Load Bearing Surface Treatments

1. Load Bearing Surface Treatments MCC L 100C, Minneapolis, 2003 Saturday, 2:30 PM to 3:50 PM

2. Panel Chair: • Stirling Shelton Lead Technical Director: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, Ohio

3. Presenter: • Greg Bell He is an Associate Professor and Technical Director at Otterbein College in Westerville Ohio.

4. Presenter: • Tracy Fitch Technical Director University of North Carolina, Charlotte

5. Presenter: • Katherine R. Sieg She is a sophomore at Otterbein College and has previously worked for The Huron Playhouse, The Sandusky State Theatre, and The Great Lakes Theater Festival.

6. Presenter: • Claire Dana Claire Fretts Dana is in her fourth year as the Charge Scenic at Indiana Repertory B.A. (1987) in English from Oberlin College; and has painted and charged for several regional theatres and studios.

7. Presenter: • Michael Powers Michael is the Technical Director at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Prior to that he has spent most of his 35+ year career in professional theatre as a technical director.

8. OK, Lets talk TECH!

9. Greg Bell Using the sprayed-on stucco mix over metal lathe (the same technique Katherine Sieg has used on her rigid facings) attached to a plywood armature-type structure. The stucco has cracked and crumbled away at the top portions of the "rock", where I stood on it after it had cured for a couple of days.

10. Greg Bell

11. What does NOT Work: • I started thinking about regular old papier mache. "Sculpty-Mold" or something like that, that was basically a dry form of papier mache. "Just add water and press into a mold"... The "paper" in this dry stuff was almost in powder form. It was too expensive for theatre use, but I thought maybe I could duplicate it somehow.

12. TRY it again! • I had used some blow-in cellulose insulation at home that was pretty powdery, so I bought a bag of it and started mixing it with various binders. I mixed it with joint compound, latex paint, yellow glue, and wheat paste. I troweled the mixtures over a plywood armature covered either with multiple layers of chicken wire or that stucco mesh. None of the mixtures became rigid or able to bear much of a load.

13. Tracy: • The elastomeric roofing compound we used was called Kool Seal. EPS foam hand-sculpted with saws and sandpaper. • It's not the easiest to mix but certainly easier than joint compound. We pretty much poured off half a bucket of the elastomer into another 5 gallon and then made the whole batch in the 2 buckets. We were hand-mixing with a good solid 1x2.

14. UNC, Charlotte’s Inexpensive Flexi Glue 1) 5 Gallon bucket of inexpensive elastomeric roofing compound from your local home improvement center 1 Gallon bucket of fine powdered sawdust (imagine you've been cutting a heck of a lot of mdf--use that) 3/4 of a gallon of play sand 1 dash of scenic paint to add a slight base color Add cheesecloth for detailed edges or broadcloth for sturdy walkable areas.

15. Application: Smear on a thin layer (less than 1/8"). Apply cloth working it into the goop. Apply a second thin layer for smoother scenery or a thicker layer to texture. For heavy texture it might be best to do the thin coat and let it dry. Then apply again over the top of the whole mess.

16. Kool Seal

17. Presenter: • Katherine R. Sieg She is a sophomore at Otterbein College and has previously worked for The Huron Playhouse, The Sandusky State Theatre, and The Great Lakes Theater Festival.

18. Technology Exhibit 2003 Exhibit Number 21: Rigid facing using sprayed on stucco compound. Materials: Stucco Net (metal lathe) Base-coat Stucco Mix (80 lb bag) Drywall hopper gun

23. Presenter: • Michael Powers Michael is the Technical Director at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Prior to that he has spent most of his 35+ year career in professional theatre as a technical director.

