The Red Bucket

Summary For decades, standard practice for insulating storage tanks and piping has been to wrap them in mineral wool, foam, or other low-conductivity materials before sealing them in cladding. This method works well—for a few years, anyway. But guest Michael Stelmach explains how liquid-applied insulative coatings are a longer-lived solution that achieves similar thermal efficiency, personnel prot...

Summary Three mysterious binders once forgotten in a Carboline headquarters closet are opened for the first time in decades. In this episode of  The Red Bucket , Toby and guest Pedro Escudero explore a small sample of their contents: four past projects involving high-profile locations across Canada.  And, Pedro reveals where tourists can get the best fish dinner in the country. Timestamps 00:00 –...

Summary An intumescent coating can be qualified or disqualified for use simply because it falls above or below a certain magical hardness level, usually as measured on the Shore D scale. But hardness has no influence on performance, and the Shore D scale just doesn’t make sense when assessing softer intumescent technology types. Fireproofing industry veteran Michael Hollman explains the consequenc...

Summary Nel nuovo episodio del nostro podcast, parliamo di un tema spesso percepito come tecnico e complesso, ma in realtà sempre più strategico: il mondo del Regulatory nei rivestimenti industriali. Ne discutiamo con Alice Paiotta, Regulatory & Quality Assurance Manager Europe in Carboline, che ci guida in un viaggio tra REACH, sostenibilità, rischi normativi, competitività e innovazione. Tim...

Summary Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, is the iconic home of legendary soccer club Real Madrid. A recent five-year renovation has transformed the stadium into a modern engineering marvel. Fireproofing and corrosion protection coating systems each played a role in the mega project, and in this episode, Carboline’s Europe Director of Project Development, Juan Pablo Ortega, leads a tour...

Summary   Fluoropolymer-based finish coats are the premier performers for elevated water storage tanks in exterior exposures. The specialty FEVE resin on which they are based withstands intense UV radiation, high winds, and intense precipitation while holding gloss and color for decades. And while all of that comes at a cost, water industry expert Jeremy Sukola and chemistry nerd Kristen Blankensh...

Summary Acrylamide grout technology dominates the underground wastewater collection leak sealing landscape. Legacy dry-granule and modern liquid variants give operators tremendous flexibility to address challenges of almost any scope or scale. But how do acrylamides work? Why do they work so well? And what do municipalities or private network owners need to know about how they fit into the broader...

Summary   Sulfur, an instrumental commodity to global industry, is a highly corrosive commodity typically shipped via rail in a molten state. Shippers must take care to protect their rolling stock by applying linings that resist heat, chemicals, and impacts. In this episode, rail industry expert Lupe Pavon and tank lining expert Steve Liebhart explore service environment, cleaning/surface preparat...

En el episodio inaugural en Español de The Red Bucket , nuestros compañeros de Carboline España Juan Pablo Ortega y Emilie Musso hablan sobre la reciente renovación del icónico Estadio Santiago Bernabéu en Madrid, España. El alcance del proyecto incluyó la aplicación de materiales ignífugos cementosos e intumescentes, así como recubrimientos protectores de alto rendimiento.    00:58 – Introducción...

It's taken for granted in the corrosion industry that zinc protects steel. But there's more than one way to put zinc on steel and more than one mechanism at work that makes it so protective. Kristen Blankenship returns to The Red Bucket to answer some big questions with even bigger implications:  What's zinc actually doing on painted, galvanized, and metalized surfaces?  How do these corrosion pro...

Water/wastewater operator customers are asking some strange questions lately. To experts Jeremy Sukola and Eric Zimmerman, it’s as if they’re asking for magic paint. In this episode, we identify an emerging demographic trend and the knowledge gap it’s created. Then, Jeremy and Eric explain why the best ways to close that gap are to have hard conversations early and be involved in educating the nex...

Understanding electrostatic dissipative (ESD) vs. conductive floor coatings is one of the industry’s most persistently misunderstood topics. In this episode of The Red Bucket, subject matter expert Richie Cropp of Dudick discusses the purpose of these specialty products, provides use cases for each type, and explains the critical importance of seeking the knowledge of material manufacturers.    Al...

Shortly after the turn of the last century, the cellulosic fire time/temperature curve was developed to assess the performance and safety of building materials and passive fire resistive materials. It was the cutting edge for its time. But, according to Chris Burst, the composition and contents of our built environment today prove its time has run out. Also in the episode, Toby isn’t sure he’s nev...

