X-Bond in Fashion Designers' Luxury Hollywood Residence
/From covering immense slab walls to correcting sloping roof decks, see how X-Bond Seamless Stone helped transform fashion designer's beautiful home in the Hollywood Hills.
Summary
When internationally famous New York fashion designer purchased a new home off Sunset Boulevard, high in the fashionable Hollywood Hills, some aspects of the home didn't meet his high standards; namely, its stone floors and exterior walls. Seeking a more modern look for his contemporary residence, the renowned designer turned to X-Bond.
Existing travertine tile floors needed an upgrade
Existing black granite tile floors in the shower needed an upgrade
Existing black granite tiles on exterior walls before renovation
Exploring Alternatives
The home feature two expansive walls - 15x20' and 25x30' - made of black absolute granite - an expensive material - and travertine stone, neither of which met the designer's conceptual vision. His first thought was to use ARDX grey concrete, but this option was not feasible due to the product's thickness.
Complete demolition was another option, but a costly and time-consuming one, requiring the following:
Architectural/engineering drawings for permits (estimated time 10 days)
Check approval (up to 2-3 weeks)
Stone removal (estimated 2 weeks)
Stud replacement (estimated 3 weeks) as needed
Cement board installation (estimated 1 week)
Waterproof membrane installation (estimated 4 days)
Stone installation (estimated 2 weeks)
Inspections, municipal approval, HOA approval (3-5 weeks)
Constraints of removal of demolition debris due to location of property on narrow winding mountain road.
With a projected demolition timeline of 12-15 weeks, this option was quickly abandoned.
Strategy
The engineers faced three main challenges with this residential renovation:
Challenge 1: Creating a consistent surface on immense 25 foot walls
Solution: Using a scaffolding with three men on top, three in the middle, and three on the bottom allowed the applicators to apply smooth, even coats of X-Bond.
Existing black granite tiles on exterior walls
Applying X-Bond over black granite tiles
Challenge 2: Creating a solution for the silicon-caulked wall seams
Solution: When the sun hit the walls, the silicone seams got warmed and expanded, creating a vein-like appearance. To remedy the problem, the silicone was cut out and filled with X-Bond Seamless Stone.
Resurfacing exterior walls with X-Bond Seamless Stone
Challenge 3: Leveling a sloped floor
Solution: To correct significant sloping in the floor surfaces, the X-Bond system was used to bring the floor up by four inches, while ensuring a secure molecular bond to the existing slab.
Roof deck was resurfaced and leveled with with X-Bond Seamless Stone
Roof deck was resurfaced and leveled with X-Bond Seamless Stone
Solution
A total of 1,200 square meters of X-Bond Seamless Stone was installed throughout the designer's home, including the exterior granite walls, the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, living room, hallways, pool deck, house exterior, and white marble bathroom. The applicators also grinded down improperly sloped roof deck drains and built them up using X-Bond, ensuring proper water flow.
X-Bond Seamless Stone floors
Updated fireplace with X-Bond Seamless Stone
Success
Not only has the fashion designer since added X-Bond to two downstairs baths and a downstairs kitchen he has also inspired several celebrity friends and close family members to choose X-Bond for their surface and remodelling projects.
X-Bond Seamless Stone was used to resurface exterior walls
Living room after remodel with X-Bond
Renovated kitchen features X-Bond Seamless Stone floors
Roof deck after renovation with X-Bond Seamless Stone
Project Information
Application: Floors & Walls with X-Bond Seamless Stone
Project size: 1,200 sqm
Project year: 2016
