DoD Facility Painting at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
How Element PCC delivered phased interior and exterior repainting for an occupied federal facility — on time, on budget, without disrupting daily operations.
Case Study — Government Painting
Occupied Government Facility Painting Case Study – Joint base Lewis-Mccord | government | department of defense
Project overview
Element PCC was engaged as the painting and coatings subcontractor for a full refresh of the AAFES Exchange gas station at Joint Base Lewis-McChord — one of the largest military installations in the Pacific Northwest. The project was performed for Graves Construction under a U.S. Department of Defense contract, requiring Element PCC to operate within the security protocols and scheduling constraints of an active federal facility.
The scope included interior and exterior repainting across multiple phases, with multi-color and multi-sheen coating systems specified for different areas of the facility. Throughout the project, the gas station remained fully operational — serving active-duty personnel and their families every day.
Why occupied DoD facility painting requires a specialist
Painting an active military base facility isn't like a standard commercial repaint. Federal projects come with a distinct set of constraints that require experience, discipline, and clear communication from start to finish:
Security-sensitive environments with access controls and credential requirements
Active operations that can't be paused — work must be phased around daily use
Coordination with multiple trades and federal oversight teams
Strict compliance standards for materials, VOC limits, and surface prep
No room for delays — federal contracts have defined timelines and accountability
As an experienced government painting contractor serving the South Puget Sound region, Element PCC understands these requirements and builds them into every phase of project planning.
Materials and coating systems
Interior walls were coated with Sherwin-Williams ProMar 200, a high-performance interior coating well-suited to high-traffic institutional environments. Wet rooms, metal doors, and frames were finished with Sherwin-Williams Pro Industrial water-based alkyd urethane — chosen for its durability and resistance to moisture, abrasion, and the wear patterns typical of a busy DoD retail facility.
Challenges and how we managed them
This project presented several coordination challenges common to federal painting contracts:
Continuous operations: The facility served active personnel throughout the project. Work was phased across days and nights to ensure zero disruption to daily operations.
Trade damage and rework: High activity from concurrent trades meant surfaces were frequently damaged between phases. Element PCC adapted quickly, incorporating rework into the schedule without impacting the overall timeline.
Superintendent turnover: Midproject leadership changes on the GC side required Element PCC to maintain clear documentation and self-directed execution — keeping the project on track without consistent oversight from above.
Limited on-site GC presence: With the national contractor less present than anticipated, Element PCC took a proactive role in coordination, flagging issues early and maintaining momentum independently.
Results
The project was completed successfully across all phases. The AAFES Exchange facility received durable, clean finishes that met DoD standards — delivered on schedule despite the complexity of an occupied, security-controlled environment with heavy trade interaction.
This engagement further demonstrated Element PCC's reliability as a federal painting contractor in the Puget Sound region, capable of executing government work that demands precision, adaptability, and accountability.
