"synthetic anhydrite calcium sulfate based flooring"

Situated within the city of Leeds is the recently refurbished Kings House, which is now a prominent multi-tenanted office building. The interior design aspect of the refurbishment would be the responsibility of Wetherby-based Design Tonic Limited. In specifying the crucial flooring aspect of the project Design Tonic would turn to international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply 400m2 from their award-winning Creation 70 Looselay LVT flooring range.

This new-build house was in a remote location and off-grid for mains gas, the house was to be heated by a heat pump and so efficiency was a major consideration for the project. The Lewis Deck system was chosen for the 1st floor of the building to provide the same efficiencies for the underfloor heating as the concrete ground floor as well as providing a high level of acoustic separation for this quality timber frame project. The build-up included the Lewis flanking and resilient strips, Lewis Deck, Anhydrite liquid screed and underfloor heating pipes.

TDS SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing ScreedAftercare SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing ScreedSMET Floor Screeds and Compounds Product SelectorWe supplied Pier Contractors Ltd with SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed for the renovation job in Old Admiralty Building Refurb in London. The product supplied to help deliver the project is a high-quality pumpable, factory-produced, CE marked, self-levelling screed based on calcium sulphate.German-made SMET LiteFlo® is unique because it’s the first pumpable lightweight flowing screed available. Made from specially selected aggregates - means it’s 30% lighter than conventional flowing screeds and can be laid in reduced thicknesses. The screed offers a high yield, 43kg per m2 @ 40mm.SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed is a high-quality, innovative, pumpable factory-produced, CE marked, self-levelling screed based on calcium sulphate. Made from specially selected aggregates, makes it 70% lighter than traditional sand & cement – ultimately this means less is required per m2.LiteFlo® complies with EN 13813: 2002, is CE-marked, and is available in 27Kg bags or bulk silos.Have a look at the Northern Builder MagazineTop 5 Liquid Screeds Article.  Read about SMET LiteFlo® in the Irish Construction News.Whether your job is – self-build, retro-fit, floor renovation or repair, design floor, commercial or shop, sustainable build, historical renovation, ECO build, Lightweight, or an industrial flooring venture – SMET has a flooring compound or ready to use product suitable for your application.www.smetbuildingproducts.com or www.smet.ie

When Somerset House Studios based artist and researcher Phoebe Davies needed a design-orientated flooring that would also help highlight the sport aspects of her first solo show ‘Points of Rupture’ she turned to leading, International sport and vinyl flooring specialist, Gerflor. ‘Points of Rupture’ uses video, sound and installation to explore themes of tactility, training and recovery of athletes engaged in contact sports. The concept arose from Davies’ own on-going recovery from a basketball injury in parallel with her research work into contact-based sport with a group of teenage, female wrestlers in Norway.

MeiraGTx is a company that is committed to the development of novel gene therapies to transform the lives of patients suffering from acquired and inherited disorders. MeiraGTx tasked Rochester-based Clean Room Construction Ltd (CRC) to deliver suitable flooring for their inaugural clean room facility in London which could meet the companies’ rigorous standards in cleanliness and bio control.

Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s custom-built facility brings together the operational and charity teams together under one roof for the first time, which will not only improve the vital service they offer but ensure the stability of their future. As a charity Wiltshire Air Ambulance have a set of core values which they abide by, one of which is the planet; They are a responsible charity and make a difference by using local companies and where possible sourcing recycled and sustainable materials. They looked to danfloor to supply their Eco Weave Tile for the development.

