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ACOUSTIC FLOOR BUILD-UP ENSURES STUDENT ACCOMMODATION EXCEEDS DOCUMENT E STANDARDS

 

CMS Danskin Acoustics has worked with acoustic consultants Atelier Crescendo to arrive at a floor build-up which has contributed to achieving acoustic performance significantly exceeding Approved Document E ‘Resistance to the passage of sound’ 2003 standards at new student accommodation for St Catharine’s College in Cambridge.

The accommodation provides two new houses (comprising 23 bedrooms) and improved communal spaces for students to work and socialise at St Catharine’s satellite site on the west of the city centre.  It was opened to students in October.  The project was designed by Cottrell & Vermeulen Architecture, and the main contractor was Conamar Building Services.

Designed with sustainability in mind, the student accommodation has mass timber frames (mostly Cross Laminated Timber), triple-glazed windows and air-source heat pumps.

Internal base floors are cross laminated timber (CLT), which supports the sustainable ethos behind the design.  CLT is increasingly used as it helps in locking away carbon by using it as a long-term construction base and it reduces the use of concrete in floors.  However, because CLT is around one third of the mass of concrete, it presents challenges acoustically.  Its sound reduction index is poorer and its damping properties from impacts are also lower than concrete, therefore it requires an acoustic strategy to limit impact and airborne sound travelling through.

After taking into account the BREEAM® requirements, the criteria to be met for St Catharine’s was that the airborne noise reduction must be over 48dB DnTw and the impact noise must be measured as under 59dB LnTw.

CMS Danskin Acoustics designed and supplied a floor/ceiling build-up using recycled materials to help improve the floor mass and enhance its impact absorbing properties.  The strategy involved double REGUPOL impact isolation layers.  Layers of 3mm REGUPOL sonus eco, 18mm Versapanel® from Euroform and 15mm REGUPOL sonus core were used to isolate impact sound, followed by a 32mm Smartspan, which is finished with a timber floorboard or plywood underlay with vinyl.

CMS Danskin Acoustics also specified and supplied Kinetics IsoGrid hangers, a high performance hanger used for suspending ceilings where the maximum noise reduction performance is required.

Site completion measurements undertaken by Atelier Crescendo indicated airborne noise 51-57 dB DnTw + Ctr, depending on location, and for impact it was 49-52dB LnTw, depending on location, so significantly surpassing Document E standards and significantly exceeding the more demanding project acoustic performance targets that had been set.

 

Paul Absolon, CMS Danskin Acoustics’ technical director, said,

“Working with CLT does present acoustics challenges, but we devised a floor/ceiling specification to counter that, which has achieved acoustic performance that exceeds regulations.”

 

Marc Fuzellier, director of Atelier Crescendo Ltd and Acouwood UK LLP, adds,

“We are very happy about the outcomes of the project, especially in terms of airborne and impact sound insulation performances.

“We worked hard to develop the right wall and floor build-ups, detail how they had to be connected and minimise the sound flanking transmissions. This was particularly the case when CLT elements had to be exposed.

“In the end, high sound insulation performances have been achieved so that more BREEAM® credits could be obtained.”

 

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ADHESIVE-FREE SAFETY FLOOR FOR COMMERCIAL KITCHENS

ALTRO INTRODUCES ADHESIVE-FREE

SAFETY FLOOR  FOR COMMERCIAL KITCHENS

New Altro Stronghold 30 adhesive-free is the first adhesive-free flooring designed specifically for the rigours of commercial kitchens. It delivers sustainable, carbon-saving performance with minimum downtime and quick return to service for busy areas.

Like all Altro adhesive-free floors, Altro Stronghold™ 30 adhesive-free delivers huge time and cost savings over traditionally adhered floors as well as up to 50% saving in CO2. And like the well-established Altro Stronghold 30 adhered floor, this adhesive-free version achieves Altro’s highest rating for slip resistance (PTV ≥55, R12) and is designed to minimise risk in wet and greasy conditions for the lifetime of the flooring. For design freedom, it matches Altro Stronghold 30 in 8 versatile colours.

Altro Stronghold 30 adhesive-free can be welded and walked on the same day, significantly reducing kitchen downtime and getting busy kitchens back to service, making it a perfect choice for retrofit and refurbishment projects. An adhesive-free floor installation can reduce installation time by up to 50% compared with an installation using adhesive.

Altro’s adhesive-free floors excel in their environmental credentials, and this new addition is no different. Over 95% of the installed floor can be recycled or reused after use. Waste is minimal as you do not need to use a damp-proof membrane (DPM), reducing unwanted landfill content. The floor can be uplifted quickly and easily and any leftover floor can be used elsewhere. At the end of its life the floor can be recycled via a Recofloor collection point and regenerated into useful traffic calming products such as traffic cones.

