News Center Home > Flooring > Case Study Outhwaite Homes (Cuyahoga Metro Housing Authority public housing project) LOCATION Cleveland, Ohio PRODUCT LEVELROCK Brand Floor Underlayment 3500 PROJECT OWNER City of Cleveland GENERAL CONTRACTOR Bet-Tech Construction LEVELROCK APPLICATOR Nu Floors Systems "The LEVELROCK underlayment not only solved their problem, but was easier to work with and a better value than the original product." Kevin Hall General Manager Nu Floors Systems NOTE: This page is formatted to print out as a USG LEVELROCK Brand Floor Underlayment Case Study. The print format differs slightly from Web page format. LEVELROCK® Brand Floor Underlayment Solves "Soft" Floors Problem During Renovation of Cleveland Public Housing Complex Outhwaite Homes, Cleveland, Ohio When the portland cement-based self-leveling product originally poured for a public housing rehab project on the east side of Cleveland failed, general contractor Bet-Tech Construction had a big problem on its hands. Fortunately, NuFloor Systems, a LEVELROCK® Brand Floor Underlayment contractor, offered a quick and effective solution. NuFloor removed the failed cement-based product and installed LEVELROCK® Brand Floor Underlayment 3500. The high-strength, strong-bonding gypsum concrete underlayment quickly got the project back on track — quality-wise, time-wise and cost-wise. The product actually proved to be a better value than the original cement-based underlayment. It installed more quickly and provided superior compressive strength and sound control properties. Outhwaite Homes, at East 55th and Woodland, is a 100-plus-unit, 50-year-old post-war complex presently being run by the Cuyahoga Metro Housing Authority (CMHA). It provides residential housing for low-income families in the eastern section of downtown Cleveland. Undertaking a massive three-year renovation of the buildings scheduled for completion in late 2001, Bet-Tech Construction, based out of Alliquippa, Pa., completely gutted the building, removing the roof, windows and interior walls. Per the original specifications from the project architect, floors thorughout the Outhwaite buildings were to be covered with a portland cement-based self-leveler. "They poured half of the first building," said Kevin Hall, general manager of NuFloor Systems. "And one week later, it was all coming off … it wasn't sticking to the floor." After investigating, it was learned that the floors had been shot-blasted two years earlier and had been left exposed to the elements. The concrete had carbonated which left it with a soft, "punky" surface that concrete-based substances would not adhere to. NuFloor Systems out of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, which has been using LEVELROCK products for about two years, suggested LEVELROCK 3500 underlayment for the project because it has excellent bonding capabilities. "They went for my suggestion," said Hall, "and the LEVELROCK underlayment ended up not only solving their problem, but being easier to work with and a much better value than the original product. Even over a surface like this, it transformed the floor into a level, high-strength surface with a minimum 3,500 psi that was ready for the application of finish materials." The USG gypsum concrete underlayment is mixed outside the Outhwaite housing complex. The six-person NuFloor Systems crew completed prep work and poured 15,000 sq. ft. of underlayment per day. LEVELROCK 3500 underlayment is an ideal leveling and resurfacing material since it bonds strongly to existing concrete and other floor surfaces, and requires practically no surface preparation. Unlike portland cement products, which often require "shot-blasting", poured gypsum flooring simply requires cleaning and priming. Bet-Tech Construction had left the soft surface in broom clean condition. NuFloor Systems simply primed the floor and poured the LEVELROCK underlayment 3/8 inch-thick at a 1.4 mix design. One week later, the floors were sprayed with USG Topseal. "The product was such a time saver, Hall said. "We were able to finish the surface by using only a pin roller. With other types of gypsum products, you must use a screed to finish the leveling process. "My six-man crew was able to do prep work and easily pour over 15,000 sq. ft. each day," he said. Both Bet-Tech Construction and CMHA were pleased with the results. "After seeing the high compressive strength, increased productivity and cost-efficiencies, CMHA is strongly considering specifying LEVELROCK underlayment for its future public housing projects," Hall said.