Hotels spend millions of dollars waterproofing the exteriors and roofs of their buildings. With the exception of guestroom bathrooms and public restrooms, one problem that does not get as much attention as it should is the need to waterproof the back-of-house interior areas of the hotel. It does however, get attention when water has infiltrated areas of the building that it shouldn’t.
There are numerous causes of water infiltration generating from inside the building and usually from normal back-of-house activities. These activities can range from simple things such as the use of a hose to clean the loading dock or carts in the cart wash area, to warewashing overspray, ice machine dispensing mishaps, and excessive use of liquids in cleaning BOH areas. Even after all the initial money and effort invested to install FRP, cement board or tile, or expensive flashing systems, the water still seems to find its way through joints and starts to damage the interior of the hotel. Not to mention, water inside a hotel building leads to other costly environmental issues.
A product that TynanGroup has had success with is the use of sprayed on polyurethane coatings. Once used only to protect truck beds, these coatings have evolved technically into a two-component, 100% solids application (no VOCs or solvents), that can be spray applied from as thin as 1/16 of an inch or built up to an unlimited thickness. Due to its seamless application, its flexibility for any movement/expansion, the fact that this material bonds to almost any surface, and its relative inexpensiveness when compared to other water resistant systems, it makes for a great option in these water prone interior areas. Once in place and cured, polyurethane coatings are almost indestructible, and can be used on floors, walls, and if required, ceilings. If some major mishap occurs that actually cuts the polyurethane coating, they can be easily patched at minimal costs.
When using sprayed on polyurethane coatings in food service areas, do your research to ensure that the specific manufacturer/sprayed-on product meets the Food and Drug regulations for a coating having incidental food contact, along with gaining approval from your local health department. (more…)
