Renovation work has been especially nettlesome because of the security precautions associated with major airports. The new laws and regulations since 9/11 require every worker to undergo an extensive screening and review process, which normally takes about two weeks. Though sharp tools such as knives and trowels are necessary for the job, they slow down the clearance procedures.
All work has to be performed at night, in order to minimize disruption for passengers and airport personnel. Though this reduces the probability of accidents due to the smaller crowd conditions, it also puts a tremendous burden on the tile and underlayment crews to finish work under deadline before the morning rush.
Blast is a thing of the past
Working in conjunction with a variety of tile contractors, Mer-Krete is providing its Fracture-Guard 5000 crack isolation product, the Underlay-RS rapid-setting underlayment system and its 626 primer. All products are patented and exclusive to Mer-Krete and its MerKote division. Floor work is now underway.
“This is a huge undertaking, especially in light of the special demands for durability and non-fracturing floor performance,” said Richard Johnson, Mid-Atlantic sales representative for Mer-Krete Systems, Inc. “By using our one-of-a-kind products, the installers will be able to save time and money by actually forgoing one of the normal floor treatment steps.”
Commonly, the floor renovation procedure involves pulling up old carpet tile, scraping up the residual adhesive, then shot-blasting the entire area, taking the concrete down to an almost-new floor surface condition. Mer-Krete’s 626 primer system offers unique characteristics that allow total elimination of the shot-blasting procedure, an extremely tedious, time-consuming and deafening process. Considering that the project encompasses more than 1 million square feet, shot-blasting was an unacceptable option. During on-site testing, Mer-Krete’s 626 primer performed beyond the design team’s greatest expectations.
The 626 primer is simply spread onto the surface in a fraction of the time required for shot blasting. The product’s strong bonding capabilities are another plus since it must adhere to old glue once used to hold down the carpet. Because the entire process can be completed in a much shorter time, the result is significant cost savings with less disruption.
Fast application keeps
project on schedule
Quick work is especially crucial at Hartsfield-Jackson International where, in the course of one evening, installers must scrape the floors, apply the 626 primer, set down the underlayment, apply the Fracture-Guard 5000 and then top it off with thin-set mortar, which is being supplied by MAPEI for this project. Because all of the Mer-Krete products can be applied in minutes and they dry in a matter of a few hours, it has been possible to follow each of these steps without running over into the next day. The Underlay RS was an essential leveling step due to floors made very uneven from substantial residue and bonding glues used to hold the carpet in place.
The primary tile installed over the Fracture-Guard 5000 crack isolation membrane is an 18x18 tile called Geoquartz (www.geoquartz.com) by Daelim Concrete Products Co., Ltd. These 18x18 tiles are 93 percent quartz mixed with a resins, additives and inorganic non-fading pigment using a patented process by Breton S.p.A. of Italy. Geoquartz tiles offer a sleek terrazzo appearance, are unaffected by heat, freeze-thaw, staining and acid, need no sealing and offer beauty and performance within budget. Colors include oatmeal, brown and black, interspersed with polished granite.
Fracture-Guard 5000 was a particularly good choice for crack isolation at the airport. Not only is it highly effective and contains a mold inhibitor, but all it requires is an easy one-step application that typically dries within two hours. Elongation of over 800 percent ensures plenty of stretching capability, a key factor in selecting a quality fracture-prevention membrane.
“As you might expect, this entire project has taken an enormous amount of planning and committee reviews,” Johnson said, noting that Andy Holmes, a leading tile industry consultant, helped facilitate Mer-Krete’s interaction with airport and city officials. “At every step of the way, Mer-Krete’s 626 primer and Fracture-Guard 5000 floor systems have received overwhelmingly positive support as superior products offering a tremendous time-saving advantage.”
Though work continues at a steady pace, time constraints and the massive scope of the project have turned it into a long-term effort. Because of the project’s size, five different tile contractors have been involved at the airport. They include Andrews Tile, CSC Floors, Rheinschmidt Tile and Marble, S&W Floors (Spectra Floors and Williams Tile & Marble) and United Enterprises. Another factor is that many major markets – including Atlanta – are experiencing a labor shortage because of the sheer number of projects underway, including huge public works programs.
Mer-Krete’s anti-fracture system is being applied under the flooring for A, B, C, D and T terminals, as well as for the transportation areas. Dal-Tile, in Duluth, Georgia, is the supplier for all three Mer-Krete products specified for the airport renovation.
“We’ve had a lot of good feedback about the products,” said Tim McDonald, president of Mer-Krete Systems. “I think three things have been key: simplicity, speed and adhesive bondability.”
As the economic engine not only for Atlanta, but also for the state of Georgia and the entire Southeastern United States, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International provides a $19 billion revenue impact to the region. The airport is responsible for almost 500,000 jobs. All of these factors led to the need for a long-range development plan, which is now in the fifth year of its projected 10-year improvement schedule.
Randy Schultz is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer with more than 25 years of experience and over 25 national and local writing awards to his credit. He has written articles for a number of magazines, in addition to commercials, video scripts and live productions.