With an integral DPM, Altro Stronghold 30 adhesive-free can be installed over existing flooring or on fresh concrete. It can be applied at up to 97% relative humidity as it’s designed to avoid the need for a moisture barrier to subfloors which are damp and to those which cannot be prepared by traditional methods, due to surface contamination.

As the inventor of adhesive-free safety flooring more than a decade ago, Altro has used its expertise to develop and expand its portfolio to form a collection of smooth and safety floors that need no wet adhesive for installation. This latest addition, Altro Stronghold 30 adhesive-free, has been trialled over a number of years in test sites around the world and is proven fit for purpose for demanding commercial kitchens.

It’s easy to maintain and repair and has excellent scratch and scuff resistance, giving your kitchen floor a long life expectancy. As well as helping to keep staff safe from slips, it also helps reduce their fatigue, thanks to its 3mm thickness which provides noise reduction up to 10dB and comfort underfoot.

CLICK HERE

  

To find out more about how to save carbon, save time and save money

with Altro’s adhesive-free floors 

 

 

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ALTRO SOLUTION DELIVERS DESIGN-LED INTERIORS FOR PERSON-CENTRED SUPPORTED LIVING SERVICES

A dilapidated former care home has been transformed into award-winning supported living flats by social care provider Precious Homes. Interior Designer Penny Green worked with Altro to select a range of flooring options to deliver flexible solutions in different application areas throughout the scheme.

Located in the former Nethercest Residential Home in Dudley, the previously empty buildings have been redeveloped to a very high specification, resulting in modern flats and communal space for up to 25 people. The new supported-living flats provide bespoke, accessible accommodation for people with autism, learning disabilities and physical disabilities, with an on-site cafe that is open to the community.

Michelle Cox-Coley, Director of Business Development at Precious Homes, explains, “The new flats within – Osprey Mews, Goldcrest Court and Turaco View – have been developed in partnership with Golden Lane Housing, a leading social housing landlord for people with a learning disability, in response to demand for this type of bespoke accommodation alongside specialist support in the local area. We’ve worked hard to create bright and modern homes which are fully equipped to be accessible to all and can be tailored to meet the individual needs of the people we support. The new flats and the team we have in place provide support which is outcome-focussed and person-centred, encouraging individuals to become as independent as possible in their own homes.”

The Foundry Café is a key element to the project’s success. Run as a social enterprise, it offers opportunities for people to learn transferable workplace skills, and it provides a social hub for residents and the wider community. Interior designer Penny Green drew design inspiration for the café from Dudley’s industrial heritage. “I looked to the industrial revolution, the turn of the century – so important in the development of Dudley,” she explains. “The ‘foundry’ style is big, open and robust, so it was so important we chose products that delivered on looks but also worked to soften the feel.”

Penny chose Altro Ensemble™ modular flooring system – luxury vinyl tiles, in four modular sizes that can be mixed and matched to create unique designs from colour blocking to geometric patterns. It also brings the benefits of 15dB sound reduction and added comfort underfoot. “It was quite a dark space at the start, so we took all the walls down to open it up, and chose a light tone of flooring – Greige Rustic Oak.”

Although Penny and Precious Homes have used Altro products for years, this was their first project using Altro Ensemble. The flexible LVT modular flooring has delivered on many levels. “The feedback has been phenomenal,” says Penny. “People simply cannot believe it is vinyl and not wood, they are so complimentary about it. But even more importantly it delivers so many benefits over real wood in this space. It wears better, it feels softer, and its acoustic properties help soften the Foundry environment, which is so important for the individuals who will be accessing the café.”

Penny worked closely with Altro consultant Joe Hurst to find the right solutions. “We have some big spaces here and needed to avoid looking too institutional,” she says. “Altro Ensemble was ideal for that as we explored different patterns and layouts to define different areas. Using the same flooring but laid differently – basketweave in one area, plank to plank or herringbone in another. The results are incredibly effective.”

In areas with higher risk of slip, Penny selected Altro Wood™ safety flooring, choosing Vintage Cherry for the café as the red tones sit well alongside the foundry brick, and the cooler, greyer tones of Ranch Oak for the innovative, accessible and inclusive communal kitchen areas of Goldcrest Court.

Altro Wood is homely and stylish – a great biophilic safety option. The general purpose 2mm wood-effect vinyl safety flooring is available in a range of designs with different plank sizes and shades. It is designed to cope with medium to heavy traffic and, like all Altro safety floors, has sustained slip resistance for the lifetime of the floor.

The flats within this location offer different levels of support for individuals with learning disabilities, autism and physical disabilities. Support provided within people’s own homes is tailored to each person’s needs and also supports individuals who are stepping down from secure units and hospitals including those who may have experienced previous placement breakdowns. They provide tiered support and a range of accommodation options from self-contained flats to rooms with communal areas. The accommodation is flexible, with furniture that can be moved and rooms that can be configured to suit.

