Commercial Case Study

Backstory

In this case study, we recap a commercial painting project for Buhler Industries in Plymouth, MN in December 2023. We detail the steps from this interior painting project below.

Describe the condition of the facility/surfaces at the time work began.

We were asked to help clean and refresh the manufacturing plant at Buhler Industries. The walls were very dirty from various metal fabrication processes, the ceiling trusses had accumulated dust from many years of neglect. The wall support beams were also clearly showing their age.

Completing a complicated project like this requires careful planning and supervision. A detailed work plan was created with the customer that outlined which sections of the facility would be impacted by the painting crew each day. This allowed the plant to stay on track with production while our crew was onsite. The project was completed 5 days early and right on budget.

What did the project involve?

The project involved washing and painting the walls. We also blew the dirt and debris from the room trusses, cleaned up the plant floor, and painted dozens of wall support beams. Lastly, we repainted the various tubes that powered the manufacturing team.

When did the project take place, and how long did it take from start to finish?

The project took approximately 3 weeks to complete.

Were there any special challenges involved?

The main challenge was getting the walls clean enough to ensure the new paint coating would properly adhere. If we were painting outside, it would be as simple as pressure washing but since this was inside a busy facility, that was not an option. As a compromise, we located a company that sold a no-rinse cleaning solution that could be applied via a low-pressure sprayer. This product did a very good job of cleaning the wall and we were able to capture the run-off water at the bottom of the wall with a shop vacuum. The other challenge was getting access to the wall – there were a number of impediments including an overhead crane system, various piping, equipment, and the plant workers.

Did the project require any special equipment or techniques?

Our team worked closely with United Rentals to ensure we had an aerial lift capable of reaching over and around the numerous obstacles. Secondly, we completed a thorough safety briefing with the Buhler team. Ensuring the safety of the painting crew as well as the Buhler staff was of paramount importance.