Floor Painters Limited, have used UltraFloor to complete a 2,100 sqm industrial flooring project at a historic steel forge.Experienced industrial flooring experts, Floor Painters Limited, have used a number of UltraFloor materials to complete a 2,100 sqm industrial flooring project at a historic steel forge in Lincoln.BackgroundBuilt over 100 years ago, the existing floors in the steel forge were damaged and unsafe. After careful consideration, it became clear that replacing the original concrete floor was not a practical option in terms of time and cost.The ChallengeThe steel forge remained fully operational throughout the project and so the challenge was to find a range of flooring materials perfectly suited for industrial use and that could be trafficked quickly so as not to disrupt any work being carried out.The SolutionWith decades of expertise, Floor Painters Limited knew UltraFloor materials were key to a successful outcome.After removing the damaged concrete floor, the concrete substrate was sealed using UltraFloor Prime IT Multi-surface Primer. Formulated to promote adhesion to all UltraFloor smoothing underlayments, Prime IT Multi-surface Primer is pigmented pink for excellent coverage control and is proven to reduce pinholing, minimising the risk of costly failures. With a coverage rate of 200sqm at 3:1 dilution, Prime IT Multi-surface Primer is a must-have product for all flooring installation projects.The following day, Level IT Base was applied, via pump, at an average depth of 50mm. Level IT Base is a heavy duty, deep fill smoothing underlayment, formulated to build depths of up to 50mm thickness. Level IT Base also boasts a high compressive strength – an important requirement for all industrial flooring applications.Once Level IT Base had cured, Level IT Top was pump applied to an average depth of 10mm and left to cure. Ideal for use with Level IT Base, Level IT Top is a heavy duty, abrasive resistant surface finish, designed for use as a wear surface, and can receive forklift traffic after only 36 hours – the ideal product for warehouses and manufacturing facilities where downtime is not an option!Both Level IT Top and Level IT Base can be pump or trowel applied for ease of application, are moisture tolerant, have a 30-40 minute working time and can receive foot traffic after just 3 hours.To complete the installation, the cured floor was then prepared by industrial grinding before the application of two coats of a solvent free epoxy coating – resulting in a flat, hard-wearing, safe and fit for purpose floor.ResultsThe project was completed in six stages, over 36 days, carrying out between 300 and 500 sqm a day, depending on the work space made available. On completion of the project, Terry Rossington, Director of Floor Painters Limited, commented: “Our client was very happy with the standard of the finish and the upgrades made to their working environment, which has improved both visual appearance and functionality of the floor.”

Creating better education environments Primary School De Verwondering is a fully bio-based school building and the first example of a new generation of bio-based school buildings that recognizes and harnesses nature's powerful effcet on learning.The beautiful wooden building - which runs on circular energy - has a vegetation roof with chickens, green facades and remarkably large windows. The primary school recently won the 2021 Golden Frog award for sustainable construction in the Netherlands.The interior and exterior of the school have a positive influence on the well-being and performance of the pupils. The environment outside blends with the natural elements of the building, such as wood and bamboo, while inside the interior architect chose a CO2 neutral (cradle to gate) Marmoleum floor covering. Marmoleum Cocoa is made of natural and renewable raw materials with the addition of a waste product from the cocoa industry and, in that respect, it fits the building perfectly. Marmoleum is one of the flooring industry's most beautiful and also oldest bio-based products.

The installer, Kent-based Arcadia Flooring installed three of Gerflor’s world- renowned sports flooring products as part of a community effort to rebuild the Dale Youth Boxing Club in Grenfell, London; Taraflex® Comfort, Taraflex® Performance and Taraflex® Surface.

‘Flooring by Henton’ opted for F. Ball products to achieve a high quality LVT floor finish in the company’s own showroom. Firstly, contractors removed old carpet, LVT and wood floorcoverings from the 90m2 floor of the showroom. Contractors next applied Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound over the entire subfloor to create a perfectly smooth base for the receipt of floorcoverings. The showroom has a large glass front, therefore, Styccobond F48 PLUS high temperature grade vinyl adhesive was selected to install wood-effect vinyl planks to ensure the floorcoverings would hold firmly in place when exposed to extreme temperatures.

