Minnesota’s Master Craftsmen in Building Envelope Restoration
About Us
Western Waterproofing Company was founded in St. Louis, MO in 1915 and since then has grown across the United States. Our Minneapolis operations opened in 1960 as Western Waterproofing Company – a local contractor specializing in waterproofing, concrete and facade restoration.
In 2015, Western celebrated our centennial and rebranded as Western Specialty Contractors to provide a more encompassing portrayal of our services.
Over the years Western has built a reputation for quality craftsmanship and professional service in the Greater Minneapolis area. In 2019, the Minneapolis office expanded and acquired a restoration contractor in Duluth, MN opening a satellite office. Along with Minnesota, we provide the same services to North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Northern Iowa.
Since opening in 1960, the office has grown, but its reputation as a quality restoration contractor has never wavered. We have been privileged to have worked on many of Minneapolis and St. Paul’s renowned buildings such as the Macy’s building, IDS building, City Center, Wells Fargo Tower, Foshay Tower, and Carlson Center to name a few.
Services
Concrete Repair and Restoration
Concrete repair can come in many different forms from building facades to precast structures to parking garages. All of which are vulnerable when exposed to the weather. An effective maintenance routine on a parking structure can prevent costly repairs that can be disruptive to tenants and cause unexpected costs and safety concerns.
Masonry Restoration & Preservation
Masonry restoration is the phrase used for working with any form of masonry on an existing building that does not encompass building it from new construction. Restoration is tearing the masonry down and rebuilding to repointing and cleaning and sealing. Masonry structures are vulnerable to age, moisture, pollutants, building movement and deferred maintenance.
Epoxy & Urethane Grout Injection
Epoxy crack injection is an economical practice of repairing non-moving cracks in concrete walls, slabs, columns, and beams. Urethane crack injection also known as polyurethane or grout is a common way to seal and fill a leaking crack in concrete foundation walls and slabs. Either discipline provide an alternative method for repairing concrete without full removal and replacement or excavation.
Sealant & Expansion Joint Replacement
Got leaks? Exterior building sealant is the first line of defense for water intrusion on the building exterior. Neglect of this critical construction component can lead to interior and exterior deterioration of any building. Water intrusion is more than an inconvenience for property owners and tenants. Left unchecked, it can damage structural elements and shorten the useful life of buildings.
Structural Repair & Carbon Fiber Reinforcement
Structural repair can come in many different forms from full concrete column replacement, concrete beam reinforcement, externally bonded carbon fiber, supplemental steel installation, or repair and replacement to existing post-tension cables. All of which Western employs our own certified craftsmen and women who take pride in restoring America’s structures.
Deck Coatings & Wall Coatings
Considering applying a coating to your façade or parking structure? Coatings can be a fantastic cost saving and preventative maintenance measure, but they are only as effective as the caliber of preparation and installation. Whether it’s a planter, plaza deck, parking garage or façade, coating systems we install help preserve the useful life of your structure and reduce repair costs.
Projects
EDINA, MN
Point of France
BURNSVILLE, MN
Burnsville Heart of the City Ramp
MINNETONKA, MN
Carlson Center
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Substance Church at Historic Wesley Center
From Our Clients
“We here at Calhoun Gardens Condo’s would like to thank all who participated in the building facade project. It went very smoothly with minimal to no distribution. The residents hardly knew you were here. Everyone on your team was incredibly nice and professional when interacting with our residents. The work spaces were left as neat and tidy as they were before the project began and the building looks wonderful. We will definitely be having Western back when work is needed on our building in the future.”
Kent Backstrand
Calhoun Gardens“I would like to express my satisfaction with the results that Western achieved. I was very pleased with your communication style and your responsiveness in regard to any issues that needed attention. From the bidding process until the end of Phase I, I was impressed with your commitment to making sure the project plan was on track. You really went above and beyond. I would not hesitate hiring Western for a future project at Point of France or to recommend Western to other associations.”
Carolyn Wendell
Point of France Association, Inc.
Coatings Pro Award
The Western Specialty Contractors Minneapolis branch took first place in the Coatings Pro Contractor Awards in 2023.
Where To Find Us
111 NE Lowry Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55418
612-781-7100
Parking Structure Inspection Guide
Maintaining multi-million-dollar parking garages can be a daunting task for building owners and their facility managers. An ineffective maintenance routine on a parking structure can quickly lead to costly repairs and restorations that can be disruptive to tenants and cause unexpected costs and safety concerns.
Fortunately, identifying and tracking problem areas within parking structures has just become easier with Western Specialty Contractors’ new online Visual Guide & Checklist for parking garage inspections.
Caulking & Sealants Cheat Sheet
Practically every building requires caulking and sealants to prevent water from reaching interior spaces.
Caulking and sealants are not only the most commonly used waterproofing materials, but they’re also the most incorrectly used. This quick cheat sheet will help you decode any jargon you encounter for caulking and sealants.
Contact us today about your next project
Whether you’d like us to take a look at minor leak issues, provide a proposal for full capital restoration projects, or give an educational presentation that will help you and your team make your exterior maintenance more cost effective, we’d love to connect with you.