(St. Louis, MO, June 13, 2018) – Sealing and protecting a parking garage from the daily wear and tear of vehicle traffic and the elements is vital to maintaining a garage’s overall structural integrity. Concrete restoration experts Western Specialty Contractors – Springfield, IL Branch recently spent two months repairing and protecting parking garages B4 and F29 at the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign.
University officials reached out to Western Specialty Contractors, general contractor FH Paschen and Sika Corporation to assist with pre-construction testing, evaluation and restoration of the two campus parking garages. A sizable project, university officials required that all of the work be completed during the summer, before the start of the fall semester.
Western started the project by shotblasting surface areas within both garages to open up the pores of the concrete to better accept the traffic coating material, as well as remove surface contaminants that could compromise its adhesion. Barricades and traffic control measures were established to detour traffic around any active work areas.
After the shotblasting was complete, Western crews routed, then caulked with a urethane sealant any cracks wider than 1/16″.
Due to the project’s short timeframe, Western used a heavy-duty, urethane traffic coating called Sikalastic 720/745 manufactured by Sika Corporation that has a fast cure-time and low-odor to protect the garage occupants during its application.
The coating system was applied using notched squeegees and back-rolling to meet the specified mil-thicknesses of the coating system. A dried silica sand was broadcast and back-rolled into the wet, uncured top coat to provide a non-skid surface.
After the coating was allowed to cure for a minimum of 48 hours, the traffic markings and striping were painted to match the existing layout. The project was completed on time and within budget.
About Western Specialty Contractors
Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including: industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO with over 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.
