Secondary Containment Coating Services
Secondary Containment Coating Services — Protecting Your Facility and the Environment
Ensure regulatory compliance and safeguard against environmental contamination with BlasTek’s secondary containment coating services. We install high-build, chemically resistant lining systems in concrete bunds, pits, dike floors, and other containment structures to create a seamless, impermeable barrier that protects your facility, your workforce, and the surrounding environment from hazardous spills and leaks.
Secondary containment is not only a regulatory requirement for facilities that store or handle petroleum products, chemicals, and other hazardous materials above threshold quantities, it is a critical layer of operational risk management. Any failure in containment can allow contaminants to reach stormwater systems, groundwater, or nearby sensitive environments. BlasTek’s containment coatings are engineered to deliver the chemical resistance, impermeability, and long-term durability these high-risk applications demand.
What Is Secondary Containment?
Secondary containment is a physical barrier system designed to capture the contents of a primary storage vessel such as a tank, drum, pipeline, or process vessel in the event of a leak, overflow, or catastrophic failure. For above-ground storage tanks, secondary containment typically consists of a concrete or steel dike or bund that surrounds the tank and has sufficient capacity to hold the full contents of the largest tank plus additional freeboard for rainfall.
The containment structure itself must be impermeable, able to resist the chemical attack of the stored product and retain liquids without seepage into the soil or groundwater below. Uncoated concrete is not impermeable to most petroleum products and chemicals, and even well-constructed concrete containment structures develop cracks and permeability over time. A properly specified and applied containment coating system is essential to maintaining the functional integrity of the secondary containment.
Secondary Containment Coating Systems
BlasTek offers a range of secondary containment coating systems engineered to match the specific chemical exposure, service conditions, and performance requirements of each facility. From cost-effective epoxy systems for general containment to high-performance vinyl esters and flexible polyurea linings for more demanding environments, each solution is selected to deliver long-term protection, regulatory compliance, and reliable containment performance.
Epoxy Coating Systems for Chemical Containment
High-build epoxy systems provide excellent resistance to a wide range of chemicals including petroleum products, alkalis, dilute acids, and water, at an economical cost for large containment areas. BlasTek applies solvent-based and high-solids epoxy systems from Sherwin-Williams, Tnemec, and Carboline, providing film builds of 20 to 40 mils over prepared concrete for reliable containment performance.
Vinyl Ester Linings for Aggressive Chemical Exposure
BlasTek applies vinyl ester lining systems for containment areas subject to strong acids, oxidizers, solvents, or other aggressive chemicals that exceed the resistance range of epoxy. Vinyl esters provide outstanding resistance to the chemical species that attack epoxy systems, making them the specification of choice for chemical process facilities, pharmaceutical plants, and operations with concentrated chemical exposure.
Polyurea and Polyurethane Linings
Polyurea and polyurethane spray-applied linings provide seamless, flexible containment coatings that bridge minor cracks and joint movement in concrete containment structures. These systems are particularly valuable for outdoor containment areas subject to thermal cycling and for structures with irregular geometry where a spray-applied seamless lining is more effective than a brush and roller system.
Concrete Surface Preparation for Containment Coatings
Coating failure in containment structures is most often traced to improper concrete surface preparation that results in trapped moisture, residual laitance, or untreated cracks and joints that compromise adhesion. BlasTek addresses these risks at the outset with a comprehensive concrete evaluation, including moisture testing, identification of cracks and joints, assessment of surface contamination, and selection of the appropriate preparation method such as shot blasting, scarifying, or acid etching, based on the coating system and substrate condition.
All cracks and construction joints are routed, cleaned, and properly filled with elastomeric sealants or epoxy mortars prior to coating application, eliminating potential leak paths. At containment walls, floor-to-wall transitions, and areas subject to the highest stress, reinforcing fabric is embedded into the base coat to strengthen these critical intersections and prevent premature lining failure.
Regulatory Compliance for Secondary Containment
BlasTek understands the regulatory framework governing secondary containment, including EPA Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations, EPA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements, and applicable state environmental agency regulations. Our containment coating systems are specified and installed to meet these regulatory requirements, and we provide documentation of materials, application, and inspection for your compliance records.
Request a Containment Coating Assessment
Contact BlasTek to assess your secondary containment structure and recommend an appropriate lining system. We will evaluate your containment design, chemical exposure, substrate condition, and regulatory requirements to specify the right solution. Call us at 616-243-7550 or fill out our contact form to get started.