“The partnership with Golden Lane Housing means we work collaboratively to create a home for people – a calm haven, a safe space. We use a palette that allows people to add their own personality, and I spend a lot of time searching for safe, good value accessories – rattan, knitted – ones that don’t matter if they break,” Penny explains. “At the other end of the scale we can spend a lot on items such as magnetic curtain poles that might be pulled down repeatedly but can be quickly and easily reattached. We have to think through all angles of the environment so that it doesn’t become challenging.

“The Precious Homes ethos is that everyone goes on their personal growth journey – whatever journey is right for them. A lot of people help with that – occupational therapists, psychologists, therapists, carers and many more. For many people living in their own flats it is critically important that their home environment enables them to have a home that is safe and supportive of their goals and aspirations.

“The domestic, homely feel was so important, but we also needed products that are robust and above all safe,” explains Penny. Safety is paramount, which is evident in many elements of the interior, including the flooring, chosen due to a variety of properties to fit with the design themes throughout. Altro Ensemble with its acoustic and comfort properties, then in areas where sustained slip resistance was key there is Altro Wood safety flooring in corridors, entrances and reception areas, Altro Pisces™ specialist safety flooring in the bathroom areas, Altro Stronghold™ in the café kitchens and Altro Reliance™ in back of house and delivery areas – each product meeting a different need.

Tina Hanson-Jones is Project Manager across the Dudley schemes and she is full of praise for the environment that’s been created: “WOW is the best way of describing the interior of the flats. It is fresh, appealing but homely, very good taste. It is well thought out and not what supported living places are usually like. Everyone that visits wants to live here.”

Partnership was key to the success of the project. “Altro are amazing to work with from a specification point of view,” says Penny. “They understand what designers need and are constantly developing products to meet those needs. As a designer you are confident to use their products as you know they have been developed for all the right reasons and to provide solutions. We hugely appreciate the effort they go to for designers, and all that Altro products bring to our projects.”

About Altro – www.altro.co.uk

 

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Altro Orchestra looks the part in eye clinic

Altro Orchestra™ smooth flooring has been used to transform the eye clinic at Torbay Hospital, South Devon’s main hospital. The flooring, ideal for areas where comfort and sound reduction are important, was used to replace old carpet floor tiles that were no longer suitable.

The Estates Building Supervisor worked closely with and was fully supported by Altro to choose the right product for the clinic. Altro met with the ward and building supervisors to discuss floor options.

Roberts Flooring installed the Altro Orchestra. Scott Andrews, Estimator at Roberts Flooring said: “We fitted out the Eye Surgery Waiting Room in two contrasting colours Altro Orchestra ‘Bassoon’ and Altro Orchestra ‘Soul’. Aesthetically the design looks really good. The floor was easy to fit, which you would expect from Altro.”

Paul Gaunt, Building Maintenance Manager, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust said: “The installation went really well, there was a noticeable difference to the floor area as the installation progressed. The waiting area now benefits from a more professional look with improved natural light using the two colours. Altro Orchestra is really easy to clean and can be machine cleaned.”

2.85mm Altro Orchestra has been engineered to create the ideal environment to learn and live. Low residual indentation facilitates the flexible use of equipment and furniture, including hospital beds. At the same time, the integrated impact sound insulation system cuts impact sound by up to 15dB.

It offers comfort underfoot making life easier on the feet of patients or students, but particularly hard-working staff who spend countless hours on the move.

With a palette of 40 colours and designs varying from calming neutrals reflecting tones of nature, to vibrant shades, Altro Orchestra allows you to create the right atmosphere every time. It coordinates with Altro Operetta and Altro Serenade for a complete look throughout.

For further information, please visit www.altro.co.uk
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Altro brings all things bright and beautiful to Children’s Hospice

The brightest and boldest Altro floor and wall products have been used to refurbish Haven House Children’s Hospice, in Woodford Green, Essex, with rainbow staircases and cleverly colour zoned areas making the facility strikingly beautiful inside and out.

Haven House Children’s Hospice provides the highest level of respite and palliative care to families and young people from birth to 19 years old who have life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

In the hospice children benefit from a range of play activities, as well as day and overnight stays. They also have access to music therapy, aquatic physiotherapy, physiotherapy and therapeutic yoga. In the grounds there is a specialist play area and tranquil sensory garden surrounded by many acres of beautiful woodland.

Haven House Family and Community Support Manager Judi Porter says: “For the children at Haven House, colours, shapes, textures, light and other sensory stimuli make a very positive impact, and are so important for overall well-being. Our aim is to give babies, children and young people the best possible life and we knew that by bringing more colour to Haven House we could significantly improve their quality of life.

