TMI Coatings Blog

TMI Coatings recently completed stairway and handrail painting for the largest commercial real estate company in Minnesota.  TMI sandblasted, painted and installed non slip flooring on stairs and landings. 

 Full containment was required to contain sandblast sand dust during sandblasting to minimize emissions and damage to parked vehicles.

The benefits of painting the staircase tower and handrails was to reduce corrosion and modernize the color.  A protective coating was applied to all the treads and landings to provide slip resistance for safety and to reduce ice formation.

A shipbuilder in Superior, WI recently had a project where the insulation in the mechanical room below deck had moisture and condensation problems.  While remodeling other parts of the ship, the owner found out they needed to remove the insulation and apply a product to prevent condensation and other moisture problems. 

Once the insulation was removed, TMI Coatings, a commercial contractor, mechanically abraded the walls and the ceiling prior to applying a ceramic insulation to the ceiling and walls to prevent future moisture problems.  TMI had to complete work in a tight time frame, as the builder had only 45 days from the time of dry dock to putting the vessel back into the water. 

A NACE certified coating inspector was on site for the entire job to monitor surface preparation and coating by TMI Coatings crew.  The photos show white primer on ship walls where rust was evident and aluminum foil and/or poly covering to protect piping and equipment in the area.  TMI was able to finish applying the ceramic insulation in a timely manner, working around the other tradesmen that were also completing projects during the 45 day dry dock period. 

TMI received an excellent report card from the owner for both meeting their schedule and quality workmanship in a small, congested area. 

TMI Coatings, a commercial contractor, was contracted to coat a machining tool roof for Norlen, a metal stamping company, in Wisconsin that was showing signs of rust.  The 23,800 sq. ft. sloped, corrugated metal roof was water blasted to remove surface debris and then further hand tool cleaned.

Previous coatings around roof penetrations were removed and TMI’s crew installed a fiber-reinforced, asphalt-based coating to the roof.  Work was performed in July of 2006 and a two year rustproof warranty was provided.

The customer later called about a trough at a roof juncture where two buildings join where leaking was a concern.  TMI’s crew returned to pressure wash, hand prep and grind rust areas; TMI applied two coats of an elastomer coating to the trough for a seamless waterproof solution.   

TMI Coatings has a contract with the State of Minnesota for flooring and the History Center in St. Paul contacted TMI regarding a mechanical room floor that was leaking to the space below.  TMI abraded the floor in the mechanical room, approximately 2,300 sq. ft., filled all the joints and voids in the floor, and installed a 45° cant around the perimeter of the room and all foundation pads.  An elastomeric membrane was then applied to the floor to provide a waterproof seal.  A top coat of CHEM-RESIST was installed for aesthetics and longevity.  Work was done evenings to minimize disruption to the History Center.  When the floor was finished, the owner commented that “the floor looks wonderful, it is so clean in that room and it even smells clean.”

TMI Coatings coated the exterior of approximately 40,000 square feet of exterior block and concrete surfaces at a large manufacturing facility located in the Midwest.  TMI prepared the surface by water blasting to remove the flaking paint.  TMI completed considerable concrete repair and caulking prior to applying the two coats of coating.  

After a walk through with the contact, he stated he was very happy with TMI’s workmanship and crew and stated that they were very efficient and professional starting from the first day until the end.  The contact stated that he checked out our references and they were all good and now he knows why.  He said, “They sure weren’t lying or paid off”.

Commercial Building Painted And Restored By TMI Coatings

Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin’s first water tower was erected in 1901 and served the community until it was taken out of service in 1988.  As the years passed, local residents became concerned with the deteriorating condition of the aging landmark and interest grew in restoring and preserving the historic structure for future generations.

Due to environmental concerns and the water tower’s close proximity to a nearby school, one of the most critical phases of the restoration project involved the removal of lead- based paint from the structure’s 100,000 gallon water storage tank.  This paint removal process, along with tank restoration work and the application of the new protective coating, was conducted by TMI Coatings, the general contractor for the project.

The project required the services of several specialized contractors and was conducted in several different phases including: site grading, underground electrical work, structural steel work, tuckpointing, sealing the exterior masonry, window and door replacement, tank restoration, lead-based paint removal and application of a new protective coating.  Roger Sherman, chairman of The Water Tower Committee, was frequently on site during the restoration.

TMI was chosen for this phase of the restoration because TMI is a SSPC QP1 and SSPC QP2 certified contractor operating in the upper Midwest.  TMI has met the rigorous guidelines set forth by the SSPC (The Society of Protective Coatings) for the safe removal and proper management of hazardous coating material in the field, thus ensuring that all work would be done in accordance with EPA, Wisconsin DNR and OSHA rules and regulations.

TMI started the process with extensive steel rehabilitation work.  Once the rehabilitation work was finished, TMI erected 115 foot scaffolding and enclosed the water storage tank with sheeting with taped seams in order to safely remove the lead-based coating from the structure.  Initially, due to high winds, there was difficulty securing the poly in place. TMI’s crew didn’t begin the hazardous removal until the poly was secured properly.  The poly was re-secured using adhesive spray with 6” tape to secure the overlaps.  The tank was unable to support a typical containment system, so a self-supporting scaffold was required.  This elaborate process ensured the proper containment of hazardous material meeting the requirements of SSPC Guide 6 Class 1A during the paint removal phase, after which TMI was able to safely proceed with the application of the new protective coating material. 

TMI applied Pretox, to all the exterior surfaces to temporarily overcoat the lead-based paint during surface preparation/lead abatement operations.  We then proceeded to sandblast the exterior surfaces, including the spiral staircase per SSPC-SP 6 Commercial Blast, and then primed all surfaces with an epoxy primer.  All of the metal surfaces were brushed and rolled, rather than spraying to minimize any overspray risk on the masonry portions of the water tower.  An intermediate coat was then applied and then two full top coats of a polyurethane.  The stairs were sandblasted and painted on the ground within containment and then reinstalled on the tank exterior.  Then some touch up painting was required.

“All the little things that make a project go well were addressed by TMI Coatings.  We were very pleased with (TMI) them,” said Roger Sherman.

Because of TMI’s high professional standards and strict adherence to SSPC standards and guidelines, TMI was able to play an integral part in helping to restore an important historical landmark, while at the same time ensuring that the community of Fort Atkinson would not be exposed to hazardous materials that could pose a potential risk to its citizens and environment.  Now completed, the $450,000 restoration project will ensure the preservation of the historic structure.

TMI Coatings re-lined the interior of three hot water tanks for a college in St. Paul.  After the owner removed the internal electrical apparatus, TMI protected the heat elements that remained in the tanks and sandblasted the interior.  Ducting and fans were used to ventilate sand dust to the outdoors.  A high performance coating was applied by TMI’s technicians and force cured before the college’s end of August deadline. The owner said the work “seems to be fine; the guys were good.”

TMI is looking for employees who would like future opportunities and the ability to develop and grow. Check our our current job openings and apply.  We currently have the following positions for Painter and Shop Superintendent.

The City of Cedar Park, Texas awarded TMI Coatings a contract to dismantle and demolish their standpipe that contained lead paint. 

TMI removed lead containing paint prior to dismantling the tank.  Paint removal was performed with a vacuum shrouded power tool.  After removal of the lead paint, the tank was cut, dismantled and disposed of.  At completion of the demolition, TMI will take post soil samples to confirm the soil is clean of lead paint from the demolition process.