Car wash wall panels – Fire-resistant and mold-free

Zhang’s Carwash in Charlotte, NC

• Type: Indoor Car Wash
• Location: Charlotte, NC
• Quantity: 795 sq. ft.

Zhang is the second generation son of Chinese immigrants who came to the U.S. thirty years ago and opened a local restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina. The idea for a car wash came after the same business next to their restaurant went under. Zhang remembered many car wash customers over the years stopping by to get food after they got their cars cleaned, and some even made orders during. He figured they could use the dual publicity to “corner the market” in that area and advertise for both businesses; his parents agreed.

Before their new car wash could open for business, however, considerable construction would be needed to make the old building ready for its makeover. The old owners had allowed the facility to fall into disrepair, which was probably one of the main reasons they went out of business. After consulting several contractors, Zhang came to the conclusion that the first order of business is to fix the various leaks that were occurring throughout the wash areas, as this was contributing to expensive upkeep over the years. Fortunately for Zhang, the contractor recommended Duramax PVC wall panels for the upgrade.

We sent over a free sample so Zhang and his parents could get a feel for the wall panels, since these would be facing the public. They needed to match the intended design aesthetic of the redesigned car wash. He expressed that he wanted to remove the wooden backers that were used in the previous construction. We assured him that vinyl wall panels required no wooden backing, and that they could be installed on any surface that could hold the studs and fasteners.

Zhang was pleased with the result, a modernized structure that is 100% waterproof. The lack of necessity for upkeep would allow him to focus on running both businesses as his parents retired, which was apparently imminent. The opening of Zhang’s new car wash went off without a hitch, and according to its ratings, is one of the most popular car detailing businesses in the area.

Red Bridge Auto Wash, OH

• Type: Car Wash
• Location: Toledo, Ohio
• Quantity: 846 sq. ft.

Fifteen years ago, Lawrence had started washing cars as a teenager to make extra money so he could buy his own car, an old Mustang he saw for sale at his neighbor’s house in Toledo, Ohio. He worked hard to advertise with flyers and word-of-mouth and had enough to purchase the car by the end of the first summer with a bit of money left over. Taking the advice of his parents, he took the extras back into the business, and by the time he graduated high school, he had enough saved to go half with his father on the startup materials. Fifteen years and a few paid-off bank loans later, he owns two of the most profitable car washes in Toledo.

Lawrence came to us when the idea of a third location came to mind. In his words, he wanted a way to “do this one right from the beginning” which, among other building changes, meant extensive water-proofing of his interiors. We assured him that Duramax PVC panels were completely waterproof. Lawrence was reasonably skeptical since the wall panels he had acquired for the other two facilities were also supposed to be waterproof, yet he had spent a large part of his budget repairing water damage and reconstructing foundations over the years. The original wall panels, we found out, were made of fiberglass. He chose them over vinyl (PVC) because they were slightly cheaper at the time. We explained to Lawrence that the reason these panels were cheaper is that they weren’t as durable, nor capable of resisting water absorption. We were able to clarify that whatever savings he incurred upfront would cost much more down the road and that if he really wanted to ‘future proof’ his car washes, he’d consider using PVC panels instead.

Lawrence accepted the logic and installed Duramax PVC wall panels in his third carwash. He was so pleased with the look and quality of the panels that he opted to install them at his other two car wash locations. We were happy to oblige, and now all three of Lawrence’s car washes have a lifetime warranty on their wall panels.