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Ken Trimber

quality of coating application leak detector

Localized Assessment of Air Leakage in Building Air Barriers

Buildings, Commercial, Concrete Walls, Inspection, Instruments / By

ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Energy Standard 90.1-2010 and the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code require that building envelopes be designed to limit uncontrolled air leakage into and out of buildings. Air leakage in buildings is controlled at the time of construction by installing air barrier systems.  ASTM E1186-17, “Standard Practices for Air Leakage Site Detection in Building Envelopes …

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partial mixing

Problems with Partial Mixing of Multi-Component Coatings

5 Comments / Coating Application, Coatings, Inspection / By

Some of the common industrial coatings consist of 2 or 3 components that are mixed together just prior to use.  Examples include inorganic and organic zinc, epoxy, and polyurethane.  Coating manufacturers typically recommend that complete kits, rather than partial kits, always be mixed, and many specifications are explicit in preventing the mixing of partial kits.  …

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blistered coating

Problem Solved: Taking Control of Preexisting Conditions

Coatings, Specifications / By

Specifications for maintenance painting often state that the commencement of cleaning and painting is an acknowledgment that the contractor accepts the existing building conditions as being suitable for painting and, implicitly, suitable for the performance of the paint system. As seen in Durability and Design Summer 2017 Issue This article addresses a requirement in specifications …

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coating edges

Challenges Encountered with In-Process Cleaning and Painting of Buildings

Commercial, Concrete, Instruments, Surface Preparation / By

There are many challenges associated with cleaning and painting commercial buildings. Questions often arise regarding surface preparation, application and final thickness or appearance. Three of the many questions our consultancy group has encountered during the cleaning and painting of buildings are addressed in this article. The questions should be familiar situations to those in the …

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sspc visual guides

How to Use SSPC Vis Guides in Practice

Coating Standards, Surface Preparation / By

SSPC has published four visual guides that depict the different degrees of cleaning for dry and wet abrasive blast cleaning, water jetting, and hand/power tool cleaning.  Two of the four were prepared jointly with NACE International (Figure 1). The guides are: SSPC-VIS 1, Guide and Reference Photographs for Steel Surfaces Prepared by Dry Abrasive Blast …

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preparation standards

Cleaning and Painting – Verifying Quality in the Field

Buildings, Commercial, Inspection / By

The paint systems used on buildings are selected from published performance data, manufacturer’s recommendations, previous experience, and referrals from others.  At the manufacturing facility, the raw materials are blended together in specific proportions in a well-controlled environment, and systematic tests of product quality are made throughout the process.  Despite the controls exercised over manufacturing, the …

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brush application of coating

Paint Application – A Job for Professionals

Coatings / By

The coating systems applied to the exterior of commercial buildings serve two functions – to protect and to beautify.  Protection of substrates from deterioration and wind-driven rain requires the meticulous application of a continuous film to all surfaces.  The coatings must be applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions and within defined thickness ranges.  The application …

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masonry substrates

Building a Formula for Removing Coatings from Masonry Surfaces

2 Comments / Buildings, Coatings / By

Frequently during the life of a building constructed of concrete masonry units (CMU) or brick, it is no longer feasible to refurbish the exterior by pressure washing and applying more coats of paint (Photo 1 below). This occurs because: The existing coating becomes too thick or too poorly adhered to support the weight and curing …

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assuring quality

Assuring and Controlling Quality – A Conversation with Ken Trimber

2 Comments / Commercial / By

With more than 40 years of experience in the industrial painting field, Kenneth A. Trimber sees “poor compliance with the specification” as an ongoing challenge in commercial coatings work — despite the availability of well-written specifications and highly capable painting contractors. In the following interview, he delves into the causes of that problem, discussing strategies …

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coating specifications

The Use of Shall, Should and May in Coating Specifications and Standards

Coating Standards, Specifications / By

When reviewing reference standards, a single word can make the difference between a requirement that is mandatory, versus one that is recommended or optional.  The same is true of specifications, although in that case, most if not all requirements should be written as being mandatory.   The words shall, should, and may are the focus of …

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