Higley Says No to Flooring Delays at Tapestry-Wickliffe

When moisture was giving him trouble, Bob Jensik, Project Manager of A.M. Higley, knew who to call. The Tapestry project in Wickliffe, OH is a 3 story, 15,000 sq ft-per-floor, complete gutting of a vacant hotel and complete remodel into a state of the art assisted living facility. A massive undertaking considering the project was to be turned over in less than a year.

A conversion project with a tight schedule, there was no room for delays at Tapestry-Wickliffe.

Bob’s dilemma was a common one: the underlying floors were in a state of disrepair and required a new topping.

The project decided to go with gypcrete as an economical way to pour large flat areas suitable for new flooring. Gypcrete is a gypsum-based material with unique properties but also with some problems: its high moisture content can cause delays due to high RH levels. Such was the case on Bob’s project.

Using gypcrete can cause moisture-related delays.

The permanent hvac system had been operating for 6 weeks, but the gypsum's moisture content remained too high for flooring.

Bob successfully used our hydronic climate control system during the winter and was therefore already familiar with our moisture solutions. Bob called us and we went to work with a series of dehumidifiers and air movers to remedy the problem. This brought the RH level inside the building to about 5% higher than ambient. On an enclosed and controlled project like this one, that is a good sign, meaning the dehumidifiers are drawing out and removing excess moisture from the gypsum floor.

Without proper climate-control humidity will remain in the material and slow flooring schedules.

After just one week of operation I met with Bob to discuss how the process was going.

Bob laughed and said: “The flooring guys have quit complaining and are back out there putting the finishes down, so we must be doing something right.” Bob went on to say “Getting them back to work and staying on schedule is what matters and we did that, so we are happy.”

The right humidity-mitigation plan can save a production schedule.

Great work Bob! If the customer is happy, we are happy. We are proud to provide all-seasons temporary climate control solutions for Tapestry. If you are experiencing scheduling delays on your project, please contact us today for solutions.

Click here for further information on causes and alternative remedies for high moisture levels in concrete and toppings.