Industrial Strength Custom Canvas Equipment Covers
Waterproof canvas covers for industrial equipment and construction are designed, fabricated and installed by American Canvas & Awning. We offer quick turnaround for special construction covers, tarps and custom painters’ drop cloths. Tim McGill can advise on fabric selection, installation options, manufacturing considerations and budget. When you protect your equipment, you protect your investment. Call today for a free estimate. All work is made-to-measure and built in San Francisco.
For more on the preservation of the Emporium Dome during construction of the Westfield Shopping center, see the SFgate.com article.
The original Emporium dome was built in 1904 and survived the 1906 quake but was destroyed in the subsequent firestorm (photos). The 102-foot dome was rebuilt in 1908 and lifted hydraulically in 2004, to a steel tower during construction of the Westfield Shopping Center.
The contractor was facing a $100,000/day fine from the San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission if the dome was not protected, so he called Tim McGill to design the custom construction cover. Using the original drawings from 1904 as a starting place, Tim planned the project. Getting the actual measurements required a crane crew, four hours and two men. The custom canvas industrial cover was engineered in four pieces to provide lacing for a tight fit and overlap for water protection.
This photo shows the dome before we started. There was an unsuccessful attempt to cover it with thin plastic sheeting. You can see the sides are still intact but the top was shredded to ribbons. This photo and more history at sfCityGuides.org.
Waterproof Equipment Covers & Tarps
The 500,000-pound dome is three stories tall and 102 feet wide, with the ribbing of steel and sheet metal cloaked in ornamental plaster that needed to be protected from the elements for two years while construction went on around it. Tim McGill used a CAD program for layout and good quality 18 oz/sq yd coated vinyl truck tarp material.
Installation of the custom industrial tarpaulin required using a crane to lift the crew to the top, and working as early in the day as possible to avoid the afternoon wind. A steel cable was attached to the structure at the top and base of the dome. The covers were manually lifted to the top of the dome, one section at a time, laced to the top cable then rolled down to lace to the cable.
When all four sections were installed and laced to the circumference, the crew laced together the sections covering the curved portion by rappelling down from the top to stretch the cover to its final, waterproof tightness. Then the side panels were installed on the lower cable, laced together, and secured at the bottom. There was a flap designed into the dome sections to overlap the side panels for water tightness.
SFawning.com