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On a 127-unit apartment project in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, TDK Construction estimated that installing EXACOR magnesium oxide (MgO) underlayment panels saved about $30,000 and nearly two months. Those figures are the project supervisor’s estimates, reported in 2021—not guaranteed savings or a result established by an independent comparison. The useful lesson is more specific: TDK had its framing crew install the panels over the completed subfloor, avoiding a separate wet-underlayment crew and the curing time associated with that approach on the company’s earlier projects.
That sequence may be worth evaluating on other multifamily jobs, but the case does not show that MgO panels always cost less or perform better than gypsum underlayment. Cost, schedule, fire resistance, and acoustics depend on the project and the complete floor-ceiling assembly.
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TDK Construction used Huber Engineered Woods’ EXACOR magnesium oxide panels as underlayment on a 127-unit luxury apartment project in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. In a 2021 case study published by Building Design + Construction, TDK supervisor Todd Hardy estimated that the installation saved the company approximately $30,000 and nearly two months on the project.
The reported outcome is tied to a particular project, product, crew arrangement, and construction sequence. The case study is not an independently audited cost analysis or a controlled, side-by-side comparison with gypsum. It does not establish what another contractor would save, whether the same system suits a different building, or whether the panel itself accounts for all of the reported time and cost difference.
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The mechanism described is straightforward: TDK’s framing crew installed the panels over the completed subfloor, then framed walls on top. The company did not have to schedule a separate gypsum-underlayment crew for that work. Hardy said that on TDK’s prior projects, wet-laid gypsum underlayment had involved subcontractor scheduling and curing time. The case study also says that the panel approach avoided a separate sound mat in this project’s assembly and reduced cleanup associated with wet material.
Those details explain why the method could matter to a project schedule: it changed who performed the work and how the underlayment fit into the sequence. They should not be read as universal claims that every gypsum system requires the same schedule, that every MgO installation avoids a sound mat, or that every project will realize comparable savings.
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In TDK’s account, the potential advantage came from incorporating panel installation into work already being done by the framing crew. If the same crew is available at the right stage, the project may avoid coordinating a separate underlayment subcontractor. The case study also contrasts the panel sequence with wet-laid material that, on TDK’s earlier jobs, required time to cure before subsequent work.
For a project team, the important question is not simply whether a panel can be installed quickly. It is whether the proposed work sequence fits the actual schedule and labor plan. A change that removes a subcontractor handoff or a waiting period could be valuable if it avoids a real scheduling constraint. If the crew is unavailable, the floor assembly requires additional work, or another trade must still wait, the same schedule benefit may not occur.
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Hardy’s estimates—about $30,000 and nearly two months—are the case study’s reported project outcomes. The publication does not provide a project budget, a unit-cost breakdown, crew-hour records, or a detailed schedule comparison. Treat the figures as TDK’s estimate for this job, not as a savings rate to apply to another project or as a promise of performance.
Hardy also said, “Time is money and if we can save time on one job, let alone all our jobs, that really adds up.” The case study reported his then-current intention to use the product going forward. That statement records what he said at the time of publication in 2021; it does not verify TDK’s present-day purchasing plans.
What should a project team compare before choosing an underlayment?
Compare complete proposed floor assemblies and installation plans—not just the material names. The source does not provide a universal cost or performance comparison, so a project-specific evaluation should make the trade-offs visible before the team commits to a system.
- Installation sequence and crew availability: Identify who will install the underlayment, when the work must happen, and whether the framing crew can take it on without disrupting its other work. Confirm whether a separate subcontractor would otherwise be needed.
- Schedule and curing: Establish whether the proposed material or assembly introduces a curing or waiting period, and whether that period affects the next scheduled trade. TDK’s account describes curing time on its prior wet-laid gypsum work; it does not quantify a standard cure period for other products.
- Moisture and cleanup: Ask what moisture the installation brings into the building and what cleanup the work requires. The case study reports less wet-material cleanup for this project, not a general finding about every product or jobsite condition.
- Total installed cost: Compare the cost of the complete installation, including labor and relevant scheduling needs, rather than treating the panel’s purchase price as the whole decision. The source supplies no panel price, gypsum price, or itemized estimate.
