"special wood floors"

At the end of 2021 we were approached by a couple looking to build their dream retirement home in Braemar.The client's wished to maximise the main aspect to the West, within the tight width of the site, by creating a double height living room with a glazed gable.The final design consisted of a one-and-a-half story dwelling. The client's also chose to install a Mechanical Ventilation & Heat Recovery and Air Source Heat Pump system, with heating supplemented by a feature wood burning stove.

Accoya was chosen for its long-lasting benefits which are required for demanding coastal settings such as these. Accoya was also selected as the ideal weatherboard material for the Christchurch residence due to its exterior, above ground guarantee of 50 years. Accoya wood was used for all the Bevelback weatherboards which clad the building and are finished using black Dulux matt paint. Accoya was selected as the perfect fit for this type of weatherboarding, which is renowned to combine stability and durability in every project.

Google is the company that redefined what a modern work space should look like and the Asia Pacific headquarters is no exception. It is a vast expanse of green, steel and light coloured wood, with fixtures that take their names after regional landmarks, including those in the Philippines. The Asia Pacific headquarters houses employees from a number of its portfolio products such as YouTube. Lorient’s Batwing® acoustic and smoke perimeter seals and the popular LAS8012 si drop seals were specified.

Mapei systems have been used in the construction of a swimming pool at the American School in London, St John’s Wood. Complete waterproofing and ceramic tiling solutions were installed over a nine month period to areas in the pool tank and changing room interiors and exteriors. The project was completed whilst the school remained open, which meant materials had to be installed quickly and with as little disruption as possible, without compromising on quality. Image © Marcus Peel

Inspired by and integrated within the natural landscape around it, the River Building at Grace Farms, which was designed by SANAA, gently slopes, bends and ‘pools’ with its surroundings.For a place in which people gather to experience nature, encounter the arts, pursue justice, foster community and explore faith, the use of glass, steel, concrete and wood is particularly fitting. In the building’s bathrooms, d line sanitary ware was used for its simple lines and the natural rawness of its material.

10 George Street rises 37 storeys above Canary Wharf’s new district, Wood Wharf. The balconies of its superb 327 fully furnished apartments overlook waterside gardens and boardwalks below and give exclusive views of London.InterLace designed, manufactured and installed luxury dimout curtains to all bedrooms, with matching shading curtains in living spaces. The resident’s amenity areas are fitted with heat reducing electric solar blinds for maximum comfort.

C-TEC’s revolutionary new evacuation alert system, EVAC-ALERT, has been specified for a new purpose-built residential building in London.Located in the Elephant and Castle area of the London Borough of Southwark, Joyce Newman House is an 8-storey block of 40 spacious living spaces commissioned by Leathermarket JMB, Southwark’s largest resident-managed housing organisation. The affordable-housing development also features landscaped gardens, an interactive playground and a communal kitchen garden for residents to grow their own vegetables.Specified and supplied by Churches Fire & Security working alongside Blu Electrical Installations Ltd, C-TEC’s EVAC-ALERT has been designed to comply with the new BS 8629, which recommends evacuation alert systems be installed in all new blocks of flats over 18 metres to assist the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) in evacuating part or all of a building in an emergency.The system consists of a 2-loop control panel connected to a host of single and multi-way interface units, self-testing sounders and visual indicators. Simple and intuitive with manual controls to allow firefighters to easily operate the evacuation alert devices located inside flats on a zone by zone or floor by floor basis, the panel is stored in a secure vandal resistant cabinet which can only be accessed by the FRS using a special copy-protected key.David Collins, Project Manager at Churches Fire & Security, said: “Evacuation alert systems ensure firefighters can alert occupants in a building of the need to evacuate if a fire gets out of control. The EVAC-ALERT system we’ve specified provides peace of mind for residents and, crucially, also demonstrates that building management have taken every precaution possible to protect the people residing in the property. Our client is delighted with the system.”Certified to all relevant EN54 product standards, EVAC-ALERT is powered by C-TEC’s CAST protocol and fully compatible with ENVISION, its powerful new cloud-based remote access data management software which can be used to provide duty holders with a verifiable audit trail of system activity and device testing.