“Above all, Haven House interiors need to be hardwearing and functional, because a lot of areas are clinical spaces. Altro was recommended to us by Great Ormond Street Hospital, as they have the most wonderful colourful Altro floors and walls.”

A visit to Altro’s offices at Letchworth proved to be inspiration for the design scheme at Haven House, as Judi explains: “The moment we walked through the door there was an instant ‘wow’ factor. We were blown away by the incredible colour everywhere and the innovative and creative way they showcase their products.

“The most impressive part of the tour was Altro’s rainbow staircase, made out of different types of flooring, which is a stunning and beautiful thing. We were so uplifted and inspired by it that we knew we had to have something similar at Haven House.

“Altro helped us to see that we could use colour everywhere, in both a practical and aesthetic way, create a bright and beautiful interior and still fulfil our functional brief.

“We worked very closely with Altro to select the products that would help us achieve what we wanted. Many products are designed for clinical use, so we had huge flexibility with different shades, textures and finishes throughout the building. We actually have two rainbow staircases at Haven House, they really are our pride and joy, and you can’t walk up or down them without smiling!”

The Haven House rainbow staircase has been created from different colours of Altro SupremaTM and Altro WalkwayTM 20 safety flooring.

“Our aim was to create colour zoning in specific spaces, and Altro products played a significant role in this,” adds Judi. “Walking through the corridors at Altro’s HQ we were struck by how the floors and walls flow together beautifully, and we wanted to achieve that effect.

“Of course, we couldn’t use bright colour everywhere, because some of our children are sensitive to powerful shades, so we had to strike a good balance.

“We decided to focus on the five brand colours within our logo; orange, green, yellow, purple and blue, using matching shades of flooring and walling in key areas within the building to provide pockets of colour. It’s very effective and really pops!”

The entrance at Haven House has a green theme, provided by new Altro OrchestraTM smooth flooring in the shade Jungle, and Altro Whiterock ChameleonTM walling in Hawaiian Palm. Altro Orchestra has also been fitted in the shade Trumpet in the Family Room at Haven House, which transforms into a Sensory Room via a removable partition; and in the Activity Room in the shade Jungle. This ties in with the principles of biophilia – bringing the outside in and harnessing the healing powers of nature.

Continuing this theme, Altro WoodTM Safety flooring in Bleached Oak has been fitted throughout Haven House, in meeting rooms, cafe area, all corridors and bedrooms, creating a homely, non-clinical feel. On the entire first floor, the product has been fitted with Altro acoustic underlay to reduce sound levels.

“There is a real warmth about this wood-effect flooring, it looks lovely — something you would want in your own home and it’s not clinical at all,” says Judi. “The acoustic underlay on the first floor has really helped to bring the noise levels down, and this significantly improves the wellbeing of both staff and children.”

The orange-themed Changing Room at Haven House has been fitted with Altro Whiterock SatinsTM hygienic wall sheet in the shade Bergamot, with Altro SupremaTM safety flooring in Tangerine. “This is such a striking room, the colours are superb and the juicy orange combination of flooring and walling is beautiful,” says Judi.

To create the yellow theme in Haven House’s Waiting Area, the design team chose Altro Whiterock Chameleon in the shade Bee, and Altro Suprema flooring in the shade Taxi Cab. “The installers fitted a very clever overlap between the walling and flooring too minimise the joint and make it flush,” says Judi. “This is also great for infection prevention and control, because the dirt has nowhere to hide.”

The disabled toiletat Haven House has a purple theme, with Altro Whiterock Satins on the walls in the shade Viola, and Altro Walkway 20 safety flooring in the shade Silk. The blue areas have Altro Whiterock Chameleon wall sheet in Ocean Blue and Altro Walkway 20 safety flooring in Lupin.

“Visual stimulation is very important for the children at Haven House, and we used Altro Whiterock DigicladTM walling to create some wonderful water-themed artwork in both the Hydrotherapy Bathroom and teenagers’ en-suite” says Judi.

“The aim was to make these rooms look colourful and less clinical, but the artwork also needed to be permanent, hygienic and hard wearing. Altro Whiterock Digiclad is perfect because it’s so simple, yet very effective. You can create any design you want, it’s wipe-clean, hygienic and it won’t peel off.

“We created an underwater theme in the Hydrotherapy Bathroom using Altro Digiclad — with exotic fish and coral — and various water and beach designs for each of the teenagers’ en-suites. We are thrilled with these images; the quality is superb, sharp and clean, and the children love them too.

Both these areas were also fitted with Altro PiscesTM safety flooring in the shade Jellyfish. “Safety underfoot in wet areas is vital, for both staff and children, and Altro Pisces has been specifically created for this need,” Judi says. “We can have total confidence that everyone is secure, whether they are wearing shoes or have bare feet, and the flooring looks great too.”

