Decatur’s industrial sector includes historic buildings, food processing facilities, and south Decatur’s industrial corridor requiring coatings addressing both preservation and modern performance needs.
How do you handle lead paint in Decatur’s historic industrial buildings?
Many of Decatur’s older industrial buildings contain lead paint from decades of use requiring EPA-certified lead-safe practices during renovation or repainting.
Lead paint requirements:
- EPA RRP Certification: All work on pre-1978 buildings with lead paint requires certified renovators
- Testing: XRF testing or lab analysis confirms lead presence
- Containment: Work area isolation preventing dust spread to other areas
- HEPA equipment: Vacuums and air filtration capturing lead particles
- Proper disposal: Lead waste through approved hazardous waste haulers
We’re EPA RRP certified and follow all lead-safe work practices. For buildings with lead paint, additional costs for containment, testing, and disposal typically add 20-40% to project pricing, but shortcuts aren’t legal or safe. Decatur’s historic industrial buildings often require these protocols protecting workers and building occupants from lead exposure.
What FDA-compliant coatings are needed for Decatur food processing facilities?
Decatur has food processing facilities requiring coatings meeting USDA and FDA food safety standards—standard industrial paint isn’t acceptable in food production environments.
Food-grade coating requirements:
- FDA CFR Title 21 compliance for food contact and adjacent areas
- Antimicrobial additives preventing bacterial growth
- Resistance to daily hot water and chemical washdowns
- Light colors (white/light gray) making contamination visible
- Seamless, non-porous surfaces preventing bacterial harboring
Different zones need different systems: food contact areas need strictest compliance, production areas need washability, warehouse areas need standard durability. We use Tnemec, Sherwin-Williams, and PPG food-grade products providing all documentation for USDA inspections. Experience spans meat processing, food production, packaging, and various manufacturing operations in Decatur’s food sector.
How does Decatur’s MARTA proximity affect industrial facility access and logistics?
Industrial facilities near Decatur’s MARTA stations face unique access and logistics challenges affecting painting project execution and costs.
MARTA-adjacent challenges:
- Limited street parking requiring careful coordination
- Restricted delivery and staging areas
- Work hour considerations (rail vibrations during coating cure)
- Pedestrian traffic requiring safety barriers
- Transit rider proximity requiring professional work site appearance
We plan logistics carefully for MARTA-adjacent facilities including off-site staging if needed, specific delivery windows avoiding peak transit times, and professional work sites appropriate for high-visibility locations. Experience with urban Decatur facilities ensures we handle access constraints efficiently without excessive cost impacts while maintaining safety and professional appearance.
Can you paint around active operations in Decatur’s industrial corridor?
Yes, most Decatur industrial facilities operate continuously and cannot shut down for painting. We specialize in occupied facility work maintaining operations throughout projects.
Occupied facility approaches:
- Section-by-section phasing keeping other areas operational
- Off-shift work (evenings, weekends) for disruptive activities
- Fast-cure coatings allowing quicker return to service
- Containment and protection of equipment and inventory
- Constant coordination with facility operations managers
South Decatur’s industrial corridor includes distribution, manufacturing, and service facilities operating on tight schedules. We understand operational continuity is paramount and structure projects maintaining productivity while delivering quality coating work. Most projects take longer than empty facility work, but businesses remain functional throughout.
What’s the typical timeline for painting a Decatur warehouse with historic brick exposure?
Historic warehouse conversions balancing brick preservation with modern performance needs require specialized timelines accounting for exposure work and architectural considerations.
Project timeline breakdown:
- Assessment and testing (lead, existing coatings): 2-3 days
- Coating removal/brick exposure work: 1-2 weeks (depends on extent)
- Surface preparation and repairs: 3-5 days
- Primer and coating application: 1-2 weeks
- Historic detail work and finishes: 3-5 days
Total: 3-5 weeks for typical 10,000-15,000 sq ft warehouse
Historic projects often reveal unexpected conditions requiring flexible timelines. Coordination with architects, historic preservation consultants, or Decatur’s preservation requirements adds complexity. We provide realistic schedules based on extensive Decatur historic building experience understanding both preservation goals and practical performance requirements for buildings being repurposed.
How do you coordinate industrial painting with Decatur’s Historic Preservation Commission?
Some Decatur industrial buildings are in or adjacent to historic districts requiring Historic Preservation Commission consideration for exterior modifications including painting.
Historic preservation coordination:
- Review exterior paint plans with Commission when required
- Appropriate color selections respecting historic character
- Preservation of significant architectural elements
- Documentation of existing conditions before work
- Coordination with architects or preservation consultants
Historic review adds 4-8 weeks to project timelines for exterior work. We’re experienced with preservation requirements understanding the balance between maintaining historic character and achieving modern performance. For buildings being adaptively reused, coordination ensures renovations respect architectural significance while meeting contemporary needs.
What coating systems handle Decatur’s older concrete in poor condition?
Many Decatur industrial facilities have decades-old concrete showing deterioration, spalling, or damage requiring more than just topical coatings.
Damaged concrete solutions:
- Concrete repair: Remove deteriorated material, patch with polymer-modified repair mortars
- Overlay systems: 1/4″ to 1″ thick cement-based overlays rebuilding surface
- Moisture vapor barriers: For concrete with moisture issues causing coating failures
- Flexible systems: Accommodate continued minor movement or settling
Severely damaged concrete may need $3-$5/sq ft repair work before $4-$7/sq ft coating systems. We assess conditions honestly—sometimes concrete is beyond economical coating and requires replacement or major rehabilitation. For Decatur’s older building stock, comprehensive condition assessment before specification prevents throwing money at coatings that will fail on compromised substrates.
