Orange Beach, Ala., is a coastal tourist town, sitting on the southern tip of the state and jutting out into the Gulf of Mexico. The town is home on a regular basis to just more than 4,000 people. Located in Baldwin County, which collected more than $200 million in lodging taxes in 2006 alone, the area is Alabama’s prime beach destination for millions of visitors every year.
Because of its high visibility to residents and visitors alike, any development near the beach is especially scrutinized and has to be particularly well executed. A quality coating system was needed to protect the standpipe built near the beach from high UV exposure as well as sand, high humidity and salt water corrosion. In addition, the owner wanted a system that would provide the best color and gloss retention available.
Following surface preparation in accordance with SSPC-SP10/NACE No. 2, the exterior of the tank received a prime coat of Series 91-H2O Hydro-Zinc, a moisture-cured, zinc-rich aromatic urethane. Certified in accordance with ANSI/NSF Std. 61 for use in potable water, Hydro-Zinc cures quickly, can be topcoated the same day and provides outstanding long-term corrosion resistance when used in conjunction with other Tnemec coatings. Next, an intermediate coat of Series 73 Endura-Shield, an acrylic polyurethane, was applied, followed by a topcoat of Series 700 HydroFlon, a fluoropolymer polyurethane finish. HydroFlon has outstanding resistance to UV light degradation, providing unprecedented long-term gloss and color retention with excellent resistance to abrasion and chalking. Aesthetically pleasing, HydroFlon is ideal for coastal environments and when extremely long-term maintenance cycles are desired.
The tank’s interior also received a prime coat of Hydro-Zinc, followed by two coats of Series 20 Pota-Pox, a polyamide epoxy. Known for its forgiving application characteristics, Series 20 has been the industry standard for potable water epoxy coatings for decades.
The Orange Beach tank is located less than 1/2 mile from the beach and is highly visible from the beach road, so choosing HydroFlon for the tank’s colorful exterior will keep it looking great to residents and