Los Angeles, California

With its 135-foot-high parabolic arches and futuristic, flying saucer-like design, the Theme Building at LAX Airport is one of the most distinctive buildings in Southern California.

Originally built in 1961, the building became home to the Encounters Restaurant and Bar in 1997. A $12.3 million restoration was completed in 2010.

"It hadn't been painted in 15 years, and the existing coating was coming off in sheets," says Mike Rego of SprayTech Painting, the L.A. contractor which won the coatings bid. To be able to offer the owners the warranty they wanted, proper prep would be crucial.

They started by sandblasting the exterior to the bare concrete, repairing stucco as needed, and priming with Loxon Masonry Primer. A topcoat of ConFlex XL High Build Coating was then applied to provide long-lasting, waterproof protection. Duration Exterior Latex was used on underhangs.

Metal substrates were coated with Macropoxy 646 Fast Cure Epoxy and Hi-Solids Polyurethane, a system that offers outstanding color retention, durability and protection from salt water in the air. In all, about 3,500 gallons of paint were used, protecting this L.A. landmark long into the future.