Marks on concrete floors visible because staining process was inadequate

Concrete floors throughout the Student Union Memorial Center were inadequately stained during construction, meaning that slight imperfections caused by skid marks and shoeprints are visible, the union director said.

The floor will be restained later in the semester when student traffic in the union is lower, said Dan Adams, director of Arizona Student Unions.

Although the repair process may cause some inconvenience, it will not cost the university any money.

The costs will be covered by Swinerton Building Inc. and other companies that were originally involved with staining the floor.

Adams said the floors in the first staining process didn't last because of general student traffic.

"They acknowledge that the first staining didn't work," he said.

A number of factors could have contributed to the current floor problems, said Bob Bertolini, senior project superintendent for union construction.

An active agent in the cement or improperly cleaned concrete surfaces could have contributed to the staining not working the first time, he said.

"There's really no answer for it," Bertolini said.

Bertolini confirmed that the floors will be scheduled for restaining during spring break or near commencement, since fewer students will be using the union then.

The Cactus Grill floors were re-stained over winter break to test the effectiveness of the process.

"I feel certain it will hold up good," Bertolini said.

Student Union Memorial Center construction, which began in August 1999, will be completed near the end of the year.