The University of Virginia kicked off an extensive renovation project for a multi-use, four-story building on campus at the beginning of 2023, and when it came to flooring selection, the university had a vision in mind for unique hardwood that would create a stunning first impression while delivering durability and functionality for years to come.
Being selected for such a project was a large undertaking all its own. Hourigan Construction invited Harrisburg, Pa.-based Touch of Color Flooring to bid on the project in June 2021 after they had worked together on a past project. After an extensive bidding, review and revision process—including 11 rounds of revisions—Touch of Color was selected for the flooring installation, which included hardwood and other flooring. Beginning in June of 2023, Touch of Color started by installing ceramic tile and then progressed to the hardwood portion of the project, which included 16,000 square feet of hardwood in the studio areas on the first and third floors.
The wood flooring needed to be both durable and beautiful; they chose Goodwin Heart Pine’s heart pine flooring, which is sourced from trees 200 to 500 years old at the bottom of the St. Johns River in Florida. Touch of Color worked with various hardwood professionals to source, dry, prepare and install the heartwood.
This project stretched the Touch of Color team to new heights, says Allen Newman of Touch of Color Flooring, as it was the company’s first time working with both reclaimed heart pine and a radiant-heated floor. The team ran into a challenge when installing the subfloor. They screwed down ¼-inch plywood, but during installation, a screw hit the tubing for the heated floor, and water began to leak everywhere. Once the leak was repaired, the crew glued down the plywood for the remainder of the subfloor installation.
From there, installation went smoothly. The team installed the 3¼- and 5¼-inch-wide river reclaimed wood. The installers thought through the placement of every piece, inspecting each one for its unique qualities and laying out the boards to create the perfect aesthetic. The Touch of Color team then sanded and finished the floors with oil finish.
In the end, the project provided a challenge for Touch of Color and gave them a wealth of new knowledge to take with them to the next project. "It’s always exciting and a little stressful when doing a new installation and using a new product,” Newman says. “The UVA design team was very happy with the end results."
Courtesy of Touch of Color
SUPPLIERS: Adhesive: Bona R851 | Finish: Woca Diamond Oil Active | Moisture barrier: MAPEI Mapelastic WaterStop | Moisture meter: Wagner | Sander (big machine): Galaxy Super 2000
