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Handmade clay tiles create historic-style new build

Canterbury handmade clay plain tiles from leading roof systems manufacturer, Marley Eternit have been used to create an authentic roof for a new build historic-style cottage in the Denham Conservation area.

The self build project, in the picturesque old English village of Denham, had to adhere to strict planning guidelines for roof height and use of materials due to the number of listed buildings along the same road. The homeowner consulted independent roofing merchant Skyline Roofing Centres, who recommended the Canterbury clay tiles in Loxleigh to give a premium rustic aesthetic and complement the cottage’s Welsh oak timber frame.

The homeowner explains “Denham village dates back to the Doomsday Book and has 46 listed buildings, the majority of which are along Village Road where our new house has been built. These historic properties are largely vernacular with a mix of brick and timber frames and many of them have handmade clay tiles on the roof.

“We chose the Marley Eternit handmade tiles because they achieved the traditional, heritage look demanded by local planning and blended in well with the rafters and open eaves on the roof. They also complemented the copper gutters and downpipes, which needed to fit with planning requirements as well.

“We have been aspiring to build our own home for over five years, so we had a clear image of what we wanted it to look like and had even built a model of it. The handmade tiles have helped us to achieve our dream picturesque cottage, which sits perfectly in this idyllic village and is a welcome break from the busy city.”

Marley Eternit’s range of Canterbury tiles are handmade by skilled craftsmen, using locally sourced Etruria Marl, generally accepted to be the finest clay for strength and durability. The tiles are available in three colours; Chailey (orange), Loxleigh (antique) and Burford (brown) with their own handmade fittings range.

Daniel Redfern, product manager from Marley Eternit, comments “We developed the Canterbury range specifically for projects like this, giving architects and self builders more choice when only genuine handmade clay plain tiles may be specified to meet planning requirements. The traditional hand making process brings random undulations and variations that give each tile its unique appearance, creating a distinct rustic style roof that is ideal for conservation or aesthetic purposes.”

For more information, literature and samples, please contact 01283 722588 or visit www.marleyeternit.co.uk/handmade
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Blending the old and the new

Ashdowne handcrafted clay tiles transform 17th century pub.

Marley Eternit’s Ashdowne handcrafted clay plain tiles have been used to help transform a derelict 17th century pub into a new fine dining restaurant and village centre. The £3 million restoration project by David Bishop has seen the Wheatsheaf pub in Rettendon brought back to life as an exciting new complex which, in addition to Le Benaix Bar and Brasserie, includes a village store, hair dresser and separate beauty salon.

Famous for being a drovers’ pub back in the 17th century, the former Wheatsheaf pub in the Essex village of Rettendon is a building of significant historical importance but had remained derelict for almost ten years. The challenge was to restore and extend the ageing building, retaining many of the existing features.

Owner David Bishop selected the handcrafted Ashdowne clay plain tiles from Marley Eternit to replicate the aesthetic of the clay peg tiles used on the original roof. 38,000 tiles were used to create the beautiful clay roof, creating a heritage appearance that connects both the old and the new parts of the building. The roof includes a large octagonal shaped section to create a striking design feature.

David Bishop comments: “With such an important local building, we wanted to stay as close as possible to the aesthetic of the original clay peg tiles and we chose the Ashdowne handcrafted tiles because they had a very similar appearance and were more cost effective.

The aged look of the handcrafted tiles also meant we could use them to blend the new parts of the development in with the renovated historical pub.

“As the building was disused for almost a decade, many of the original roof tiles were missing, so we would have had to find a huge number of old clay peg tiles, so the City Council planning department acknowledged the benefits of the handcrafted tile instead. The finished effect is stunning and the tiles really do help to combine the two parts of the building and ensure the new build is sympathetic to the old. Complementing the local village surroundings was very important and we’ve had several local people comment on what a beautiful roof it is and how well it blends in.”

Ashdowne handcrafted clay plain tiles are available in two weathered colours making them the ideal choice to enhance the beauty of a new build development or for a refurbishment project. The traditional handcrafted finish ensures each and every roof takes on a character of its own.

Charlotte Hughes, product manager at Marley Eternit, adds: “The roof on this project certainly is stunning and demonstrates how handcrafted tiles like these can be used very sympathetically on restoration projects, at the same time as adding beauty to new builds. The Ashdowne tiles on this project help to blend the old and the new buildings very effectively, with the aged clay appearance complementing the vernacular style.”

Ashdowne clay tiles also offer impressive environmental credentials, including the ability to achieve an A+ rating in the BRE Green Guide to Specification, BES 6001 Responsible Sourcing accreditation and certified carbon footprint data at product level.

