"floor"

F. Ball smoothing underlayment and adhesives have played starring roles in the installation of floorcoverings as part of the major refurbishment and extension of one of Scotland’s busiest theatres, Eden Court at Inverness. Flooring contractor Jack Carmichael (Flooring) Ltd of Elgin, were responsible for the installation of floorcoverings throughout the project. This involved a basement cinema, the main 850 seat auditorium, a second 250 seat theatre, a bar and restaurant, box office, foyer bar and dance studio and associated dressing rooms and toilets...

Good acoustics, like high quality thermal insulation, is one of the most important considerations for house builders and architects. This is because of high density living and, in particular, the popularity of sold floors. For example, one of the latest trends are concrete floors. The problem is further exacerbated by the desire for large areas of glass and the absence of soft furnishings, such as curtains and carpets. The result of all this is that absorption of sound is difficult creating an unpleasant environment. One solution is to line the ceilings with cost effective and high performance Troldtekt acoustic panels.

New primary school is ready for the future with a fabric first specification including Kooltherm floor insulation

Amtico’s bright, bold and Bespoke Signature flooring adds to the exciting atmosphere at Hamleys first store in China.

Reflex Multisport was supplied and installed at the prestigious Eton College.758m2 Multisport Ash floor with underfloor heating.

420 stair nosings measured and supplied to a job for N&S Flooring on behalf of Bristol City Council.

Waterproof, hard-wearing, low-maintenance, seamless micro finish for walls and floors in 1 - 2 mm.

Because of its position on the upper level of a busy shopping plaza in the heart of London, this gym required a robust flooring solution for the weightlifting area.The selected solution needed to help the gym co‐exist comfortably within the surrounding retail environment.To fulfil this requirement, TVSsupplied SPORTEC Style impact attenuating rubber floor tiles, made from a mixture of black recycled rubber bound together using a polyurethane resin with a coloured EPDM granule added to the wear layer.This product was chosen because the highly resilient material offers substantial protection to the substrate and is particularly effective in busy weight training areas where dumbbells are dropped frequently.The interlocking tiles are simple to install and require little tono maintenance.The resulting floor covering offers good grip underfoot and the bright orange fleck also complements the company’s striking corporate colour scheme.This area of the gym is used for activities such as deadlifting, squatting and bench work using dumbbells.

Pembroke House is an assisted living home located in Camberley. The home had a conversion of the second and third floors and construction of a 2 story roof extension to provide 116 affordable apartments, as well as 20 in a dedicated dementia suite. Facilities include a private dining room, lounge areas, restaurant, cinema, library, café, spa bathroom, bistro, library, beauty salon and activities room. Located in the city centre, the building has underground parking, garden terraces on the 4th Floor, and a porte cochere providing outdoor space for residents to enjoy.Cellecta’s DECKfon Batten 70 was specified by PRP Architects as they have been rigorously tested and are robust detail complaint for steel, concrete and timber separating floor applications. The battens consist of a layer of recycled, low resonance, open cell, flexible polyurethane foam bonded to an FSC/PEFC certified timber batten.Wates Construction was awarded this 2,880m² contract to construct this development in Surrey.

The clients wanted a floor that could run continuously throughout. From the kitchen to the garden and pool areas…. even up the stairs. Polished concrete is one of the few materials that can be used to great effect in all of these environments.The effectiveness of the underfloor heating was of great importance to the clients. The use of polished concrete throughout the entire ground floor allowed for maximum efficiency of the underfloor heating by allowing the whole area to have fantastic thermal retention properties. All without having to compromise on style and practicality.One of our most popular shades, Off White is the perfect neutral tone to bring warmth to softer spaces – like the living room and bedrooms – and classic elegance to more functional rooms like the kitchen.The metal stair treads were installed on site ready to be infilled with concrete. We poured approximately 50mm of concrete into the pre-formed tray and then coloured and polished the surface to ensure they were a great match to the adjacent floor.

