2017
Lihue, Hawaii

Resort Rests Easy With Sarnafil Membrane

Most people travel to Hawaii to enjoy some rest and relaxation, but not the roofing crew of Coatings Application & Waterproofing (CAW) of St. Louis, Missouri.  They were there to tackle one of the largest projects CAW had ever undertaken:  The roof of the Kaua'i Marriott in Lihue, Hawaii.  This, upscale, beachfront resort has  345 rooms, 11 suites, 11 meeting rooms, and 27,758 square feet of total meeting space.  The roof itself was 280,000 square feet with 57 different roof sections with several hoisting points. Fortunately, CAW had several things going in its favor in undertaking such a big project:  experience, a professional crew, and the Sarnafil S 327 membrane. 

"The Sarnafil 327 membrane is my favorite to install," said Kerry Garner, president of CAW.  "It's easy to weld and has proven to stand the test of time.""

As an architect I worked with Marriott for 18 years, and we both felt Sarnafil was the product of choice," stated Dave Brown, principal of dpM Partners of Gaithersburg, Maryland, a consulting firm for the lodging industry.  "I've worked with Sika for 20 some years and have been impressed with the performance of the Sarnafil system."

Project
Kaua'i Marriott Resort
Lihue, Hawaii

Owner
Kaua'i Marriott

Roofing Contractor
Coatings Application & Waterproofing Company 
St. Louis, Missouri

Roofing Consultant
dpM Partners, LLC
Gaithersburg, Maryland

Roofing Systems
Mechanically fastened and adhered
(in select areas) roof systems, using
60 mil S 327 EnergySmart Roof®
membrane in Patina Green 

Project Size
280,000 square feet

Kauai Marriott Resort
A Logistical Nightmare

One of the first tasks CAW faced was getting the materials to the jobsite. "We shipped 22 containers to the island loaded with Sarnafil products and our equipment," Garner said.  "We had to time the shipments to make sure we had enough insulation and rolls of membrane during the course of the year it took to complete the project." 

"The logistics of a job this size are very challenging," Brown stated.  "Getting products on board with containers of roll products, flashings, term bars, and then knowing how to stage the materials correctly within the space limitations was very difficult," he commented.  "CAW did a terrific job and were very capable.  You'd never know they were working on a such a big job."

Kauai Marriott Resort
No Day in the Shade

In addition to the shear scope of the job, another challenge CAW faced was the tropical Hawaiian weather.  "The heat and humidity, combined with areas that had absolutely no shade, made it a harsh environment for our crew members to work in," Garner explained.  

"Many days we also experienced rain -- some of it heavy, blowing rain -- without warning, meaning we had to react quickly to prevent leaks or flooding of areas in the hotel where the roof was open," Garner added.  Fortunately their foreman Wayne Pearson eventually became very good at predicting when it was going to rain, giving the crew enough warning to make the roof watertight before a single raindrop fell.

A Draining Situation

Dealing with improperly installed drains was another obstacle for CAW.  "The building had numerous additions on it, and they didn't always work with the pre-existing drainage system," Brown said.  "It was tough to get some of the old drains to work, and there were challenges with the old conduit buried in the original roof."

A particularly complicated part of the project was the Nou-Nou roof, which was 14,000 square feet and had an irregular shape.  CAW had to tear off eight inches of the existing roof before installing a tapered insulation system, and because the drains weren't working in this area, they had to install an additional 22 wall drains at the low point of the parapet, which consisted of drilling through 12 inches of reinforced concrete to resolve the issue.  "The project was very taxing at times, but our experienced crew handled the job well," Garner said.  Brown agreed.  "CAW did a great job at detailing and making the job look beautiful," he stated.  

Kauai Marriott Resort
Be Our Guest

CAW also had to be cognizant of the comfort of the resort guests, and be ready to stop work if guests complained about the noise.  "We tried to do the noisiest work around lunch time, when most people are out and about," Garner stated.  "We knew the guests came first, and resort management said our crew members were polite, respectful and kind; something we are very proud of."

"The CAW crew members were very well versed in working with a hotel schedule and being mindful of the comfort of the guests," Brown remarked.  "That's why they are my number one roofing company."

It was this professionalism that earned Coatings Application & Waterproofing second place in the Low Slope-Reroofing Category of Sika Roofing’s 2017 Project of the Year competition.

No Trouble in Paradise

Garner added that Sika representatives also played a role in the success of this installation.  "They were very helpful and provided technical support, made sure the materials were available to us in a timely manner, and helped us submit the insurance information to Zurich," he remarked.  "We are grateful for the relationship we have developed with Sika over the past 20 years."

Kauai Marriott Resort

Today the roof is leak and trouble-free, and everyone is resting easy.  CAW will be the first to tell you that paradise is better served as a vacation spot than a job site, but the obstacles they faced didn't prevent them from installing a roof to write home about!  

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