Over 800m2 of Gradus Latour2 carpet tiles have been installed in the prestigious offices at Argyle House, Edinburgh, Scotland. The overall management for the transformation of Argyle House would be the responsibility of Edinburgh-based real estate consultants Hollis. When specifying new flooring for the refurbishment programme, Hollis chose 825m2 of Latour2 carpet tiles. Designed from a floor plan service supplied by Gradus based on the client’s inspiration, the project would include Gradus Latour2 in Howden and Alston colours. Maggie Smith, Business Development Manager at Gerflor commented, “The design scheme needed to be of a neutral palette which would appeal to potentially any new tenant in the building, so we proposed a modern and contemporary grey theme and alongside this added a vibrant splash of colour around the perimeter. The final finish is impressive, and the client is delighted.” Gradus Carpets is a brand of the Gerflor Group, manufacturing premium quality carpet tiles and planks, broadloom, and impervious backed carpets.

When a Manchester-based interior design company needed to source high quality flooring for their client’s office premises, they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor for a fit for purpose solution. For this major refurbishment, Gerflor would supply over 1100m2 of Gradus Lunar Carpets, specifying ‘Rook’ and ‘Moretus’ as the colour choices.

Harlequin has worked with Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, founders of the BalletBoyz, on a number of projects, providing Harlequin floors for their studios, tours and film productions. The BalletBoyz studios, based in Kingston Upon Thames, have two studios with Harlequin Activity sprung floor and Harlequin Cascade vinyl. The BalletBoyz rehearse for their tours there as well as hosting workshops including Parkinson's CAN Dance. In 2019 Michael and William directed the film Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words where all performers, featuring dancers from the Royal Ballet, danced on printed Harlequin Cascade vinyl and Harlequin Liberty sprung floor panels. When touring, the BalletBoyz have danced on Harlequin Studio and Harlequin Reversible vinyl. 

The recent fit out of Savills' new Welsh headquarters saw commercial interior design and supply specialists, Imium, enlisted to create modern-day, cohesive working environment, while still adhering to the brand's traditional values. Forbo Flooring Systems' striking Allura Flex Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) and Tessera Seagrass carpet tiles have played an integral role in the smart new interior. Rhiannon Phillips, Interior Designer at Imium, explained: "The floor comprises of both employee and customer facing areas, therefore it was important that the space was conducive for clients without affecting business as usual . We were notified by the Savills marketing department of the brand guidelines that we needed to adhere to, in terms of finishes, to make sure that the Savills story was portrayed. We took inspiration from the company's heritage and ethos and incorporated different themes within the office based on the various sectors that the firm operates in. For the customer facing area, we used a lot of silk, walnut and a splash of the colour red to reflect the residential sector."

When Gloucestershire NHS Commissioning Group decided to replace an existing healthcare facility in the centre of Gloucester, over 3000m2 of flooring from international flooring specialist Gerflor was specified to complete the project to the highest standards. The project would demand high quality flooring that could meet and exceed the rigorous demands of this new healthcare facility head on.The main contractor Kier Construction would, through Newcastle-based ADP Architecture, specify a mixture of Gerflors’ Taralay and Tarasafe flooring solutions to produce the final high-quality flooring finish that the new build healthcare project would require.Gerflor have an enviable history in designing and manufacturing high quality flooring for the healthcare market. It’s a reputation built on expertise, knowledge, and innovation. With over 60 years’ credible healthcare experience, Gerflor is a respected manufacturer of innovative, high performance, design-led, and sustainable solutions for flooring, and interior finishes.Andy Gordon, Healthcare Specification Manager - North commented “This was a greatly prestigious project to be involved in, alongside our architectural and installer partners. The client is absolutely delighted with the outcome, both in terms of the fast turnaround of the project and the technical performance of the products installed.”

