At indoor water parks like the 16,000-square-foot Oakbrook Family Aquatic Center, Tnemec protective coating systems are making a splash based on their successful use in hundreds of natatoriums across the country. “Developers have a comfort level with the durability of these systems, having used similar or identical coatings in the past,” reported Tnemec coating consultant Chris Wascher. “In an aggressive environment like an indoor pool where there is daily exposure to moisture and chemicals in the air, developers want coatings that have a proven track record.”
“The Oakbrook Family Aquatic Center project consisted of a mix of concrete block walls, reinforced concrete floors, structural steel framing, galvanized roof decking and steel joist roof framing,” Wascher explained. For these diverse requirements, he recommended:
- Series 90-97 Tneme-Zinc, a zinc-rich aromatic urethane primer, spray-applied at 2.5 to 3.5 mils DFT on all ferrous metals in the fabrication shops.
- For interior walls, Series 54-660 Masonry Filler was the primer, followed by two coats of Series 83 Ceramlon II, a ceramic-like modified aliphatic amine epoxy, applied at 3.0 to 8.0 mils DFT. Drywall surfaces were primed with Series 51-792 PVA Sealer, a waterborne vinyl acrylic sealer, at 1.0 to 2.0 mils DFT, followed by two topcoats of Series 114 H.B. Tneme-Tufcoat, a chemical-resistant waterborne acrylic epoxy, at 4.0 to 6.0 mils DFT per coat.
- Concrete floors were sealed with Series 201 Epoxoprime, a polyamine epoxy, at 6.0 to 12.0 mils DFT.
- On steel and metal surfaces, Series 66 Hi-Build Epoxoline, a polyamide epoxy, was applied at 2.0 to 6.0 mils DFT, followed by a finish coat of Series 73 Endura-Shield, an aliphatic acrylic polyurethane, at 2.0 to 5.0 mils DFT.
All field-applied coatings were spray-applied to ceiling areas, but brush- and roller-applied on the floors and walls, according to Wascher. “The owner loved the low-maintenance features of the system, as well as its longevity and durability,” he noted.
“The development of indoor water parks has taken off like wildfire over the past 10 years,” Wascher added. “These aquatic centers are outdoor water parks brought indoors. The Oakbrook Family Aquatic Center includes a leisure swimming pool with a 105-foot- long spiral water slide, a gradual beach-like, zero-depth pool, water play features and a rapid water channel. There’s also a lap swimming pool featuring six 25-yard lanes, and a 16-person whirlpool. So it’s not just going to an indoor pool and jumping in. It’s literally a theme park that’s indoors.”