31 minute read
seismic retrofit. Save Buildings with Restoration Coatings
Save Buildings with Restoration Coatings
A historic Southern California building gets a new lease on life with APV Engineered Coatings.
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BY MIKE THOMAS
Spending a half-century in the blazing
Southern California sun without proper protection can do some serious damage. That’s true for people and buildings alike. In the case of a historic property in Hawthorne, California, what was once sparkling and eye-catching upon completion in 1972 had grown dull and unremarkable in the ensuing years. Fortunately APV Engineered Coatings and its longtime restoration partner Stuart Dean Company were able to restore the structure— one of the nation’s most significant examples of 1970s late modernism, according to the Los Angeles Conservancy—to its former glory.
But before we get to that, a bit of history about the project, plus a closer look at how it shines today.
BACK TO BEAUTIFUL
APV Engineered Coatings and Stuart Dean Company restored a significant US example of 1970s late modernism.
BEFORE
Formerly the Federal Aviation Administration’s West Coast Headquarters, this six-story rectangular building (described by the Los Angeles Conservancy as “one of the nation’s most significant examples of 1970s late modernism”) had lost its revolutionary mirrored glass “skin”—a look that went on to become widely popular in 1970s and ’80s corporate architecture. Having been painted over in the 1990s and again in 2009, the 40,000-square-foot anodized aluminum and glass facade was covered by a matte silver-gray aluminum-colored paint that began flaking and delaminating. Unguarded from the elements, portions of the original aluminum base layer began to pit and corrode.
In 2018, a few years after the building was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the federal government decided to sell it. Before that could happen, though, the LA Conservancy worked with the government’s General Services Administration to obtain a conservation easement that would compel the next owner (Santa Monica-based Worthe Real Estate Group) to follow nationally recognized preservation standards in maintaining the property. In simpler terms, it means the next half-century will be far kinder than the last one. With the preservation details squared away and a thorough NACE inspection completed to better pinpoint specific damage, APV and Stuart Dean began what would be a five-month-long restoration process. Meticulously planned and executed, it first involved multi-stage mockups to determine the best approach, then careful preparation of the building’s substrate—including pitting and corrosion repair.
But while the work went smoothly, it was sometimes tricky. “It’s difficult to work with a historical building,” says Erin Neff, director of marketing and business development for APV. “Most of the labor involved is prepping the surface properly and making sure you have a good foundation to start from. And because this was a historic structure, they couldn’t be too aggressive in removing the previous coating or in handling the pitting and corrosion issues. It’s not an exact science, and every building we do is on a case-by-case basis. Doing a pre-job inspection and coming up with a game plan that incorporates all of the different variables is the best way to be successful.”
Besides removing decades-old layers of paint, Stuart Dean also stripped away 60,000 square feet of metal-to-metal and metal-to-glass sealants from around the glass panels and window frames, replacing them with far more durable silicone.
PREPPING A LANDMARK
“Often it is a younger generation that sees value in these later, newer buildings that are just emerging as historic landmarks of the future,” the Conservancy noted on its website. “Now that the 1970s-era built environment is crossing the 50-year threshold, enough time has passed to start understanding, recognizing, and protecting these places, too.”
DURING
TIME FOR A FACELIFT
The team removes decades-old layers of paint and incorporates NACE standards for surface preparation prior to installing the NeverFade® coating system.
AFTER
A primer was then applied (APV’s W-1650), followed by APV’s NeverFade® Metal Restoration topcoat. Because NeverFade contains Kynar Aquatec®, the water-based polyvinylidene fluoride resin can be used on a variety of substrates and is extremely weather-resistant—so much so that APV guarantees premium performance (little or no film chalking, fading, or erosion from harsh UV exposure) for more than 20 years.
Just as important, the ultra-low VOC content and water-based nature of APV’s products means very low odors that can be bothersome to tenants and neighbors. And since both the primer and topcoat were brush-applied, nearby cars were safe from damage by airborne particles.
During the final stage, Stuart Dean Company applied a custom-colored NeverFade formulation that APV engineered to emulate the building’s original metallic look. The result: a former beauty resurrected to life.
“This project was unique and exciting,” says Michael Couchie, APV’s vice president of sales and marketing. “The inspections, scope of work plan, and execution was challenging but imperative. The Stuart Dean team are truly experts at their craft. We were pleased with the outcome and felt privileged to extend the life of this beautiful historic architecture for another 20-plus years.”