A few months after the refurbishment, the feedback from children, staff and visitors to their new colourful environment at Haven House has been overwhelming. Haven House Director of Care, Eileen White, says: “The new bright and colourful interior has had such a profound effect in so many ways, which is thrilling for us all because it’s exactly what we wanted to achieve.

“We have had very positive feedback from staff, children and visitors; the mother of one teenager cried when she saw the teenage wet room with the Altro Digiclad image.

“The wonderful colours have helped us to create an uplifting environment for staff and young people alike. The colour zones have enabled us to make positive experiences and happy memories, and the calming, bleached wood effect flooring reminds me of driftwood. Coupled with the Altro Digiclad tropical underwater wildlife and beach scenes, the imagination takes you to a warm, relaxing shoreline.”

Eileen continues: “So many people have exclaimed when they’ve seen the rainbow staircases for the first time. We’ve had comments such as: “They look amazing and entice you to go up and down – wow”. This was from someone who was visiting for the first time, something which a family, or individual, might not be looking forward to, but it’s so wonderful to start their experience with an invigorating rainbow of colours.

“On a more practical note, the floors and walls look as fresh and vibrant as when they were first fitted and are very easy to clean and take care of. We are using a steam cleaning system which is keeping the floors looking bright and fresh.”

The products used:

Altro Orchestra 2.85mm flooring has been designed for areas where comfort and sound reduction are important. Low residual indentation enables the flexible use of equipment and furniture. At the same time, the integrated impact sound insulation system cuts impact sound by up to 15dB.

It offers superb comfort underfoot, making life easier on the feet, and with a palette of 40 colours and designs varying from calming neutrals reflecting tones of nature, to vibrant shades, Altro Orchestra allows you to create the right atmosphere every time.

Altro Whiterock Chameleon is ideal for making a bold statement. The glossy, vibrant and vividly colourful hygienic wall sheet is available in 16 high impact, high-design shades to add a little bit of affordable luxury to a range of environments. It has all the benefits of Altro WhiterockTM, offering a very durable, smooth, watertight, wipe-clean surface.

Altro Wood Safety is an attractive, general purpose 2mm wood-look flooring available in a range of designs with different plank sizes and shades, including a bamboo-look fine-line design and wide plank classic and rustic designs, helping to create the right look for areas where people live and work. The flooring is designed to cope with medium to heavy traffic and has sustained slip resistance for the lifetime of the floor.

Altro Whiterock Satins is ideal for creating a subtle mood using colour. This versatile and sophisticated wall sheet is available in a range of solid, decorative, satin shades – from soothing and healing through to bright and energetic. The product provides the impact resistance and hygiene you would expect from Altro Whiterock, with a stain-resistant, wipe-clean surface.

Altro Suprema is a stunning, non-sparkle flooring that gives complete design freedom. With 12 new colours including three ‘flake’ designs, one of its 40 shades will match the mood you want.

Altro Walkway 20 is a hugely popular, hard-wearing flooring with a range 42 colours. It gives sustained slip resistance throughout the lifetime of the product, and also includes abrasion resistance, PUR cleanability, and superior chemical and stain resistance.

Altro Whiterock Digiclad is created by reproducing a photographic image or vector art onto Altro Whiterock wall sheet, with consistent, photographic quality. It makes it easy to create a bespoke design on your wall. From a calming coastal landscape in a hospital ward, to a bold company logo in a reception area, the only limit is the imagination. Hard-coat technology provides scratch-resistant properties for added surface protection, making Altro Whiterock Digiclad ideal for areas where durability is important.

Altro Pisces provides superb performance whether wet or dry, in shoes or barefoot in wet environments where the likelihood of a slip is very high. With 16 soft-look shades, the result is the consistent, stylish appearance of domestic interiors, with the lifetime sustained slip resistance you expect from Altro.

For further information, please visit www.altro.co.uk
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Weber floor screed keeps everyone on their toes at Everyone Active Leisure Centre

In the first phase of improvements to Watford Woodside Leisure Centre in Hertfordshire, one of two state-of-the-art facilities in the town managed by Everyone Active, high performance weberfloor 4310 fibre flow by Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified by main contractor Bosun Design & Construction Limited (BDC), Chandlers Ford, Hampshire.

Everyone Active is the trading name for Sports & Leisure Management Limited (SLM), the UK’s longest-established leisure contractor. It manages more than 170 leisure and cultural facilities around the country in partnership with 49 different local authorities and trusts, and is currently carrying out a £1.8million improvement project across its Watford Woodside and Watford Central leisure centres.

“Working alongside Watford Borough Council, we are supporting local people of all ages and abilities to improve their health by offering them access to top-class leisure services and facilities,” said Gary Foley, Everyone Active’s contract manger in Watford. “This project to update both locations will make a huge difference to our members, providing them with a new fitness studio to cater for the growing demand in group exercise, refurbished changing facilities and a significantly improved fitness suite that will offer the latest state-of-the-art equipment.”