Client: University of Brighton Consultant: Stripe Main Contractor: Keir Construction Specialist Contractor Thelwell Flooring Main Products Used: Emseal DSM SystemThis new multi-storey car park for the University of Brighton is part of a major redevelopment of the former Preston Barracks site in the City. There are 550 parking spaces on 7 floors, including 55 EV charging bays, plus there is a PV array on the roof with the power stored in batteries on the ground floor, which also includes 330 cycle parking spaces. The car park design uses a Vertical Circulation Module (VCM) that provides a more efficient solution for confined sites, as this contains no external ramps and traffic circulation is via slopes within the floors themselves. This creates more parking spaces in the steel framed structure in the centre, with two lift and stair cores positioned at each end. This design also made it possible to locate the necessary structural expansion joints transversely between these 3 parts of the structure and away from major traffic impact areas. The engineers specified these joints to be a nominal 40mm wide to accommodate a high movement capability of up to +/- 50% (i.e. total 100%), as they knew these could be quickly, securely, and durably sealed using the Emseal DSM System. This also saves time on site as it is installed from above, allowing other trades to continue working below, plus as it is bonded into position, there is no potentially damaging drilling for mechanical fixings.

A residential developer approached Hush Acoustics after an acoustic test conducted on their project in St Leonards on Sea failed to achieve the acoustic compliance level needed under Approved Document E of the Building Regulations.The problem stemmed from a separating wall between two bedrooms which was constructed using a timber stud wall and had an overall thickness of 170mm. Its acoustic design was adequate on paper, but there was one issue that had not been correctly treated.One of the rooms measured 37m3 and the other 29m3 in size, with one notable consistent feature being a screed laid over a concrete floor.An airborne sound insulation sample test was carried out with no floor covering in place and this revealed a result of DnTw+Ctr 31dB.Levels of ‘flanking’ sound were significant - this meant sound was passing under the separating wall via the floor screed. The solution proposed by Hush Acoustics was to install Hush Mat 15 over the screed floor in both rooms.The effectiveness of this solution was evident in the follow-up test result of DnTw+Ctr 44dB. Whilst this result would be regarded as an average performance in most other types of buildings, the improvement here from a poor DnTw+Ctr of 31dB to 44db showed that Hush Mat 15 had delivered significant improvement and provided a solution to flanking transmission sound sources.The ensured the residential development satisfied the requirements of Approved Document E.

Inside Point A Hotel Shoreditch lies a contemporary interior which offers sophistication and modernity, echoed by the use of Amtico LVT flooring throughout.To maintain a refined and cultured feel, Amtico LVT flooring has been installed in all bedrooms, as well as the hotel’s social spaces, which comprise a variety of lounges and a breakfast area. Offering sophistication and modernity, the social spaces incorporate an angled staggered laying pattern with four products from the Signature collection while the bedrooms feature the Amtico First collection in a Stripwood laying pattern.

The Research and Translation Hub at Imperial College, London forms the centrepiece for the innovation district in White City. The completed design for the central atrium wholly pushed the boundaries of performance glazing. Planet AG worked with PLP Architecture to ensure the project stayed commercially viable whilst maintaining the desired impressive design. Curved glass, which reached up to 3.4 metres tall on floors 2-6 and a staggering 5 metres tall on the ground floor had to be heat soaked toughened and was up to 25.5mm thick to support the weight.

Level 75, Top floor of landmark Pinnacle, Canary wharf. A great place to dine and watch the sun retreat behind the iconic London skyline. Products include the Raaft support structure, Floor structure panels, planters finished in a anthracite grey RAL 7016 and cantilever benches using Iroko timber. Real grass was incorporated amongst the Raaft system. Project construction completed by Valley landscapes for Chalgrove properties. Building design by foster and partners, landscape and terrace design by Farrer Huxley Associates.

Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet) is a leading provider of further and higher education courses in the UK Midlands. The project architects required a balustrade and staircase railing that reflected the dynamic, high-tech environment of the college. Q-railing’s Easy Glass Slim and Easy Glass 3kN systems were ideal for use on the staircases, and as balustrades on the upper floors, as they create a safety barrier without blocking views or compromising on design in any way. The installation included a bespoke cladding, which makes the railings appear to rise directly out of the floor or stairs.

The Coopers FireMaster®, closed rectangular Concertina fire curtain is a perfect solution when requiring fire compartmentation around a staircase as it offers a virtual firewall creating a lobby once the curtain has been deployed with more than 2 hours integrity. The innovative Concertina fire curtain installed at Aldgate Tower fully encapsulates the staircase from the 11th to the 12th floor in the event of a fire. The curtain is triggered by either the fire alarm system or a local heat or smoke sensor and is automatically deployed from the ceiling to the floor.

The design concept of this project focuses on the demolition of an existing building and replacing it with a new build mixed use development of 6 storeys (plus basement) 9 self-contained units on floors 1-5 and 377sq m of commercial space on the basement and ground floors. During the Phase 1 Primary Risk Assessment, borehole and trial pits revealed Dibenzo (a,h)anthracene, CO², TPH and Asbestos contamination. The proposed remedial strategy to be adopted at the site was one of managing the pathway between the source of contamination and the critical receptors on-site.