OLD IS NEW AGAIN
The Historic Federal Aviation Administration’s West Coast Headquarters was fully protected using NeverFade Metal Restoration Coatings system from APV Engineered Coatings.
CASE STUDY
This school in Quebec uses a mix of Kayar, Uni, and Harmoni in bright colors for more than 46,650 square feet of Mondo.
RUBBER FLOORING
Every Step Counts
How Mondo is making health care spaces even healthier
Health care flooring must be versatile.
It supports equipment transport, cushions the feet of hard-working medical staff, and provides acoustical properties to make it a quiet space for patients. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, medical centers need to rely on flooring that is durable, comfortable, and can withstand large amounts of foot and rolling traffic. Mondo Premium rubber flooring checks all three of these boxes and more. Why rubber, compared to other forms of resilient flooring? “Dating back to 1839 when Goodyear invented vulcanization, the history of rubber in the world is one of extreme dura-
bility, and that’s a testament that has carried forward to contemporary rubber flooring as well,” says Garret Davelaar, national sales director for Mondo Contract Flooring. Rubber flooring provides comfort underfoot, noise reduction, ease of maintenance, and addresses infection control concerns, Davelaar says. When designing health care facilities in the post-pandemic era, these characteristics hold particular importance.
Mondo Contract Flooring has transformed commercial, educational, health care, and industrial spaces with its rubber flooring solutions for more than 70 years. Founded by Edmondo Stroppiana in Gallo D’Alba, Italy in 1948, Mondo gained prominence from its novel manufacturing process of athletic surfaces that led to their supply of their first Olympic track surface in 1976. The process known as dual durometer technology was adapted by Mondo’s R&D and engineering teams to accommodate contract products designed for a wide range of applications. For hospitals, labs, and health care facilities, Mondo Contract Flooring provides comfortable, hygienic, and safe contract flooring that prioritizes patient care and employee satisfaction.
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MONDO OFFERS 10 DURABLE, HIGH-PERFORMANCE RUBBER FLOORING MATERIALS FOR USE IN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES. BENEFITS INCLUDE SOUND ABSORPTION, SLIP RESISTANCE, BACTERIA RESISTANCE, AND MORE.
Endless Options RUBBER FLOORING’S VERSATILITY MAKES IT AN IDEAL CHOICE FOR MANY ENVIRONMENTS—FROM HEALTH CARE AND LIFE SCIENCES FACILITIES TO SCHOOLS AND TRANSPORTATION HUBS.
Rubber Flooring & Durability
Rubber’s natural elastic properties as a raw material, when subjected to the vulcanization process, give rubber its incredible durability.
Mondo’s flooring solutions maximize this durability through a proprietary method called dual durometer technology, where two layers—an upper wear layer and a bottom performance layer—are molecularly bound during the vulcanization process. Davelaar says this technology enhances the floor’s abrasion and wear resistance, especially for health care–related applications with high rolling and point loads, while the bottom layer provides the comfort and acoustics so critical for the healing environment for health care settings.
Unlike other types of resilient flooring like vinyl or linoleum, rubber flooring does not require maintenance through stripping, waxing, or expensive chemicals. For high foot traffic areas, rubber flooring ensures a low life cycle cost since it’s easy to maintain and can last for several decades.
IN ACTION The Children Hospital of Pediatry WUM in Warsaw includes more than 75,345 square feet of Kayar flooring. It's all part of the architect's "childfriendly" design.
How is It Sustainable?
Sustainable practices have always been a top priority for Mondo Contract Flooring. The company’s waste-managed facility in Italy is powered by more than 4,000 solar panels on the roof, reducing its yearly emissions by almost 600 tons of CO2. During the manufacturing process no toxic gases are released, and all trimmings and waste are recycled within the factory.
All of Mondo’s products are GREENGUARD Gold–certified, which means they are
PERSPECTIVE
“Architecture shapes our perception,” said the architects behind this clinic in Vienna. DESIGN NOTES
HARMONI WAS INSTALLED AT THIS PHOENIX EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT—AN HKS PROJECT
3 COLORS OF HARMONI ARE SEEN HERE AT WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL CENTER IN NEW YORK
INSIDE THE STANLEY MILNER LIBRARY, DESIGNED BY TEEPLE ARCHITECTS
low-emitting and contribute to safe indoor air quality for hospitals and health care settings.
