low cost, durable; bad - on site application means more on-site headaches.
Board systems - Good - clean appearance, dry fixing, can be used on unpainted steelwork; bad - does not cover complex areas.

References

Author's own experience
Intumescent Coatings, Steelconstruction.org (pdf)
Envirograf, Fire Protection Coatings, http://www.envirograf.com/acrobat/coatings.pdf
Site Applied Protection Materials, http://www.civl.port.ac.uk/britishsteel/media/Fire%20brochure/section4.htm

Go green by painting your building roof white

2011-08-11T14:22:00.001-04:00

Sandeep Ashar, TNN Jul 25, 2011, 04.10am IST

MUMBAI: The state government wants to promote 'cool roofs' to conserve energy.
A 'cool roof' is one treated with a coating to reduce the amount of absorbed solar radiation and heat. In general, these coatings are white or light-coloured. The term is also used to describe roof tiles that show similar properties. Research suggests that such roofs are more reflective that the conventional ones.
Conventional roofs (dark-coloured roofs) absorb heat instead of reflecting it. This raises the temperature of the roof during hot weather. The heat is also transmitted to the living quarters below, forcing many to switch on air conditioners.
By reflecting heat, a cool roof significantly minimizes such heat transfer, leading to savings on your AC bill. This, in turn, reduces carbon emissions and helps in promoting a cooler and a greener planet.
The state environment department has tied up with Dr Jayant Sathaye, a director with the International Energy Group of the renowned California-based and renowned Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. that has published research papers.
Valsa Nair Singh, secretary, environment department, said, "Models used in Delhi and Hyderabad, where the concept has already been introduced, are being examined." In Delhi, the government has modified building norms to make "cool roofs" a mandatory norm in new buildings. On completion of the ongoing study, the state urban development (UD) department could be asked to check the feasibility of similarly introducing similar changes in development control norms.
To promote the concept, Delhi first introduced the concept in government buildings. The US was the first to endorse the concept. With President Barack Obama advocating it strongly, the concept has gained tremendous ground within the States and is now trending in other developed and developing countries. Rebates in taxes were offered to popularize the concept in some parts of the US.
To bring down carbon emissions and slow down global warming effects, the state has been promoting use of green and environment-friendly building construction materials. Interestingly, the California research laboratory had also suggested use of light-coloured pavement tiles to reduce carbon emissions. However, state officials said that this was not being considered at this stage.

9/11 memorial will be ready for anniversary, official says

2011-08-11T14:10:00.002-04:00

The names of those who were killed in the 9/11 attack are still covered and surround the memorial pools at the World Trade Center memorial. / THOMAS P. COSTELLO/APPstaff photographer

WASHINGTON — It seemed impossible only a few years ago, but a 9/11 memorial will open at the site of the former World Trade Center in New York by the 10th anniversary of the 2001 attacks, the executive director of the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey said Tuesday.
Until 2008, it appeared the memorial wouldn't be ready in time — until the port authority did a top-to-bottom review of the project after years of grappling with unrealistic plans, budgets and construction timetables, Chris Ward told reporters at the National Press Club.
"We lost sight of really the more prosaic questions, the realistic questions: 'How do you build this project?' How do you get it done?'" said Ward, who has led the 9/11 Memorial project since May 2008. "Today we can stand here and say we've turned the project around."
The memorial plaza will feature two large squares where the Twin Towers stood, with water constantly flowing in and out of them. By the time the plaza opens, officials will have planted about 220 of the more than 300 oak trees the site will eventually include.
And visitors will be able to read the names of the nearly 3,000 victims on walls.
An underground museum at the site isn't expected to open until late 2012, but a soaring pavilion marking the museum's entrance will be almost complete by the 10th anniversary, Ward said.
The memorial is only one part of the effort to redevelop the former World Trade Center.
The port authority also is building a 104-story office tower called One World Trade Center, which will be New York's tallest building when completed next year. Seventy-six stories have been built and 80 will be done by the anniversary on Sept. 11, Ward said.
"New Yorkers judge progress by skyscrapers," he said. "New York City will have its exclamation point in One World Trade Center."
A massive underground transit center rivaling Grand Central Station nearby also is being built.
A private developer is building a separate office tower that should be complete in the next few years, and plans to build two more later.
The port authority is issuing bonds to raise its $11 billion share of the project. The federal government is contributing $2.2 billion for the transit center, with the rest coming from the private developer, Ward said.
Critics have raised a host of objections over the years.
Glenn Corbett, an adviser to 9/11 survivor families and a former assistant fire chief in Waldwick, said families weren't consulted much during the site planning.
Though the port authority insists the office towers and the museum will exceed New York City's fire and building codes, Corbett said no one knows for sure because the site is exempt from city regulations.
Corbett contends that the original Twin Towers were built with inferior, untested fireproofing materials, and each had three stairwells instead of the four required under the city's code.
The museum's design and ownership also have drawn criticism.
For instance, the privately run museum will house victims' remains despite objections from many family members, Corbett said in a telephone interview.
He said the former World Trade Center site should have been converted into a national park that people could visit for free. Instead, they may have to pay as much as $25 per person to visit the museum.
Michael Frazier, spokesman for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, said in an email that visits to the memorial plaza will be free. An entry fee for the museum hasn't been set.
The memorial plaza and museum are "overly expensive and complicated," Corbett said. "If you look at it in the abstract, the memorial memorializes the tower more than the people who were killed there."
--
On the Web: National September 11 Memorial & Museum:
www.911memorial.org

