Ready to proof -- Clare 4-12-21

KJ sent corrections to Clare on 4/12

CLJ revised on 4/13

From the Nightmare on Elm Street to Whispering Pines

Upscale, Mixed-Use Property Resolves Major Noise Issue with Acoustical Coating

Project Summary

A high-end, mixed-use property in the Greater Phoenix area was experiencing an extreme screeching noise in its parking garage. The noise was enough to disturb adjacent businesses and residences. After a couple layers of QuietCoat^® acoustical coating from PABCO^® Gypsum, the noise and vibration were drastically reduced — in essence, going from a screaming, almost overwhelming situation to a tranquil, peaceful environment.

The Challenge

The company managing the development of the property needed to eliminate the harsh wind-induced noise in the parking garage. During moderate wind events (winds at 10-35 mph), the aluminum panels in the garage exhibited a shrill, resonant shriek. The Principal of the development firm contacted acoustic consultants all over the world to help resolve the noise problem without success until he reached out to MD Acoustics, LLC in Chandler, AZ.

The Solution

Mike Dickerson, Principal for MD Acoustics, selected QuietCoat acoustical coating as the solution. “We went through a series of iterations to determine the best solution,” said Dickerson. “At the end of the day, we selected QuietCoat as the most cost effective and best sound damping option based on project constraints.” Prior to moving forward with the acoustical coating, the acoustical engineering firm tested the product on a mockup of the panel causing the noise and found that QuietCoat mitigated the resonance.

The Results

Using QuietCoat acoustical coating, MD Acoustics was able to eliminate the problem and silence the building, even during the windy monsoon season where wind speeds can reach 70+ miles per hour, according to Dickerson.

“With just two coats of QuietCoat applied to the inside of the metal panels causing the vibration, the harsh noise was almost completely eliminated,” said the Principal of the development company. “QuietCoat worked like a charm. We avoided a major nuisance for our tenants and helped create a more conducive environment.”

Beyond eliminating the noise, fewer coats of QuietCoat were needed than originally thought to resolve the issue. “It was expected that multiple coats would be needed on both the inside and outside to quiet the noise,” said Dickerson. “Using only two coats on the inside saved costs and was safer for the client when applying the coating.” Since all the work was done on the interior side, there was no need to erect scaffolding or scale the outside of the structure.

“We also saved the owner a lot of money — literally salvaging the design of the building by providing QuietCoat as the solution,” Dickerson added.

Acoustic Tests Performed

MD Acoustics performed acoustical and mechanical tests on the aluminum panels used in the garage of the mixed-use property to demonstrate the ability of QuietCoat to solve the noise issue caused by the wind-induced panel resonance.

Acoustical Tests

MD used acoustical beamforming techniques to measure the sound radiating from both untreated and treated panels. They used a SoundCam system to create a map of the noise while the panel was subjected to wind. The SoundCam uses microphones to map the location of noise sources in real time. This provides a visual representation of the areas of the panel that produce the most noise.

The wind-noise phenomenon was replicated by towing the aluminum panel on a trailer at 30 mph. The SoundCam was positioned near the bed of the truck at approximately 10 feet from the attached trailer and panel mount. The measurement output is a video showing a color map of the loudest noise sources within the range of the camera.

Figure 1 illustrates the SoundCam results measured for the untreated panel. It shows the color contour, the loudest noise source, at approximately 92 dB in the center of the panel.

Figure 2 shows the SoundCam results when the panel was treated with two coats of QuietCoat. The noise from the panel has sunk beneath the noise floor, and the character of that noise has shifted such that the spectrum shows no distinct tones. This illustrates the drastic difference in radiated sound (in dB) between the untreated and treated panels.

FIGURE 2 ǀ SoundCam results — treated panel (two coats of QuietCoat).

FIGURE 1 ǀ SoundCam results —
untreated panel.

Mechanical Testing

In addition to acoustical testing, MD also conducted a vibration test using a modal hammer and accelerometers to measure the frequency response of the aluminum panel. Vibration was also measured as it is the source of why sound and noise exist. When something vibrates and causes the air to make a pressure wave, we hear that pressure wave as “sound.”

Figure 3 is a measurement of the vibration of the untreated plate minus the measurement of the treated plate, resulting in a “Vibration Loss” from 500 Hz to 10,000 Hz. There were 12 different locations where the accelerometer measured the vibration on the plate. The average dB vibration loss over the entire frequency range and for all locations was 9 dB.

Figure 3 shows an analysis of location 1 as an example. The results show an average 12 dB vibration loss over the entire frequency range for location 1. A peak vibration loss of 52 dB at 8,280 Hz was achieved showing significant improvements in the harsh mid- to high-frequency range where the noise issue occurred.

Figure 4 shows the untreated and treated panel on the same chart showing visually the significant difference between the two vibration responses.

FIGURE 4 ǀ Vibration differences between treated and untreated panels.

FIGURE 3 ǀ Vibration loss — untreated panel minus treated panel.

Hearing is Believing

You won’t believe the difference! Check out the before and after video here.

About QuietCoat

QuietCoat is a sprayable, viscoelastic polymer coating manufactured by PABCO Gypsum that reduces noise and vibration with minimum weight, bulk and cost. QuietCoat is engineered specifically for coating nonporous materials including stainless steel, galvanized iron, aluminum and composite (reinforced plastic) materials. Learn more about QuietCoat here.

*Photos courtesy of PABCO Gypsum.

