Among the attractions at the Quad City Botanical Center is the award-winning Sun Garden with its 14-foot waterfall, reflecting pools with Japanese Koi fish, and a 70-foot atrium featuring ferns, palms, orchids, frangipani, banana plants, and a structural steel coating system from Tnemec. “Built in 1998, the botanical center required a tough coating system able to withstand a warm and humid environment, while providing an aesthetic appearance,” acknowledged Tnemec coating consultant Keith Kennett. “The three-coat system that was specified has exceeded expectations and looks as good today as it did when it was applied.”
The structural steel was prepared in accordance with SSPC-SP6/NACE No. 3 Commercial Blast Cleaning and shop-primed with Series 90-97 Tneme-Zinc, an advanced technology, zinc-rich urethane with remarkable performance properties. Tneme-Zinc was also used for field touch-up after the atrium was erected. Series 27 F.C. Typoxy, a polyamide epoxy that offers fast curing and rapid handling capabilities, was field-applied as an intermediate coat.
The neutral gray finish coat was Series 73 Endura-Shield, an aliphatic acrylic polyurethane coating that is highly resistant to abrasion and the high humidity provided by a fog system used to create a tropical effect in many of the plant display areas. “Ultraviolet (UV) light was a consideration because of all the glass in the structure,” Kennett added. “It was an aggressive environment because of the higher humidity and sunlight. To this day, the coating system is still performing extremely well and the owner is happy with it.”
In addition to hundreds of tropical plants and flowers in the Sun Garden conservatory, the Botanical Center includes a conifer and perennial garden established in 2001. A garden for the physically challenged was added in 2003. It features garden beds of varying heights, a gazebo, and water fountain. Gardeners with physical challenges maintain the garden.