Altro solution rocks Rockville HospitalAltro Pisces, Altro Whiterock White, Altro Whiterock recessed shelfIssueRockville Hospital, part of the Eastern Connecticut Healthcare Network, boasts a strong behavioural health unit that provides support and specialized, sophisticated services for many areas of mental health, including additions, anxiety, depression and other counseling.The project had originally called for competitor products, but the Altro Regional Representative met with Jeff Lawton and Rockville Hospital housekeeping staff and presented Altro products, showing the proper cleaning regimen.ApproachJeff Lawton worked with the hospital, selecting Altro floors and walls to ensure a safe, easy and familiar bathing experience for residents at the unit. The hospital was impressed, and staff members continue to be happy with their installation.SolutionFor the bathrooms and other wet areas throughout the unit, award winning Altro Pisces was specified for the floors, accompanied by Altro Whiterock White hygienic wall sheets, preventing moisture and water ingress. With increasing efforts to combat healthcare acquired infections in hospitals around the country, impact-resistant and hygienic wall products are essential. With creating a safe environment for users a priority, Altro Whiterock recessed shelves were selected to offer a lip and ligature-free solution for holding toiletries.Altro Pisces achieves Class B to DIN 51097 for barefoot use, plus a Pendulum Test Value (PTV) of ≥50 (Slider 96). Altro Pisces offers 16 soft-look shades; the result is the soft appearance that you would want from domestic interiors, with the lifetime sustained slip resistance you expect from Altro.Combined with Altro Whiterock White hygienic wall sheets it pro vides an impervious and easy to clean solution for wet environments.The Altro Whiterock recessed shelf is a pre-fabricated unit, us ing proven Altro Whiterock hygienic walls sheet, providing a watertight, rust-proof shelf for shower toiletries which is tamper-resistant and free from potential ligature points, helping to keep users safe.

Preserving Gothic Heritage: Exquisite Heritage Windows for William White BuildingsThe William White Buildings in Audley, Staffordshire, renowned for their Gothic design, required special heritage windows to uphold their distinctive character. Gowercroft Joinery, with their expertise in timber craftsmanship, provided a solution that combined traditional aesthetics with modern efficiency.Architectural Heritage:Designed by esteemed architect William White in 1855, the Grade II listed William White Buildings exhibit remarkable Gothic revival features. The red brick facades, adorned with traditional bond patterns and alternating narrow and wide pointed arches, create a visually striking ensemble.Restoring the Character:Purchased in 2006 as a family home, the property underwent extensive restoration to preserve its unique charm.Retaining the original fabric, including some ceiling lath and plaster, and fireplaces, played a crucial role in maintaining the house's character.Modern Windows, Conservation Standards:The deteriorating condition of the old windows prompted the search for high-quality replacements that would meet building conservation requirements.Gowercroft Joinery's Accoya® timber-framed windows with LandVac vacuum glazing provided the perfect blend of traditional craftsmanship and thermal efficiency.Exquisite Heritage Windows:Gowercroft supplied six Richmond casement windows from their Heritage range, featuring delicate astragal bars, to complement the front and back of the property.The configuration of the first-floor and attic windows, echoing the ground-floor arches, retained the distinct architectural feature.The replacement casements were fitted flush with the internal arch, requiring careful removal and reinstallation of the surrounding brickwork.Testimonial from a Satisfied Customer:"We are delighted with our new casement windows, as they look as though they've always been there," expressed Robert, the owner."The LandVac vacuum glazing has made a noticeable difference in the warmth of our home, combining slim design with the energy efficiency of triple glazing."Gowercroft Joinery's commitment to preserving architectural heritage while integrating modern advancements allowed the William White Buildings to regain their splendour and offer a comfortable living environment for generations to come.

