Legendary Country Club Masters Stain Protection with Fusion Pro® Grout

The Club at Ibis in West Palm Beach, Florida is the world’s only private country club community with three Nicklaus-designed golf courses.  During recent additions and renovations to this world-class facility, the design team sought a grout that is more stain-resistant than cementitious options, but less expensive and easier to use than typical epoxies.  Specifiers selected a complete system from CUSTOM featuring Fusion Pro® Single Component® Grout – the stain proof grout – to provide ultimate protection against stains in these high-profile public spaces.

“We really wanted to use Fusion Pro on a large job,” said Christian Drehmann, vice-president of Tile & Marble Works.  “Once we tried the recommended installation method, we never looked back.  It was smooth sailing all the way!”

A complete system of CUSTOM tile installation products was specified and used to prep, set and grout tile in the new 80,000 SF clubhouse, including formal entries, cultural event spaces, spa-like bathrooms and bar areas.

“My company has a great history with Custom.  The people there are my favorites – always a real pleasure to work with,” offered Drehmann.

Innovative Grout Installation

All of the tile throughout the property was grouted with Fusion Pro – which is guaranteed stain-proof and color perfect – and never needs sealing.  This revolutionary, patented formula features unsurpassed stain resistance, plus it’s ready-to-use and easy to spread and clean.

Because Fusion Pro is cleaned immediately after application, installers found that this grout is particularly well-suited to a team approach, which further increases speed.  On large projects, CUSTOM recommends that one installer spreads the grout, another uses the slurry to shape the joints and one or two teammates clean the tile with a grout sponge and a microfiber towel.  Since no mixing or set up time is needed, the team at Ibis was able to quickly continue this process across expanses of tile.  Based on the type of tile, Aqua Mix® Grout Release was applied before grouting to ease grout clean up.

Protecting Large Format Tile

The main public areas of the clubhouse were tiled with 18″ x 36″ porcelain and bathrooms received 12″ x 24″ porcelain on both floors and walls.

These large format tiles were set on floors with CUSTOM’s VersaBond®-LFT Professional Large Format Tile Mortar.  VersaBond-LFT is a polymer-modified mortar designed for use with large and heavy porcelain, ceramic and natural stone tile.  With a non-slumping formula to eliminate lippage, Versabond-LFT can be applied up to 3/4″ thick on horizontal applications and exceeds ANSI A118.4 and A118.11.

“VersaBond-LFT really stood up to these big 18 x 36 inch tiles,” said Drehmann.  “We loved it.”

Prior to tiling, surface preparation began by leveling low areas to achieve the stringent floor flatness levels required by an extra large format porcelain tile.  Installers poured LevelQuik® ES (Extended Setting) Self-Leveling Underlayment over the substrate pre-treated with LevelQuik® Latex Primer.  The extended setting formula leveler was chosen to provide additional working time. LevelQuik helps to eliminate common problems like bond failure and crumbling.  It can be applied up to 1.5-inches in a single pour and can achieve an extra heavy service rating.

All horizontal substrates were prepared with RedGard® Waterproofing and Crack Prevention Membrane.  RedGard is a ready-to-use, elastomeric membrane that creates a continuous waterproofing barrier and reduces crack transmission in tiled floors.  The larger the tile, the more important it is to use an appropriate membrane to protect against cracks transmitted by substrate movement.

“We use RedGard all the time for both waterproofing and crack isolation,” said Drehmann.

RedGard liquid membrane meets or exceeds ANSI A118.10 and A118.12, is IAPMO approved for use as a shower pan liner and exceeds requirement for a low perm moisture vapor barrier.  Intermittently wet areas such as bathrooms, locker rooms, showers and kitchen floors were treated with two waterproofing coats of RedGard.

ProLite® Premium Large Format Mortar was selected for installing all porcelain, glass and stone wall tile.  Walls in bathrooms, locker rooms and bar areas were set with 12″ x 24″ porcelain tile to match the floors and a combination of glass or stone mosaic trim.   ProLite offers high flexibility and bond strength in a lightweight formula with excellent handling characteristics.  This versatile mortar is ideal for hard-to-bond tile like porcelain and glass, and is non-slump on floors and non-sag on walls.

“ProLite is one of our `go-to products,’ especially for walls,” offered Drehmann.  “The 30-lb. bags are easy to carry and it hangs well with no slip.  You can keep on setting without changing mortar for different types of tile on a job like this.”

A 30-lb. bag of ProLite offers the same coverage as a 50-lb. bag of traditional mortar because it is formulated with lightweight recycled materials that also contribute to LEED® certification. ProLite exceeds the requirements of ANSI A118.4TE, A118.15TE and A118.11.

VersaBond® was chosen to set the smaller tiles on shower floors as well as quarry tile and 12″ x 12″ textured ceramic tile behind the bar where potentially slippery conditions require tile with a high Dynamic Coefficient of Friction.  Movement and perimeter joints were filled with color-matching CUSTOM Commercial 100% Silicone Sealant for visual continuity and permanent flexibility.

Professional Quality

By ranking in the top 5% of private clubs, Ibis has earned Distinguished Emerald Club of the World status by BoardRoom magazine.  Quality of life is at the core of this prestigious property, making Custom Building Products an ideal choice.  During the grand opening, Jack Nicklaus presented the new clubhouse overlooking his own masterpiece course, The Legend.  Members of Ibis enjoy the outdoors, spending a lot of time on the golf courses and an adjacent 12,000 acre nature preserve.  When they enter the clubhouse from the links, Fusion Pro Grout is an active partner keeping the floors looking as pristine as the day they were set.

The focal point of the country club, the Atrium, has a contiguous tile design that ties the various gathering spaces together.  A classic color palette features Napoli Mill travertine porcelain with custom-made ninepin mosaic inserts.  The diverse array of large format porcelain, ceramic, glass and stone tile set at the clubhouse renovation was supplied by Ceramic Technics, DalTile and Walker Zanger.

Construction on the Image Design project was led by The Weitz Company and tile was installed by Tile & Marble Works, Inc. For their work on this project and others during the year, Marble & Tile Works were awarded 2015 Subcontractor of the Year by the general contractor.

The Club at Ibis earned a 15-year tile installation system warranty based on the CUSTOM products used to create these elegant tile assemblies.

Location:

West Palm Beach, FL

Year Completed:

2015

Architect:

Leo A Daly, West Palm Beach, FL

Contractor:

The Weitz Company, West Palm Beach, FL

Tile Contractor:

Tile & Marble Works, Inc., Lake Worth, FL

CBP Architectural Consultant:

Nick Macrino, CSI, CCTS, CDT, CCSMTT, commercial architectural services representative; Patty Velez, CTC, territory manager

CBP Regional Technical Representative:

Larry Maura, CTC

Agency:

INTERIOR DESIGNER: Image Design, Atlanta, GA