In January of 2022, the City of Spencer, Iowa contacted Fischer Brothers about replacing the failed fiberglass steps on their waterslide tower at the Spencer City Aquatic Center. An inspection in February revealed that the tower’s fiberglass steps and landings had deteriorated to the point where there was an immediate need for repair. The once-white surfaces were stained after years of use, most of the previous surfacing product was worn smooth, and cracks had developed in the fiberglass.
The stairs and decks were originally made with a fiberglass exterior and a balsa wood coring interior. Cracks in the fiberglass had allowed water to rot the balsa wood coring from many harsh Midwestern seasons. The saturated coring would freeze each winter and thaw every spring, incrementally delaminating the fiberglass from its internal coring.
Before: Cracks in the Fiberglass
This project provided a great opportunity for Fischer Brothers and Life Floor to partner in solving this city’s slide tower issues. In August, Fischer Brothers sent a crew to tackle the project. They began by identifying all the structural problem areas and started work. Large portions of fiberglass were completely rebuilt using synthetic coring instead of balsa wood and more than 20 gallons of resin were used to repair the landings and stairs. Every square inch of the fiberglass was either rebuilt or sanded down to remove the old surface texture and create a smooth and stable surface for the installation of Life Floor safety surfacing.
Rotted Balsa Wood Core
New Fiberglass Restoration
Life Floor Safety Surfacing
Life Floor was the preferred choice for this WhiteWater and Fischer Brothers project in the City of Spencer, Iowa since the safety surfacing not only provides increased slip-resistance and cushioning, but also refreshes the visual appeal of the whole tower. The city chose to use Iceberg and River Rock colors in Life Floor’s Ripple 2.0 texture for this project. The pale blue Iceberg tiles were used on all the landings and stair treads and the grey River Rock tiles were installed on the step nosings and risers to provide contrasting colors and added safety. The surfacing on the slide tower is now more comfortable for bare feet, and it looks great!
About Fischer Brothers, LLC.
Fischer Brothers, LLC got their start in 2007 restoring waterslides, and eventually moved on to other parts of the waterpark. From waterslide towers, aquatic play structures, spray features and more, Fischer Brothers has led the charge in pioneering innovative solutions for the aquatics restoration industry. Fischer Brothers is currently undergoing the process to become a Certified Life Floor Installer.