As part of a drive to improve energy efficiency and reduce fuel poverty, Camden Council specified Q-Bot Underfloor Insulation which uses a robotic system to spray foam onto the underside of the floor. The 48 properties included various housing types, differing in age and size. The energy savings achieved by the upgrades were modelled in SAP using elemental U-values for the individual floors and the airtightness test results of each property. This enabled the energy improvements to be calculated against a range of scenarios with alternative retrofit measures.

Functional, sustainable and adapted to regional conditions: the residence of the German Embassy in Tajikistan, designed by architect André Janka. The sliding shutters are exposed to extreme weather conditions: cold winters and hot summers with violent sandstorms. Following a year-long test phase with sample hardware, a total of 4 sliding systems with 2 or 3 leaves and equipped with HAWA Frontslide 60 matic hardware were installed on the ground floor and top floor. They are operated by push-button controls inside the building and can be moved into any position.

Architect: Selencky///Parsons. Transforming this tired old 1930s semi-detached house in South London whilst living in it with a young family was the challenge for this homeowner. The end result is a stunning light filled home with more than fifty percent more floor space and panoramic views over London. The design, by Selencky///Parsons architects called for a complete modernisation of the home and the addition of a ground floor extension featuring a three-panel theEDGE2.0 ultra-slim sliding door system and loft conversion to increase usable space for the family.

The largest free standing structure in the UK, Terminal 5, has a vast amount of essential building services that are concealed under the flooring. An access solution was required that would enable maintenance of services, including water and waste; electrical, communications, heating, cooling and lighting, without having to remove the flooring as this would be costly, time consuming and disruptive in such a busy environment. A number of Howe Green’s 1050 Series and 7500 Series access covers were specified to provide easy, safe and hassle free access to the vital services.

12 of Howe Green’s 7500 Series floor access covers have been fitted internally and externally at the domestic section of Ebbsfleet International Station. A robust access solution was required to provide easy and safe access to vital internal underfloor services in the station building. The access covers were tailor made to the sizes required. Set into the substrate, the access covers sit flush with the flooring and do not present a trip hazard. They can be easily removed with the use of lifting keys or a Howe Green Cover Skate.

When The Kingsmead Academy in Taunton decided toconstruct a new main teaching block, the existing buildinghad been standing for more than half a century – since theschool first opened in 1953.The building was in a state of disrepair and needed replacingwith a contemporary block better-suited to the demandsof modern teaching. The school appointed main contractorBouygues UK to build the £10 million three-storey teachingblock with a one-storey main hall, and Bouygues turned toCW Jones Carpet & Flooring to install the floor coverings.

Large scale Fluid Concrete installation to all floors, window sills and stairs in Cement Grey colour. Oxicrete finish application to bathroom walls in Brown and Terracotta Red finish.Manufacture and installation of bespoke Gap panels in Rough Mist finish to shower walls.Materials used: Large format Gap GRC wall panels in Rough Mist finish, sealed with hydrophobic agent and clear sealant. Cement Grey Fluid Concrete floor coating and Oxicrete wall coating in Brown and Terracotta Red finish.

Skyfold rises vertically within the ceilng offering valuable floor space saving and operation by simply turning a key.

A stunning 19th century hotel transformed into a contemporary highland home with mixed widths European Oak flooring in Dusk.

IssueThe Woodland Village is a purpose-built facility within Sherwood Forest Center Parcs. The concept has been developed over several years across all Center Parcs villages providing a guest attraction dripping in the magic of Christmas from start to finish, offering more than just a “meet and greet” with Santa. The lights, music, animations, and the occasional elf, guide visitors on a journey through the Woodland Village and on to Santa’s Woodland Workshop.As a multi-functional facility, set in a forest, Santa’s Woodland Workshop needed a floor that could withstand all the “muck and mud” of the wilderness, trudged in by the rangers and their little helpers. The floor design would also need to be suitable when the village operates as a Christmas retail outlet providing welcoming aesthetics and having the durability to cope with heavy foot traffic.ApproachAltro floors have a proven history within Center Parcs having been successfully installed at Center Parcs villages across the UK and Ireland. Floors that matched the internal Woodland Village ‘earthy’ design, the corporate branding of the Rangers’ Hut and Christmas shop, providing safety from slips together with easy cleaning were required.SolutionWith PTV >36 slip resistance, Altro EasyClean Technology and a 10-year guarantee Altro Illustra was specified for the Rangers Hut, providing a naturally safe, clean, simple yet effective design. Able to cope with medium to heavy traffic with sustained slip resistance, Altro Wood was specified for Santa’s Woodland Workshop bringing a forest feel to the busy guest attraction.Of course, only families visiting Santa are allowed to see inside the Woodland Workshop and view the festive floors, “You see, Santa really does exist” said lead designer, Darren Binney of Jackson Design Associates Ltd.