Mondo’s rubber flooring solutions also contain virgin rubber, natural fillers, and color pigments that are free of Red Listed chemicals. Mondo has available Health Product Declarations as well as Environmental Product Declarations for transparency and LEED initiatives. where resilient flooring goes in a hospital,” Davelaar says.
Rubber flooring is also slip-, stain-, and chemical-resistant, which is why Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC chose to install around 35,000 square feet of Mondo’s flooring in their pediatric research labs at the historic Walter Reed Medical Center location.
Where to Use Floor Disinfection
Rubber flooring’s versatility makes it an ideal choice for many environments, including schools, health care and life sciences facilities, and transportation hubs. Davelaar says rubber flooring’s underfoot comfort, acoustical values, and ease of maintenance are particularly beneficial for hospitals, labs, and health care facilities.
The majority of Mondo’s nine products are 3 millimeters in thickness, which provides a comfortable surface for doctors, nurses, and lab personnel who spend long periods on their feet. Rubber also contains sound-absorbing qualities, which can create a quiet, peaceful environment for patients and staff alike.
For those reasons, rubber flooring is standard in many health care systems. Banner Health installed approximately 900,000 square feet of Mondo’s Harmoni flooring across three medical centers in Phoenix, Tucson, and Chandler, Arizona. “They’re using it in corridors, patient rooms, operating rooms, emergency rooms, bariatric, and imaging. All of the areas you would think of Preventing the spread of infection and disease is a top priority for hospitals and other health care centers. Installing bacteriostatic, or bacteria-resistant, flooring can prevent bacterial growth and keep patients safe.
Antibacterial agents kill bacteria outright, but these commercial antibacterial products can enter the environment and encourage the development of drug-resistant pathogens, says Erika Marcoux, technical product specialist at Mondo Contract Flooring. Alternatively, bacteriostatic flooring prevents bacteria from multiplying—without the addition of antibacterial agents. Mondo’s rubber flooring forms natural bacteriostatic properties during the vulcanization process, making it permanently resistant to the spread of bacteria and other microorganisms.
“In areas where infection control is essential, having a nonporous, smooth, and easy-to-clean bacteriostatic floor is of great importance. Infection control first begins with surfaces that do not promote growth, and standard and simple floor maintenance takes care of the rest,” Marcoux says. g
LED LIGHTING
A Lighting Revolution
How H.E. Williams, Inc. designs lighting solutions architects love
BY SAMANTHA STEVENS
As H.E. Williams, Inc. celebrates its 100th
year in business, the lighting company has contributed to monumental changes in the industry—from gaining a foothold in the fluorescent industry in 1939 to partaking in the advent of the commercial LED in the late 2000s. With so many decades of experience, they also pride themselves in knowing what works for customers.
“The best lighting tools are the ones an
PHOTO COURTESY OF H.E. WILLIAMS, INC. architect can apply to show off the architecture, versus the product as itself,” says Dan Kohnen, director of commercialization. Kohnen has been working with Williams since 1999 and has watched the design world evolve to incorporate more LED and human-centric design.
LEDs last longer, are more durable, and simply offer better lighting control. LEDs use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting, according to energy.gov. As a Buy American–compliant, third-generation family business, Williams designs, engineers, and manufactures all of its LED products from its home base in Missouri. “Our customers know they can trust our product, and trust us because we do everything in-house. We have a strong reputation of delivering quality products,” Kohnen says.
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MORE THAN 75 PLATFORMATICSREADY LED LUMINAIRES FROM WILLIAMS PROVIDE TURN-KEY NETWORKED LIGHTING AND SOPHISTICATED CONTROLS.
Full Spectrum CHOOSE FROM CONNECTED LIGHTING, DYNAMIC LIGHTING, DOWNLIGHTS, CYLINDERS, RECESSED, CONTINUOUS, SUSPENDED, HEALTH CARE, VANDAL-RESISTANT, INDUSTRIAL, OUTDOOR LIGHTING, AND MORE.
Can Light Complement Design?
LED lighting allows an architect’s design to take center stage, blending in or bringing particular elements to life. “We provide products the architect can integrate into their design,” Kohnen says. “Our goal is to be a reliable resource for the architect to take their vision to a higher level.”