F. Ball products have been used for the installation of vinyl sheet safety flooring and carpet tiles as part of the refurbishment of Kingussie Courthouse in Scotland. Contractors were called to install flooring over an anhydrite subfloor which contained underfloor heating. Before applying Stopgap 1100 Gypsum smoothing underlayment, they primed the subfloor with Stopgap P121 acrylic primer. Stopgap 1100 Gypsum smoothing underlayment was then applied throughout the area. Contractors next used Styccobond F46 pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive to install the vinyl sheet flooring. Next, Styccobond F41, a solvent free acrylic polymer emulsion adhesive was used to fit the carpet tiles.

In 2012 the town of Walsall underwent a major regeneration. The Waterfront North site was developed and was based on 2.2 acres of brownfield land, where more than 300 homes and apartments, as well as a Premier Inn hotel were to be constructed. RCM were appointed by Whitbread to provide Y-wall, an advanced flexible calcium, silicate based fibre cement building board, for the construction of the Premier Inn. This was to be used as an external sheathing board, covering the structural steel frame, infilled with SFS steel.

High performance sheet flooring from Polyflor was used to create a statement design floor in The Armoury Café and Kitchen at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in Cambridgeshire. Designed by London based SHH Architecture & Interior Design, this refurbished restaurant area at Britain’s largest aviation museum features a monochrome floor design which was created using 300 m² of Polyflor’s Classic Mystique PUR vinyl flooring. Installed by flooring contractors Key Floors, the Smokestone, Nocturne and Quartz shades form concentric circles that echo the Royal Air Force logo.

Flowcrete has delivered its unique Floorzone solution to a top scoring sports development based in Toryglen near Hampden Park in Glasgow. The new £15.7 million facility, which is open to the local community as well as football clubs and associations in and around the greater Glasgow area, represents Scotland's first regional Football Ground and features a full-size indoor synthetic grass pitch - built to FIFA 2 Star standards - with seating for 700 spectators as well as three other outdoor synthetic pitches and one grass pitch.

SubFloor flooring was used to help renovate and raise a concrete floor into a level school floor in Skövde, Sweden.This simple and elegant solution raised and levelled the floor to allow for installations and insulation. The joist and screw system allows for quick and easy assembly so that the floor can reach the desired height.45 mm Rigid insulation was positioned on the insulation bearers to leave a clear void underneath and a 22 mm chipboard was placed on top.Products:Wooden Joist 45x45x3600 mmSubFloor Screw 100 mmSubFloor Screw FootInsulation Bearer 45 mmHeight Variation: 50 - 111 mmJoist separation: c/c 600 mmSystem Weight - c/c 600 mm: 2.66 kg/m²Materials:Pine T0-C24Fibre-reinforced polypropylenePolyamideCold Galvanised Sheet SteelPoint Load Limit (50 x 50 mm):Load next to screw over joist edge - 9.72 kNLoad between screws over joist edge - 15.85 kN

Capturing the traditional charm of the Tudor period, London-based design studio, Upcircle, designed Chester’s newest student accommodation by taking inspiration from the city’s history and architecture. With the help of Forbo Flooring Systems’ comprehensive portfolio, including its recently refreshed Allura Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) collection, a warm, striking and sophisticated interior was created.

The new Leeds Beckett state-of-the-art Carnegie School of Sport gets the full DYNAMIK treatment. It is now the home of a Mondo 60m indoor running track. It also now has new DYNAMIK Sport flooring systems for gym & fitness zones, providing acoustic and impact high performance solutions. The teaching and research building will be a base for the Carnegie School of Sport providing research programmes and a centre of excellence for athletes wanting the best in high performance sports surfaces and associated facilities.

Back in 2013 when the Ipswich Basketball Academy based at Copleston Sixth Form College (which is home to the Ipswich Basketball Club) needed to refurbish their existing floor, they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply 700m2 of their world class Taraflex® Comfort vinyl sports flooring which was installed on top of an existing Granwood floor. By overlaying Taraflex® onto the pre-existing surface, the facility was able to quickly and cost effectively rejuvenate its floor, minimising maintenance costs whilst benefiting from long-lasting durability.Gerflor believe that supporting sports at the grass root level is imperative to ensure that every player and participant, regardless of age and ability, can become champions within their own right. To this end, Gerflor are proud to announce their 2021/22 sponsorship of the Ipswich Basketball Club. This golden opportunity will deliver a much wider social impact: it will help the players to lead healthier lives, to develop new skills for employment and to further engage with the local community in exercise and sporting initiatives.