“We undertake contracts for Everyone Active at numerous sites in the south east,” comments James May, director at BDC, which is carrying out the work in Watford. “Multiple contracts are on-going at any one time. The process of selection is via tender direct to Everyone Active, which then works with the local authority. It is at this stage a preferred contractor is proposed.”

Included in the current phase of the works is the creation of a new mezzanine floor. It has been installed in the space above a former dance studio and adjacent squash court, and has enabled a brand new fitness studio to be created. The current studio has also been extended. The second phase of development is due to begin at both Watford sites shortly, for completion in early 2019. BDC is actively involved in both projects.

Subcontractor C E C Plastering, of Southampton, undertook the application of weberfloor 4310 fibre flow screed. Director Chris Crosby says: “Together with Bosun Design & Construction we specified this fibre reinforced self-smoothing compound which we pump-applied at various thicknesses from 35-50mm. It was quick and easy to install, very versatile, and has produced an excellent finish. We’re fans of this product and have used it before but, even so, we benefited from Weber’s technical support.” weberfloor 4310 fibre flow screed was applied to a steel framed block and beam floor construction which overcame the concerns around loading issues that might have arisen with the application of a traditional concrete screed.

The new floor was initially primed with weberfloor 4716, a water-based primer designed for use with all cementitious and hemi-hydrate floor screeds. It regulates the porosity of the substrate, improves the adhesion of flooring products while reducing the formation of pinholes in the levelling layer. It should be diluted with clean water and can be spray applied on large areas.

weberfloor 4310 fibre flow screed is designed for application at thicknesses between 5 – 50mm and formulated from special cements, aggregates, supplementary binders and chemical admixtures. It is supplied as a blended dry powder and designed specifically for renovation of existing floors and floating floor construction in domestic and commercial applications.

weberfloor 4310 fibre flow can receive foot traffic after just 2 – 4 hours and can be tiled after 12 – 24 hours, dependent on ambient temperature following installation. The fibre reinforcement aids durability and allows it to be used in conjunction with under floor heating systems and floating floors. weberfloor 4310 fibre flow has excellent spreading and smoothing characteristics. It has low alkalinity and low emissions during drying and is casein free.

Almost 500 bags of weberfloor 4310 fibre flow were required to finish the 190m² mezzanine floor in preparation for a final wood sprung floor suitable for dance and other physical education where shock absorption is essential to enhance performance and reduce the risk of injury.

weberfloor 4310 fibre flow is featured in Weber’s one hour long RIBA-Assessed ‘Introduction into Flowing Floor Screeds’ CPD which can be presented by Weber’s Specification Team at your premises or at a Saint-Gobain facility or Training Academy anywhere in the UK. It is free of charge and available on request. This comprehensive CPD presentation covers many subjects from why and where to use floor systems; the attributes of commercial floors; design considerations; the demands of the finished floor that will have an influence on specification, through to renovation, fast-track construction and drying times.

The CPD includes an application video showing the attributes of weberfloor 4310 fibre flow smoothing compound which is of specific interest to both designers and applicators.

Weber’s floor screeds and tile fixing products are manufactured in sustainable, modern manufacturing facilities in Bedfordshire, Shropshire and Ireland, ensuring product quality, conformity and availability, with reduced transportation costs and CO₂ emissions.

Weber has a team of experienced technical advisors who are available to provide advice both at the specification stage and during application. Detailed specifications can be provided for specific projects while site visits and on-site support can be arranged.

For more information about the Flooring CPD, to make a booking, or for technical support including award winning training courses, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.uk.weber . CPD bookings can be made by email: mail@netweber.co.uk.
A free download of the Weber App for iPhone and iPad users is also available from the App Store and from Google Play for Android smartphones and tablet users. Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on Twitter @SGWeberUK for the latest company news and updates.
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New carpet design options from Gradus with Lafite Connect Space

To complement Gradus’ expanding, high-performance contractor carpet products and to provide a versatile offering, Gradus has extended its Lafite Connect Space range to include a plank option as well as two new colours.

Carpet planks have become increasingly popular amongst specifiers and contractors and the new plank variants of Lafite Connect Space can be used as a feature design to enhance and customise interiors.

Featuring an attractive linear design, Lafite Connect Space is perfect for large areas in commercial office and education environments.

Karen Burman, product manager for Gradus, said: “Transitional zoning has become popular in recent years and can be created by installing planks or tiles of different colour tones to form a subtle shift from light to dark flooring. With the new Lafite Connect Space options, specifiers can combine grey base tones for a gradual transition and add a vibrant accent colour for a unique statement with the new colour options.

“Alternatively, to create feature areas, Lafite Connect Space allows specifiers to experiment with colour contrast and bold installation patterns to create a feature area or an exciting statement design.”

