By Kate Fulk

This past summer, the AHS gym floors were renovated by Moe’s Floors, out of North Carolina. Since the school year started, students and staff have seen deterioration of the floors. Activity Director Matt Alexander said that when the dark stain was laid, one side was heavier than the other, and then when it was squeegeed, it wasn’t quite dry. After that, a sealer was applied, and another coat of stain was added to the lighter side, followed with another layer of sealant and top coat. Alexander said the middle coat caused the rest to flake and peel up.

The main issue the school is noticing with the floor is the clear coat, or polish, flaking up along the cracks between the boards. ISS teacher and basketball coach Jeremy Blake said, “It looks really bad.”

According to custodian Brian Inken, the maintenance crew has done everything right care-wise.  The giant scrubbers they used to clean the old floor have not been allowed on the new floor. Instead, the custodians mop the 95×50-foot space.

Last Friday night and Saturday morning, Moe’s Floors returned to the beaten floor and resanded the worst corner down to bare hardwood. They then resealed the area. According to Alexander, it was a temporary fix until summer when a permanent fix will happen. It will include a complete re-sanding of the entire space inside the three point range, staining, and sealing again.

Alexander said that his first reaction was disgust.  He didn’t know how this could happen to a brand new floor, especially when the rest looked so good.  The remodel cost between $15,000 and $20,000.  He said, “Something had to have been done incorrectly.”

Although a temporary fix has been made, basketball season is just taking off and there is a concern with the floors not lasting until summer.

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