Marriot’s Frenchman’s Cove
A world-class resort in St. Thomas was need of a long-lasting rooftop deck surface durable enough to sustain unpredictable climate swings—SEMCO delivered.
PROJECT DETAILS
Preparation: SEMCO Nu-Lift Cleaner and Stone Soap
Floors and walls: SEMCO ADA Safety Floor and Natural Shield Sealer
Project size: 8,200 sq ft
Project year: 2016
Location: St Thomas, Virgin Islands
Summary
St. Thomas, a luscious tropical retreat located in the beautiful U.S. Virgin Islands, is known for many things, including its diverse weather conditions, ranging from unpredictable rainfall to furious hurricanes. These disparate, and often volatile weather conditions had wreaked havoc on the rooftop event deck of the Frenchman’s Reef and Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort.
Severe water damage to the rooms bellow the deck after the the rain.
Existing concrete substrate below tile layer was damaged by water, causing structural weakness.
Tiles were removed from the deck the in sections.
Past waterproofing efforts had proved ineffective, so the resort approached SEMCO in April 2015 with the challenge of creating a deck surface durable enough to sustain the diverse climate conditions 365 days a year, while also providing a beautiful, seamless aesthetic appropriate for a world-class resort.
Exploring Alternatives
The resort had attempted to install a new deck using conventional methods, which proved ineffective. Rather than repeating the process of reinstalling and waterproofing the event deck, the property was looking for a more permanent, long-lasting solution.
Strategy
SEMCO surface engineers evaluated the deck’s condition and determined that the roof tiles were hollow and largely delaminated, and the floor drains faulty. A core sample showed multiple layers of incompatible waterproofing materials. Also, water was seeping into the lower 5th and 4th floor premium suites, raising concerns of corrosion within the steel structure. These challenges were compounded by the following factors:
The resort’s remote location
Unpredictable weather
Short, three-month time constraint for completion
Work hour restrictions
Strict labor laws in St. Thomas
Distance for material holding area
Limited property access
Solution
SEMCO’s innovative surface engineering team, which thrives on making the necessary adjustments for all their projects, drew up a plan that would effectively:
Remove the deck in sections
Clean and install a waterproofing cover
Build a 1.35% slope to move water from 6” to 1/4” across the 32’ deck
Mount a new gutter system to the outside of the building
Install a beautiful, durable finish
SEMCO technicians applying X-Bond Brown Coat over existing concrete substrate.
Success
SEMCO’s expertise in coordinating advanced architectural design, executing customized project management, and delivering top-notch product solutions all came together on this unique project. In the end, SEMCO delivered a viable solution for the resort’s rooftop deck on schedule, in half the time it would have taken any other competitor.
SEMCO X-Bond Microcement was used to resurface exterior walls.
Waterproof X-Bond Microcement surface.