The two new colour additions, warm natural and an olive grey, cater to the growing appetite for organic colours in commercial environments to create features or zones such as breakout areas, seating areas and walkways.

The high-performance contractor carpet forms part of the Lafite Connect family and will work in conjunction with other designs within the range for a coordinated floor scheme. Specifiers and contractors can combine formats and choose from a range of installation methods such as herringbone, half drop and brick bond.

For more information on Lafite Connect Space or Gradus’ complete carpet range, please visit www.gradus.com or contact Gradus Technical Support on 01625 428922.

 

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Altro creates a relaxing environment for playful dachshunds

Pigglefairy Puppies, based near Kings Lynn, is a council-licenced breeder of Kennel Club registered miniature Dachshunds. The kennel where the dogs slept was five years old, and was starting to look tired. It needed a refit, and owner Debbie Casemore wanted a solution that would not stress the dogs. She also needed a quick turnaround to make sure the dogs were able to return to the kennel quickly.

Debbie said: “I wanted the best for the dogs, and hygiene is so important for their welfare. I wanted an easy to clean floor and wall solution that would have no edges or crevices for the dogs to chew on. It also had to be quick to fit so the dogs could go back to their routine.”

Altro Cantata™ was chosen to provide an easy to clean floor that would be quick to install. Altro Cantata is installed without adhesive, which is a benefit when adhesive smells can cause stress. Altro Whiterock™ Satins in ‘Fawn’ was chosen as an easy to maintain and hygienic solution that looked good.

Debbie continued: “The colours of Altro Cantata and Altro Whiterock Satins are nice and neutral, and look really professional and clean.”

Altro Cantata and Altro Whiterock Satins were installed by Simon Johnson at Simply Interiors. Simon said: “Since Altro adhesive-free floors were launched, it now makes up approximately 80% of our safety flooring jobs. The speed for clients and us has proved invaluable! Altro Cantata is a great addition to the range.”

Altro Cantata is a decorative, adhesive-free floor that creates maximum impact with minimum downtime. Using Altro’s award-winning adhesive-free installation method, it can be welded and walked on the same day, and at the end of its life can be removed easily, allowing it to be reused or recycled. It is ideal for busy public spaces where disruption needs to be minimal, plus there are no associated adhesive odours. Altro Cantata’s 16 soft-look shades, which range from subtle naturals to beautifully vivid, enable you to set the desired tone yet it also has the durability needed for medium to high traffic areas.

Altro Whiterock Satins provides a stain-resistant, wipeclean surface. Available in a range of solid, satin-finish shades – from subtle pastels through to vivid brights – Altro Whiterock Satins can be used where aesthetics are important.

For more information please visit www.altro.co.uk.
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Creating a lasting impression with Osmo UK’s ESCO collection

For the past three years, Osmo UK and bespoke European oak flooring specialists, ESCO, have enjoyed a successful partnership, creating a collection of nine solid oak flooring styles pre-finished with Osmo’s renowned wood finishing product, Polyx®-Oil. Ready to install from purchase, Osmo’s ESCO collection is favoured by specifiers.

Osmo UK specialise in producing wood protection and finishes using natural ingredients to complement the wood’s internal properties. The products contain no biocides or preservatives, abolishing the need for traditional chemically enhanced products. The ESCO collection offers a robust yet aesthetically pleasing wooden floor and is pre-finished with Osmo’s Polyx®-Oil.

Polyx-Oil from Osmo UK is a premium wood finish guaranteed to keep wooden surfaces in the best possible condition. Ideal for solid engineered or laminate wood floors, it is a high quality, water-repellent and tread-resistant wood finish. Unlike ordinary oil finish products which often form a film on the surface of the wood, Polyx-Oil’s natural components penetrate deeply into the wood to create a micro-porous finish. This allows the wood to breathe, moisture to evaporate and ensures a flawless finish both upon application and for many years to come.

The ESCO collection offers a choice of nine solid oak flooring options, including Harfa, Bohemia and Chateau, and each with its own unique charms and appealing appearance.

Focus on: Harfa Flooring

The Harfa flooring surface has been designed with a rough-sawn treatment and has been enhanced with cross-wise cuts that are grooved in the surface. Harfa can be combined with many different styles and colours, providing endless possibilities. It is hugely versatile, available in eight colours, including natural, natural white, double smoked black, smoked tobacco, smoked natural, washy grey, smoked white and stone grey. There is also the option to choose between 2 or 3 layer parquet and your desired wood style – elegance, superb, classic or original.

