Case Studies

Pedestrian Deck New Construction – Hoover Dam (NV)

PROBLEM:

Long-lasting solution needed for heavily visited national landmark. Although the Hoover Dam, located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, was completed in 1936, it wasn’t until more than six decades later that the Department of the Interior decided to build an elaborate visitor center to mitigate the traffic caused along the Hoover Dam by millions of visitors. Initial specifications came from the Army Corps of Engineers with Gaco Western’s coatings chosen to ensure a durable and reliably safe observation deck, a core component of the new facility. From the observation deck visitors have access to magnificent panoramas of Lake Mead, the Colorado River and, of course, the Hoover Dam!

SOLUTION:

GacoFlex UB64 and GacoFlex U66 coatings are known for their durability, fast cure and good solvent resistance.

UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS:

GacoShell Granules (made from walnut shells) are used for skid-resistant texture on pedestrian and traffic decks.

INSTALLATION DETAILS:

Once concrete was poured and cured, D&D Roofing began work on the deck with guidance from multiple Gaco Western managers on site. In order to make a durable, waterproof surface, the observation deck was first coated with GacoFlex U5677, a polyurethane concrete primer, and then GacoFlex E5320 2-Part Epoxy Primer/Filler. Polyurethane base coat GacoFlex UB64 was then applied by roller and allowed to cure. To seal the polyurethane coating and add skid resistance, GacoShell Granules were added to GacoFlex U66 polyurethane top coat and affixed to the deck with trowels. Allowed to cure for 48 hours, the deck was then ready for all the Hoover Dam visitors. Since its opening, the Hoover Dam Visitor Center has welcomed more than 15 million people to witness the beauty of Lake Mead and the awe-inspiring construction of one of this country’s greatest structural achievements.