The Villegas MD Ophthalmology Clinic in San Juan opened its doors shortly after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017. As a result, the clinic underwent two phases of remodeling. The first phase took place in 2018, to optimize functionality of the space while also allowing for future expansion. The second phase began in 2020 to join an adjacent location to the medical office.As part of the expansion, the flooring contractor had to seamlessly match new flooring to the old.
The original clinic's polished concrete flooring was chosen not only as a design aesthetic but also to avoid joints in the floor that would present a trip hazard for visually impaired patients. To extend the clinic's polished concrete appearance throughout the expanded space,San Juan-based Cadyth Contractors used Rapid Set ® TRU® Self-Leveling architectural topping .
Made with Rapid Set ® Cement , TRU Self-Leveling is a high-performance topping that rapidly self-levels to produce a smooth, strong surface with high bond strength . It can be ground and polished to a high-gloss finish. It is available in natural and gray colors. For this project, the contractor used TRU Self-Leveling Natural and added a gray liquid dye to perfectly match the color to the clinic's original floor.
Work included repairing all existing cracks, delaminations, and surface imperfections using Rapid Set ® Cement All ® , a fast-setting concrete repair material that reaches structural strength in one hour. The crew then primed the substrate with Rapid Set® TXP™ Fast Epoxy Primer and sand broadcast to prevent pinholes and create a strong adhesive grip for the topping.
Next, the crew mixed TRU Self-Leveling in Hippo mixers and placed the material at 3/8-in thick. They finished with a spiked roller to pop any entrained air bubbles during mixing and placing to provide a smooth, level surface. They started grinding and polishing the next day. The floor was polished to a high-gloss finish using up to 3,000-grit resin-bond diamond abrasives.
The clinic remained open during the expansion project, which took place September 2020 through March 2021. In all, 250 bags of TRU Self-Leveling were used for 3,400 sq ft of flooring.
The polished concrete overlay enhances the minimalist aesthetic of the clinic's design, which features high-quality materials like exposed concrete and wood. The project owner is happy with the final result: a pleasantly clean and modern-looking facility to help inspire confidence and healing.
