When Rouses Market, a Louisiana grocery store, needed major roofing work, closing wasn’t an option. The food store can’t afford to let dust and debris fall on their fresh produce or disrupt their loyal customers. However, shutting down during renovations wasn’t an option. That’s when they turned to TuffWrap’s SmartSeam system, which kept the store running, the food safe, and customers shopping across 47,675 square feet of active containment.
The challenge: roofing work without closing the store
Rouses Market is a well-known grocery chain that has served families across the Gulf Coast region for decades. Like many busy stores, one of its Louisiana locations needed major roofing work done. That sounds simple — but for a working grocery store, it created a serious problem.
Grocery stores depend on fresh food. Even a small amount of construction dust or falling debris can contaminate produce, meat, and dairy products. A single health inspection failure could force the store to close — meaning lost sales, unhappy customers, and real damage to the store’s reputation.
At the same time, shutting down for the duration of the project wasn’t a realistic option. Rouses Market serves its community every single day. A closure would cost the store significant revenue and push loyal shoppers to competitors. The challenge was clear: how do you safely complete a major construction project overhead while customers are still shopping below?
The solution: TuffWrap SmartSeam temporary containment
For this project, TuffWrap deployed SmartSeam: a professional-grade temporary ceiling containment system. SmartSeam is installed below the sprinkler system, creating a sealed barrier that acts as a secondary temporary ceiling. Absolutely no dust and debris will fall onto the product below.
Not only is Smartseam a remarkable product, but it has also earned FM Global certification for its safe installation under fire sprinklers. But it is the only product on the market that is International Building Code (IBC) compliant. This certification allows Rouses Market to continue operations with complete confidence in the safety of their employees and customers, even in the event of a fire.
What makes SmartSeam different?
- Code Compliance. SmartSeam has been independently tested and was the first product to be certified by FM Global. Additionally, Smartseam is the only product on the market that is International Building Code (IBC) Compliant. These code compliancies are just an element of how Tuffwrap strives to provide protection for people, property, and profits.
- Translucent material keeps stores well-lit. Most temporary containment products make spaces feel dark and closed off. SmartSeam’s protects while letting light pass through.
- Temporary and removable. SmartSeam is designed to be installed and removed without leaving any lasting impact on the building. Once construction wraps up, the system comes down cleanly and effectively.
Results: business as usual, start to finish
Thanks to SmartSeam, Rouses Market completed its roofing project without a single day of closure. Rouses did not have a single day of closure, food safety was maintained, fire supression system was still able to be activated, and all 47,675 sq ft was properly protected.
Why this matters for retail and commercial buildings
Rouses Market’s project is a clear example of a challenge that many businesses face: construction work that
has to happen while people are still inside. Hotels, shopping malls, medical offices, schools, and food service facilities all face the same tension between renovation timelines and the need to keep operating.
SmartSeam’s FM Global certification, IBC Compliance, and fire sprinkler compatibility set the highest bar for safety in commercial buildings. Its translucent design keeps spaces functional and welcoming. And because it is a temporary system, it works equally well on short jobs and multi-week projects.
For any business that cannot afford to shut down during construction, TuffWrap and SmartSeam offer a proven, certified solution to keep operations running safely.