Access flooring once again was selected for this major £12 million building in Cheltenham. Bathgate Flooring manufactured and installed over 5600m2 of Panels to ensure that this Grade A office space offered the maximum flexibility. Products Used BGM 600 Steel Encapsulated Panels Constructing this Office Development is well recorded with a time lapse video of the entire project available through the Gloucestershire Live news story. Access Flooring is used in buildings like this to ensure that there is easy access to the services if needed. Simply lift up the floor panels and all the cabling is visible beneath.

Brynteg School in Bridgend, Wales had an urgent need to refurbish their incredibly tired and dated linoleum floor in the main sports hall. The project would be a perfect ‘fit’ for international flooring specialist Gerflor who supplied their Olympic pedigree Taraflex® Performance sports flooring, together with their Taraflex® Bateco protection system.The installation of the Gerflor flooring would be the responsibility of Cardiff-based Puma Floors Ltd. Matthew Graves, Commercial Director, Puma Floors Ltd, commented, “We have previously installed both Taraflex and Bateco before, they are extremely easy products to work with. The final result and the sports hall look amazing, and the client is delighted with the final finish. We would certainly choose to specify and install Gerflor again.”The main sports hall at Brynteg School also provides sporting facilities for a host of wheelchair sports which makes Gerflor’s Taraflex® the ideal choice when it comes to comfort, safety, and performance. Taraflex® sports floorings are recognised all over the world for all types of sports. cushioned floors, with high IPI values, are key features for sitting volleyball and other sitting sports.Commenting on the Brynteg School project Tony Thorne, Gerflor Specification Manager, South Wales said, “This has been a formidable project to be involved in and hugely fulfilling to see our first-class sports surface really delivering on both performance, comfort, and safety.”Taraflex® sports flooring has been fitted at every Olympic Games since 1976. Approved by many National and International governing bodies as a world class sports surface, it is also widely installed within the education, community, leisure, health, and fitness sectors.

When Cardiff High school needed a high-quality multi-use sports flooring solution for their main hall, they chose international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply 700m2 of their world class Taraflex® Multi-Use vinyl sports floor. Gerflor also supplied an Isolsport underlay and their ubiquitous Taraflex® Bateco moveable protective covering which would ensure that the Taraflex® sports floor would remain protected during non-sporting activities.The contracting responsibility for the sports floor would be undertaken by Cardiff-based Floor Furnishings Limited. Nick Jefferies, Company Director, Floor Furnishings Ltd commented, “Gerflor’s Taraflex sports floor was extremely easy to lay. The Isolsport underlay also supplied by Gerflor, enabled us to lay the Taraflex Multi-Use directly over the existing concrete floor, this was a real benefit as the project was on a very tight schedule, due to the hall being required for exams.”The Taraflex® Multi-Use is a P1 category sports flooring, designed for both sport and non-sport use making it ideal for multi-purpose areas. Taraflex® Multi-Use protects users with excellent shock absorption and impact protection of 25% to 35%. Yet it’s tough enough to protect itself against non-sport demands often found in many education environments such as the movement of tables, chairs, and exercise equipment.

Before the installation of the Liberty Switch system could begin, a sub-floor was constructed using timber battens to provide a completely level surface onto which the pre-manufactured Liberty Switch base panels, complete with the drives and control mechanism were installed. The Harlequin Liberty top panels were then laid and locked into place, finally being topped with a Harlequin Studio vinyl floor. The whole system is operated via a master control unit using a simple touch screen placed on the wall of the room which enables rapid transformation.  