A not-for-profit community food business in Sheffield has been reflecting on its success over the past year and praising the support of an addition to the team that allowed them to meet overwhelming demand. Regather, in Highfield, has been established for over a decade and is a sustainable, worker-owned community benefit society, run with co-operative values. With the help of its 15 acre market garden, the team sells fruit and vegetable boxes made up of local produce, by local workers. The BriefAs demand for the fruit and veg boxes grew – space became a premium. Initially, a marquee was put up to extend space outside the building, but this was not a suitable long term solution.‘It came to a point where we either needed to move premises or look for other solutions to reconfigure the building’ says Gareth Roberts founder of Regather. ‘Due to the pandemic moving the business was not a viable option. After much consideration, we decided to repurpose the event space upstairs into another working area. The problem then was getting the 600 – 700kg of produce safely between floors’.The ChallengeRegather only had a very small area for a goods lift to be installed due to the main entrance and a staircase. Goods Lift Design Engineer Umar Lodhi was up to the task and created a MezzLift design that not only fits the space but does not block the entrance to the building when the doors were open. ‘Special thanks to Umar Lodhi, the designer who worked with us to make the lift fit within our restrictive space,’ says Gareth.Another challenge faced by both Regather and Penny Hydraulics was the installation of goods lift during the pandemic. Social distancing was adhered to and the lift was able to be installed on-time with little disruption.The SolutionThe MezzLight goods lift can safely move up to 250kg of goods between floors, providing Regather with the flexibility to reconfigure their workspace. This has helped the business to grow in line with the increased demand, without the need for downtime or the huge expense of moving. ‘I actually did some the prep work myself – within a week the lift was in and up and running, it has really helped to transform the business’ says Gareth.

A mix of cultures and styles: this is how the various earthy looks of Atlas Concorde porcelain tiles define the soul of Zanzibar's Emerald Resort. Explore the project. White sandy beaches, a sea with crystal-clear waters that you can dive into to experience vivid colours and unique, unspoiled nature. This is the collective image of Zanzibar, an otherworldly place where the striking Emerald Resort recently opened. A space marked by luxury, intimacy, and cosiness where Atlas Concorde porcelain tiles were chosen for all the rooms. Different earthy looks are used in each room, producing a style capable of guiding guests on a journey between the sought-after vistas of the West and an exotic ambiance. Deployed in a number of different shades, from dark hues to softer tones, wood-effect tiles cover a variety of areas of the resort. The intense natural and authentic character of wood comes alive on the surface of the porcelain tiles, conveying the timeless appeal of the original material in a contemporary design. And so it is that the rooms, kids club, and some of the shops in the resort were transformed into spaces with a simple but welcoming aesthetic. Combined with stone-look tiles, wood-effect porcelain tiles are also featured in the Asian restaurant. The marriage of Western and Eastern culture, where the sophistication of an avant-garde style is combined with the allure of the magic of the Rising Sun. Stone-effect stoneware tiles reproduce the veins, shading, and suggestions of natural stone, creating a perfect synthesis of beauty and functionality. Used in different areas of the Emerald Resort, these surfaces create a contemporary look that blends perfectly with the architecture of another age. Completing the design of the resort are concrete-effect and marble-effect tiles. The concrete-effect tiles used for one of the building's restaurants create an industrial style that is both striking and practical. Tiles from Atlas Plan, the Atlas Concorde brand of large slabs, clad the sinks in the luxurious suites. The different collections used underscore the ability of the Atlas Concorde range to meet a wide variety of design and stylistic requirements. The final result is a harmonious stylistic mix where beauty coexists with technologically advanced high quality.

Larc is a luxurious mansion set on a 495 sqm block within the prestigous area of Hamilton Hill in Australia’s Queensland. We were pleased to have Joe Adsett specify our Click-on Battens across the facade of the home, in a beautiful chocolate oak Wood Finish.Complete with six-bedrooms, six-bathrooms, five car spaces, a gym and expansive wine cellar, the stunning home has been designed by renowned Brisbane architect, Joe Adsett and built by GRAYA™.

Year: 2023Product: CladdingFinish: OlivegreenArchitectural solutions: Architectural panelsProject type: EducationThe exterior cladding features Parklex Prodema textured panels in the Olivegreen finish. The integration of the earthy hue into the building’s facade blends it harmoniously with the environment, while the natural wood texture on the surface adds a unique element of organic variation with no repeating patterns. All Parklex Prodema panels for exterior cladding are weather-resistant and maintenance-free, ensuring durability against atmospheric agents.

