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"These bright colors were chosen not
only for marketing, but so that the building would stand out from others in
the area," says Gary Osborne, operations manager of the aquarium.
But after four years in the intense
Florida
sun, the colors had faded to pale imitations of their original brilliance.
"We had considerable problems with
the original paint job," Osborne says. "The UVs had completely
bleached the shine out of the paint. So we decided that this time around
we'd bring in Sherwin-Williams to see if they could provide a longer-lasting
solution. They were instrumental in the preparation of the new paint
specification, and their specs were the basis for contractors to quote
on."
Wayne Seymour, a Sherwin-Williams field
technical product manager who met with aquarium representatives to discuss
coatings solutions, says alkali burn was the culprit in the original,
competitive product paint failure. This was caused by using an inadequate
sealer with a topcoat that could not protect against the high pH levels
prevalent in the Gulf
Coast area. To
correct these problems, he specified Sherwin-Williams Loxon Sealer with a
topcoat of the company's new ExteriorAccents acrylic coating, which will be
available nationwide in 2002.
ExteriorAccents are newly formulated
color bases designed to provide contractors with the vibrant, deep colors
needed for projects like the Florida Aquarium.They deliver superior UV
resistance, hide and color accuracy.
"With the proper sealer and this new
100 percent acrylic paint, we are confident that we can offer better color
stability and longevity, even under these adverse conditions," Seymour says.
B&G Painting, a Tampa commercial painting company with
prior experience in aquarium interior projects, won the bid to apply the
coatings. "B&G had a competitive price, as well as an impeccable
track record with the Florida Aquarium," Osborne says. The firm used a
4-person crew to meet a tight 4-month deadline so the building was ready
for the influx of visitors for the 2001 Super Bowl game in January.
The aquarium would remain open during
repainting, which presented another set of challenges.First, the project
was unusually laborintensive since everything had to be brushed and
rolled.With open tanks of marine wildlife and sensitive coral reef areas,
spraying was out of the question, says B&G project manager Bobby
Black.Work times also had to be coordinated to not disturb aquarium
visitors.
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