Lincoln Reflecting Pool Lining Peels at 7 Seams After $14 Million Renovation

3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 16

At least seven peeling spots in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool align with seams created during the June renovation, pointing to installation flaws rather than vandalism, according to a Washington Post analysis and expert reviews.
Five failures appeared where dark blue Pipeliner 5000 overlapped after adjacent sections had dried for five hours or more; another came where the topcoat was applied more than 24 hours after primer, outside specifications.
Experts said seam areas need special surface preparation and are especially prone to adhesion failure, while one spot also exposed concrete at an expansion joint that could have added stress to the coating.
The White House and Interior Department still blamed vandals for more than 300 feet of damage and provided no evidence, even as the pool was drained this week for repairs.
The 4 million-gallon pool reopened in early June after a no-bid contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, and officials have said the same contractor will handle repairs likely costing tens of thousands of dollars.