BEWI UK (JACKOBOARD®)

JACKOBOARD® by BEWI offers many benefits for installers of wetrooms and bathrooms. JACKOBOARD® is a waterproof, weight-loading and thermally insulating construction board for use in all types of tiling jobs.Critically, because it is manufactured from 100% waterproof XPS, there is no need to tank wetrooms constructed using JACKOBOARD®, either with a waterproof membrane or a paint-on solution. This saves the installer both time and money, since a separate tanking system is not required and only the joints where the boards meet need to be taped.The NHBC Standard states that “backing surfaces may require protection from a suitable tanking system”.“This guidance is completely correct,” says Martin Harragan from JACKON by BEWI, “but it should not be interpreted to mean that if you are using an XPS backerboard, such as JACKOBOARD®, you have to tank the entire substrate of your wetroom. The closed structure of an XPS board means that it is totally impossible for water to pass through it, in the way that it would through a fibre cement board for instance.”JACKOBOARD® is keen to communicate this message to the many different trades who get involved in the installation of wetroom systems, from the shower tray upwards. Although there are wetroom specialists, this job is often down to plumbers, M&E contractors, tilers, dryliners and flooring contractors. So, as wetrooms continue to increase in popularity, there are different trades who need to be aware of the benefits of XPS backerboards.While offering the benefits of XPS, JACKOBOARD® can also offer a price advantage in the marketplace, due to the fact that the company manufactures its own foam, giving it complete control over cost, product quality and sustainability of manufacturing processes. These factors have enabled JACKOBOARD® to become the UK market leader in XPS construction boards.

Manufactured with an extruded polystyrene foam core and a special coating on both sides, Jackoboard construction boards from Jackon by Bewi can be used as part of a system approach for tiling.With a range of shower trays and drain kits, Jackon says Jackoboard can help create a perfect wetroom or bathroom environment.Jackoboard construction systems provide the flexibility to meet modern requirements in bathroom design. “What was once considered a mere washroom has now been elevated to a private wellness oasis,” Jackon says. “In recent years, the demands placed on bathroom finishes have changed dramatically to allow refurbished bathrooms to shine like new with flexible and high-quality renovations.”The current British Standard for tiling, BS 5385-1:2018, requires the wider use of more appropriate materials for construction, and for receiving tiles in water sensitive and wet areas. This has reportedly increased the demand for the Jackoboard range in new build applications as well as in renovation works.The products are manufactured sustainably and, being superb insulators, they can be used in the design of energy-efficient homes, the company says. The protection of the environment is key to parent company Jackon by Bewi. The company says that plastics, when used as long-term construction materials can greatly reduce the need for heating energy and can therefore make a positive contribution to tackling the climate crisis. In fact, Jackon has been running a campaign in recent years to supply beehives made from the company’s polystyrene bead to the Bee Centre in Chorley. Like Jackoboard, the company says, these beehives will last a lifetime and provide better insulation than the alternatives, enabling the Bee Centre to continue its outreach work in support of honeybees and beekeeping.The surfaces of the Jackoboard system are said to provide an extremely strong bond for the tile adhesive and can be used on virtually any substrate. The boards are waterproof, thermally insulating, very lightweight and strong.The range can form the basis for a tiled finish, but it can also provide a substrate for wallpaper, paint or plaster. “So the possibilities for personal expression are virtually unlimited, allowing every bathroom to benefit from its own individual style,” Jackon says.Due to their core made of extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), Jackoboard construction boards and the wider product range are all lightweight and waterproof – a key benefit for bathroom new build and renovation.Jackoboard also makes installation “simple and easy”. The construction boards, bath panels and angle elements can be trimmed to the desired dimensions with standard tools, while their insulation values reportedly enable them to maximise the benefits of underfloor heating.The range is available in sizes and board thicknesses from 4-80mm to suit all building requirements. A suite of ancillary items are also available, from installation and sealing kits through to washers, fixing dowels and BoardFIX.J-Drain Linear and J-Drain Wall are recent additions to the family of wetroom products from Jackoboard. These products provide what the company calls a high-tech design solution to enable the creation of a totally minimalist walk-in shower.Both products are designed be used in combination with Jackoboard Sloping Boards for the floor and Plano Boards for the walls, to provide everything needed for a “highly fashionable and innovative walk-in shower solution”.“From a design point of view, these products are completely on-trend, given that the minimalist look for walk-in showers is very popular at the moment,” Jackon says. “Achieving this with a highly effective drain solution, which also showcases the tiling to maximum effect, is a key selling point for these new products, used together with Jackoboard backerboards.”

The JACKOBOARD range from BEWI is “ideal” for use as a tile backerboard on projects where increasingly popular underfloor heating systems are being installed, the company says.Made from extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), the construction boards are said to be inherently waterproof because the structure of the board does not allow water to penetrate. They are designed to be easy to work with and cut, as well as truly lightweight.They are finished on both sides with a special coating and reinforced fibreglass mesh, ready to be tiled, rendered or plastered. The boards are said to possess excellent thermal insulation properties, which give them enormous advantages over plasterboard or cement board. They are especially suitable for interior construction, the company says, especially in rooms subject to high moisture levels.According to BEWI, JACKOBOARD goes “beyond bathrooms” and can be used in any room of the house and as a backerboard for virtually any tiling project.The boards are suitable for quickly and effectively levelling uneven walls and floors, for partition walls, compensating for cracks in substrates and for creating substrates for laying tiles on non-adhesive surfaces.JACKOBOARD is also said to provide the best waterproof, insulated, tiling substrate for underfloor heating projects. Whether electric mats or hot water systems are being installed, BEWI says, JACKOBOARD – laid underneath the heating elements or pipework – will help to decrease warm-up times of the system by pushing the heat directly up to the tile layer. In this way, the heat generated by the system is used in the most efficient way, not just during the initial heat-up stage, but in general usage with the continued thermostat-controlled use of the heating system.As builders are forced to reduce the carbon footprint of their projects, the materials they choose to build with can provide a key to unlocking the thermal performance of a building. The XPS foam used on JACKOBOARD products reportedly achieves excellent insulation properties. It’s designed to help maximise the energy efficiency of walls and floors, improving the overall thermal performance of any property.www.bewi.com

This amazing swimming pool refurbishment project in Knutsford, Cheshire was undertaken by Abstract Pools Ltd. Tiles from Designworks and more than 100 JACKOBOARD® construction boards were used.Manufactured with an extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam core and a special coating on both sides, JACKOBOARD® construction boards form an ideal base for tiling. The surfaces of the JACKOBOARD® system provide an extremely strong bond and can be used on virtually any substrate. The boards are waterproof, thermally insulating, truly lightweight and very strong. This combination of characteristics makes them ideal for pool hall work. The result of this refurbishment is absolutely stunning and the owners of the property are delighted unsurprisingly.The owner was abroad while the renovation was carried out. The pool was situated in the basement of the house and had been left empty for a few years. The contractor was tasked with refurbishing the pool hall and bringing it back to life. They stripped everything back to the existing substrate, and then rendered and screeded the pool itself, the jacuzzi and the pool surrounds.A new steam room was added, using JACKOBOARD®. All of the pool hall walls were lined with JACKOBOARD®, ready to receive tiles. All tiles on this project were supplied by Designworks Tiles, the specialists in tiles and mosaics for swimming pools and spas. The tiles used on the project were Ezarri Lisa Black Mosaic for the pool tank, District Grey 1200x600x10mm for the pool hall walls, District Dark Grey for the pool coping tiles and District silver 600x600x10mm for the pool floor surround