At Bangor University in North Wales, they are proud of their sports facilities. So, when the university had a necessity to replace the flooring in two of their main sports halls, they naturally turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply over 1300m2 of their world class Olympic standard Taraflex® sports flooring in ‘London Light Blue’ and ‘Maple’ to complete the flooring aspect of the refurbishment project.The replacement indoor flooring surfaces would include both Taraflex® Comfort and Taraflex® Evolution from Gerflor, they would prove to be a perfect fit for both halls. The improved Taraflex® Evolution product, of which approx. 625m2 has been installed in the Hall 1 facility at the university, is safer, better performing and offers even more protection than the previous flooring that had to be replacedCommenting on the project Sam Wallwork, Head of Sport, Bangor University said, “We have previously used Gerflor before and have always been really impressed by their high-quality products and high levels of customer service.”David Hebblethwaite, Specification Manager (North), Gerflor commented, “Specifying both the Taraflex® Comfort and Taraflex® Evolution surfaces for the desired locations, delivered the optimum choice for the client in terms of comfort, performance, and safety.”Overseeing the installation of the indoor Taraflex sports flooring in both sports halls would be tasked to Llandudno-based flooring specialists Linney Cooper. Lance Haldane, Office, and Accreditation Manager, Linney Cooper commented, “From the beginning of the installation and right up to the very end, the project ran very smoothly. Gerflor’s Taraflex sports flooring is a prestigious product, and our installation team had no problems when installing it. We now recommend it to our customers when and where applicable”

The crown line for the Herringbone E931 has been set out very well, however the floor has not been protected and the equipment has been left on the new floor.The actual floor will easily get damaged and the client will probably end up with a damaged floor and probably expensive repairs because of the lack of care.What should happen is that the floor should be covered at all times, and the site kept clean, with adhesive and other equipment kept off the new floor, that has been fitted

Based in the heart of Glasgow, the Bank of Scotland's flagship branch required a makeover that would add personality to the brand, while reflecting the bank's proud Scottish roots. Specified by M Worldwide, an array of Forbo Flooring Systems solutions were installed throughout the building to help create a warm and welcoming space and provide the bank with its own identity.While the Bank of Scotland has a strong history, having been established since 1695, it became part of the Lloyds Banking Group in 2009, as Helen Shelley, Creative Director at M Worldwide explains: “This refurbishment project gave us the ideal opportunity to establish the brand’s character and to create a rich visual story of its Scottish heritage.Forbo’s Tessera In-Touch carpet tile planks in a variety of colourways, including a bespoke shade, and Allura Wood Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) were chosen to create an integrated flooring scheme that would seamlessly connect the various areas of the space.

The London Borough of Sutton Council wanted to breathe new life into a number of communal areas in their large municipal office building. For this iconic refurbishment, they turned to international flooring and interiors specialist Gerflor to provide an array of spectacular world class flooring that would deliver outstanding durability and incredible eye-catching designs. Gerflor supplied over 2500m2 of Creation LVT and Gradus Lunar Carpet tiles for this major renovation.Commenting on the Sutton Civic Centre project Paul Sceats, Specification Sales Manager at Gerflor commented, “At the time the Gradus Lunar collection had recently been launched, it would be an ideal product to consider as the natural and neutral tones would blend extremely well alongside the authentic wood-effect planks of Gerflor’s Creation 70 LVT. The client Rob McNaught used these finishes to very cleverly “sculpt” a walkway through the main carpeted area of the reception.”In supplying a superior interiors finish, the Gerflor floorings for this distinguished project would be installed by South-East London- based Specialised Flooring (Bromley) Limited. Ian Hook, Company Director at Specialised Flooring said,” Our client is extremely delighted with the finished result. Specifying Gerflor products, is for us, a natural choice as they offer a vast range of flooring in a fantastic array of contemporary colours and designs, which are suitable for many demanding applications.”

