Laticrete lends a hand in LEED-certified Habitat for Humanity project

TPFH/D.C. Habitat Project Leaders, left to right: Ed Metcalf (Laticrete), Teresa Hamm (D.C. Habitat), Chris Walker (David Allen Co.), Buck Collins (Collins Tile & Stone), Bart Bettiga (NTCA), and Steve Rampino (Laticrete).

As part of a Tile Partners for Humanity (TPFH) project, Laticrete helped build eight units at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work (JRCWP) Project in Washington D.C. The houses in the Ivy City section comprise the first LEED-certified Habitat for Humanity residential project in the nation’s capital.

Working closely with Teresa Hamm from the Washington D.C. chapter of Habitat for Humanity, Laticrete Technical Service Training Supervisor Steve Rampino successfully orchestrated a complex project spread across four buildings in an intense race against time. Rampino began recruiting volunteers in November 2010 for the February 2011 installation that involved 3,500 sq. ft. of porcelain tiles donated by Florida Tile and transition strips donated by Schluter Systems.

In addition to volunteers from within Laticrete, critical support was provided by National Tile Contractors Association members David Allen Co. of Manassas Va., and Northern Virginia-based Collins Tile and Stone. The International Masonry Institute also provided support through local members of the Bricklayers and Allied Crafts Union.

“We have a great partnership with Laticrete,” said Phil Halcomb, David Allen svp. “We jumped at the chance to help out.”

The D.C. Habitat tile team.

“It was an absolute privilege to be part of such a worthy and meaningful cause,” noted Buck Collins, President of Collins Tile and Stone. “We have to thank Curt Rapp from TPFH, Bart Bettiga of NTCA and Steve Rampino and the rest of the Laticrete crew for orchestrating such an event. We enjoy working with such innovative organizations, ones that places so much importance on projects such as this one.”

Though they were given just five days to install tile in specific areas of each unit ranging in scope from 25 to 400 sq. ft., the volunteer crews completed the tile work in four. Each team had a combination of fully experienced installers assisted by several dedicated volunteers, working to install 18” by 18” large-format porcelain tiles on floors and walls.

The wall tiles were installed with Laticrete 4-XLT multi-use, polymer-fortified adhesive mortar. Laticrete 254R Platinum Rapid, a single-component polymer-fortified thin-set adhesive mortar, was selected for installing the floor tiles. The tiles were finished with Laticrete PermaColor Grout. All transition and movement joints were filled with Laticrete Latasil, a 100 percent silicone sealant.