Roof leaks can be a museum’s worst enemy, threatening water damage to artifacts and disturbing delicately controlled indoor environments. That’s why an $8.3 million renovation to the core exhibits at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in 2007 was done in parallel with fixing approximately 75,000-sf of the flat, spray-applied polyurethane foam (SPF) roof that had provided almost 10 years of service.
“We were redoing the core exhibit so I thought it was a good time to check the roof,” explains Robert Spacek, Facility Operations Specialist for the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
The original roof was a foam and silicone-coated system. Although SPF roofs can often last 20 years or more, and are renewable indefinitely with simple recoats every 10-15 years, this one was showing some wear and tear. As part of the renovation, there was talk of tearing off the existing roof and replacing it with another solution. This option, however, would be extremely expensive and time-consuming. Plus, the artifacts and records would have had to be moved and the building closed to the public during renovations.
“This particular roof was still in excellent shape and performing well. There was nothing wrong with the base foam roofing insulation,” explains John Austin, Vice President of Spray Polyurethane Foam and Coatings for F.W. Walton Inc., the contractor on the project. “But there were some leaks related to the rotunda and control joints in the windows, and membrane repairs were ineffective to prevent those roof leaks.”
Spacek made a request to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for funding for the roofing project. The NARA architects were subsequently asked to research the cost of replacing the entire roof. After consulting with BASF technical experts, it was discovered that only certain parts needed minor repairs, so a tear-off and replacement could be avoided.
Once the project was approved, the bid went to Houston-based F.W. Walton, Inc. Having found the root of the problem, Austin used ELASTOSPRAY SPF from BASF to perform minor repairs on various parts of the existing roof, followed by a recoat of the entire roof to provide a consistent and fresh aesthetic appeal. This renewal would continue to deliver on the energy savings inherent in SPF roofing systems, prolong the life expectancy of the original roof and provide a quick installation with minimal disruption. All at a far reduced cost compared with a tear off and replacement. Plus, it would divert a lot of waste from landfills.
For more information, contact:
BASF Corporation
100 Park Avenue
Florham Park, NJ 07932
info@basfconstruction.us
construction.basf.us
And thanks to the decision to repair and recoat the original roof, the work didn’t inconvenience the public or expose artifacts to the elements.
“We didn’t have to change anything,” says Spacek, who adds that it was his first big job with this type of roofing system. “Things went really well. The contractor was very easy to get along with. In all honesty, I didn’t understand a lot about this stuff until I started this job. I am very pleased with the results. It has been a very satisfactory experience for me.” +
Related Stories
| Jun 1, 2012
Robert Wilson joins SmithGroupJJR
Wilson makes the move to SmithGroupJJR from VOA Associates, Inc., where he served as a senior vice president and technical director in its Chicago office.
| Jun 1, 2012
Gilbane Building's Sue Klawans promoted
Industry veteran tasked with boosting project efficiency and driving customer satisfaction, to direct operational excellence efforts.
| Jun 1, 2012
Ground broken for Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus
Children’s Hospital Colorado expects to host nearly 80,000 patient visits at the South Campus during its first year.
| Jun 1, 2012
K-State Olathe Innovation Campus receives LEED Silver
Aspects of the design included a curtain wall and punched openings allowing natural light deep into the building, regional materials were used, which minimized the need for heavy hauling, and much of the final material included pre and post-consumer recycled content.
| Jun 1, 2012
New York City Department of Buildings approves 3D BIM site safety plans
3D BIM site safety plans enable building inspectors to take virtual tours of construction projects and review them in real-time on site.
| May 31, 2012
Product Solutions June 2012
Curing agents; commercial faucets; wall-cladding systems.
| May 31, 2012
8 steps to a successful BIM marketing program
It's not enough to have BIM capability--you have to know how to sell your BIM expertise to clients and prospects.
| May 31, 2012
3 Metal Roofing Case Studies Illustrate Benefits
Metal roofing systems offer values such as longevity, favorable life cycle costs, and heightened aesthetic appeal.
| May 31, 2012
AIA Course: High-Efficiency Plumbing Systems for Commercial and Institutional Buildings
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.
| May 31, 2012
2011 Reconstruction Award Profile: Seegers Student Union at Muhlenberg College
Seegers Student Union at Muhlenberg College has been reconstructed to serve as the core of social life on campus.