Accoya was used by architects Ignacio Capapé and Justo Orgaz, because of its durability and impressive environmental credentials, which appealed to the School’s objective to use sustainable materials throughout the project. The school also required a wood which would withstand an external environment with very variable weather conditions, requiring minimum maintenance or treatment of which Accoya is known for. A total of 15 m3 of Accoya was distributed by Elaborados y Fabricados Gámiz for the project, and was prepared by the carpentry firms Perez Massot, S.L. and Gradhermetic.

Accoya® & Tricoya® ExDF were chosen as the perfect substrates for the windows & doors of Australian Designer Zimmermann in Paddington. Accoya & Tricoya were selected for their stability & durability. With temperatures in Sydney reaching above 40 degrees, Celsius black coating was selected as it will not only last longer but less maintenance is required too. Accoya windows & doors are durable, stable & shrink & swell less than any other woods ensuring they continue to open & close freely all year round.

The Niittysilta bridge was originally designed with a larch decorative outer layer by the famous Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa. The bridge was constructed by the Helsinki city technical department in 2002 to enable the public to easily cross over a small creek but after 14 years the Larch had decayed and had to be replaced. In need of a virtually rot free, durable and stable wood, Accoya was selected to replace the Larch. Thanks to Accoya’s stability and durability benefits it posed as the ideal material to restore the bridge.

London’s so-called Loom building is full of stories that unravel and offer glimpses into its rich history. It is not often that architects, in this case Duggan Morris, have the opportunity to design a perfect link between both modern and ancient. One of the architects’ solutions was to use Troldtekt 2000 x 600mm natural wood wool acoustic ceiling panels. These provide an attractive link between the different spaces in this together with reusing many original old materials to restore attractive life into this previously neglected space.

Optima windows were chosen for the construction of 18 houses, 38 flats and two retail units as part of a regeneration scheme in Maidstone, Kent. Housing association Golding Homes has invested £50m in a three phase regeneration project to transform and improve the former Park Wood estate in Maidstone. The scheme involved providing over 200 new homes, mainly family houses, as well as new community facilities including new shops, and a much wider package of investment to improve the local area.

The basement of a chalet in the Waadtländer Alps was converted into a self-contained apartment. As fixed components of the multi-functional element, the sliding doors play a rhythmical game with the adjacent monochrome niches. When closed, the rear wall appears homogeneous as it is made completely of fir wood. The striking colour scheme that becomes visible when the doors are pushed to the side indicates various functions. The architects chose HAWA Junior 80 B hardware for the three sliding doors that run in a concealed track.

We’ve given a Victorian office building a modern makeover by replacing the existing washrooms with a modern new design. Our flush fronted Alto toilet cubicles, which are designed to provide a virtually seamless façade, were finished with an attractive dark wood effect Engineered Veneer to ensure a consistency of colour for each cubicle door. Laminated duct panels were installed behind the toilets and urinals in a soft grey colour and we also designed bespoke white Corian vanity units.

The 2019 Special Olympics Cauldron Abu Dhabi was designed and fabricated in Yorkshire by Stage One Creative Services Ltd. It was then anodised using a selection of colours from our Anolok Bronze range. The anodised panels were then air freighted to Dubai where they were installed to create this magnificent cauldron prior to the opening ceremony. Each county did their own text which was applied underneath the logo using our UnAtex process. The main aim of this project was to ensure the material would be A1 fire rated due to flames being projected from inside the cauldron, hence making fire rating imperative.

Set in the heart of the West End, Duke Street is a high end area of commercialised buildings and expensive flats. Some of the listed properties on the street date back as early as the 18th century. Alumasc Rainwater’s range fitted perfectly in this setting. Painted Cast Iron and Heritage Cast Aluminium were specified by Latitude Architects.“The main objective was to provide and produce material as close to the original,” says Alumasc Rainwater. “Bespoke castellated guttering was installed with special curled ear belts to secure the pipes. Together they provided an exact replication of style to the original. We also custom-made guttering that was designed to fit at a specific angle and level of the building.”

