Located in “America’s finest city,” San Diego State University (SDSU) offers its premier Aztec Recreation Center (ARC) to students and faculty. A multi-level recreational building, the ARC features group fitness classes, intramural sports, cardio, turf zone, weight training, Olympic lifting, climbing, healthy dining, and more for all Aztecs alike.
For nearly 20 years, Geary Floors has performed maintenance for the already existing main arena hardwood floor (24,000 square feet), volleyball courts, and more. With Geary Floors President Sean Geary being an alumnus of SDSU, his ties to the university are that much more personal.
With the variety of activities available, there are numerous flooring systems throughout the building that need to be maintained and repaired when necessary. Over time, the various flooring systems had reached the end of their safe useful lifecycles and remedial repairs were no longer sufficient.
With their track record of installing athletic flooring systems for a variety of schools in California, Geary Floors turned to their partner, Action Floor Systems, to help determine the best solution for replacing the original floors.
Finding the Right Rec Center Flooring Solutions
While exploring new floor system options for the ARC project, SDSU was originally interested in utilizing Action Floors’ ProAction Thrust flooring system for the hardwood gym floors. This floating resilient floor system is engineered to meet or exceed the industry’s highest performance criteria that athletes expect and facilities demand. A review of the ongoing demand and use of the hardwood gymnasiums, Action Floor Systems recommended their Channel Flex Ultra NR floor system.
A Winning Court Floor with Natural Rubber
The ChannelFlex Ultra is an anchored resilient floor system featuring factory-fabricated and machined subfloor panels with variable response pads that provide a consistent playing surface with uniform shock absorption for athletes of all sizes. The 100% natural rubber pads are long lasting, exceptionally resilient, and strong providing a consistent long-lasting base for the maple athletic floor system. The factory assembled subfloor panels feature continuous steel channels for uniform playability assisting with consistent shock absorption throughout the floor system. Anchoring helps isolate any floor vibration while alleviating dead spots and minimizing potential injuries.
A Cushioned, Durable Surface for the Running Track
For the ARC’s new elevated running track, Action Floors recommended the Action Synchro floor system with an 11mm overall system thickness that delivers exceptional athletic performance and uniformity as a running track as well as in gymnasiums and multi-function areas. The Synchro floor system offers a variety of benefits, including a durable, seamless, cushioned, surface that’s hygienic, simple to clean, and can be resurfaced when needed. The Aztecs at SDSU will be thrilled with this latest addition to the ARC.
An Upgraded Flooring System for Dancers
And don’t forget about the ARC dance floor! To accommodate the athletic, high-intensity movement that comes with dance, the ProAction Thrust flooring system was the perfect fit. Engineered for performance ProAction Thrust variable load response natural rubbers provide exceptional force reduction while maintaining uniformity from point to point across the floor. A performance, floating resilient flooring system engineered to the highest performance criteria that athletes require to excel.
Installing the New Flooring for the San Diego Aztecs
Before installing the new flooring systems, the old flooring needed to be removed. The university was upgrading from a sleeper subfloor with old PVC pads that degrade and oxidize over time losing their cushioning characteristics, unlike natural rubber.
Vice President of Geary Floors Matt Allen said, “It’s always a challenge when you’re doing a tenant improvement because you find things that you don’t expect to see.” When the old flooring was torn out and Geary Floors checked to see if the slab met specifications, they were completely surprised. “The floor was failing—the slab had settled, cracked, and was not leveled properly in the first place,” said Allen.
To remediate the situation, the team at Geary Floors poured a self-leveling underlayment over the entire floor. “We came in there and poured a self-leveling underlayment over the entire floor, fixed the problem, and then installed the floor.” Once the floors were up to standard, the remainder of the flooring installation was smooth sailing.
Seeing Athletic Flooring Replacement Come to Life
The new ARC opened its doors to students and faculty and invited fellow Aztecs to experience the center themselves! This profound improvement garnered attention from the university and created excitement for athletics, fitness, and more.
Matt Lyman, vice president of international sales at Action Floors, considers the ARC flooring transformation a unique and successful collaboration. “So much of [the project planning] is guiding the direction of the project, and all projects are different,” said Lyman. “We knew that Geary Floors was taking great care of the customer before the project came along.”
Collaborating early on during large scale projects is monumental to achieve great results. “When it comes to specialty trades, it’s good that we can get in the design process early and flush out issues that may arise,” said Allen.
Looking for innovative alternatives for your next flooring or sports surface project? Chat with an expert at Action Floor Systems to learn more about creative flooring solutions. Like the new and improved ARC, we can help make your vision a reality. Contact us today to get started.