Water Storage Tank Design is Just a Click Away with Online Tank3D Tool from Tnemec

2011-08-11T14:00:00.002-04:00

Tnemec Co., Inc.
6800 Corporate Dr.
Kansas City, MO, 64120, USA

Press release date: July 22, 2011

One of the most advanced interactive tools that allows users to customize elevated and ground potable water storage tanks with a wide palette of colors, graphics, text and even logos is now available from Tnemec at http://www.tnemec.com/tank3D. "With Tnemec's Tank3D, it is possible to visualize how a water tank will appear using variable design elements and Tnemec coatings," explained Doug Hansen, director, Water Tank Market. "Using this technology, more than 100 color options and countless graphic enhancements can be explored in minutes rather than hours or days."

With more than 40 years of experience as a manufacturer of protective coating systems for the water tank market, Tnemec has actively encouraged aesthetic, creative and innovative tank designs through the sponsorship of its annual Tank of the Year competition. "Most water tanks today incorporate graphic designs, such as the name of the town, or a logo or mascot," Hansen acknowledged. "With the development and introduction of Tank3D technology, we are making it even easier for tank owners, engineers, fabricators and painting contractors to use Tnemec coating systems in designing water tanks that are a source of community pride."

In addition to its color selection and graphic functionality, Tnemec Tank3D offers users the ability to zoom and pan around their customized tank, as well as view a pre-programmed "fly-by" that shows the tank from different perspectives. Printer-friendly PDFs and color swatches are also available using the new technology.

"This is the first truly interactive tool of its kind that offers such a wide range of functionality," according to Jessi Bixler, electronic marketing manager, who directed the creation and development of Tnemec Tank3D. "Existing applications for this market are little more than color guides with very minimal functionality."

The program operates on all Web browsers, including Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari and Chrome, and is both Mac and PC compatible, Bixler explained. "The technology is activated by downloading a plug-in, which usually takes just a few seconds," she observed. "The user can then select their style of tank, the colors they want to use, along with text, logos and other graphics, so the final design will closely resemble the actual finished project. By varying the color, engineers and architects can determine which colors work best with other design elements such as logos and lettering."

Tank3D was introduced at this year's AWWA Annual Conference and Exposition in Washington, D.C., where it attracted immediate interest among attendees. "During our live demos, everyone was impressed with how quick and easy the program was to use, along with the fact that it allowed them to customize their design with logos and text using different typefaces," Bixler noted.

Tnemec coating consultants will be introducing their customers to Tank3D and its design features over the next several months. "The program is out there for people to use and experiment with and we encourage them to use it," Bixler added. Tnemec will continue to make enhancements to the tool for even more design options, such as new tank styles and different backgrounds.

Fresh Paint Color Can Improve Your Mood!

2011-08-11T13:53:00.000-04:00

PHILADELPHIA, Aug 02, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Let's face it. Few of us are spending money the way we used to. But our homes are still our castles, and we want them to be as attractive as possible. In fact, the lackluster economy is all the more reason to create a comfortable, welcoming cocoon where we can ride out the economic storm.

How to reconcile the desire to beautify a home with the need to economize? One possibility is to add fresh color to the indoor environment with a new interior paint scheme.

"Repainting is a low-cost way to greatly enhance the appearance of a home," says Debbie Zimmer, spokesperson for the Paint Quality Institute. "And new paint colors can actually have a positive psychological effect."

The simple fact that you're surrounded by fresh color, in and of itself, can be uplifting. But Zimmer says that certain colors have been shown to invoke specific desirable feelings and emotions. Knowing this ahead of time allows you to make the best color choices.

If your life is very stressful, you might want to repaint the rooms where you rest and relax -- the family room and bedroom, for example -- in a pale blue or soft green. Studies show that these colors can be very calming.

Another approach is to introduce a color like taupe or brown. These also tend to create a tranquil environment, but they impart more warmth and coziness than blue or green.

If, on the other hand, you want to inject some energy and optimism into your surroundings, consider using yellow paint. Like splashes of brilliant sunshine, yellow walls can lift your spirits and brighten your outlook.

Apricot, cinnamon, and tangerine are also energizing colors. But be careful with reds and burgundies: These colors can literally increase heartbeat and arouse passion. Not good for the room where you pay your bills!

The tone, or brightness, of a color should always be factored into color choice. Brighter tones invigorate, while those that are muted ("toned down") tend to be more relaxing.

Whatever your response to your new color scheme, your reaction to the cost of repainting is likely to be positive. A do-it-yourselfer can repaint almost any room for well under $100. And that's using the best quality paint, something that Zimmer strongly advocates.

"Top quality 100% acrylic latex paints cost more than ordinary paint, but they offer the best value. Not only do they last longer and continue to look fresh over time, but they often save you money right away from an application and performance standpoint," she says.

