Checking out the job site

Abundant rust on steel

More rust on steel support

Beautiful end result — see work-in-process photos below

Manhattan Steel Structure Painting

Steel support systems are found everywhere in the world with several of them under Manhattan’s many water towers. At 8 pounds per gallon, water is heavy, and steel provides the strength and durability needed as the foundation. Interestingly, steel is the most recycled material in the world, with some 80 million tons per year recycled. It is not much affected by snow loads, high wind, pests or seismic activity, but it does rust with time and weather. This can seriously compromise the strength of steel – it’s most valuable quality. Thus, maintenance is imperative to guard the integrity of the support structure and avoid any catastrophe with the water tank it is holding.

The New School [newschool.edu] contacted us to repair just such a steel structure, and we met this challenge head on. The work would be done some 11 stories high with a glass roof below the job site! Once we constructed the tarp containment so debris would not invade anywhere but directly below, we brought in industrial life harnesses, gear, equipment, tools and supplies. Like cautious acrobats, our workers floated among the steel girders grinding off all the rust particles. Once clean and inspected, all the steel was coated with primer and two layers of industrial finish products. We always love being part of a solution that contributes to the safety and well-being of New York City’s residents, schools, streets and structures.

Protecting nearby environment

Working inside tarp tent

Isolating site debris

Grinding rust away, safely harnessed

Industrial strength priming

Brooklyn Exterior Painter

Cobble Hill is a relaxed kind of place to live, work and play. Much of the 40-block neighborhood falls into the Cobble Hill Historic District for its spectacular 19th century architecture. There’s no stuffy atmosphere here, and people care about curb appeal and maintaining things outside the buildings in a neat and tidy manner. Management of this brick structure takes environmental responsibility seriously on two fronts. They provide multiple bins for recycling and for trash, and they understand that the large container should not be an eyesore to anyone passing by.

 Housed in a metal and wood container, the separate sections neatly keep appropriate things together. We were called to sand and paint the black metal frame and top, then apply fresh paint to the wood slats in the front. We love being a part of easy solutions to enhance curb appeal, and the fresh, clean appearance may even further encourage responsible trash and recycling habits.

AFTER - primed and 2 finish coats

PRIMING stage

NYC Fire Escape Welding Repair

AFTER - welding repair, primed and painted.

Welded, repaired, and primed.

BEFORE - rusted, detached, unsafe

NYC Fire Escape Repair and Renovation

Staying safe means lots of things to lots of people in lots of scenarios. There is much agreement, however, on the fear factor scale that fire is both unwelcome and scary everywhere. Staying safe from fire in New York City can mean your fire escape is strong, well-painted and completely free from clutter. The New York City Department of Housing and Preservation & Development inspects fire escapes and can issue citations to building owners if deemed unsafe.

We were called to West Village not long ago to repair, strengthen and paint one of these iconic life lines to the street. It was nestled between multi-story, masonry buildings. We found it detached at top, rusted and unsafe for foot traffic. This job called for superior cleaning, prep, welding, priming and painting. The welding repair assures that the stairs are firmly attached for safe egress in the event that evacuation outside of the building is necessary. Primer protects the metal, and paint provides a clean, safe stairway. Remember: The only thing ever left on a NYC fire escape is a footprint.