24. POLYGEM, Inc. www.polygem.com Ph: (630) 231-5600 Polygem, Inc. manufactures epoxies, vinyl-esters and silicones for various industries and markets such as: Construction, Waterproofing, Mining, Industrial, Electrical, Zoological, Golf and DIY. Polygem, Inc. has been custom formulating epoxies in excess of twenty-five years and has created over 1,500 unique formulations. Polygem, Inc. continues to reformulate and improve existing products to meet current test standards and industry demands. Polygem, Inc. produces only 100% solid epoxies of the highest possible quality utilizing the finest raw materials and ingredients available. Polygem, Inc. develops, manufactures, packages and ships all products direct from our 25,000 square foot facility in West Chicago, Illinois located 30 miles west of Chicago. A strict quality control program inspects each product for consistency, color and stoichiometry ensuring product performance and customer satisfaction. Information complied by Stirling

25. The Tree was made with: POLYBAC #307: A general purpose sculpturing putty formulated specifically for artificial exhibit construction. It is a flexible system, exhibiting excellent shock and impact resistance along with excellent adhesion to any two porous surfaces. Typical applications include bonding clean metals to concrete, wood, fiberglass, concrete, gunite, drive-it and each other. POLYBAC #307 is manufactured of 100% solids, two component epoxy. All grades are capable of being applied horizontally or vertically and overhead. Uncured products can be cleaned up with water. POLYBAC #307-M a thicker version (clay consistency) of #307 has been specially formulated for overhead applications. POLYBAC #307-FR is the “Fire Retartent” version of #307. It has the consistency of “cold taffy” and is the definative product when building indoor exhibits. All three of these products can be colored with epoxy pigments or dry pigments. The cured products may also be coated with epoxy or latex paints. Information complied by Stirling

26. Dino-Goo (As seen on the Discovery Channel's Monster House ) Dino-Goo is a thick epoxy paste specially formulated to be easily shaped, textured and sculpted. Dino-Goo will provide a hard and durable surface that is sandable, paintable and fire retardant. Dino-Goo is also known as our #307 FR-Lite which has been used for artificial environments at leading zoos, aquariums, museums, casinos and theme parks around the world. Dino-Goo is an easy to mix one Part of A to one Part of B pre-thickened epoxy paste that is ready to texture or emboss and water can be used as the release or smoothing agent. Dino-Goo can be pigmented with liquid or dry powder pigments and can be additionally thickened up to a modeling clay-like consistency by using the Polygem Thickening Agent. Dino-Goo will bond to most surfaces including Fiberglass, Foam, metal and concrete. Dino-Goo can be coated with any paint, urethane, acrylic or latex paint and Dino-Goo can even accept stains. Dino-Goo is available in 2 gallon, 10 gallon and 100 gallon kits and is available in custom blended batches. Information complied by Stirling

27. http://www.demandproducts.com/ Level-All is the latest in a new family of "thixotropic resin" levelers. Thixotropic means that it levels and stays where you put it. It will not move on its own. When you brush it on a foam surface, it minimizes the cut lines and minor imperfections. This is a water-based product that is used in conjunction with a final waterproof coating. It is not waterproof if used alone. It must be coated with a waterproof coating to insure weatherability. Level-All helps most all coatings adhere superbly. UreCoat is an emulsion of high-grade urethane and acrylic resins in water. It dries by evaporation to yield a tough, non-yellowing, water-repellent surface with exceptional abrasion resistance and ultra-violet light stability. UreCoat can be tinted. UreCoat is designed to have exceptional adhesion to many types of foam. The composition of UreCoat still allows the coating to be spray applied evenly wile leaving a smooth, glossy finish, and UreCoat exhibits increased tensile and Ureural strength versus other toxic epoxy coatings. When ambiently cured, UreCoat dries rapidly and exhibits excellent toughness and superb adhesion to other substrates as old concrete and masonry, brick, wood, metals, and many other surfaces. Information complied by Stirling

28. http://www.demandproducts.com/ Foam Coating: Not very structural !! :( Water-based, elastomeric coating. Allows definition to show. For either interior or exterior surfaces. Works well over EPS foam and other surfaces. Dries white. Can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed. Covers 320 sq. ft. at 5 mils A safe, odorless coating that has been specifically formulated for the entertainment industry to provide a sand-like finish for interior or exterior applications. Stonewall's unique, thin flow quality reveals definition detail when applied over any extruded or expanded EPS foam boards or shapes. Unlike sand stucco Stonewall has an elastomeric characteristic that permits movement, reducing the possibility of cracking. Stonewall comes ready to brush, roll, or spray on EPS with little preparation. Dries clear. Water-soluble, flexible shield protects EPS foam for general handling. Will act as an adhesive for applying fabrics if they are applied while Elasta-Shield is wet. Can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed. Covers 320 sq. ft. at 5 mils Information complied by Stirling