Williams considers the desired lighting performance, then complements it with accentual lighting options. Subtle fixtures— like the company’s downlight collection, linear recessed lights, or cove and slot lights—guide visitors through environments.
“Lighting design is more than providing illumination for a task,” Kohnen says. “A space’s function informs the architecture, and the architecture informs the lighting design.”
DID YOU KNOW? The square downlights at The Marq in Minneapolis, designed by ESG Architecture & Design, use a warm 3000K CCT for ambience.
How Does Light Provide Occupant Comfort?
The industry has seen a push toward human-centric design in the past 20 years. Architects are increasingly concerned with indoor air quality, ergonomics, acoustics, biophilic design, and the list goes on. This prioritization of well-being applies to lighting design as well.
Kohnen says the first step to designing for occupant comfort is to reduce the glare and flicker that contribute to eye strain. The Williams engineering team then examines color rendering and temperature. Matching a fixture’s color with a space’s mood, along with reducing visual fatigue factors, contributes to a healthy and productive environ-
ment. For example, the lights you’d use in an outdoor parking lot aren’t suitable for an indoor restaurant. When it comes to lighting, Kohnen says, context matters.
Lighting controls contribute greatly to comfort, too. Control solutions from Williams not only give users power over their space, they also save energy, enhance ambience, and invite flexibility. Controls can be used to automatically turn off lights when not needed or to dim harsh lighting. Kohnen says they can boost morale and productivity by providing the right light to match the time of day based on occupants’ circadian cycle. “We work with research institutions and LED manufacturers to provide these key features in our products,” Kohnen says.
Platformatics—an IoT lighting controls company and a subsidiary of H.E. Williams, Inc.—employs PoE (Power over Ethernet) technology, along with IoT devices, to collect and analyze data in the built environment, enabling your building to function at an optimal level. The company’s solution promotes an enhanced workplace experience and smart space utilization, and it offers up to 86% in energy savings.
Has Lighting Design Evolved?
an attractive and long-lasting light source— something that simply wasn’t possible decades ago.
What are My Aesthetic
Options?
Recessed, perimeter, cove, directional—the options for lighting are endless. Perimeter (PX) and cove (CX) lighting are great options for designers seeking a light source that seemingly disappears into the space. You can’t see the fixtures themselves— you only see the light that the fixture emits. These types of fixtures create layers of light, CASE STUDY Continuous recessed linear lighting from H.E. Williams, Inc. is used to draw the eye toward the signage at NeoCity in Kissimmee, Florida. ideal for guiding people through a space.
Linear recessed lighting, which is flush with the surface of walls and ceilings, is sleek and elegant, providing visual movement within a space.
One of the most versatile products from Williams is the MX Linear. It’s ideal for office spaces, classrooms, or corridors. MX comes in 2- and 4-inch sizes, along with various finishes.
The Williams downlight collection provides single point source lighting. The collection offers 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-inch options, and customers can also choose a round or square style. The directional lights can be fixed or adjustable, depending on the customer’s needs. g
The advent of the LED in the late 20th century was a game changer for the industry. In 2009 Williams launched its first LED fixture and never looked back. Nowadays the company estimates 99% of its products are LED—with the remaining 1% mostly reserved for maintenance and service-related replacements.
“We’ve reached a point where we don’t really talk about LED lighting anymore. It’s just lighting. Lighting is LED because it really has taken over as the main light source,” Kohnen says.
Prior to this groundbreaking market shift, lighting designers had to reconcile how to make an aesthetic design that was also long-lasting. Kohnen explains that halogen lights provided beautiful color at a short lifespan, while HID lights had a robust lifetime but produced poor color. There simply wasn’t a lamp on the market that could do it all—until LEDs.
“Twenty-five years ago, we had to compromise our designs by choosing a light source that had really good color correlation but a very short lamp life,” Kohnen says. “Or something that lasted a long time but with very poor color rendering. We were always trying to balance these two things—color quality versus lamp life.”
Today LEDs hit both of those marks—as DESIGN DETAILS
A MIX OF COVE LIGHTING AND AMBIENT LINEAR PRODUCTS FROM H.E. WILLIAMS ARE USED FOR LOW-GLARE LIGHTING IN THE HALLWAY OF FOURTH FLOOR PATIENT ROOMS AT THE VIRGINIA HOSPITAL CENTER IN ARLINGTON.