Junckers solid hardwood flooring has been installed at The New Library, Magdalene College, Cambridge, an award- winning new building by Niall McLaughlin Architects. An interior of cross-laminated timber and hardwood create a welcoming and modern study environment with interconnecting rooms and spaces. The New Library at one of University of Cambridge’s oldest colleges provides a wide variety of resources, both print and digital, including books, journals, and reference works. There are more than 90 study spaces across three floors with a mix of individual desks, comfortable seating, and window seats. The long-length Junckers’ 20.5mm Oak Boulevard Harmony plank flooring provides a warm and elegant backdrop, complementing the use of timber throughout the building. A series of brick columns echo the gabled buildings typical of the College’s architecture and carefully considered windows and roof lights provide plenty of natural light making the library a comfortable and inspiring place to study and work. A solid hardwood floor from Junckers has a crevice-free surface which cannot harbour dust or mites. It is easy to keep clean and contributes to a healthy indoor climate, one of the RIBA’s targets in its 2030 Climate Challenge for architects. Junckers floors carry the Danish Indoor Climate label, recognised by BREEAM, and have undergone extensive degassing and odour testing to ensure no harmful gasses are released into the room. Installing timber in an interior helps minimise static from electrical appliances and helps maintain an even temperature, an important consideration for a well-used library. The New Library by Niall McLaughlin has won several awards including the Wood Awards Gold Award 2021, the Civic Trust Award 2022, and a RIBA East Regional Award 2022. The Times newspaper named The New Library one of the coolest new buildings of the year (2021). 

Project OverviewBuildtec Acoustics is proud to have been a part of the Stage mixed-use development in London. This prestigious project comprises four buildings offering over 400,000 sq. ft. of modern residential, commercial, and retail space. The development boasts 412 private residential apartments, some reaching an impressive 37 storeys high.ChallengeEnsuring optimal soundproofing within a large-scale mixed-use development is crucial for resident comfort and overall livability. Buildtec Acoustics needed to provide an effective acoustic underlay solution that met the specific requirements of the Stage development.SolutionBuildtec Acoustics supplied Isolgomma Basewood, a high-performance loose-laid underlay specifically designed for superior acoustic insulation over screed floors. A total of 23,000 square meters of Basewood was installed throughout the development.BenefitsEnhanced Soundproofing: Basewood's unique composition effectively reduces impact sound transmission and airborne noise, creating a quieter and more peaceful living environment for residents.Improved Floor Performance: Basewood provides a stable and level subfloor, improving the overall performance and longevity of the finished flooring.Efficient Installation: The loose-laid format of Basewood allows for a quick and efficient installation process, minimizing disruption to the project timeline.Project TeamArchitect: Perkins & WillMain Contractor: C.J. O’SheaFlooring Contractor: TCSConclusionThe Stage mixed-use development is a testament to Buildtec Acoustics' commitment to delivering exceptional acoustic solutions for large-scale projects. By utilizing Isolgomma Basewood, the project achieved superior soundproofing, improved floor performance, and efficient installation, contributing to the overall success of the development.We are confident that our expertise and proven solutions can benefit your next project. Contact Buildtec Acoustics today to discuss your specific acoustic requirements.

