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New Armor for Steel Tanks JOB AT A GLANCE PROJECT: Coat the exterior surfaces of eight steel tanks to match the updated look of the headquarters of a sports clothing company COATINGS CONTRACTOR: O. T. Neighoff & Sons, Inc. 117 Holsum Way Glen Burnie, MD 21060 (410) 766-3000 www.otneighoff.com SIZE OF CONTRACTOR: 35 field employees SIZE OF CREW: 5–7 crew members, depending on the tasks Using biodegradable cleaning agent, a 3,500-psi (24 MPa) powerwasher, and 4-inch (10.2 cm) wire wheel grinders, the crew prepared the surfaces of each tank. Without proper prep, the coatings might fail! Te crew's next play was to apply a spot-prime coat to any of the areas that were prepped with the wire wheel. Because all of the tanks varied in size, the timing for each coat varied, too. However, Frater noted that it took around 1–2 days to brush on the spot-prime of Carboline Carboguard #635 Epoxy Mastic at 2–4 mils (51–102 microns) dry flm thickness (DFT). Te next day, using the same material that was tinted to match the coordinating topcoat, the crew applied a full coat of primer to all surfaces. It took them 2–3 days per tank to apply a 4-to-6-mil (102–152 microns) coat. With that frst full layer cured, the crew went around and sanded any areas that showed imperfections. Close-Knit Team Luckily, the playmaker on the OTN crew was well acquainted with the coatings process and paid close attention to detail, especially when it came to safety. Frater, who has worked for The 5-to-7-person crew spot-primed the steel tanks with 2–4 mils (51–102 microns) of epoxy and then primed a full coat of the same product at 4–6 mils (102–152 microns). PRIME CLIENT: AB Installations, Inc. 7387 Gaither Rd. Sykesville, MD 21784 (888) 579-9793 www.abinstallationsinc.com SUBSTRATE: 7 steel tanks coated and 1 covered in foam, all built in the '80s CONDITION OF SUBSTRATE: ~15 percent failure per tank on an average SIZE OF JOB: ~30,000 sq. ft. (2,787 m²) DURATION: 2 months UNUSUAL FACTORS/CHALLENGES: È Contained any runoff during surface prep by using plastic around the tanks È Added two additional tanks to the contract and upgraded to a metallic paint on four tanks È Roller- and brush-applied the metallic paint, which required sampling different options MATERIALS/PROCESSES: To the 7 coated steel tanks: È Applied biodegradable cleaner to the tanks, and power-washed with 3,500 psi (24,132 kPa) to clean off dirt, contaminants, and loose paint È Ground rusted or welded areas with 4-inch (102 mm) wire wheel grinders È Spot-primed Carboline Carboguard #635 Epoxy Mastic at 2–4 mils (51–102 microns) dry film thickness (DFT) È Primed a full coat of #635 at 4–6 mils (102–152 microns) È Roller- and brush-applied topcoats of Carboline 133 LH urethane at 2–4 mils (51–102 microns) DFT To the foam-covered tank: È Power-washed lightly with 3,500 psi (24,132 kPa) È Spray-applied one primer coat and one full coat of Carboline Carbocrylic 3350 acrylic paint at 3 mils (76 microns) DFT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: È Wore Miller lanyards, Tyvek suits, gloves, hard hats, safety glasses, and steel-toed work boots È Used intercom for access to the gated site and carried Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC) cards COATINGSPRO JANUARY 2014 53