FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION • WEATHER BEATING
experience working with caulks, sealers and other flashing materials,” he says. “With the DensElement™ Barrier System, it’s a simpler process with fewer steps.” His crew was already familiar with installing gypsum panels, and working with caulks and sealers. In the case of DensElement, however, there was an ease in the installation not seen in competing products. Because of the integrated WRB-AB – once the panels were in, so was the WRBAB. It refined a process Tooley had seen so many times before: two integral steps distilled down to one. While the DensElement Barrier System was designed to make the building impervious to the harsh Pacific Northwestern elements, it did the same for Tooley’s schedule. His crews were less dependent on weather conditions, and work could continue even when heavy rainfall would have otherwise halted the waterproofing process in the absence of DensElement. The liquid flashing bonded to damp substrates, and didn’t need a layer of fiberglass mesh tape. Dry-in work could continue
during inclement weather and contractors could begin interior work even while the building’s cladding was being installed.
Reflecting on progress
When the integrative system went up against a building wrap, it reduced installed man hours by 40 percent; by 25 percent against a fluid-applied membrane.
Looking back, Tooley is glad he found an alternative that equipped his crew to face the Fort Lewis project under formidable conditions. Thanks to his eye for innovation and RQC’s openness to try something new, the fourth-largest military base in the world got a little bit bigger. Had they proceeded with the materials in the original specification, they would have fallen behind schedule, held captive by the harsh, unpredictable Washington weather. Instead, what could have become a project roadblock became a mere inconvenience, and overall, they came out on top. “Being able to install in less time with half as many employees creates substantial savings,” Tooley says. “The DensElement Barrier System made a huge difference on this project. We are recommending the system on other projects because of its performance.” FC
Jason Peace is the Senior Director of Marketing and Product Management at Georgia-Pacific Gypsum. With over 19 years of experience at GP, his extensive background includes the conceptualization and launch of DensElement™ Barrier System, the latest innovation in the Georgia-Pacific Gypsum portfolio of Dens® fiberglass mat gypsum panels. In most of Peace’s roles, much of his focus has been on new product development, process engineering, and driving market advantage through strategic positioning for the future.
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COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION — JANUARY : FEBRUARY 2018