Altro Wood adhesive-free sets a high standard at special schoolIssueAltro Wood adhesive-free safety flooring has been fitted in Kaimes Special School, in Edinburgh, setting a high standard for easy to fit, slip-resistant and homely surfaces for pupils and staff.The installation was part of a wider refurbishment of the school by the City of Edinburgh Council, and integral to their drive to reduce sensory overload in primary and secondary schools by using ‘natural’ neutral colours and textures.ApproachA spokesperson from the Interiors team at Edinburgh Council, says “We worked closely with Altro on Kaimes Special School, and they recommended their Altro Wood adhesive-free flooring for several reasons.“The biophilic design principles of bringing nature into schools have been proven to aid learning, promote calm and improve mood among pupils. Using a wood-effect flooring is a great way to create that atmosphere, and this is why we use Altro Wood adhesive-free – it’s a beautiful, homely and comfortable surface that also has very high slip resistance. It ticks all the boxes for us.”SolutionNick Burge, headmaster of Kaimes School, says: “The feedback from pupils, staff and visitors has been nothing but positive, and the flooring is proving practical too, easy to clean and it looks as good as it did when it was fitted six months ago.”The Edinburgh Council Interiors team also specified two other Altro surfaces for Kaimes Special School. Altro Wood Comfort was fitted in the primary school classrooms, where pupils have high levels of behavioural problems. This 2.85mm thick option gives comfort underfoot and offers 14dB impact sound reduction, and has matching colour and design options with Altro Wood adhesive-free. Altro XpressLay adhesive-free flooring was also fitted in some corridors and circulation areas.Altro Wood adhesive-free 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. Altro Wood Comfort offers aesthetics combined with comfort and safety. It’s an ideal choice for areas that need to look good while helping to give comfort underfoot.With matching design and colour options across this range, both floors have 14dB impact sound reduction, a 10-year guarantee and Altro’s one in a million slip-resistance reassurance, the flooring offers high levels of comfort underfoot, providing a safe, durable and decorative solution for busy spaces."We use Altro XpressLay a great deal in our refurbishments and new builds. Like the Altro Wood adhesive-free it goes down so easily and quickly and can also be recycled, so it fits in with our principles too." Interiors team at Edinburgh Council"The new wood-effect flooring in the dining room and forum looks fantastic, and it’s playing an important part in creating a space that is now warm, homely, calm and inviting."  Nick Burge Headmaster of Kaimes School

Cordek was asked to provide heave protection measures to protect the church's new floor from possible future ground movement.

London’s oldest station receives a significant upgrade to meet its increasing demands including optimum performance floor insulation

ASE STUDY PROJECT NAME: DERBYSHIRE HOUSE RENOVATION PRODUCT SUPPLIED AEROMIX SUPPLIED AND INSTALLED BY: CLOCKWORK SCREED INITIAL BRIEF: Garage to a one bed bungalow conversion. Aeromix was chosen for this project thanks to its many benefits of offering warmth, smoothness of finish and speed of install. The floor needed to be strong and warm so by using Aeromix with its thermal properties the finish was amazing. 175mm Aeromix was poured directly over compacted hard core topped with 65mm C20 liquid screed . The builder who completed this project AA BUILDERS DERBY said “The product is amazing and the finish is amazing, I would recommend it to anybody and everybody” Building control, GEORGE REDGRAVE DBCP He was very impressed with the flooring and commented “what a nice finish. , this is the way forward” Aeromix provided the ideal solution for the insulation on this project, compared to the normal concrete floor and other traditional methods, the speed of pumping the insulation coupled with the high thermal properties has contributed in saving the customer both time and money. 

The new Santander Work Café in Jersey is the banking institution’s first major high street location in the Channel Islands. The banking space is designed to provide customers with a better experience in a comfortable and open environment and is the work of Santander’s in-house architects, Jose Miguel Perez Tallon and Ruben Sesmero Blanco. They worked with fit-out contractor Style Shopfitting, to specify Amtico Signature LVT, which was fitted by Marett Floorcraft. When considering the design for the new Work Café, Santander’s in-house architect team wanted to experiment with a new floor pattern to bring together the informal meeting and co-working spaces on the ground and first floors. Amtico produced a bespoke version of its Aspekt laying pattern, using shards of Signature in Worn Oak, Solar Pine and Exposed Concrete for an ultramodern and urban look to inspire visitors, create specific zones and link the two floors of the building. The design blends into Worn Oak, laid in Stripwood, to aid wayfinding and subtly connect different areas while complementing the colour scheme. 

St Pauls’ Way is an award-winning 1, 5, 6, & 7 story building with 23 units consisting of one, two and three bedroom flats over a ground floor community space. This scheme was designed using Building Information Modelling (BIM) to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating of 72.7%, awarding it winner of 6 national housing awards, including Evening Standard New Homes Award 2019’s ‘Best Regeneration Project'. Constructed of light gauge steel frame and faced with a buff brick, this scheme will contribute to London Borough of Tower Hamlets Community Plan.HiDECK Overlay 18 was specified by Architecture PLB in this project as the overlay flooring solution. It’s ideal for flooring applications incorporating an underflooring heating system due to its high thermal conductivity which provides rapid reaction times, saving on running costs. In addition, its high density makes it perfect for a variety of acoustic applications.Stack London was awarded this 6,300m² contract for this development in Tower Hamlets.