For further information, visit www.marleyeternit.co.uk/Roofing/Clay-Tiles/Ashdowne-Clay-Tile
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Luxury car showroom specifies COMPAC quartz

The largest Rolls-Royce showroom in the world is in Abu Dhabi and features COMPAC large format quartz tiles for the flooring area throughout the showrooms’ display area.

This state-of-the-art facility, measures 900 square meters and houses five Rolls-Royce cars, a coffee bar and a “client configuration lounge” including colour and trim samples to allow clients to customise their cars.

COMPAC quartz in a Nacarado finish was specified for the showroom flooring due to its luxurious finish which complements the showrooms ultra-modern design and of course the beauty of the cars.
Its high performance capabilities were also a key factor – COMPAC’s renowned engineering skills have achieved virtually zero porosity and an extraordinary hard surface which has a high resistance to abrasions, heat and staining, importantly, it is easy to clean and maintain.

Delivering excellent whole life costings, quartz surfaces from COMPAC will enhance any project and provides the designer with a stunning and versatile material to work with.

For more information please visit www.compac.es.
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Vertigo gives distinct aesthetic to London extension project

A roof extension project in London has used an innovative fibre cement slate, specifically designed for vertical application, to create a distinctive, contemporary dormer conversion, which had to meet stringent local planning requirements. The project is one of the first in the UK to use the new Vertigo slates, which were developed by roofing and facades manufacturer Marley Eternit.

The home owner specified the Vertigo fibre cement slates to create a clean cut, precisely engineered, slate panel aesthetic for his dormer loft conversion and roof extension, forming a contrast against the riven tiles used on the existing roof and differentiating it from other roof extensions in the area.

The first of its kind in the UK, Vertigo consists of small 600mm by 300mm slate like panels which can be quickly fixed onto battens, with the desired amount of insulation in between. The fibre cement slates perfectly adapt to the contours of the building, providing a second protective skin.

He explains: “There are hundreds of similar roof extensions in Chiswick, all determined by the same stringent local planning requirements. We appointed PRS Builders to carry out a flat roof dormer conversion for us but we wanted something different, we didn’t want a ‘me-too’ extension. The idea was to create as modern an aesthetic as possible, using an innovative material, not the same type of vertically hung tiles used on other conversions in the area, but still working within the planning constraints.

“We originally chose zinc but it proved to be too expensive and not eco-friendly enough. When we heard about Vertigo, we changed the specification as it offered the stand out aesthetic we were looking for but was a more cost effective and sustainable option.”

The Vertigo slate range is very easy to fix by any builder or roofing contractor and has three different installation methods to give more design flexibility and freedom. On this project, PRS Builders fitted the Vertigo fibre cement slates using a panel installation, so that the regular bond panels give geometric precision. However, it can also be fitted using a traditional method of installation, which gives a natural slate appearance with slate hooks or another option is broken bond, where panels are staggered to give a close boarded effect.

The homeowner adds: “We’re really pleased with the finished effect, the extension blends in with surrounding roofscapes but at the same time, the Vertigo finish offers something a little bit different – a distinctive, yet under-stated, aesthetic that sets ours apart from all of the other similar dormer conversions in the area.”

Charlotte Hughes, marketing product manager from Marley Eternit, comments: “As architects, specifiers and self builders look to create stand out residential designs in urban areas, fibre cement is becoming an increasingly popular material, not only for the roof but also for vertical slating. We developed Vertigo to give more flexibility to specifiers and designers who want to use fibre cement slates across the whole building envelope. This innovative method of vertical slating uses invisible fixings to provide clean lines and a modern aesthetic and is perfectly suited to new build or refurbishment work.”

Lightweight, weather and temperature resistant and available in eight different colours from blue/black to terracotta, Vertigo slates can be used to create beautiful, distinctive and elegant vertical cladding solutions for a full range of building types. Perfect continuity between the roof and facade can be achieved by using Vertigo in combination with Marley Eternit’s Birkdale or Rivendale fibre cement roof slates.

Vertigo also boasts superb sustainability credentials, helping to achieve environmental credits with a ‘very good’ BES 6001 Responsible Sourcing accreditation and its own Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Fibre cement also offers sustainability benefits throughout its whole life cycle, as it can be fully recycled at the end of its use. Waste fibre cement can be ground down and used to replace limestone and shale in clinker production, the essential ingredients for Portland cement.

For further information on our range of products and services just ask ME at www.marleyeternit.co.uk/vertigo or call ME on 01283 722588. You can also follow ME on Twitter @MarleyEternit. If it matters to you it matters to us, that’s why with ME it’s all about you.
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Cembrit BBA certified slates provide natural finish to new housing development

Jutland, smooth and Zeeland, textured BBA certified fibre cement slates from Cembrit, have demonstrated their versatility, design and performance features on a stylish, nature-inspired housing development in the seaside town of Weymouth.

