H.J. Martin and Son – and the installation team led by John Lancor – received the most votes from readers of Floor Covering Installer magazine, and have been named as the winner in the Commercial-Carpet category of the 2016 FCI Installation Awards for work on the Fox Valley Hematology and Oncology Center (FVHO) in Appleton, Wis.

The third annual industry contest recognizes “the best and most creative installations” of flooring installers nationwide.  There were three categories for both commercial (carpet, ceramic tile/stone, resilient) and residential (hardwood/laminate, carpet, ceramic tile/stone) entries.

John Lancor

Lancor, the on-site foreman at FVHO, was joined on the project by fellow H.J. Martin installers David Stevenson, Jake Greenwald, Rob Schultz and Mike Weidner.

“Congratulations to John, David, Jake, Rob and Mike for their outstanding work on the Fox Valley Hematology and Oncology project,” says H.J. Martin and Son CEO Edward Martin.  “They take tremendous pride in their work, and the award is a great reflection of them and the many people who have come before them.  We believe what sets H.J. Martin and Son apart from other flooring installers is our people.”

Lancor and his crew overcame several difficult challenges in completing their scope of work over a 10-month period.  The primary obstacle was preparation of the subfloor for the installation of vinyl flooring in a pair of chemo treatment rooms.

Though a new construction, the two treatment areas with floor-to-ceiling windows had a concrete level at one end that was two-and-a-half inches difference from the opposite end of the room.  More than 250 bags of skim coat were utilized in those two rooms alone.

Additionally, there were many locations where carpet tile and vinyl plank came together.  This necessitated expert leveling of the surface in order to have a smooth transition from one flooring product to another.  The ultimate goal was to have no transition strips, allowing for carts and other medical devices to freely roll over the varied surfaces with no obstruction.

More than 16,000 square feet of flooring was installed on the FVHO project, including 4,300 SF of ceramic tile on the floors and walls.  An added challenge was that the H.J. Martin installation team only was allowed into the building for a nine-hour span each day.

The wide-open, front lobby had several radius arches that required expert craftsmanship to bring the walk-off carpet tile together.  An additional large arc, extending from a treatment room, was on the second floor.  Locations with an arch required grooving to be done by hand, rather than with a saw.

This year’s contest was sponsored by ProKnee and Schönox/HPS North America.  Along with a plaque which symbolizes the award, Lancor will receive a pair of ProKnee Custom Model 0714 and AP16 All Purpose kneepads, courtesy of ProKnee.

Nick Mooren of H.J. Martin and Son was a 2014 recipient of an FCI Installation Award for his work on the Madison (Wis.) Central Public Library.