Quiet doors aid concentration, privacy and patient comfort.Ulm Day Clinic is part of the Söflingen Day Clinic Group, where an entire spectrum of anesthesia and operations has been carried out since 1998: Approximately 8,000 operations are performed by more than 30 inpatient physicians from 13 specialisms. A qualified and competent team of specialists are available for all treatments.Close to the operating theatre, a door used to slam very loudly when closing. This led to problems at reception and during procedures. The medical team felt the vibrations, especially during very sensitive eye surgeries.Click the link to read more.

Exclusive Collection selects TopBrewer for innovative informal workspace at The Royal Berkshire HotelThe Royal Berkshire worked with specialist hotel designers, Trevillion, to create a purpose-built meeting space, ‘Homespace’, designed to meet the growing demand for alternative workspace that provides a welcome respite from home working.Two TopBrewer Pro machines are now installed in the Homespace environment at the Royal Berkshire to provide a full selection of speciality coffees, hot chocolate and steaming hot water for tea drinkers."The TopBrewers are perfect for our new, flexible corporate workspace that caters for individual clients or collaborative meetings." - Debbie Guy, General Manager, The Royal Berkshire

The National Trust visitor centre at Tarn Hows in the Lake District is set in a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). EPDM was specified for the roof because of its environmentally friendly credentials which have the backing of Greenpeace. Hertalan roofing products were chosen because of ISO9001/14001 and BBA certification. The membranes were a combination of factory vulcanised sheets and easy weld rolls which were installed in accordance with strict FLL/GRO guidelines. The specification for the green roof insisted on local species of sedum and had over 2000 plug plants installed into 150mm deep recycled growing substrate.

A partnership between Crown Paints, Mitie Property Services and Enfield Council has led to a special presentation for residents. For the last two years, the three organisations have been working together on redecoration works across Enfield Council’s property portfolio. To mark the milestone, a bench made from recycled paint containers has been given to the community by Crown Paints. Some 4,000 litres of products including Crown Trade Stronghold Smooth Masonry, Crown Trade Protective Coatings, Sadolin Superdec and Crown Trade Timonox Flame Retardant Coatings have all been used on the council’s social housing schemes.

Nearly 1000 metres of T-Pren gutter expansion joints were installed on the 28,000 sq.m. curved roof the Rocky Ridge recreational centre in Calgary, Canada. The wide curved gutter required long special lengths of T-Pren, 9-18m long, and were installed in pairs to provide double the expansion movement. T-Pren forms a waterproof expansion joint, which eliminates the standard step detail and so reduces the number of rainwater outlets required. T-Pren is a composite material made from neoprene and metal bonded under controlled factory conditions to ISO 9001 quality standards.

Eastcheap Court has been newly re-designed by Trehearne Architects and Fletcher Preist, to provide best-in-class office space within a smart controlled environment.We manufactured and installed a precast concrete reception desk for the newly redesigned reception area. The desk was constructed from two large precast sections, and we used our special eco mix of glass fibre-reinforced concrete for this project. It was created in a White Smooth finish and was had-polished and assembled onsite. We also added LED lighting strips to provide evenly distributed lighting around the area. It was a successful build that the client was very happy with.

Sliding, climbing & water play in one facility is not possible? Sure, it works! And how! In the Universe we show you how. Four K&K pumps distributed over more than 50 m of water feature around the Universe Lake provide fun in summer, where hardly anyone – in the truest sense of the word – stays dry. More water play is not possible! Right in the middle of this ingenious playground is our facility, where up to one hundred children can play at the same time. Embedded in a huge area of special fall protection gravel, this is the dream for all water play fans.

The second phase with sustainable timberPlease Be Seated is a uniquely designed public artwork by London based designers, Paul Cocksedge Studio. The design allows locals and passers-by to stop and watch the world go by whether sat or even lying down. The structure was designed with locations in mind, not wanting to obstruct the busy shopping centres or detract from the surrounding architecture.The artwork was first designed and placed in London using reclaimed scaffolding boards. The second Chinese version of the artwork, however, used Accoya Wood. The structure was fabricated in partnership with UAP and the Accoya was sourced and supplied by local Accoya approved distributor, Jiangsu Dragon Wood (JDW). Paul Cocksedge Studio worked with JDW to complete and install, managing the entire process remotely as a result of Covid restrictions.The artwork is made from 1,440 planks of sustainably sourced, high-performance Accoya timber. A key benefit of Accoya that made it the material of choice is the Cradle to Cradle Gold Certification. This recognises that Accoya is fully circular, with no added synthetic materials, fully recyclable and non-toxic. The Accoya planks are supported by a framework of bent steel designed to be easily assembled and disassembled for travelling.Please Be Seated made its debut in China in 2020, in partnership with Swire Properties. The installation was relocated across numerous locations in China, starting at the Temple Plaza of Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li in Chengdu, before travelling to Guangzhou, Shanghai, and finally Beijing in 2021 where the public artwork is permanently residing.