Pemberly consists of 176 houses, townhouses, apartments and bungalows, varying from one bedroom to four bedrooms in size. While the development is centrally located and within walking distance to shops, schools, amenities, a community centre, library and local transport, it still offers a tranquil living space.

Poole-based building contractor, F.H.Cummings worked with roofing specialist, Weatherbury Roofing on this project. Having installed Cembrit slates in the past, the roofer specified Jutland and Zeeland fibre cement slates for the new build properties. Finding a roofing material that would blend in with the natural surroundings, accommodate the varying roof pitches and meet the high specification requirements was a challenge for the contractor.

“We have experience of working with a number of different roofing materials, and this allowed us to make an informed decision that fibre cement slates would be the best option for this project”comments Simon Coleman, Contracts Manager of Weatherbury Roofing. “Cembrit fibre cement slates are lightweight and pre-holed, two features that were beneficial to us. This, combined with the fact that these slates don’t require any grading or sorting, meant that we were able to speed up the installation process. The fact that Cembrit’s slates come in a variety of surface textures allows us to choose a slate for each design.”

Cembrit holds five BBA (British Board of Agrément) Certificates for its fibre cement slate range, ensuring that whichever system is chosen, roofers and architects can be confident in the specified product. To achieve this status, Cembrit fibre cement slates completed a comprehensive testing process and successfully met all the requirements set out by the BBA.

Jutland and Zeeland slates are manufactured to the highest European standards using Portland cement together with a formulation of superior blended synthetic and cellulose fibres. Cembrit fibre cement slates are finished with a high quality, semi-matt acrylic coloured coating to the face and edges and a tinted, high performance binder to the back face. The slates are manufactured in accordance with a quality assurance system to ISO 9001 and to the requirements of BS EN 492:2012 product specification for fibre cement slates and their fittings.

Cembrit A/A+- rated fibre cement slates can contribute to achieving an environmentally outstanding building. The five variations (Jutland, Zeeland, Westerland, Moorland and Diamond) allow designers to achieve the highest ratings for roof specifications and are currently the only fibre cement slate certificated.

For more information, and to download the fibre cement slate guide, visit www.cembrit.co.uk. Follow us on Twitter at @CembritUK and Facebook at Cembrit UK.
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Canterbury handmade range is first choice for standout roof design

Marley Eternit’s Canterbury premium handmade clay plain tiles are available in three colours to achieve truly unique roof design.

Loxleigh boasts an antique appearance due to its semi-sanded finish in red and grey shades, Burford is a rich red-brown tone in a fully sanded texture and Chailey offers a vibrant orange tone and can be used on the main roof or as a contrast tile for vertical tiling.

The authentic blend of colours means all three tiles can be mixed on the roof to create their own unique design or replicate a patchwork of colour often seen on traditional roofs in Suffolk, Sussex and Kent. Canterbury clay plain tiles are also available with a complementary range of traditional handmade fittings and decorative accessories to achieve the perfect finish.

To request a brochure or samples contact 01283 722588 / www.marleyeternit.co.uk/handmade

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Cembrit to invest in natural slate

Cembrit is pleased to announce the creation of a dedicated natural slates division to offer the UK’s specifiers and slaters greater choice of top end material for prestigious roofing contracts. The philosophy will be to enhance the existing range with additional high quality slates. The new brands will offer reliable, long term availability. This will be supported by dedicated personnel and focused marketing. As a start of the investment and long term commitment to Natural Slate, the group has decided to dedicate a specific person to this product group, Sales Director, Rob Wallace.

Cembrit’s ancestry in the UK begins with Alan Blunn Ltd, one of the UK’s original natural slate agents, set up in 1924, offering customer service and technical expertise to all involved in pitched roofing. Acquired by Cembrit in 2000, the reputation and sales of the combined company has continued to grow, to the extent that Cembrit’s natural slates activities became an attractive proposition for others seeking to enhance their position in the UK market.

Encouraged by this, Cembrit has realized that there is a responsibility as well as huge potential to provide durable, verifiable, high quality natural slates to the British market. The new division will be headed by Rob Wallace, who has 18 years of experience in growing Cembrit’s business from its Welsh depot in Llandow. Cembrit’s growth has been achieved through unbeatable customer service.

“We have seen continued growth in the demand for natural slate, particularly with proven origin and consistent supply,” comments Rob Wallace, Sales Director, Cembrit. “Our stance will be one of honesty and transparency as this is important to clients but not always available in our complex market”.

Marketing Manager Ged Ferris adds “This marks the beginning of a new phase in Cembrit’s commitment to natural slate. Cembrit will be making substantial investments in this environmentally attractive material. Look out for more news as the division takes shape”.

For more information, and to download the fibre cement slate guide, visit www.cembrit.co.uk

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