IN ACTION
Hunter’s XP HVLS fan is seen here in a farmer’s market. The highly efficient XP series is designed for year-round HVAC cost savings and hassle-free installation.
HVLS FANS
Fresh Air
Inside HVLS fans and their benefits with Hunter Fan
BY RUSS KLETTKE
PHOTO COURTESY OF HUNTER FAN The use of ceiling fans in America goes back to the water-turbine driven mechanisms of the mid-19th century. A lot has changed since then—including our understanding of why air movement can be so beneficial.
Recent heightened energy consciousness and fan design innovations have increased the demand for increasingly smart fans across residential, commercial, retail, and agricultural applications.
And the innovations continue, according to Mark D’Agostino, senior vice president and general manager of the industrial division of Hunter Fan/Industrial. “Our motor technology, which rid the fans of a gearbox, changed the industry already,” D’Agostino says.
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EVEN AFTER 135 YEARS HUNTER FAN KEEPS REVEALING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS.
What is an HVLS Fan?
In the 21st century, principles of aerodynamic physics and advancement in motor technologies have enabled the efficiencies and effectiveness of HVLS (high-volume, lowspeed) fans. The larger column of air pushed downward from these fans (defined by blade diameters ranging from 7 to 24 feet) encounters less friction, which then pushes more air outward when it reaches the floor. The larger volume of moving air effectively cools the skin, displaces odors and particulates, and more quickly evaporates unwanted moisture on CASE STUDY surfaces. The Hunter Energy Efficiency Trak fan was installed in this fitness studio. It’s By the physics of their design one of multiple commercial HVLS fans require minimal fan offerings electric power while moving from Hunter far more air than if several smaller fans were used. HuntFan that is aesthetically pleasing and er has taken that basic effi- performs great ciency to heart. “Our objective when used in is to move the most air with the least energy,” says D’Agosthe design of industrial settings. tino. He explains that the proprietary Hunter blade designs, developed in partnership with members of the aerospace industry, maximize air movement efficiency.
The company also approaches every large-space customer (think warehouses, big-box stores, houses of worship, etc.) from a consultative, partnership approach. This helps those customers maximize their air movement strategies within the unique architectural configurations of each building by placing the right fans in the right places.
ON DISPLAY
The Trak fan also works on restaurant patios and comes in white, silver, or black.
Human Comfort
There is a reason HVLS fans are used in workplaces: The movement of air drops the perception of temperature by 7 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit. Moving air gently evaporates skin moisture, removing heat from the body. This is particularly beneficial in workplaces where mechanical air conditioning is cost prohibitive.
Two studies show the benefits on employee productivity and satisfaction. One (“Comfort Conditioning the Plant with Evaporative Cool,” Joseph Marg, Plant Engineering, 1976) demonstrated that industrial output drops by 18% when in-plant temperatures rise above 85 degrees. Further, such conditions foster a 40% increase in errors. In another study, a survey of 1,601 workers across the US (“Future Workplace Wellness Study,” conducted by Future Workplace, a human resources advisory firm) found those workers ranked better air quality over onsite gyms, standing desks, and other common workplace wellness initiatives.
What are Other Benefits?
Some of the earliest adopters of HVLS fans were dairy farmers, whose cows suffered from excessive heat in barns that weren’t air-conditioned, which was just about all of them.
For people working in industrial environments HVLS fans can remove excess moisture as well as odors and particulates that can negatively impact worker health. Occupational Health & Safety magazine recognizes that, because HVLS fans can move air at a rate greater than 200,000 cubic feet per minute, they lessen the chances employees will experience “sick building syndrome.” Sick building syndrome has been tied to acute or prolonged illness, lower productivity, and more sick days. A good example is a manufactured home factory, where solvents, paints, joint compound, and so forth could potentially affect indoor air quality. HVLS fans could benefit the space greatly by helping to disperse the potentially harmful odors. In a pandemic and post-pandemic world, the appreciation for air movement has never been greater.
What About Aesthetics?
Where industrial chic rules, HVLS fans can reign over all. There is a reason these fans are popular in breweries and distilleries, restaurants, retail, and event venues.
Eliminating the clunky gearbox motor, Hunter’s HVLS fans offer a sleek design thanks to their direct drive motors.