So, if you're feeling blue over the state of the economy, think about painting your walls blue. . .or green. . .or yellow. It will cost very little, but doing so will likely give a big lift to your outlook!

For more information on color psychology and interior painting, visit blog.paintquality.com or www.paintquality.com .

Benjamin Moore Wins Top Interior-Paint Spot in J.D. Power Ranking

2011-06-15T13:16:00.002-04:00

Interior paint and coatings products from Benjamin Moore & Co., Porter Paints and The Sherwin-Williams Company finished one-two-three in the newly issued J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Interior Paint Satisfaction Study, reported to measure customer satisfaction among purchasers and users of interior paint during the past year.
Benjamin Moore ranks highest in customer satisfaction with interior paint with a score of 791 on a 1,000-point scale, J.D. Power said in announcing the results of the study.
Hard on the heels of Benjamin Moore were Porter (789), owned by PPG Industries Inc., and Sherwin-Williams (788).
Benjamin Moore “performs particularly well in three of the six factors: application, product offerings and design guides,” J.D. Power said in announcing the rankings.
The study’s customer satisfaction index rankings are shown in the chart here. Survey findings are detailed at Interior Paint Study.
The study, now it its fifth year, examines five key factors of the “painting experience”: application; offerings (including variety of colors and finishes); durability; price; and warranty/guarantee. The study, however, focuses on retail consumers and not professional paint users.
J.D. Power said overall satisfaction with interior paint brands increased considerably, to an average of 770 on a 1,000 point scale in 2011 from 754 in 2010. Satisfaction has increased in five of the six factors included in the study—all except design guides. The most notable improvements have occurred in the warranty, product offerings, application, and durability factors, the company said of the study’s findings.
“The highest-performing brands in the study also benefit from the highest levels of customer loyalty,” said Christina Cooley, senior manager of the real estate and construction industries practice at J.D. Power. “Among customers of some of these brands, the proportion who say they definitely will purchase the brand of paint again averages as high as 50%, which is considerably greater than the industry average of 36%,” Cooley said.

The study finds that a majority of customers—54%—rely primarily on their past experience with paint brands when shopping for interior paint. More than one-fourth (26%) say they rely on recommendations from store salespersons, family and friends or a contractor or designer professional. An additional 10% of customers consider paint brands primarily based on the in-store product displays.
“It’s particularly important for consumers to do their research prior to purchasing paint at a retailer; with brands constantly introducing new product lines, customers may limit themselves if they don’t consider the new offerings available,” said Cooley.
The study also finds that paint customers choose a paint brand primarily based on past experience, quality and color and texture.
Increase Noted in Hiring of Painters to do the Job
The study findings also include the following key trends:

• A majority of customers in 2011 indicate they applied the paint themselves (82%). More customers in 2011 say they hired a painter or handyman to apply the paint for them (16%), compared with 2010 (11%).
• More than one-half of paint customers (53%) say they do not apply primer to their walls prior to applying the first coat of paint. The percentage of customers who purchase paint that includes primer, however, has increased from 12% in 2010 to 17% in 2011.

The 2011 U.S. Interior Paint Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 8,900 customers who purchased and applied interior paint within the previous 12 months. The study was fielded between March and April 2011.

Guesstamating vs. Estimating

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Let's say you go out to a job and there's 100 feet of wall 9 feet high that needs to be primed and painted 2 coats. You look at the wall and figure that will take about a day to do. You go out to another job and there's 120 feet of wall 9 feet high that needs to be primed and painted 2 coats. You look at the wall and figure that it will take about a day to finish it. Guess what, you're guesstimating!
If you really want to make money consistently on each and every one of your jobs you need to estimate your jobs, not guesstimate them. Accurate estimating is crucial to your long term financial health.
Let me tell you how paint estimating should be done if you want to make money. Everything you do needs to be measurable for labor, materials and equipment. How do you do that?
Using our wall as an example, we need to find out how many squre feet of wall can be painted one coat in an hour. Let's say you know from experience it takes an hour per 300 sf to apply a coat of paint. So, for the 100 foot wall, 9 feet tall, you need to bid 3 hours per coat, or 9 hours toal, plus 3 gals of paint. For the 120 foot wall you need to bid 3.6 hours per coat, or 10.8 hours total, plus 4 gals of paint. When you're guesstimating, which way too many contractors do, you're frequently either leaving money on the table or over bidding and not getting the job. Most of the time money is left on the table because you're eager to get the job.
Estimating is not a perfect science, but it beats the heck out of guesstimating. You may be asking yourself "how do I really know that I'm using the right standards for my estimating?" How do you know for sure that it takes 1 hour per 300 sf of wall per coat?

Estimating and Job Cost - the Secret to Making Money

In order to be confident in estimating, you need to measure your results. That's the only way to be sure that your estimating correctly is to measure your results. In the wall example above, let's say it only took 8 hours to paint the wall. You probably would modify your time for future estimates from 300 sf per hour to 338 sf per hour per coat.
That's how you make money consistently from job to job to job. Do everything in measurable units, measure the results and adjust your estimating for future projects.