Maintaining a Fresh-Looking Facility Requires the Proper Paint

Article Written By Jim Alberts, Director of Marketing, Commercial Segment, Sherwin-Williams

Health club facilities pose several unique challenges when it comes to maintaining a fresh-looking appearance and ensuring profitability. Not only is the facility exposed to excessive moisture and humidity in its locker rooms, it hosts thousands of members and visitors who pass through its doors each year. Taking all of these factors into account, health club facilities require building products and materials that can withstand the elements and put up with high traffic and frequent cleanings.

There are a number of considerations needed to achieve an attractive, durable finish on the facility's new or repainted surfaces. Selecting the right paints and coatings is a key maintenance factor and can impact everything from productivity and aesthetics to optimizing quality and performance. Today's innovative coatings exhibit characteristics that affect durability, life cycle, indoor air quality and ease of application to ensure long-lasting beauty.

Durability and Product Life Span
It's common knowledge that the less frequently something has to be replaced, the better--and this principle applies to paints and coatings. Using high-quality coatings ensures that the time between repaints will be longer and that surfaces will stay clean and fresh over time. It also ensures that less waste and chemicals will be released into the environment.

In high-traffic areas of the facility where dirt and moisture are unavoidable, coatings that offer washability, chemical resistance and a hard, impact-resistant finish are a must. Formulated especially for these areas, Sherwin-Williams offers Pro Industrial Multi-Surface Acrylic. Because it requires minimal surface prep and can be applied to marginally cleaned surfaces, it is a convenient solution for surfaces that need to be painted quickly. It can be applied to a variety of substrates, eliminating the need for multiple paint products. What's more, it will hide surface imperfections and has excellent stain-blocking properties while retaining its color and gloss longer. High-performance products like Multi-Surface Acrylic offer optimal dryfall characteristics to minimize overspray and spattering.

Breathing Easy With Green Paint
As the building momentum trends toward a greener world, health club facility operators and maintenance staff must be competent in the standards and technology influencing the industry. Of course, one of the major components of environmentally-responsible building is selecting the appropriate paint for the project. Air quality is a leading concern and paints that reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and are low in odor contribute to better indoor air quality. Although there are misconceptions about the prohibitive costs of green coatings, leading manufacturers offer paint that is low-VOC with better hiding which translates to fewer coats needed, and offers durability minimizing the frequency of costly repaints.

Some of the benefits of selecting environmentally-responsible paints include reduced operating costs, improved energy efficiency and diminished exposure to pollutants. To that end, choosing zero- or low-VOC paints won't compromise indoor air quality or the public's (and planet's) health. In addition to being the responsible selection, such paint produces a limited amount of airborne volatile compounds making it possible for maintenance crews to paint in occupied spaces, thus reducing job time.

Sherwin-Williams offers two zero-VOC coatings that are tough enough to stand up to the wear and tear a health club facility sees year after year. Both Harmony® Interior Latex and Pro Industrial® 0 VOC Acrylic coatings are ideal zero-VOC paint choices.

Harmony allows immediate occupancy of newly painted spaces-and allows for touch-ups even when the building is occupied. It is formulated with properties that resist mildew, making Harmony a perfect option for both the common areas as well as locker rooms within the building. Additionally, Harmony is GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified®; meaning it has minimal impact on indoor air quality and the environment.

Pro Industrial 0 VOC Acrylic delivers a durable finish while meeting all environmental standards. The zero-VOC coating can also be applied in occupied spaces and does not need to be mixed or measured, which saves valuable time at the job site. Pro Industrial 0 VOC Acrylic results in a long-lasting finish with early moisture resistance making it ideal for the facility's heaviest trafficked areas.

Exterior Resilience
Maintaining an attractive and marketable arena means the aesthetics on the outside should receive as much attention as the inside of the facility. You can't expect members and visitors to want to come inside if the exterior of the facility is run-down and unkempt. Aside from structural repairs, a new coat of paint can go a long way in refreshing the facility's curb appeal.

Exterior paint failure is generally a symptom of poor surface preparation. Thoroughly cleaning the surface assures proper binding of the paint and helps you get the most from the topcoat. It is equally important to know the substrate and what products are suitable to apply. Other exterior painting considerations include:

• Old Paint: Make sure glossy surfaces of old paint films are clean and dull before repainting.
• Wood Rot: Fix the water or moisture problem before painting.
• Efflorescence: If you see white fluffy deposits of salt crystals on the surface, scrub them off before painting.
• Mildew: If there is the appearance of dirt even after washing, chances are there is mildew on the surface. Scrub with a solution of one part bleach and three parts water. (Wear rubber gloves and eye protection.) Allow to stand on the surface for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Repeat as necessary. Allow the surface to dry for 48 hours before painting.
• Weather: Unless you are using exterior coatings designed to be used under certain weather conditions, avoid painting immediately after rain or if rain is predicted. And, as a general rule, if temperatures rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit or fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, you shouldn't paint.
  
  However, new coating technology has led to the introduction of exterior paints and coatings that can be applied in nearly any weather scenario. For example, Sherwin-Williams Resilience™ Premium Exterior Paint, a coating that cures to resist moisture in about half the time of most conventional exterior paints, can be applied when moisture is imminent without concern that its adhesion will be compromised. Designed to withstand peeling and blistering as well as provide long-term protection against moisture, Resilience can be used on a variety of substrates including masonry, concrete, steel, stucco, vinyl and wood.

Ask Sherwin-Williams
For over 140 years, Sherwin-Williams has satisfied the coating and color needs of builders, designers, specifiers, property managers and contractors. Sherwin-Williams provides fast, flexible, responsive local service and personalized, expert advice. More than 3,000 stores and 1,800 sales representatives make Sherwin-Williams North America's largest single-source supplier of high-quality paints, stains, masonry coatings and brand-name wall and floor coverings. Visit sherwin-williams.com.