Franklin Splash Park

Project Overview

When the Franklin Rec Center in Tennessee reached out, the connection came through mutual contacts in the waterpark industry who had seen our work firsthand. Their slides were not damaged or failing. They were just starting to show their age. The surfaces had lost their original luster and the facility wanted them looking fresh and vibrant again before the wear progressed any further. This is exactly the kind of project where early action saves thousands. When slides are caught at this stage, a full gelcoat respray is not always necessary. The right restoration approach at the right time can bring a slide back to life as if it just came out of the shop.

A smarter approach to slide restoration. Not every job requires a full respray.

Exterior Surface Preparation

Every single square inch of the slide exterior was hand-sanded to create a proper surface profile. This ensures a strong mechanical bond between the existing surface and the new coating. Without this step, even the best materials will eventually peel or lose adhesion. We do not cut corners on prep work because prep is what makes a finish last.

Marine-Grade Exterior Coating

The coating applied to the exterior is marine-grade material, engineered to withstand constant water exposure, direct UV, and saltwater environments. If these materials can hold up on vessels sitting in the ocean and baking in the sun every day, they can more than handle a waterslide. This is why our exterior finishes last over a decade and still hold their shine. We currently have slides coated over ten years ago that look like they were finished yesterday.

Interior Wet Sand and Polish

The interior ride surfaces did not require a full respray. Instead, our team wet sanded and buffed every interior surface by hand, removing oxidation and restoring the original smooth, high-gloss finish. This method is less invasive, faster, and just as effective when the surfaces are caught before they deteriorate too far. The result is a ride surface that looks and feels like it did the first day it left the factory.

Here is how we approached the project:

Full exterior sanding: Every square inch of the slide exterior was sanded by hand to establish a clean surface profile and ensure maximum adhesion for the new coating.

Marine-grade exterior coating application: A durable, marine-grade coating was applied to the full exterior, delivering a vibrant, high-gloss finish built to last well over a decade without fading or peeling.

Interior wet sand and buff: All interior ride surfaces were wet sanded and machine polished to remove oxidation and restore a factory-fresh finish without the need for a full respray.

Three-day completion: The entire project was completed start to finish in just three days, minimizing downtime for the facility and getting the slides back in service fast.

The Result

The slides at Franklin Rec Center were fully restored to a like-new condition inside and out. The exterior finish is protected by marine-grade coating that will hold its gloss and color for over a decade. The interior ride surfaces were brought back to factory quality through wet sanding and polishing alone, proving that a full respray is not always the answer.

This project is a perfect example of why calling early matters. The sooner you address aging surfaces, the more options you have and the less you spend. Because we never subcontract our work, every dollar goes toward materials and skilled labor on your site, not into a middleman's pocket. That is why we consistently deliver results that outlast the competition at a fraction of the cost.

Related Projects