TCAA Tile Talk Monthly

July 2026

No Second Chances 

Sponsored by Schluter Systems

Inside a high-stakes renovation at the Detroit Athletic Club, where failure was never an option  

The DAC

The Detroit Athletic Club was founded in 1887 and reorganized in 1913 by prominent automotive and industrial leaders in the city to broaden its scope to include other recreational and social functions. A seven-story clubhouse was built in 1915 on Madison Avenue in the sports and theater district of Detroit. It houses athletic facilities including a fitness center, swimming pools, courts, and a bowling alley, and social spaces including restaurants, bars, ballrooms, boardrooms, and guest rooms for overnight stays. More than the amenities, the DAC prides itself on providing an environment where members can forge relationships, support each other, and generally enhance their lives. The DAC was recognized as the number one athletic club in the United States by the Platinum Clubs of America organization’s Club Leaders Forum and Advisory Board. A few notable club members include baseball Hall of Famer Ty Cobb, Henry Ford, and racing mogul Roger Penske. 

Detroit Athletic Club exterior, Madison Avenue, Detroit

The Project & Contractors 

In early 2024, the DAC planned an $11M renovation project that included an overhaul of the main kitchen, improvements to guest rooms, and virtually complete reconstruction of the women’s locker room. The locker room features various wet areas including floors, showers, a steam room, and a jetted tub deck. Given the overall footprint of the wet areas, a history of leaks that were addressed with band-aid repairs, and the presence of a ballroom with ornate hand-painted ceiling directly below, all areas of the locker room that had any risk of water exposure were designated to receive waterproofing. The locker room renovation was completed between May 2025 and September 2025. 

Robert Offer, Superintendent at the construction management firm Frank Rewold & Sons Inc., and Matthew Bontomasi, Vice President of Operations at the tile contractor Wolverine Stone Co. shared their experience on the project with the author. It is worth noting that both firms have been in business for over 100 years — a fitting match for a client with the DAC's own deep roots in Detroit history. Bob and Matt knew the stakes were incredibly high and that the execution would be challenging. As Bob put it, “projects like this are like remodeling the Smithsonian with Abraham Lincoln looking over your shoulder, asking if you’re done yet.” A club like the DAC is unable to shut down in part, let alone entirely, during renovations and consequences of failure would be catastrophic. There really would be no second chance. Therefore, they needed to use a system that would guarantee success. Together they brought Schluter-Systems to the table for the project and the DAC agreed.  

The layout left no room for error — or the panels.

Floors 

The existing mortar bed and mosaic floor application were torn out, exposing the subfloor of concrete poured over steel decking. A new mortar bed was installed to provide the necessary slopes and a stable substrate for the Schluter-KERDI bonded waterproofing membrane. A total of six Schluter-KERDI-DRAIN bonding flanges were installed in the mortar bed, some with grates for drainage and others with cleanout covers to provide additional access to the plumbing. The KERDI membrane was bonded to the mortar bed and drains, then carried 12 inches up the walls. Once the floor was waterproofed, it was time for a water test to validate the application. The wet area was flooded with three inches of water and left to stand for 24 hours—directly above a ballroom where preparations for a $1M+ wedding were already underway. The system had to hold. 

Shower area substrate prep.

KERDI membrane bonded to mortar bed with KERDI-DRAIN and mosaic floor substrate in place.

Showers & Steam Room 

Showers were completely reconstructed and waterproofed using the Schluter shower system, including the KERDI-DRAIN and KERDI membrane installed over a mortar base on the floor and backerboard on the walls. The same approach was taken with the steam room, apart from using the KERDI-DS membrane. KERDI-DS meets the requirements for “low perm waterproof membranes” and is suitable for continuous-use steam rooms as defined in the TCNA Handbook for Ceramic, Glass, and Stone Tile Installation. Schluter-Systems representative Josh Lewis worked closely with the contractors to support the planning and execution of the steam room. Once again, the guiding principle of the project was no second chances. The showers and steam room simply had to be successful; any required repairs after the locker room was put back in service would create inconvenience that would not be acceptable to the DAC and its members. 

Tile Installation 

Tile installation on this project had its own challenges. While floors and shower bases were finished with mosaics, walls were finished with 5-foot by 10-foot gauged porcelain tile panels from floor to ceiling. Handling these enormous panels is difficult in general and was complicated on this project in various ways. Fabrication was performed in an outdoor station that required temporary closure of two lanes of traffic and the panels were loaded through a 6-foot by 6-foot window forty feet in the air. Maneuvering and installing the panels in the tight quarters of the locker room was difficult as well. Wolverine used Schluter-FINEC-SQ outside corner profiles to finish and protect the panel edges. The FINEC-SQ profile has a minimal reveal that suited the application and will prevent damage at corners that could otherwise require repairs that are simply not practical. 

FINEC-SQ profile and corner accessory trim all exposed tile edges

Steam room interior — waterproofed with KERDI-DS

Closing 

The DAC women’s locker room renovation project was extraordinarily challenging given the construction environment, timeline, and consequences of any failures or required rework. Success hinged on thorough planning, exacting execution, and using the best products for the job. Schluter-Systems is grateful to have been given the opportunity to support this exciting project and excellent partners by providing a robust waterproofing system that fit the needs of the project and allowed the installers to fully leverage their skills and deliver high-quality work on schedule.  By the way, the water test passed without incident. Four months later, the women’s locker room at the Detroit Athletic Club reopened on schedule: pristine, fully waterproofed, and ready for another century of use. Below, the ballroom ceiling remained exactly as it had been: ornate, hand-painted, and untouched. 

Investing in the Future: Celebrating TCAA's 2026 Scholarship Recipients

TCAA is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Scholarship Program, continuing a tradition of supporting education and developing future industry leaders since 2001. Through its merit-based scholarship program, TCAA awards scholarships to outstanding students pursuing careers in Architecture and Interior Design, while also investing in the families of employees of TCAA contractor member companies. Made possible in part through generous donations, the scholarship program reflects TCAA's ongoing commitment to education, workforce development, and the future of the tile industry.

The recipient of the 2026 Architecture/Interior Design Scholarship is Tess Higginbotham of Mississippi State University. TCAA is also pleased to recognize Ian Garcia of Miller Druck Specialty Contracting, Inc. and Madeline Rogala of Artisan Tile & Marble Co. of NJ as the recipients of this year's Family Scholarships. These scholarships recognize academic achievement, leadership, and dedication while helping students pursue their educational goals.

TCAA congratulates Tess, Ian, and Madeline on this well-deserved recognition. Their accomplishments exemplify the values of hard work, excellence, and commitment that define our industry. We wish each of them continued success in their academic pursuits and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make in their future careers.

For more information about the TCAA Scholarship Program, eligibility requirements, or ways to support future scholarships, visit the TCAA Scholarships link below.