29. http://www.demandproducts.com/ Now these products are hard. Liquid Rock is a 2-part, epoxy-based coating that can be applied on interior and exterior surfaces. It has extraordinary flow characteristics. It leaves a hard, glossy, smooth shell finish. It works well on props and backdrops when a hard finish is preferred. It can be brushed or rolled. Average working time is 20-25 minutes. One gallon covers approximately 320 sq. ft. at 5 mil thickness.Dries off-white and can be painted UreShell is our latest offering in fine foam coatings. UreShell is a marvelous hard-coat, 2-part, urethane-based coating. Its average 25-minute pot life allows for rolling or brushing. Applications cover both interior and exterior surfaces. It leaves a hard, glossy, smooth shell finish. It works great on props, backdrops, signs, molds, etc. One gallon covers approximately 320 sq. feet at 5 mil thickness. Dries to a tan color and can be finished-coated with most all paints and synthetic stucco. Information complied by Stirling

30. http://www.demandproducts.com/ Last product, not great for floors Styrothane is a 3-part, urethane-based coating that can be applied on interior and exterior surfaces. It leaves a hard, glossy, smooth-shell finish. It works well on props and backdrops when a hard finish is preferred. It can be brushed or rolled. Average working time is 10-15 minutes. One gallon covers approximately 320 sq. feet at 5 mil thickness. Dries off-white and can be painted. Its "tile-like" finish allows easy cleaning. Information complied by Stirling

31. Claire Fretts Dana Charge Scenic Artist, Indiana Repertory Theatre

32. Let it Shine! 1/2” MDF deck was waxed and buffed: mirror image ceiling was sealed with same but finished with gloss acrylic urethane. 3rd show at IRT to have this treatment. Copenhagen, Set Design by Michael Ganio for IRT, Fall 2002

33. Conventional Mop Bucket with disposable liner (trash bag) Nylon, no-loop applicator mop Commercial floor sealer & “soft” floor wax Optional “spray and buff” touch-up solutions with spray bottle

34. First coat of sealer moved paint applied previously with a Preval sprayer. No other trouble where encountered.

35. The mighty, mighty high speed burnisher: 2000RPM Electric (pulls about 19amps at startup and 15-17amps while running) 20’ cord

36. The pads come in a range of color-coded abrasion types. We found the pink “eraser” pads worked best for removing most scuffs while restoring a good shine

37. Maintenance requires a dust mop treated with an attractant; buffing as needed for scuffs and re-application of wax as needed

38. The deck after 25 performances

39. You can see some marks will stay, but they are always reduced by buffing and re-waxing. Painted spike marks are not affected.

40. Wood grain and stone texture using powdered clay Lion in Winter, set design by Rob Koharchik, IRT 2003

41. Powdered clay and Flexbond glue was used for wood and stone textures on 3/8” MDF

42. The mixture for the deck was 4 parts clay, 2 parts Flexbond and 2-3 parts water

43. Powdered clay is cheap and easy to get but contains silicates which require respiratory protection and containment precautions

44. We used cut squeegees to grain the planks and brushes and trowels to work the stone tiles

45. Due to winter shipping restrictions on Flexbond, the last batches made with Elmer’s white glue, clay and no water. Mixture was stiff and sticky yet settled quite a bit. Horrible to handle.

46. Another type of stone texture and a paper floor Cyrano, set design by Rob Koharchik, IRT 2002

47. Stone texture was done with Jaxsan-600 on 3/8” MDF tiles. 11”x 17” sheets of paper were painted and attached to deck and sealed with an acrylic wallpaper paste.

48. Model of Deck with three (3) surface treatments: Painted rough wood planks, grass and stone. “Red Badge of Courage”, Designer: Rob Koharchik, IRT, 2003

49. CDX planks and homasote are the load-bearing substrates laid over the permanent stage. Foam is added in for “stone” facings, as shaping under non-walkable grass and where weeds need to be anchored.

50. Burlap adhered to homasote and foam with Elmers’s clay mix and/or jaxsan 600; painted “Funeral grass” is stapeled down, painted rubber mulch helps soften the edges.