Over 360m2 of Attraction® interlocking tiles have been installed in the main assembly hall at Mary Immaculate High School, Wales. Delivering an outcome that would be both visually stunning and practical for this extremely busy school was a challenge well-met by Cardiff-based Trefoil Interiors, who turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor. Peter Incledon, Senior Estimator at Trefoil Interiors commented,” We chose Gerflor’s Attraction flooring tiles as it can be easily overlayed on a Granwood composite floor. After speaking with our Gerflor representative we were confident in the Attraction product, as it has been successfully installed in several other locations where an existing Granwood floor required a fast-track covering solution.” Tony Thorne, Sales & Specification Manager, Gerflor commented, “I am absolutely delighted to have worked on this project alongside Trefoil Interiors. This project has been a great success for such a prestigious educational facility”. Peter Incledon also added, “we always recommend Gerflor flooring whenever we can, we trust their tried and tested solutions for all markets.” Gerflor's Attraction® range is a perfect solution for renovation, it is a fast track loose lay vinyl tile with interlocking edges which allows for rapid installation and replacement.

The College Lane campus is currently undergoing an exciting three year development programme designed to transform the living space and surrounding recreational areas. RCM were appointed to supply their Y-wall system – a calcium silicate based fibre cement building board which offers excellent A1 Non-Combustible fire properties as well as high levels of dimensional stability. Being extensively used on timber frame structures, Y-wall provides the ideal solution.

Giraffe needed a colourful and funky floor for a new 155m2 restaurant with a 1950/60's Californian surf vibe in Xscape, Castleford. The in-house design team at Giraffe worked with hospitality designers Harrison to create a bespoke geometric laying pattern using Composite Calcium, Paris and Helsinki from Amtico’s Signature collection.

The former Boothen Neighbourhood Centre in Stoke has been given a new lease of life thanks to the MESC Table Tennis Club (MESC TTC) who have taken the facility on as their new base - attracting players from outside the local area. The club, which has been in existence for over 60 years now boasts 90m2 of world class beating Taraflex® Table Tennis Sports floor from international flooring specialist Gerflor in ‘Red’ for their main sports room and it looks first class.MESC TTC is a Table Tennis England “Premier Club and it has members of all ages ranging from 8-80+ years of age. They also coach juniors and have teams in the National Cadet and Junior League. The intention is that the new venue will move the club forward and eventually become a centre of excellence in the area. The building is now in use seven days a week and offers a place for both experienced and developing table tennis players of all ages to hone their skills.Malcolm Dawson, Chairman, MESC TTC commented, “The project came about because we were moving to our new premises, which we took over from the Local Authority as part of a Community Asset Transfer. We had been developing the venue from a very small hall, with offices and storerooms into a fit for purpose table tennis specific venue. This involved security fencing outside, security cameras, installing a new ceiling plus LED lighting, removing internal walls, and finally upgrading the sports floor to an Olympic pedigree solution.”Malcolm Dawson added, “We chose Gerflor’s Taraflex Table Tennis Sports Floor after much research, and as this flooring is approved by the ITTF (which is the Table Tennis’s international governing body), we knew it would be perfectly fit for purpose and our user’s needs.”The installation of the Gerflor Taraflex® Table Tennis Sports floor would need to be undertaken by a company who would meet the high levels of professionalism that the laying of the new floor would demand. Manchester-based XL Gym Interiors Ltd would be the appointed flooring contractor. The staff at XL Gym Interiors have worked in the health and fitness industry for over 20 years, and witnessed trends come and go. Their job is to make sports facilities current, interesting, and an enjoyable space to train and compete in.

In January 2008, the Devon Partnership NHS Foundation Trust approved plans for a major redevelopment of the Langdon Hospital site based in Dawlish. RCM were appointed by the NHS to provide the Renderflex building board – a high performance cellulose fibre cement render carrier board and Y-Wall – a calcium silicate board on the inner leaf of the wall construction. The client specified robust walls in all areas, especially within the patient wards, which made RCM’s boards ideal for the project.