The MGM National Harbor Hotel and Casino in Maryland is finished with PPG Duranar® coatings in five colors – Kuala White, Natural Silver and three versions of Platinum Mica.
According to Steve Metzger, general manager for Trojan Architectural Coaters in Pompano Beach, Florida, one of the most complex parts of the coatings project was finishing the perimeter trim on the main roof of the building. Miami-based curtain wall manufacturer Gamma supplied Trojan with more than 400 individually labeled metal panels that had to be pre-treated, painted and palletized for delivery to the building site, a task that took more than eight months to complete.
“Of the 400-plus panels, there were 25 of these, 40 of those, along with many individual pieces with angles custom-fitted for specific spots on the roof,” Metzger explained. “There was a tremendous amount of coordination involved with just this portion of the project, but we were able to meet the challenge.”
Eddie Abeyta, principal and design director for HKS in Dallas, whose firm designed the hotel, said he chose PPG Duranar coatings for their durability. Formulated with proven 70-percent polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) resins, PPG Duranar coatings meet American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) 2605 specifications for weathering, the industry’s most rigorous standard.
Stamati Nicolakis, associate principal and senior vice president, HKS, said color played a significant role in the coating specification as well.
“We specified Kuala White for the curtain wall and composite metal panel for the main roof edge because it was not a typical bone white, but it was not a cool-blue white, either,” said Nicolakis.
According to HKS, white architecture was preferred for the structure, which is located near Washington, D.C., to respect the marble structures in the District. The vision called for a landmark tower inspired by the Washington Monument, and the building is organized along a central spine, similar to the National Mall.
PPG celebrates the 50th anniversary of PPG Duranar coatings, which have been used to protect and beautify high-end architectural landmarks and other commercial buildings around the world since they were introduced in 1967. Combining 70-percent PVDF resins and proprietary PPG resin and pigment technologies, PPG Duranar coatings retain their color and gloss through decades of environmental exposure.