The world famous 9-11 Memorial Museum located in downtown New York City contacted ArmorPoxy to help fix their floors. The museum, while only opening in 2014 was experiencing a difficulty in keeping the polished concrete floors clean economically on a daily basis due to the millions of visitors that come each month (to date, over 14,000.000 visitors have visited the museum). This problem became especially apparent during the winter months when ice and snow melting residue was tracked in by the patrons. In addition the museum floor which is suspended had developed some cracks which were unsightly and collecting dirt.
After consultations with Museum officials and staff, several test areas were coated with a number of Armorpoxy Products to determine the best look, had low odor, and was the easiest to keep clean.
Upon evaluation of the test areas, a special hybrid single component polyuria coating SPGX with UltraWear skid resistant wear additive was selected. The floors were ground with large diamond grinders and HEPA vacuums to minimize any dust to the exhibits. Armorpoxy also supplied a special 2-part polyurea crack filler that was color-matched to the existing concrete floor color. All cracks were cleaned out, and filled. The Museum also cut in ‘saw cuts’ which were filled with this same material to allow the slab to move a bit and to reduce/eliminate any future cracking.
Our next challenge was to figure out how to coat the floor at night after the museum closed at 9pm, and to be able to re-route pedestrian traffic around the coated areas to allow for sufficient cure time, but still be able to allow full functioning of security screening, access to ticket windows, and handicap access. Over twenty ‘traffic’ proposals were considered until a final pedestrian traffic pattern was chosen which allowed Armorpoxy to do the work in only two phases which minimized disruption and inconvenience.
The job was completed in the early part of 2015 to the complete satisfaction of the museum.
Benefits of ArmorPoxy's Floor Upgrade:
- Increased Durability: The use of ArmorPoxy’s hybrid polyurea coating (SPGX) with UltraWear additive improved the floor’s resistance to heavy foot traffic, ensuring longevity despite millions of annual visitors.
- Low Maintenance Solution: The new coating made the floors significantly easier and more economical to clean, reducing upkeep costs, especially during high-traffic seasons like winter when residue from snow and ice can accumulate.
- Crack Repair & Prevention: ArmorPoxy's custom color-matched polyurea crack filler not only repaired unsightly cracks but also helped prevent future cracking by allowing the floor slab to flex slightly with movement.
- Minimal Disruption to Museum Operations: The project was completed in just two phases with a carefully designed pedestrian traffic pattern. This ensured that security, ticketing, and handicap access were unaffected during the upgrade, minimizing disruption.
- Low Odor & Visitor-Safe: ArmorPoxy’s coating materials were selected for their low odor, ensuring the process was safe for museum staff and visitors without compromising indoor air quality.
- Dust-Free Process: Using HEPA vacuums during floor grinding, ArmorPoxy minimized dust to protect exhibits and maintain a clean environment during the upgrade.
- Custom, Aesthetic Solution: The coating was chosen for its visual appeal, blending smoothly with the museum’s existing design while providing a clean, polished look.
- Future-Proof Flooring: The addition of 'saw cuts' filled with polyurea material allowed for natural slab movement, reducing the likelihood of future cracks and extending the floor’s lifespan.
Click on the photos to see the final results.