North City Operation Depot is a dedicated staff-only depot facility will comprise of an office and welfare building with briefing rooms, training rooms, office accommodation, a serviced canteen, locker rooms, shower facilities, laundry facilities and drying room. The depot is to provide high quality facilities to enable staff to operate more safely, efficiently, and essentially so the City Council meets its climate action targets, based in Ballymun, Dublin.The client requested for leisure lockers with rolled carcases which helps with keeping the lockers dust free, with the measurements to be 1450mm high, 450mm wide and 500mm deep with the colour mixed between Fundermax and Poleyrey. The colours are mixed with wood effect and beige laminate. Within the lockers they decided to have shelves and internal dividers, additionally, in changing rooms they requested shelves, mirrors and drying racks which are 600mm deep, 2450mm long and 2000mm high powder coated in ‘Ice’.Within the leisure lockers they decided to go with was KitLock KL1200 which can keep the staff belonging secure within the lockers. The seat stands which were cladded with beige laminate, additionally having seat slats made with Fundermax wood effect.It was great working with Purcell Construction LTD on the project and wish North City Operation Depot much success in the future.If you have a similar project or need some information on the products, contact us today at 01284 530 427.

The BBC TV Centre at Wood Lane London is world renowned for its television output over many years. Completed in February last year, much of the interior was extensively redesigned by HOK architects, with refurbishment and construction carried out by the BDL Group, one of the largest specialist dry-lining contractors in the UK. One of the key factors to ensure that noise was kept to a minimum and reverberation time reduced. The solution was high performance Troldtekt acoustic panels which were used to line all the ceilings and the soffit around the circular atrium.

The Experimentarium museum in Hellerup, Denmark has been listed as one of the ‘Greatest Places to visit 2018’ by Time Magazine. Following an extensive renovation, guests can now dive into a virtual submarine safari, zoom in on the world of microorganisms or travel through the Tunnel of Senses to explore sight, touch, smell and sound. Here, architects CEBRA have specified Troldtekt wood wool panelling extensively throughout. These panels, in white and grey, counterpoint the museum’s raw and industrial feel and contrast with the design elements of the copper, aluminium and glass.

A significant new building project has recently been completed at one of the National Trust’s most popular properties in Hampshire, Mottisfont Abbey. The new development, situated on the banks of the River Test, uses Troldtekt natural wood wool panels to improve the entrance facilities at this historic priory and country estate - visited annually by over 250,000 people. Designed by Burd Haward Architects, the new welcome buildings are arranged around a central courtyard, raised above ground level to avoid risk of flooding and impact on the existing flood plain.

The Burry Port Community School is the first Passivhaus School in Walesa in a design collaboration between Carmarthenshire County Council and Architype architects. A major contribution to the pleasant environment was the choice of Troldtekt acoustic ceiling panels, especially in the classrooms and potentially noisy open spaces. Specified throughout the UK and Europe, the benefits of the 100% natural wood fibres panels include high sound absorption, high durability, natural breathability, low cost life cycle performance and sustainability documented by Cradle to Cradle certification at silver level.

Knotwood aluminium cladding installed on this modular constrction project for Cambridge NHS trust. 700m2 of mixed width cladding and solar shading solution for the windows. This project was originally specified in timber but changed to Knotwood's aluminium profiles due to the need for an A2-s1-d0 fire rating and structural compliance of CWCT testing. Grey Ash was chosen as the wood effect which is part of Knotwood's weathered finishes range. RAL 2000 Yellow Orange was chosen for the east elevation entrance which really makes it stand out.