Denton ISD Evers Park Elementary School

Built in 1985, we knew we had our hands full with a 40 year old building with a history of high moisture in the slab. We had 4932 square yards of Tarkett Powerbond to install in all classrooms and in the library. The hallways and common areas were scheduled to receive 4070 square yards of vinyl that would be installed in a serpentine pattern down each of the classroom corridors. Over 11,000 lineal feet of Johnsonite rubber base and 600 lineal feet of matching transitions needed to be installed. We also installed 20,000 sf of floor and wall tile in bathrooms and a 4' wainscot down all hallways, including three feature walls. All of this was to be done in a very short time frame. Only 64 days to completely gut this school and put it back together seemed like a unattainable task. Like I said, 64 days from start to finish. Everything was being taken out. All walls were being replaced and a total reconfiguration of the school needed to happen in this ridiculous time frame. In fact, our contract stated that we were required to work 7 days a week during the duration of the project. Over 50 different trades all working at once made for a nearly impossible feat. Day 35 into the project, we started with the installation which included all of the tile work, both floors and walls, including all finish metals. HVAC was being replaced so we had temps well over 100 degrees daily inside the building. Our tile crews were working 14-16 hour days just to finish areas where other trades needed to finish behind us. Just as units were starting to condition the air in certain areas of the school, our resilient teams knocked out the majority of the carpet in the classrooms in less than 14 days, no problem. 16 hour days was now the expectation for our crews. Lots of real estate to cover in a short amount of time. We knew the slab was wet and we knew the sheet vinyl portion was going to be like something out of a horror film. At the beginning of the project, we reached out to both Taylor and Tarkett to try get a meeting where we could use Taylor Resolute along with the Tarkett vinyl floors. At first we were met with resistance, however, after the architect suggested on switching out the specified vinyl for an LVT, Tarkett allowed us to proceed with the Taylor adhesive. We received job specific warranties from both, before the project began. After grinding the entire 36,000 sf of concrete to a CSP 3 in order to prepare the surface correctly for the new adhesive, we were good to go. We had to ensure that all existing adhesives and contaminants were removed before proceeding. Taylor Resolute and a patterned sheet vinyl, no way this could be done. 200 different people walking all over the areas that needed new vinyl flooring. It was hectic, confrontational and an environment where we needed everyone out of our way. It wasn't happening and time was up. We needed to do this at night, when all other trades were gone. So we worked from 4pm to 6am until the end of the project just to make it happen. We could only install as far as our trowel would reach. Three different colors, a very hard serpentine pattern down the halls and patterns that reflected the ceiling in the cafeteria pushed us to the limit. Not only did we have to install, but we had to use floor protection to protect the floors until we had the chance to heat weld all of the seams the next night. Hundreds of hours of overtime later, we finished with a few days left, just before furniture was coming in the front door. We had cleaners on our tails as we hung over 11,000 lineal feet of Johnsonite base. We did it. We owe it to our amazing crews who stepped up to prove that One Source is the very best at what we do.