Binghamton University Limestone and Polished Ground Face Concrete Block Project

THE CHALLENGE

Binghamton, NY This newly constructed science building featured varying shades of natural Indiana Cut Limestone panels, with adjacent walls constructed with a polished, very smooth ground face concrete block.

OUR SOLUTION

Exact Match™ transformed the darker colored limestone panels to light colors by staining the limestone, which created the subtle range that the university wanted to achieve. The lightest of the ground face concrete block was also darkened to add another light and natural brown tone to the mix of concrete block colors which already on the wall. We provided an exact match to the requested shade of brown, and at the same time, we did what is believed to be impossible, we did not change the aggregate color, which are the small bits of stone added to the mix when the concrete block is created. This means that the block which we stained looks just like all of the other block on the wall, however the background color was transformed to an exact match to the surrounding. Work was conducted around the flow of students and faculty with our no odor, low VOC, environmentally friendly products.

Before, darker gray limestone on building and light gray block on retaining wall make a checker board effect

Before, dark gray limestone panels on building, retaining wall lightest gray block needed to be stained to blend with darker brown block.

Before, ribbed concrete panels, soiled, clay colored block, efflorescence, and rain stains

Before- light gray block creates a checker board effect the owners wish to change.

Before, dark gray limestone, light gray concrete block walls (foreground, right and left)

Before, dark gray limestone panels create a checker board effect.

During, left, the darker mocha stained block is done, the right side of the wall is undone.

After, dark gray limestone on building blended to sand buff, retaining wall light gray is now blended back to a mocha color.

After, limestone on building blended to lighter sand buff, light block on retaining wall (foreground) stained to mocha brown.

After- light gray stained to mocha brown and the aggregate, the rock speckles are not covered up or changed in the process.

After, rain stains, soil and efflorescence removed, and custom stain applied to restore the color

After, walls in photo and 3rd floor bump out, above, gray limestone areas were stained lighter natural sand buff

After, dark gray limestone panels were stained a light, natural sand buff to blend with surrounding limestone panels.

After, dark gray limestone stained to natural sand buff

After (short wall at the back of photo) light gray stained to mocha brown

After- light gray stone has been stained to blend with a custom mocha color. The block background was stained, but the aggregate, or rock speckles in each block remain unchanged just as the owner requested.