Industries We Serve
BlasTek is a specialty sandblasting contractor built for the most demanding industrial environments. We provide expert blasting, coating, and corrosion control solutions for a wide range of sectors, including:
- Municipal water and wastewater treatment facilities
- Food and beverage processing plants
- Pharmaceutical and cleanroom facilities
- Energy generation and power transmission infrastructure
- Steel fabricators and structural steel fabrication shops
- Advanced manufacturing and heavy industry
- Commercial and industrial construction
- Environmental and disaster restoration projects
Service Areas
BlasTek operates from two strategic locations: our headquarters in Shelbyville, MI, serving the greater West Michigan region, and our dedicated powder coating facility in Grand Rapids, MI. Our mobile field service teams extend across Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Southern Illinois, covering the heart of the Midwest industrial corridor. We proudly serve primary areas including:
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Kalamazoo, MI
- Three Rivers, MI
- Southwest and Northern Michigan
- Southern Illinois
- Northern Indiana
- Ohio
Industries We Serve
BlasTek is a specialty sandblasting contractor built for the most demanding industrial environments. We provide expert blasting, coating, and corrosion control solutions for a wide range of sectors, including:
- Municipal water and wastewater treatment facilities
- Food and beverage processing plants
- Pharmaceutical and cleanroom facilities
- Energy generation and power transmission infrastructure
- Steel fabricators and structural steel fabrication shops
- Advanced manufacturing and heavy industry
- Commercial and industrial construction
- Environmental and disaster restoration projects
We Follow Best Practices
We came together because we understand and specialize in the unique demands of media blasting.
- Sustainablility
- Project On Time
- Modern Technology
- Always By Your Side
Frequently Asked Questions — Secondary Containment
Does secondary containment need to be coated if it’s made of concrete?
Yes. Uncoated concrete is permeable to petroleum products and most chemicals. EPA and state regulations typically require that secondary containment structures be impermeable to the stored product. A quality containment coating system is the most cost-effective way to ensure your containment meets regulatory impermeability requirements.
How long do containment coatings last?
The service life of a containment coating depends on chemical exposure, UV exposure, thermal cycling, and application quality. Well-applied epoxy containment systems in moderate chemical environments typically last 10 to 20 years. Vinyl ester and specialty systems in aggressive chemical environments may have shorter renewal cycles. Regular inspection and maintenance extends service life.
Can you coat containment structures while they are in service?
Containment structures must typically be emptied, cleaned, and dried before coating application. BlasTek coordinates with facility teams to plan containment outages during maintenance windows and recommends temporary containment solutions during the recoating period where required.
What Our Clients Say
Testimonials
Sales and Operations
Clearwater Filtration
Matthew McDonald
BlasTek has completed every project either on schedule or ahead of schedule. They excel with every job in craftsmanship and workmanship. In my mind, they are one of the leaders of the trade in the West Michigan area. Their integrity and determination to provide the best service for their customer are undoubtedly one of the best I have ever seen.
Project Manager
Andy J. Egan Co.
Chad Reed
Over the last few years, we have been utilizing BlasTek LLC for various fabrication projects ranging from semi loads of large-bore carbon steel piping to complex equipment and piping skids. They not only meet the demanding turnaround of our projects but have also expressed great quality and workmanship. Among other things, BlasTek has expressed a willingness to adapt to the specific needs and skillsets of some of our projects.
Advantages of Dry Ice
When it comes to dry ice blasting, there are several advantages associated with a technology that safely removes contaminants without causing harm to the underlying substrate. For example:
Non-Abrasive
It’s not so much the impact of the dry ice that cleans a surface, but rather, the kinetic energy released from the heat transfer upon impact. The impacted surface is literally frozen by the dry ice pellets which, in turn, causes the weakened contaminants to lose their adhesiveness and break free from the substrate during dry ice blasting.
No Residual Media
Since dry ice goes directly from a solid to a gas upon impact, there is no secondary cleanup with dry ice blasting beyond the contaminants being removed. Normally the coatings or contaminants can be swept or vacuumed from the floor beneath the treated object. Whereas chemicals and solvents create environmental concerns, and water carries with it the risk of bacteria growth, dry ice blasting produces zero secondary waste.
No Disassembly
Dry ice blasting is such a delicate process that equipment need not be disassembled during cleaning. Unlike media blasting and water blasting, there is no waste material produced by CO2 blasting. That means equipment can be cleaned in place, which should reduce plant downtime. In fact, if proper safety procedures are followed, most equipment can be cleaned ‘online’ to increase the amount of heat transfer during cleaning and maximize end results.
Environmentally Friendly
Dry ice blasting is an EPA, USDA, and FDA approved cleaning process, making it the perfect solution for most industrial and commercial surface decontamination projects.