When architects for the 425,000 square foot Steinhafels Furniture Superstore in Waukesha required a long-lasting protective coating for the building’s exterior steel canopy, Tnemec had them covered. “The canopy is highly visible, located at the entrance to the store, so they wanted a coating system that at the time would provide them with the longest lasting protection possible,” recalled Tnemec coating consultant John Laird. “That’s why we went with a four-coat system including a zinc-rich primer, epoxy immediate coat, urethane topcoat and then a clear finish coat to protect the white and red colors from harmful ultraviolet rays.”
The canopy was prepared in the shop in accordance with SSPC-SP6/NACE No. 3 Commercial Blast Cleaning, then shop-primed with Series 90-97 Tneme-Zinc, a two-component, zinc-rich aromatic urethane. “Tneme-Zinc was used as the primer for its outstanding corrosion protection,” Laird acknowledged. After the canopy was installed, it was touched-up with Tneme-Zinc, then given an intermediate coat of Series 27 F.C. Typoxy, a versatile polyamide epoxy used as a field tie-coat.
Next, a coat of Series 73 Endura-Shield, an aliphatic acrylic urethane, was roller-applied. Endura-Shield is highly resistant to abrasion, wet conditions, corrosive fumes, chemical contact and exterior weathering. It was followed by a coat of Series 76 Endura-Clear, a high-gloss urethane clear coat, which was roller-applied. This clear coat is infused with special additives that absorb and dissipate ultraviolet light, helping to negate its damaging effects and greatly prolonging the color and gloss of the underlying pigmented Endura-Shield.
The building’s architects, PLANNING Design Build Inc., received two 2004 Build Wisconsin Awards for the Steinhafels Furniture Superstore in Waukesha. The awards, sponsored by Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin, were in the Design Build category, as well as the Environmental Excellence division. Steinhafels in Waukesha includes a distribution center, corporate headquarters and the company’s largest retail store in a two-story, 420,000 square foot building. The store opened in May 2004 on 60 acres at the crossroads of I-94 and Highway F. Since 1934, Steinhafels Furniture has been a family-owned business operating six stores in southeastern Wisconsin.