Hempstead High School: Dubuque, IA
When it comes to finishes for precast concrete wall panels, the possibilities are (nearly) endless.
Precast wall panels offer a large variety of finishes and applications to choose from. When it comes to selecting an architectural finish and making sure the aesthetic you are shooting for is the aesthetic you get, it is important to keep a few things in mind.
Having the finishes of the panels spelled out and noted in the specifications and also on the building exterior elevations will help the precast manufacturer in pricing.
Most buildings in our area will be in the limestone color range due to the Midwest having a lot of limestone quarries.
Certain finishes with special aggregates/sands can get costly depending on the distance the materials need to be sourced from.
Bump outs on the exterior face can cost more due to material costs.
If using thin brick, the exterior wythe needs to be a minimum of 4” thick.
While acid etching the panels on the front face, you can get acid that will run down the backside which is the interior face of the wall. If a good quality paint is used on the interior, this will most likely not be an issue.
Staining and/or painting are typically done by the painter on the project after panels are installed.
Interior finishes are typically a float finish or a steel trowel.
Wall panels are a popular structural and architectural system in commercial, industrial, education, multi-family, medical, municipal, and other markets. They can be designed as non-loadbearing or loadbearing, carrying floor and roof loads, as well as lateral loads. Panels may be solid, composite, non-composite or composite with continuous insulation.
Our standard finishes include light acid wash, light sandblast, medium sandblast, heavy sandblast, light water wash, medium water wash, and heavy water wash. While some of our most popular finishes include a light sandblast finish with a buff color and a plain grey steel form finish that will be painted, we also offer a variety of unique finishes including thin brick, graphic concrete, and finishes using form liners for patterns like stone, wood, ribbed and split-faced block.
One thing to keep in mind is that we want to deliver what an architect is expecting. That means, if the new panels are to match an existing building, we will travel to the existing building, determine the finish, and provide a sample that can be used for pricing and production. The architect will typically use these samples to put them in the specification during the bidding process.
Additionally, for all wall panel projects, we will go through the process of a sample approval prior to production. The sample piece will incorporate details like reveals, insulation, corner finish, color of the mix design and texture.
Mid-States Concrete is a PCI-certified architectural precast concrete producer. We will provide a uniform, high quality building façade to meet your aesthetic needs.