- Floor thickness and finished elevation: Confirm the specified assembly’s thickness and how it affects the planned floor buildup and adjoining conditions. The case study does not provide dimensions that can be carried over to another design.
- Fire-rating evidence: Verify that the exact proposed floor-ceiling assembly—not simply a panel material—is supported by a published fire-resistance-rated design applicable to the project.
- Acoustic evidence: Review the assembly’s documented airborne and impact sound performance, including any sound mat or other components the design requires.
- Codes and design responsibility: Check the adopted local code and applicable design documents with the project’s design professionals. The case study directs readers to published assembly requirements and the designer of record.
This checklist separates the possible scheduling benefit from requirements that cannot be assumed away. A system that makes one trade sequence easier still has to satisfy the project’s floor, fire, acoustic, and code requirements as designed.
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What does the case study say about fire resistance?
The project was designed to UL L528, according to the case study. It also reports that EXACOR panels may be used in specific published fire-resistant-rated assemblies tested to ASTM E119 / ANSI UL 263. That is not the same as saying the panel alone carries a particular fire rating.
Fire-resistance performance belongs to the applicable assembly and its specified construction. A team considering a different project should find the published design for the exact assembly under consideration and verify that its components and requirements align with the project documents. The case study specifically cautions that ratings vary by assembly and says to follow published assembly requirements, applicable local codes, and the designer of record.
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How should you interpret the sound-performance claims?
The case study explains two different sound measures: Sound Transmission Class (STC) concerns airborne sound, such as speech and music, while Impact Insulation Class (IIC) concerns impact noise, such as footsteps or dropped items. It says the project’s sound and fire ratings depend on the floor-ceiling assembly, not the underlayment panel in isolation.
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That distinction matters because a product name or a general statement about acoustics cannot tell a project team whether a particular floor will meet its target. The complete assembly and its published requirements must be checked for the relevant performance. The case study says the project’s assembly could meet or exceed applicable code minimums conditionally, as part of a tested floor-ceiling assembly; it does not give a standalone STC or IIC value that can be attributed to the panel alone.
TDK’s project reportedly avoided a separate sound mat in its assembly. That is a project-specific detail, not evidence that EXACOR panels universally replace sound mats. For another building, confirm the required acoustic assembly and whether it includes a mat or other specified components before changing the design.
What does this project prove—and what does it leave unanswered?
The case offers a concrete example of how changing underlayment installation can affect labor coordination and schedule. TDK’s supervisor attributed meaningful time and cost savings to a sequence in which the framing crew installed the panels and the project avoided the separate wet-underlayment crew and curing period associated with TDK’s prior work.
It does not provide independent verification, an itemized cost comparison, broad industry statistics, or results from multiple projects. It also does not establish that MgO panels universally outperform gypsum underlayment, that they always eliminate a sound mat, or that any single panel guarantees a fire or acoustic rating.
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The sensible takeaway is to treat the project as a reason to evaluate the installation sequence—not as a substitute for estimating or design review. Before adopting a similar approach, ask the contractor and design team to compare the complete assemblies against the actual labor plan, schedule, costs, floor buildup, fire documentation, acoustic documentation, and local requirements. The savings may be compelling if the same constraints and sequence apply; the case study alone cannot predict the result on another job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the case study provide an itemized cost breakdown?
No. It reports the supervisor’s approximate project savings but does not separate material, labor, subcontractor, cleanup, or schedule costs. A new project would need its own estimate to determine which cost categories change.
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Was the reported savings estimate independently verified?
The cited account presents Todd Hardy’s estimate; it does not describe an independent audit or controlled comparison. The figure should therefore be understood as a project-specific contractor estimate.
What does UL L528 tell me about another project?
The case study says the Goodlettsville project was designed to UL L528, but that fact alone does not establish that the same design applies elsewhere. Confirm the applicable published assembly and project requirements with the design team.
Can I calculate an expected saving per apartment from the reported total?
The case study does not state how the estimated savings were distributed across units or which project costs were included. Dividing the headline estimate by the unit count would produce a simple arithmetic average, not a reliable project budget figure.
