JM EPDM FIT Membrane Chosen for the Lebanon Correctional Institution

The Lebanon Correctional Institution required a new roof. Although the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) obtained multiple bids, many contractors simply won’t pursue working on prison projects. Enter the experienced professionals from Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal and Johns Manville. At nearly 350,000 square feet, the sheer size of the roof presented its own challenge, but the fact that the work was being done at a prison added an entirely new list of trials.

Due to the high-security setting, at the start of every workday, a detailed inventory was taken of items going into the prison, and at the end of every workday, it was done again. Production time was shortened—up to 20 percent, by the OFCC’s estimate—but this step was necessary. Night work on the massive mess hall and kitchen was scheduled because of the risk of debris falling and disrupting the inmates’ tightly planned meal routines.

The choice of the JM EPDM FIT tape-to-tape products went a long way in keeping the project finishing on time. Proven to go down four times faster than traditional pre-taped EPDM, the product also performs in temperatures as low as 20 degrees. The 80-percent reduction in primer costs was another benefit of this newer JM product offering. “Sometimes using a new product can slow a job down, but when Kalkreuth recommended the tape-to-tape, I agreed to it because we have a long work history and I trust them. It was great to see how well the front line handled it and how fast progress was made,” said Steve Davis, project manager for the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC).

Two crews of 10 worked 10-hour days whenever possible, stopping only for heavy rains. JM staff was present and hands-on for the entire job. Two inspectors were out nearly weekly to ensure a good install for the 25-year warranty. Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal project manager Paul Novak was impressed with JM’s diligence in ensuring that the right materials were just outside the gates so they could be brought in as soon as the prison would allow. “Johns Manville made sure local vendors were stocked with the materials we needed, and that took a huge stressor off us. They knew with the high security setting, we had more than usual to deal with on a day-to-day basis,” said Novak.

Add in the choice of JM’s Presto LockTM Fascia System for more than two miles of edge metal. The snap-on system eliminated the need to nail each piece, making it yet another time-saving product. Using quarter-inch lightweight Invinsa® boards, only one-third the weight of gypsum board, was also quickly embraced and appreciated by the crew. “The collaboration with my firm, JM and Kalkreuth on this project was impressive. This was a fairly complex roof project. It required a lot of roofing on many small roof areas. In a busy season in a busy year, they made extra effort to make sure the project was done right. I couldn’t have asked for more,” said Tom Converse, president of Renouveau Design.