Concrete Honors : J.VAZ.CO.’s CPS® earns top grades from prestigious century-old Chinese school in Binondo
Schools and universities have long experienced a common predicament with their concrete floors — the high volume of foot traffic. Students walk to and from their classrooms, drag heavy bags, run along the corridors, sometimes even jump and stomp their feet. These actions cause wear and tear and can damage concrete.
Such was the challenge faced by St. Stephen’s High School ( SSHS) in Sta. Cruz, Manila. Considered to be “the first Christian Chinese School in Luzon, Philippines,” it began as St. Stephen’s Chinese Girls’ School on July 22, 1917. Soon after World War II, it was renamed St. Stephen’s High School. Now almost 100 years old, it continues “to inspire each new generation of the St. Stephen’s community in the years to come.”
As part of the continuing upkeep and refurbishing of the school, Patrick Tanhuanco, a pioneer archi t ect of TANHUANCO+ANDALUZ Architecture and Design Studio, was tasked with renovating the lobby of St. Stephen’s High School
Tanhuanco recalls: “For this project, I was looking for a more sustainable and economical design solution for the new lobby floor. It has to be durable, easy to maintain and most importantly, beautiful.”
Having this criteria in mind, he realized the best solution would be to go for a polished concrete flooring. After all, in the global construction and building industry today, concrete polishing is already considered as the standard for the surfaces that receive the most abuse from heavy foot traffic.
That is because polished concrete surfaces are harder and stronger, especially when Pentra- Sil ® Nano- Lithium Concrete Chemical Hardener, Sealer, and Densifier has been applied to reinforce the surface of the concrete.
Maintaining polished concrete floors is less costly, as there is no need for waxing or to regularly replace tiles, wood, carpets, or even apply coatings. All it takes to keep polished concrete floors clean and shiny is regular cleaning with a mop and water. As they do not harbor dust, dirt, and other allergens, polished concrete floors do not present health hazards to students. Tanhuanco continues: “Having to specify this for the first time, I was looking for experts to partner with this solution. I was able to get in touch with J.VAZ.CO and saw their samples at Worldbex 2016. We met for presentations and had discussions about the concrete polishing system, and I was convinced this is the right solution, and J.VAZ.CO. was the right partner for me and the school.”
Being the pioneer and proponent of concrete polishing in the country, J.VAZ.CO. has actually developed its own distinct concrete processing system (CPS®), using PentraSil ® , which the company distributes exclusively.
J . VAZ. CO. president and owner, Junjie Vazquez, explains: “The secret to a polished concrete floor’s durability lies in the application of a hardener and densifier which really contains lithium. Others can say they have lithium but it is just a hybrid. When we use Pentra-Sil®, we are assured that the lithium content is unadulterated.”
With J. VAZ. CO. offering full service from consultation, project planning, and actual execution of the CPS ® , Tanhuanco was able to observe how the company works.
Tanhuanco continues: “For this project, I can say that J.VAZ.CO. tried to listen and understand the needs of the client, We are also fortunate that we were able to meet with Mr. Vazquez and his team. They would never hesitate to recommend and make suggestions as to what they think is also best for the project.”
Junjie Vazquez, who was actually doing the concrete polishing himself during the company’s early years, emphasizes: “The biggest advantage that J.VAZ.CO. has is its experience. You need experience to master it. And that is what we are boasting of. We have mastered it and we are continuing to master more of our skills.”
For more information about J. VAZ. CO. and its Concrete Polishing System ( CPS ® ) , check out www. jvazco. com, or Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/ JvazcoINC . Or call 63 2 997 8030; 63 2 997 6713; and 63 922 888 9900. Showroom address: 521 EDSA Crame, Cubao, Metro Manila, Philippines, 1111.