Case Study - Pemco

Problem: Failed Traffic Deck leaking and peeling

Solution: Gaco Western GW-15-UBU.

The Pemco Insurance building in Seattle, Washington had a problem. The moisture-cured parking deck system they had installed had failed in many areas. For several years, Pemco’s maintenance staff had attempted to patch the failed areas with the same material, but the patches also failed. Facility Manager Paul Chin wanted to remove the failed membrane and install a high-quality GacoFlex system.

However, the street access and drive through to the parking deck is located in the middle of the building, and must be open during normal working hours. That meant that this area could not be started before 8 PM Friday, and had to be ready for traffic no later than 6 AM Monday morning.

With Gaco Western’s sprayable, fast-set U-62 urethane the contractor, F.D. Thomas of Seattle, was up for the challenge of prepping, priming and putting down a traffic deck in one weekend.

The entire deck was powerwashed to remove loose coating. Areas of damaged concrete were filled with a mixture of E-5481 and sand. Then the main deck was primed with GacoFlex U-5677 and allowed to cure for 4 hours before application of the GW-15-UBU system.

The drive-through was power-washed on Friday night. On Saturday, it was primed with U-5677, then three coats of U-62 (base coat, wear coat with granules, and top coat) were applied. The area cured on Sunday and was open for vehicle traffic on Monday morning, right on schedule.

Pemco Insurance Facilities Manager Paul Chin, when contacted one year after the project was completed, said, “This is a wonderful material! It has been down for over a year, and I would recommend Gaco Western and [contractor] F.D. Thomas to anyone who needs a traffic membrane.”