Hunter’s streamlined slim blades come in 11 colors and can be customized to blend in or stand out. “My favorite is in a custom car showroom in Key West, where the fans are lime green,” says D’Agostino. “No matter your space, we’re sure to have a color, size, and design that’s the perfect fit.” g DESIGN DETAILS
• HVLS FANS ARE DEFINED BY
BLADE DIAMETERS RANGING
FROM 7 TO 24 FEET.
• OUTDOOR FANS CAN BE DAMPRATED FOR COVERED PORCHES OR WET-RATED FOR PERGOLAS.
• HUNTER’S WEATHERMAX
FANS ARE WET RATED PLUS
CORROSION- AND SALT
AIR-RESISTANT.
• READ MORE ABOUT WHAT
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK
BEFORE CHOOSING A FAN AT
HUNTERFAN.COM/PAGES/HOW-
TO-CHOOSE-A-CEILING-FAN.
SHADE CLOTH
All in a Sail
Everything you need to know about shade sails and structures
BY LAURA ROTE
Everywhere you look in Australia you’ll notice shade cloth—in backyards, at restaurants, even covering public basketball courts. While shade sails and shade structures have been popular (even mandated in some places) for decades in the southern hemisphere, the importance of products like these seems to just be catching on in the US, according to Steve Morenberg, managing director of Polyfab USA. Morenberg has spent more than 40 years in the industry—the last 12 working with the shade fabric experts in Australia.
“The Australians really took shade fabrics and ran with them,” Morenberg says, noting the need for protection from the sun in warmer climates. But as more people spend time outside—and in often increasingly warm temperatures—those products first developed by the Aussies are growing in demand Stateside, too. “Product awareness has been growing over the years,” Morenberg says. “People here now for the most part know what a shade sail looks like. They’ve probably eaten under one at a restaurant. When I started in 2009 it was still a fairly new and quirky thing, but it’s becoming more mainstream now.”
In Australia almost every house has a shade sail in the backyard, and every public area is mandated to have such protection. As the COVID-19 pandemic pushed more people outside in the US, Morenberg says more people began searching for ways to enjoy their own backyards, no matter the weather. “That’s only going to spur longtime growth in the industry as people become more familiar and comfortable with these,” he says.
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HDPE SHADE CLOTH IS 100% RECYCLABLE AND HAS A LONG LIFE. A 10+ YEAR UV WARRANTY IS COMMON. HDPE SHADE CLOTH IS OFFERED IN WIDE WIDTHS FOR EASIER FABRICATION.
The Facts POLYTEX PROVIDES MAXIMUM PEOPLE PROTECTION AGAINST THE SUN’S HEAT AND STRONG UV RAYS AND UTILIZES THE BEST UV STABILIZERS FROM BASF. IT ALSO PROVIDES PROTECTION AGAINST WIND, RAIN, AND HAIL.
What is Shade Cloth?
Founded from Australian roots, Polyfab USA has been manufacturing and supplying premium fabric and supplies for commercial, industrial, and residential shade sails and shade structures for more than 25 years, and in the US since 2008. Polyfab’s premium quality shade cloths feature excellent UVR block, are flame-retardant where noted, and are made of 100% recyclable materials. They’re also heavy metal and phthalate–free.
Polyfab offers the popular knitted fabric lines of Comtex+ and Polytex+ in different weights, depending on project needs and shade size. (The “+” designation is a new iteration of these market favorites). Smaller shades, like those you might see at a backyard patio, don’t require as much tension to perform well. Larger shades require more tension to make the fabric taut.
Comtex+ offers excellent weight to strength ratio and is ideal for medium residential and commercial projects. Polytex+ provides maximum people-protection against the sun’s heat and strong UV rays, and it utilizes the best UV stabilizers from BASF. It also provides good protection against wind, rain, and hail. Comtex+ has less shrinkage and is more stable than the earlier version, while maintaining high strength and more than 90% UV protection.
DID YOU KNOW? Shadesails made from Polytex+ protect you from the sun by leisure areas and swimming pools and offer a nice alternative to flat roof timber pergolas.
Shape is Important
Often when people seek shade sails or shade structures, Morenberg says they consider triangles first. “If you go to a hardware store or big-box store and get a low-cost shade, fre-
quently it’s a triangle. The problem with a triangle is it doesn’t give you as much shade.”
