Intern Friendly, Veteran Approved
As an intern this summer in the marketing department of O’Sullivan Films, the higher-ups thought it would be a good idea for me to learn how to install our luxury vinyl outdoor flooring: IntelliDeck. It’s a waterproof decking solution which means it has no holes or separated pieces. The entire deck is formed into one piece of material using a process called heat welding. This is done by using a special tool to heat and melt together two pieces of vinyl, which effectively creates a product that is completely waterproof.
The IntelliDeck training was done by O’Sullivan’s vinyl decking specialist, Grant. He’s an authority on the product having worked with every vinyl product out there with decades of experience and hundreds of vinyl decks under his belt. Grant sat us down (there were some factory workers who actually make IntelliDeck and another contractor from California there as well) and started explaining all the different vinyl decking products out there and how they differed. After explaining all the pros and cons of all these similar products, he then showed us the IntelliDeck product and explained how O’Sullivan has incorporated as many of the pros and as few of the cons as possible into their decking. These advantages and their care and attention to detail are what set IntelliDeck apart from the rest of the market.
Next, Grant introduced us to the proper way of heat welding vinyl and had us all try welding a few seams. He showed us how the heat melts the two pieces of vinyl together and how it creates a waterproof seal that protects the structure of the deck and any space below the deck from water damage. There were a number of other techniques needed as well to properly waterproof the various parts of a deck such as corners and support beams. Grant showed all of us all the tricks to properly waterproof these problem areas so that no water could get to the structure of the deck or the house. I can easily see how the quality of other decks suffer without his training, which the competitors don’t get, and O’Sullivan’s vinyl.
O’Sullivan really believes in the high quality of their decks- in fact, won’t even let contractors install IntelliDeck without taking this training with Grant. This means that every one of their vinyl decks will be installed with the best techniques that have been perfected over years of trial and error. This is also why O’Sullivan has a 15 year warranty on all their decks as they feel it’s a quality product that will last a long time. After seeing the construction of a deck, I have to agree with them. This is a product that can, and does, stand the test of time.
The whole training was a very interactive process, and we all got the chance to try installing the vinyl in every decking situation. While none of our seams and corners turned out anywhere near as nice as Grant’s, the training did give the skills necessary for our new Californian contractor to eventually become adept himself at installing IntelliDeck. In fact, he even stated that after taking the training, he wouldn’t want to work with any other vinyl decking product. It goes to show that the product really does seem to speak for itself.