Focus on: Chateau Flooring

Another of the leading styles in the Osmo ESCO range is Chateau, a smooth oak flooring design that effortlessly showcases the wood’s classic natural beauty in a stylish and contemporary manner. Elegantly embracing the wood’s artistic knots and grains, the style complements current decorative trends and interiors. As standard, Chateau is available in eight different colours, including black, tobacco, stone grey and natural. Before being oiled, boards can also be smoked. This process adds rich, deep variations of colour to the palette, providing another 6 colour options.

Offering further personalisation, Chateau flooring is supplied in three grades; character grade, character/prime grade and prime grade. Character grade is ideal for interiors that want to retain the natural look. Complete with hand-filled, sanded knots, the flooring brings the true rustic nature of the wood to life. A slight variation of the Character grade is the Character/Prime Grade. With smaller knots, this grade offers the rustic charm in a more uniform look. Finally, Prime Grade provides a sleek, contemporary look keeping any knots to a minimum.

Focus on: Bohemia Flooring

Those looking for a smooth and alive rustic floor need to look no further than the Bohemian range. The combination of ESCO’s special rustic wood style and Osmo’s smooth finish makes it one of the most popular flooring choices in the range. Available in eight colour options, including Cognac, Natural white to Stone Grey, this stylish flooring will suit any interior scheme.
The Bohemia option offers a strong rustic wooden style that features open filled knots for a genuine oak style. In addition to this, the floorings surface lines and irregular surface smoothness give Bohemia a unique look and feel compared to other designs. Planed, filled, sanded and finished with Osmo Polyx®-Oil, Bohemian flooring requires no additional coatings and can be ready to walk on in hours, not days, after installation.

For a more specific look, customers can create their own Bohemian flooring exact to their requirements. After selecting a colour, customers can choose the type, width, thickness and length of the flooring. This includes a choice from solid wood flooring, two-layer parquet or three-layer parquet. For a more personalised touch, the wood can be finished with a range of signature features including an Osmo silver shine, extra old finish, fire-rating or handscrapped bevel.

Osmo’s ESCO range is available from Osmo UK direct or from its nationwide network of stockists.

For more information contact Osmo UK on 01296 481220, email info@osmouk.com, or alternatively visit www.osmouk.com.
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Removing old floor coatings

The Preparation Group specialises in environmentally friendly solutions for preparing, cleaning and finishing surfaces. Its contracting division PPC, was recently employed to remove 1-2mm of epoxy resin from the 840m2 concrete subfloor of a Howden’s warehouse, ready for the application of a single pack coating.

The company used its 250 Planer fitted with a milling drum, removing the flexible resin material which varied in thickness and cutting into it with minimum damage to the background surface. After planing, the floor was ground with the heavy duty Terrco® 2000 Grinding and Polishing machine to create a perfectly smooth, flat ‘profile’ suitable for the application of the final thin coating system.

Planing

When selecting a Planer, it is important to look for machines that are simple to use and that offer precision cutting. The 250 Planer benefits from both lever and wheel drum lowering devices and no complicated switches. You simply turn on/off and lower the drum.

In planing, there are four main types of quick change drums fitted with different flails for a variety of applications:

Milling Drums:-
For removal of thermoplastic line markings, bitumous and rubber deposits, epoxy coatings and cementitious screeds in excess of 2mm.

TCT Drums:-
For traffic markings removal, stone surface cleaning, concrete grooving, heaving milling of concrete, scabbling, cleaning and roughening concrete and asphalt.

Beam Drums:-
For cleaning off paint without damage to concrete, de-scaling steel and removing oil and grease deposits.

Star Drums:-
For cleaning concrete laitance, de-rusting, general cleaning, paint & mill scale removal.

Grinding

The Terrco® 2000 multi-head machine is one of a range of grinders and polishers, the brand having evolved over 85 years. It is ideal for removing self levellers, screeds, coatings and adhesives from concrete, asphalt and stone surfaces. It also produces a high gloss finish on terrazzo, resin systems, concrete and asphalt.

On the Terrco®, different grades of diamond accessories are fitted to the rotating arms of the grinder, smoothing & removing as the machine moves forward, with the debris collected by a dust extraction unit.

When selecting diamond accessories for grinding, it is important to note that the materials used in the construction of floors varies considerably. The geographic location of the project provides an insight into regional materials used and must always be considered when selecting diamond accessories to prepare surfaces.

A simple equation is to examine the type of surface being treated. A hard composition surface will require a soft bond segment and a soft composition surface will require a hard bond segment.

In each instance the selection of the correct accessory will optimise the life of the diamond and provide cost effective solutions for the designated project.
In the event that the incorrect grade of diamond is selected it will simply glaze over the surface not creating the correct cutting actions, or “wear out” extremely quickly and often in the initial stages of the operation which proves to be costly and unsuccessful.

The Preparation Group’s technical support team is available to advise and recommend on the correct combination of equipment and accessories for your specific project.

For more information please visit www.thepreparationgroup.com or call 01522 561460.
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