Polyfab USA recommends four- or five-corner shades instead. While triangles offer just a single plane of protection that can simply be tilted up or down, Morenberg says a four-corner shade allows you to twist the fabric to get a saddle shape, or what’s called a hypar. “The hypar shape is going to give you better shading,” he says. “It’s also going to give you better wind and rain resistance over the structure.” It all comes down to physics, he says.
The more elaborate shape also protects your sail from flapping in the wind. The more your shade sail flaps, the quicker it may break down. “If you have a way of twisting the shape of the sail to get that hypar shape, that saddle shape, the fabric will not flap nearly as much. It will last a lot longer. That’s one of the tricks of the trade.”
Morenberg says the curve of the fabric you see is also important, as tightening on the shade sail’s fabric or webbing causes lateral pulling all along the edge of the fabric, giving an even, consistent tension across the fabric panel. “As a designer you need to keep that in mind,” he says. “Because when you cut the curve you’re taking some of the fabric out, and so you’re taking some of the shade out. If you have a triangle, for example, and you have a curve on two or three edges, but it’s not a very big triangle, you’re going to end up with just a little strip of fabric and not very much shading. The customer is not going to be very happy with it. That’s another reason to go with a multi-corner shade sail.”
In a 20-by-20-foot space a square shade sail provides 24% more shade than a triangle. If you have to use triangles, Morenberg advises using height difference to add dimension, and add multiple triangles to add appeal.
help you earn LEED points for your project. A certain amount of shade over a window will reduce the amount of heat gain, thereby saving a certain amount of air conditioning costs. The HDPE shade cloth is also offered in wide widths for easier fabrication, has a long life (a 10+ year UV warranty is common), Polyfab USA has been manufacturing and supplying premium fabric for commercial, industrial, and residential shade sails and structures in the US since 2008.
The Benefits
and is 100% recyclable. Hot air “breathes” through the mesh fabric, so anyone beneath it actually feels cooler than they would under a solid shade like one made of PVC vinyl.
Polyfab USA offers a seemingly endless array of color possibilities, too, with new colors to match steel and other building materials out now. g
While a shade sail has an unsupported span, shade structures have a supported framework; the benefits of both are clear when using Polyfab USA cloth. For starters, Polyfab’s revolutionary knitted mesh replaced the woven mesh of old, cutting down on any potential fraying. And because it’s made of high-density polyethylene, it lasts longer outdoors.
Morenberg says architects and designers concerned about the environment turn to shade sails or shade structures for several reasons—including to protect people from UV exposure, as the fabric has a UVB rating similar to sunscreen. The darker the fabric the higher the rating. The fabrics can also DESIGN DETAILS
• 22 COLORS OF POLYTEX+ • POLYTEX+ RECOMMENDED FOR RESIDENTIAL
AND SMALL COMMERCIAL PROJECTS
• COMTEX+ HAS MORE THAN 17 COLORS • COMTEX+ DESIGNED FOR MEDIUM TO LARGE
TENSION MEMBRANE STRUCTURES AND
ARCHITECTURAL SHADE SAILS
IN ACTION
This residence uses Diamond Kote’s Pelican 8” RigidStack™, white trim, and, light gray staggered RigidShake™.
PRE-ENGINEERED SIDING
Outer Beauty
The complete siding system from Diamond Kote
BY LARK BREEN
When it comes to longevity and reliability in a building’s exterior, pre-engineered siding offers an ideal solution with easy installation and environmental responsibility as added perks. Diamond Kote® Building Products, a leader in building products and a pioneer in pre-finished siding, has been innovating in the product space since 2004. Today the company’s pre-engineered, pre-finished complete siding system combines function and aesthetics to guarantee at least 30 years of
beautiful durability in a home.
“It’s designed to last for decades,” says Andy Strey, Diamond Kote’s brand development manager. Diamond Kote offers a 30-year No Fade Finish warranty as the natural pigments in the paint leave the siding vibrant for years.
Diamond Kote’s history gives them industry perspective that provides the employee-owned company the tools to continuously meet and redefine industry standards. When specifying a project, Diamond Kote provides architects technical data, a three-part CSI specification, approved AIA continued education courses, and a team of product specialists that are able to go to job sites and ensure correct product installation. The Diamond Kote team is eager to communicate with architects and builders. “We’re looking to continue that relationship and invite conversation and suggestions from that community,” Strey says.
