Mercy Hospital Joplin Gets New Start with TEC® Products
Reconstructing Mercy Hospital Joplin with materials designed to withstand powerful tornadoes was the goal of this project. Because of the hospital’s vast size, the flooring system must be compatible with a variety of different materials. In addition, hospitals increasingly recognize the risk posed by moisture vapor emissions from concrete slabs. Surface preparation must abate worries about excessive moisture vapor emissions. The installation was complex and had a strict schedule.
After considering several options, construction manager McCarthy Building Companies, Mercy Health System and flooring contractor Flooring Systems Inc. together decided that the TEC system was the best choice for the new hospital. Flooring Systems Inc. was familiar with TEC products and the 25-year warranty for its system. They believed that the chosen TEC products provided the longevity and durability necessary for this state-of-the-art facility.
To prepare the surface, TEC LiquiDAM® Penetrating Moisture Barrier was used to cover 400,000 square feet of the hospital. The cost-efficient moisture mitigation product is a low viscosity, high penetrating, two part epoxy that is especially formulated to be applied to damp or new concrete.
After the TEC surface preparation products laid a smooth foundation, carpet tile was installed with TEC® Releasable Pressure Sensitive Adhesive. Zickel Flooring used mortars and grouts to install various tiles throughout the hospital—including restrooms and dining areas. TEC AccuColor EFX® Epoxy Grout and Mortar was the obvious choice for strength, plus stain and chemical resistance while being installed.
Time was essential on this massive project. Before the installation could take place, substrate variation had to be corrected. Although not built into the installation schedule, it was necessary for Flooring Systems Inc. to use TEC Smooth Start™ Self-Leveling Underlayment to quickly correct imperfections, as it cures quickly and corrects up to 1” in a single pour, or up to 5” in a single aggregate. TEC Fast-Set Deep Patch dries to a walkable hardness in just 60 minutes, and made it easy for various crews to move about the job site.
Contractors:
Flooring Systems Inc., St. Louis, MO
Zickel Flooring, Fenton, MO
McCarthy Building Companies, St. Louis, MO
Contractor De-Brief:
“From a general contractor’s point of view, technical support is incredibly important. TEC sends support directly to the job site.” -Jeremy Witts, project manager with McCarthy Building Companies.
“LiquiDAM requires fewer steps than other products and is much more user-friendly,” says Don Robinson, foreman with Flooring Systems Inc. “It gives us a smooth finish, which allows for less work down the road.”
“TEC HydraFlex™ dries quickly. It’s a time saver, because we can apply it over 3-day-old concrete,” -Justin Kilmer of Zickel Flooring.
For more information on Moisture Mitigation, watch our video below on how to prepare concrete for moisture barrier.
