Success Story: Achieving Championship Standards in School Locker Room Renovations

The Situation
Incarnate Word Academy in St. Louis, Missouri, recognized the need to revitalize its aging locker room to better reflect the prestige of its storied basketball program. The outdated floor coverings were not only difficult to maintain, but also failed to complement the school’s winning ways.

In December 2024, Citadel was entrusted with transforming the 2,500-square-foot locker room floor. The goal was to improve functionality and instill a stronger sense of pride by seamlessly incorporating the school’s colors and insignia into a durable, high-performance flooring solution.

Choosing the Right Products
To deliver a flooring solution that met both performance and aesthetic expectations, Citadel selected a combination of high-performance products designed for durability, functionality, and school pride.

• Ultra-Hydro Stop Primer: Ultra-Hydro Stop Primer was the ideal basecoat for the locker room’s concrete substrate, specifically engineered to combat high moisture vapor transmission (MVT). Its advanced formulation creates a protective barrier that prevents moisture from compromising the integrity of the flooring system. Additionally, its ability to effectively accept a broadcast made it the perfect foundation for incorporating custom color flakes, ensuring seamless adhesion and a long-lasting finish. The primer’s quick return-to-service and superior adhesion kept the project on schedule while providing lasting confidence in the flooring system’s durability and performance.
• Custom Blended Flakes: To instill a strong sense of school pride, custom color flakes matching Incarnate Word Academy’s colors were integrated into the flooring design. This personalized feature was essential to reflect the school’s identity and celebrate the basketball program’s winning tradition throughout the revitalized space.
• UL-80 Polyaspartic Coating: For the finishing layer, Citadel® UL-80 was selected for its exceptional performance and durability. This low-odor, two-component polyaspartic coating offers superior UV stability, chemical resistance, and abrasion protection—making it ideal for the high-traffic locker room environment. To enhance safety without sacrificing ease of maintenance, anti-slip aggregates were seamlessly integrated into the UL-80 coating. This addition provided critical slip resistance while preserving an easily cleanable surface. With its rapid 24-hour return-to-service capability, UL-80 minimized downtime and delivered a sleek, durable, and safe flooring solution built to withstand daily use.

The Challenges
The transformation of Incarnate Word Academy’s locker room presented several complex challenges that required strategic solutions and expert execution:

• Extensive Surface Preparation: After the removal of outdated carpet, a substantial layer of mastic adhesive remained on the concrete substrate. This residue demanded thorough removal to ensure proper adhesion of the new flooring system. The Citadel team addressed this by recommending
  mechanical abrasion through diamond grinding, creating a clean, profiled surface ready for coating application.
• Resource Constraints: The project’s tight timeline, compounded by the holiday season, presented scheduling hurdles. Completing the installation within the narrow window required meticulous coordination and efficiency to keep the project on track. Proper planning on the jobsite and selecting the correct product mix ensured project success.
• Logistical Complexity: Executing the flooring transformation within an active school environment required precise planning to minimize disturbances. The team carefully coordinated installation around school activities and facility access limitations. Low-odor products were intentionally selected to limit
  disruption during installation without sacrificing long-term durability.
• Technical Demands: The locker room needed a flooring system capable of withstanding heavy foot traffic, regular cleanings, and daily wear and tear. The solution had to balance durability, safety, and aesthetic appeal.
• Design Integration: Incorporating custom school logos and color flakes into the floor design added another layer of complexity. These visual elements needed to be seamlessly integrated to enhance school spirit while maintaining a professional, polished finish.

The Results
In just four days, Incarnate Word Academy gained a fully transformed locker room that reflects the pride and tradition of its winning basketball program. The custom-designed flooring not only delivers long-lasting durability and safety but also elevates the space with vibrant school colors and logos. The rapid turnaround ensured the locker room was ready for use by January 4th, allowing students and athletes to return to an upgraded facility without any
interruption to their routine.