New Fort Wainwright Recreation Centers Showcase Flooring Designs

Nearly 8,000 soldiers and their families live at Fort Wainwright adjacent to Fairbanks, Alaska. As the Fort grew, so did the demand for high-quality indoor recreation spaces. This led to the construction of two state-of-the-art facilities, the Aquatic Center and the Community Center. Commercial Contractors Inc. (CCI) was selected to handle the extensive flooring installations for both facilities. Designers chose porcelain tile for the nine lane pool, splash pad and zero depth / water play pool, locker rooms and the many bathrooms in the new facilities. LVP and carpet tiles were used for concession and high-traffic common areas. With 35,000 square feet of complex porcelain tile designs, nearly 5000 square feet of LVP and 500 square feet of plank carpet tiles all installed in just six months, this project showcases CCI’s expertise in handling large-scale, high-performance flooring projects in the challenging Alaskan climate. 

Striking Tile Designs

The vision for the Aquatic Center was to create a visually striking yet highly functional space suitable for both family recreation and competitive swimming. McCool Carlson & Green, a prestigious design firm, incorporated an array of DalTile® products in wood-look, white, and blue tones to craft dynamic patterns across the pool decks, surrounding walls, locker rooms, and restrooms.

Though the designs utilized the same white penny rounds, 12”x36”abstract 3D large format wall tile, wood-look 8”x48” planks, wood-look 12”x12” 3D illusion cubes throughout the Aquatic Center, the variety of layouts meant that tile preparation requirements varied through the facilities.

Substrate Challenges

One of the project’s most significant substrate preparation challenges stemmed from tile thickness variations and unexpected elevation discrepancies. Specifically, CCI had to manage the transition from the thicker wood-look planks to the thinner penny round tiles around the pool. Also, the pool contractor‘s concrete pour left the nine lane pool walls 1.5” higher than planned, requiring CCI to adjust the slope for the pool surround and drains, while still ensuring ADA compliance at the doors. 

CCI relied on TEC® Fast-Set Deep Patch, a product designed for deep fills and ramping up to 5”, to effectively manage these elevation challenges. Drying to a walkable surface in about an hour, the product allowed CCI to move quickly to level the rest of the pool deck with TEC® Level Set® 400 HF Self-Leveling Underlayment. Level Set 400 HF is tile-ready in just 2-3 hours after pouring or pumping. This fast-drying, high-flow self-leveler streamlined installation labor and time.

For Fort Wainwright’s harsh winters, which can reach -60°F, coupled with the high heat and humidity inside the Aquatic Center, waterproofing and protection against cracks are essential. CCI applied TEC® Hydraflex™ Waterproofing Crack Isolation Membrane to all floors and walls, safeguarding against moisture damage and temperature-induced cracking. Dry in as little as one hour, Hydraflex allows tile installation to begin the same day.

Precision Tile Installation 

With so many tile types and layouts to manage around curves and corners, CCI strategically matched select TEC® mortars to each challenge. TEC® Ultimate 6 Plus Polymer Modified Mortar was used to install the large format tiles on the walls in the pool areas, locker rooms and bathrooms. CCI also used it for the pool deck penny round tiles. Ultimate 6 Plus is easy-to-use for floors or walls and has excellent non-sag and non-slump properties. These outstanding properties made the product shine, especially for installing the challenging textured 12”x36" abstract wall tiles in the pool area. Ultimate 6 Plus saved CCI valuable project time by ensuring a strong bond and delivering extended open time and pot life. Another key time-saving advantage of Ultimate 6 Plus is that installers do not have to back butter the tile, though cupping and other tile concerns led CCI to back butter on this project.

CCI Owner and Vice President Justin O’Farrell noted, “We especially appreciated Ultimate 6 Plus’s time saving properties for this project, given the amount of tile, number of configurations and just six months to complete both facilities.”

In the locker rooms, penny tiles accent the walls and create shadow boxes around sink mirrors. For this setting challenge, TEC® 3N1® Performance Mortar was chosen for its outstanding vertical grab. The remaining floor tiles including 8”x48” wood look planks across the pool decks, locker rooms and restrooms were set with TEC® Full Flex® Premium Thin Set Mortar, a polymer- modified mortar long trusted for its wide range of applications and excellent bonding.

CCI grouted all the tile with TEC® Power Grout® Ultimate Performance Grout in both the Aquatic Center and the Community Center. Power Grout is stain proof* and creates strong grout joints that are color consistent, free from efflorescence, and resistant to shrinking and cracking. In the high traffic and high moisture environment of the Aquatic Center, Power Grout will ensure the tile installation long maintains its function and beauty. To further protect the tile, TEC Accucolor 100® 100% Silicone Sealant was used to fill all control joints. It has flexible, long-lasting and water-resistant properties that prevent water damage and minimize tile / grout cracks due to tile movement. 

Quality LVP and Plank Carpet Tiles Stand Up to Traffic

For meeting areas, concessions and walkways, Fort Wainwright designers selected durable wood-look PVC free 7”x48”  LVP and 12”x48” plank carpet tiles. To prepare the recreation centers’ new concrete substrates, CCI applied TEC® Feather Edge Skim Coat, ensuring a smooth and level surface. This high-performance product effectively corrected irregularities from feather edge up to ½” and was ready for LVP or carpet tile installation in just 20 minutes – without the need for primer. 

The installation of LVP and carpet tiles was streamlined with the use of Flexera® High Tack Premium Universal Adhesive. This ultra-aggressive PSA provided CCI with extended work time of up to 12 hours, industry-leading moisture tolerance and immediate readiness for foot traffic after installation with the PSA method. Beyond its time-saving features, Flexera High Tack delivered exceptional shear strength, peel strength and tack, making it easy to install and endure the daily demands of active Fort Wainwright families. 

Flooring for Generations to Come

The completion of Fort Wainwright’s Aquatic and Community Centers represents a significant achievement in precision planning and execution of large-scale flooring projects. Despite the challenges posed by many flooring areas, tile types and layouts, elevation challenges, extreme climate conditions, and tight deadlines, CCI successfully delivered beautiful LVP, carpet tile and porcelain tile installations for both state-of-the-art recreation facilities. The seamless coordination between design, preparation, and execution showcases CCI’s expertise and commitment to quality craftsmanship, ensuring that these recreation spaces will serve military personnel and their families for generations to come.

* Power Grout is stain proof to most common water based stains when cleaned immediately. The prolonged exposure of any stain will increase the likelihood of permanent staining or discoloration of grout surface.