Kristen Blankenship discusses whether coatings manufacturers can truly impact product sustainability – minus the greenwashing. Then, we learn whether she sees molecules The Queen’s Gambit style. 00:00 – Introduction 02:16 – The purpose of protective coatings 04:27 – When sustainability impacts coatings 08:00 – Addressing pollution as a chemical company 18:47 – Water-based coating claims 32:56 – Wh...

Dan Baribault and Paul Atzemis continue their exploration of the unique technology and wide range of use cases for surface-tolerant epoxy mastics like Carbomastic 15 . Then, Paul likens himself to a cross between Rapunzel and Gandalf.  00:00 – Carbomastic 15 performs at high temperatures  01:43 – Summarizing recent Carbomastic 15 use cases  04:00 – Understanding curing shrinkage stress  08:16 – Th...

Why do some surface-tolerant mastic epoxies work so well in so many different services? Paul Atzemis and Dan Baribault deconstruct Carbomastic 15 , explaining why its resin technology and added pigmentation combine to make it one of the industry’s best performers. And, Dan imagines a walk along the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. 00:00 – Introduction 02:19 – How mastic coatings developed 04:39 – Leng...

Inflow & infiltration (I&I) is a serious challenge to water and wastewater infrastructure owners, who usually don’t know they have an I&I problem until it’s too late. What is I&I? What does it cost? How do you stop it? How does controlling I&I fit into a holistic asset management and maintenance program? Jeremy Sukola and David Dingler of Prime Resins, a division of Carboline,...

After some time off the air, The Red Bucket returns with a narration of a complex electric vehicle (EV) facility construction project in Canada, with Jeffrey Lagendyk of Nor-Lag Coatings helping tell the story. The project included applying intumescent fireproofing under tight deadline pressure in foul weather. Paul introduces a new voice to the podcast.  00:00 – Intro  03:10 – Setting the scene i...

Controlling soluble salts is one of the largest challenges faced during the surface preparation portion of a coating project. Failure to remove soluble salts can drastically shorten a coating’s lifecycle. On this episode, Ken Rossy, President of HoldTight , joins us to discuss the differences between atmospheric and immersion services, the debate on allowable soluble salt limits, and how additives...

On this episode of The Red Bucket , Pete Mitchell from GMA Garnet joins us as we explore the various factors of abrasive blasting that contribute to long-term coating performance. The industry has focused on cleanliness and profile for years, but a new study suggests that peak density could be the largest contributing factor. We talk about all of that and more coming up next on The Red Bucket . 0:...

Previously on  The Red Bucket , we began our exploration into all things concrete with our friend and AMPP Instructor, Paul Kennington. This month, we continue our conversation with Paul, discussing moisture effects, inspection, testing standards, and when to coat the concrete. All of that and more are coming up next on  The Red Bucket . 0:00 - Intro 0:58 - Moisture and Concrete 6:02 - ASTM F1869:...

It's been said that if you want to have problems, coat concrete. But if you know the intricacies of the concrete and the surrounding environment, the job should go smoothly. Join us this week for part one of our talk with Paul Kennington, AMPP Instructor and Coatings Consultant, about concrete. All of that and more are coming up next on The Red Bucket . 0:00 - Intro and Introduction to Paul Kennin...

We all know that environmental factors affect a coating project. But it's important to remember how diverse geographic locations can complicate those factors. Today, we talk with Matt Morris of Gulf States Protective Coatings about these challenges and the impact that have on an applicator's day-to-day business. All of that and more are coming up next on The Red Bucket . 0:00 - Intro 2:04 - Introd...

During this episode, we discuss CUI, its true meaning, and the various factors that influence corrosion with our good friend, Michael Pardo of S&B Engineers & Constructors . We also touch on the value that mentorships bring to the coatings industry. All of that and more coming up next on The Red Bucket . 0:00 - Intro 1:45 - Introduction to Michael Pardo 3:56 - The Importance of Men...

Elevated water tank painters face several unique challenges every day when working on the job site. The intricacies of a coatings project become exponential, and safety becomes even more paramount when crews are several hundred feet in the air. During this episode, we will talk with Steve Birchmeier, owner of Semper Fi Industrial Coatings, about the success of such projects. All of that and more c...