Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/255439
W hen the new owners of the Burrard Motor Inn Vancouver recently decided on a renovation proj- ect to return the 72-room, 50s-era mo- tel into its pristine glory, one of the many restoration tasks involved dealing with corrosion and the legion of pinhole leaks in the building's network of original cop- per piping. At first, installing replacement pipe was seen as the only option. The drywall for a 12-room section of the building had already been ripped out. But someone decided to give an alternative approach a closer look. Eventually, the builder opted for the CuraFlo Engineered Flow Lining System, a proprietary process for restoring small-diameter water pipe. After the pipes' interiors have been cleared of mineral build-up and other debris, and the cleaned surface prepared for bonding, a specially-formulated epoxy, CuraPoxy, is blown through the pipe, coating the interior to create a permanent protective barrier. The system has been used in a variety of buildings. CuraFlo has introduced a new epoxy that cures in about three hours. "It's a second product. It's useful if a crew has to move fast, say, in a care facility. It could also be an advantage in a commercial build- ing," says Randy Christie, sales and marketing manager at CuraFlo of B.C. Although the large range of restoration services and products required for many indi- vidual projects is an industry constant, the specialized tasks can vary widely, depending on the type of project. The priorities, of course, also vary. In the case of some of the recent work on the Ontario Legislature, one of the key issues was far removed from the practicalities of reliable plumbing, but instead was focused on the 120-year-old building's esthetics. Work on replacing worn roofing components or dam- aged sections from the building's stone exte- rior involved the use of materials and parts that perfectly matched the originals in both form and function. "For the roof, we used lead flashing from a specialist roofing company that works with lead, copper and slate," says Andrew Lough, president of Colonial Building Restoration. In many instances, the stone moulds above the windows were worn. "Damaged stone was replaced with a stone Dutchman that perfectly resembled the perfect original," he says. Many of the windows themselves had not been working properly and needed to be rebalanced. "Some had installed double glazing at some point and didn't deal with the weights issue," Lough says. This type of restoration work, involving as it does, replacing antique artifacts dating from a century or more ago, means recourse to firms with some highly specialized products. Lough points to the specialty casting division of Mars Metal, which makes cus- tom and production counterweights for forklifts, bridges, elevators, mine shafts and mass dampers. The company also makes a range of lead weights for window sashes and provided the ones for the legis- lature project. For some restoration projects, builders or owners want the appearance and performance of quarried – The resToraTion secTor is sure To benefiT from a range of new producTs by Godfrey Budd Old Becomes New Again but at a lower cost. For this, Arriscraft Building Stone (ABS) is a clear choice. Besides lower costs, ABS can be customized and assist with matching. An Arriscraft representative can check the original to decide which of the company's products provides the closest match in size and texture. "Then, a photo or actual stone piece is acquired to determine the desired colour. In the lab, we develop small samples for colour approval," says Jason Nieman, director of quality and development at Arriscraft. Nieman adds, "Our unique process allows us to blend multiple colours into the units creating a stria- tion similar to what one would find in natural stone. We can have colours blend so that they 'come and go' to create a range of colours as well." Esthetics are also a consideration – but certainly not the only one – when it comes to using the floor repair and resurfacing products from BNE Contrac- tors Inc. An epoxy-based polymer pit grout that was introduced in 2013 has been attract- ing the interest of operators at large retail outlets. The new product from Metzger/McGuire is being used for repairing wear and tear in high-traffic areas, especially those at or near the entrances to big box stores with pol- ished concrete floors. "It cures in one hour. It enables us to fill in low areas, pits and grind off any peaks," says Chris Henderson, president of BNE Contractors. Another product for floors, this one from CTS Cement Manufacturing, "is not so much for filling holes or pits, as for resurfacing. It's a low shrinkage, hydraulic cement-based floor topping. It's built for the new, but it's great for the repair of worn floors," Henderson says. New products are also coming on stream in the self-levelling floor sector. Ultratop PC from Mapei Inc., which was unveiled at the World of Concrete event in Las Vegas in January, is designed as a high-flow, quick- setting, self-levelling cementitious topping. It is suitable for both interior and exterior use and is designed to be applied at three-eighths to two-inches thick. "Most self-levelling toppings can't take water and are only for the interior. This product can take any amount of water without any harm," says Roger Pratt, the business manager for concrete restora- tion systems at Mapei. Because of its rapid curing, it can be pol- ished within 24 hours and can be used on new and exiting floors. Ultratop PC is suitable for retail stores, warehouses, schools, some com- mercial and industrial applications, and the high-end residential sector, according to a company brochure. Protective coatings for exterior masonry is another niche sector that has seen some innovation. Durabond Products Ltd. offers an acrylic/solvent-based low-VOC liquid cementitious coating for application in winter weather. Acrotel cement paint (winter grade) is an acrylic copolymer designed for durability and includes a mineralized acrylic additive and Portland cement. A rose window, before and after restoration, on the Ontario Legislature Building (shown below while under restoration). Photos courtesy Colonial Building Restoration. february 2014 /25 restoration Products & Services p24-27Restoration.indd 25 14-01-22 10:26 AM