High-Performance Coatings Protect Office Center

From 20+ Years of Future Weathering Damage

Home to several high-profile tenants since its construction in the early 1970s, the 1 Rockwood office building now occupied by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., recently underwent a complete restoration of its façade using NeverFade^® exterior restoration coatings with Kynar Aquatec^® from APV Engineered Coatings. The restoration project will help the building resist exterior fading and degradation for at least 20 years.

Preparing the Surface

Stuart Dean Company, a national Certified Applicator of NeverFade coating systems, conducted the five-month restoration of 40,000 square feet of exterior aluminum panels. According to Chris Incorvaia, National Manager of Façade Restoration, Stuart Dean Company, the 20-technician crew started by preparing the surface for coating application.

"The aluminum panels had been previously field-painted with an acrylic polyurethane," he said. "That previous coating had degraded significantly due to UV exposure and weathering."

NeverFade coatings were an ideal choice for the project, he said, because they can be used on previously painted surfaces. The coatings contain Kynar Aquatec, a water-based PVDF resin that does not need to be baked, making it ideal for air-dry, field-applied coatings.

"NeverFade is a premium, weather-resistant coating that can be easily applied to a variety of substrates," Incorvaia added, noting that the coating system meets the same requirements of factory coatings using American Architectural Manufacturers Association, Publication No. AAMA 2605-13.

Proper surface conditions are crucial to achieving good coating adhesion and long life, so the Stuart Dean team was careful to fully prepare the surface. They started by removing sealants from all joints: metal to metal, metal to glass, and along window perimeters. These sealants were replaced 72 hours after the final topcoat. Next, they washed all surfaces to remove environmental contaminants such as chlorides and nitrates. Finally, they prepared the surface for the new coating by scuffing and sanding it to achieve a 1.0-1.5-mil anchor profile in accordance with NACE surface preparation guidelines.

Smooth Application

Before applying the coating system, the Stuart Dean crew masked windows and adjacent surfaces to protect them. Then, they began the coating application, starting with one coat and 1.00-1.25 mils DFT of APV's W-1650 Bonding Primer, which was roll-applied. W-1650 Bonding Primer is a unique chemistry designed to adhere directly to metal and to tough coated surfaces, such as Kynar 500^®, siliconized polyester and powder coatings.

"The advanced, water-based and low-VOC chemistry provides early water resistance, protects against corrosion and applies with a smooth, uniform finish, delivering optimum aesthetics to the coating system," said Erin Neff, Director of Marketing and Business Development, APV Engineered Coatings.

The primer was followed by two coats and 2.00 mils DFT of the NeverFade Metal Restoration Topcoat, also applied by roller. NeverFade provides a superior, factory-like finish in a field-applied coating. Its advanced formulation is engineered for extreme UV protection, as well as resistance to algae, fungal growth, abrasion, dirt pickup and stains. APV offered a 15-year, transferrable product-and-labor warranty to the building owner. The warranty covers color fading and chalking, guaranteeing that NeverFade will dramatically outperform other field-applied, high-performance coatings, even in extreme environments

As it does with all NeverFade projects, APV custom matched the topcoat in a color selected by the building owner — in this case colonial white.

"A high-performance coating is critical for white exterior surfaces, especially in damp environments like this building," Neff explained. "When traditional latexes and urethanes break down under harsh UV rays, the paint film degrades, turning chalky, and eventually erodes away. That chalkiness is not always noticeable up against the white surface, but paint is losing its protective qualities. A chalked surface also becomes a food source for mold and mildew growth, and makes conditions ripe for dirt collection."

Throughout the entire coating process, the Stuart Dean crew paid special attention to ambient environmental conditions. "The building is located on wetlands and is subjected to a high concentration of moisture and precipitation," Incorvaia said. "To maintain quality control and ensure the long-term performance of the coating system, we diligently measured air temperature, surface temperature, relative humidity and dew point. Coatings were only applied when those conditions fell within APV's approved parameters."

The coating crew also operated under strict safety protocols, which were detailed after conducting a job hazard analysis and developing a site-specific safety plan. Crew members were certified in the use of the stationary scaffold and boom lifts from which they accessed the panels. They wore full body harnesses with lanyards fastened to anchor points.

"We had a supervisor onsite during the entire project to ensure all processes and procedures were being followed," Incorvaia said. "We also inspected all access equipment and personal fall protection gear before each use. Plus, we installed barriers around the work area for pedestrian flow control and 2safety."

"Along with quality, Stuart Dean's attention to safety is one of the reasons we have designated them as a NeverFade National Certified Applicator," Neff said. "Only approved or certified status applicators can purchase and install NeverFade to comply with our warranty program."

Extended Building Life with Minimal Disruption

The exterior restoration was completed within five months, and the building remained fully occupied during the entire project. Tenant disruption and risk were kept to a minimum, thanks to Stuart Dean's strict safety protocols and the low-odor, low-VOC NeverFade coating system.

The protective coating system extended the service life of the aluminum panel system by 20+ years and prevented the panels from having to be replaced, a time-consuming process whose cost was estimated at four to five times the cost of the restoration conducted.

"The 1 Rockwood project is another example of building owners and project specifiers trusting the value, quality and cost-efficient investment of NeverFade coatings to sustainably extend the life of their valuable real estate with minimal disruption," Neff concluded.

A video of the project can be viewed here.

For more information, visit www.apvcoatings.com or www.neverfadecoatings.com.

*Photos courtesy of Stuart Dean Company.