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DIAMOND KOTE’S COMPLETE SIDING SYSTEM IS BUILT TO LAST AND COMES WITH A 30-YEAR NO FADE WARRANTY.
All You Need DIAMOND KOTE OFFERS 23 STANDARD SOLID COLORS, SIX DUOBLEND COLORS, AND CUSTOM COLOR MATCHES FOR SMOOTH AND WOODGRAIN SUBSTRATES, SO YOU CAN FIND EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED, NO MATTER THE PROJECT.
What is Pre-Engineered Siding?
Pre-engineered siding is made of a wood substrate that is engineered, refined, and strengthened off-site. When the product is packaged and delivered, it is quick and easy to install. “As a pre-finisher, we want to make sure we’re partnering with quality substrate providers, and that provides owners and installers benefits with our durability,” Strey says. Diamond Kote re-manufactures and pre-finishes LP® SmartSide® wood substrate, allowing the resulting siding to withstand weather conditions across climates.
In the manufacturing process, the siding is made to stand up against extreme weather and hold to its promise of durability and longevity. The process utilizes moisture-resistant resins to create a composite product that’s treated to withstand rot and decay. “What’s important about that is every part of the board is actually treated as it’s manufactured. So it is making it strong and resistant from the inside out,” Strey says.
Then Diamond Kote’s waterborne pre-finish tops off the siding, completely free of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) and with very low levels of VOCs.
CASE STUDY This lakefront custom-built house in Wisconsin uses Diamond Kote’s Custom Color RigidStack™ with white trim and corners.
What are the Major Benefits?
Though the strengths of pre-engineered siding form a long list, the biggest bonuses are product consistency, longevity, and reduced environmental impact. “The
ON DISPLAY
This project uses Diamond Kote’s 8” RigidStack in white, with onyx trim and corners.
siding we’re using today is a treated, engineered wood siding. By having that product pre-engineered, it allows for the wood to be straighter, stronger, and last longer than in regular traditional wood siding,” Strey says. This allows Diamond Kote’s complete siding system to perform better, last longer, and be particularly easy to install.
Diamond Kote’s complete siding system includes all of the components necessary to protect a home from the elements—including the siding itself, trim, diverter flashing, and mount blocks—in one aesthetically and functionally cohesive package. When the system leaves the production facility, it is packaged to be as easy to install as possible. “Anybody can be trained to use it effectively and efficiently and do a good job with it,” Strey says. “We generally see anyone from a small group of maybe two or three people to large crews of a dozen people installing the larger projects.”
Plus, the packaging of the pre-finished, ready-to-install siding system is designed to store easily for longer periods of time, so on larger projects the product remains in good condition until it’s put into place.
How is Pre-Engineered Siding Sustainable?
In addition to the sustainable strengths of performing for decades with very little maintenance, containing no HAPs and few VOCs, and being made from the regenerative resource that is wood, Diamond Kote offers the remarkable benefit of producing little waste in production. “With LP Smartside’s pre-engineering, especially in a wood-based type product, the increased consistency makes for less waste because you don’t have to cull anything out. You have a much lower waste factor just in the raw material, which is much more efficient than real wood siding usage,” Strey says. Diamond Kote’s own efficient finishing process wastes less paint and generates more consistency in the product.
How Does It Fit Into Overall Aesthetics?
In terms of building design, pre-engineered siding is adaptable and versatile enough to suit just about any architectural style or aesthetic. With its adaptability in both horizontal and vertical sidings and many different shakes and shapes, pre-finished siding can be used on projects of many architectural styles: from Victorian townhouses to Craftsman-style homes. Diamond Kote offers both woodgrain and smooth texture products, all pre-finished to fit both traditional and modern designs. “We can even create custom shapes. For older historic restorations or re-creations of those historic buildings, we can match profiles like diamond shapes or fish scales and things like that as well,” Strey says.
Diamond Kote keeps its color offerings up to industry standards by working with color trend experts and designers in the industry as well as with extensive internal research. These efforts allow Diamond Kote to offer 23 standard solid colors, six DuoBlend colors, and custom color matches for smooth and woodgrain substrates. “We’re constantly evaluating to make sure we’re meeting the industry’s requirements,” Strey says. “One of the important factors of being a pre-finisher is that everything is designed to be color matched to our color palette, which makes it easy for the ordering process. And it also provides excellent aesthetics when the project is complete.” g
