Presto Restoration provides GFRC restoration services to help maintain your building’s surface integrity by protecting it from water damage and leaching onto metal or glass panels.
GFRC or glass fiber reinforced concrete panels are a popular exterior facade material used on many commercial buildings. Custom designed for specific applications, they’re available as wall and window units, fascia panels, column covers, and more.
When compared to precast concrete, many builders prefer GFRC’s more elastic and dense cementitious properties and appreciate how the glass fiber reinforcement of the material results in significantly lower permeability to water and air.
A true non load-bearing exterior cladding, GFRC offers many advantages:
- On multi-story steel structures, the amount of steel needed is dramatically reduced.
- The panels are ideal for recladding of existing buildings.
- Their light weight and flexible connections make them a popular choice for buildings in seismic areas.
What Is GFRC?
A Portland cement based composite, GFRC has alkalide resistant glass fibers randomly dispersed throughout its material. The glass fibers work similarly to the reinforcing steel in reinforced concrete. Because these fibers add flexibility to the material, GFRC panels are strong, durable, and lightweight.
GFRC is similar to but weaker than the chopped fiberglass that’s used to form complex 3D shapes such as boat hulls. Primarily a combination of fine sand, cement, polymer, water, and glass fibers, it’s cast as a spray-up or premix.
Widely used in both new building construction and recladding, GFRC is also gaining popularity in the renovation of historic buildings.
Common GFRC Problems
GFRC panels often have a non-uniform, streaky, or mottled look, even right after installation. That’s because by the time they’re installed, they’ve already been exposed to hand and boot prints, transportation and storage mud and dirt, bad weather, and welding fumes during the installation process.
In other words, GFRC easily gets dirty and stained, even during installation. For this reason, Presto recommends clean and seal services immediately after the installation of GFRC panels.
Another issue with GFRC panels is the natural efflorescence from the hydration process leaves deposits and streaks on the panel’s surface. Once the panels are cleaned and sealed, they become increasingly more uniform in appearance and are protected against future restoration projects.
Presto’s GFRC Restoration Services
Like most cementitious materials, GFRC is rarely regularly maintained. As a result, as the GFRC material ages and becomes soiled from environmental contaminants, cleaning and restoration services may be required.
Presto’s GFRC restoration services include cleaning, caulking, and sealing with either a clear or colored sealant to change the look of your GFRC panels. Depending on the type of staining and the condition of the panels, the process might involve high-pressure and chemical treatments. We’re proud to say the results we achieve often exceed a customer’s expectations.
Protective treatments for GFRC vary from acrylic to siloxane-based materials. Presto generally recommends silicone treatments for GFRC preservation. Once the cleaning and restoration services are complete, we apply an additional treatment that:
- Protects the GFRC material from surface damage.
- Prevents mineral leaching that can cause stubborn stains on exterior window glass and anodized aluminum window frames.
- Preserves your restoration investment.
As GFRC has gained in popularity over the years, so, too, has Presto’s GFRC cleaning, restoration, and protective service business. We take great pride in helping our clients understand how our services can help them protect their investment and actually save them money by eliminating the need for future restoration projects.
In addition to GFRC restoration services, Presto offers an extensive range of stone restoration, maintenance, and cleaning services, including:
- Brick cleaning and restoration
- Concrete cleaning, sealing, and restoration
- Clean and seal services
- Limestone cleaning and restoration
- Masonry cleaning and restoration
- Natural stone cleaning, maintenance, and restoration
- Precast cleaning and restoration
- Precast sealing
We also offer a wide range of waterproof coating services, including weatherproof coating, painting & coating, deck coating, exterior painting, vehicular traffic bearing coating, industrial coatings, and concrete sealing. All our professional cleaning, waterproofing, and restoration services produce beautiful building and parking structure surfaces that last and look beautiful for years to come.
If you own or manage a GFRC-clad commercial building and need exterior restoration services, call us at 1-800-785-9927 or Request a Quote.
