"metal internal wall finishes"

At an architect’s new timber frame home, high racking strength and airtightness were crucial in the internal lining specification. With the installation of 240 sheets of SMARTPLY AIRTIGHT (was VapAirTight), the house achieved an air change rate (n50) of 0.09 air changes per hour at 50Pa – six times better than recommended by the PassivHaus Institute. The stylish two-storey house incorporates a range of ecological materials and systems. But with large glazed areas and two cantilevers at the rear and side, the project required a structural panel that combined racking strength with exceptional airtightness – for which SMARTPLY AIRTIGHT proved ideal.

Haynes International Motor Museum in Sparkford, Somerset, United Kingdom, houses more than 400 cars and motorcycles. The museum opened in 1985 to showcase the personal collection of John Haynes OBE, publisher of Haynes Manuals. Charitable Trust museum management decided that the site was due for renovation. A two-plus year refurbishment resulted in a modernized museum that incorporates an S-shaped glass two-story foyer, and inside the numerous buildings, renovations continue to allow for more exhibits. Before the renovation, the museum had not incorporated fall protection anywhere onsite, but management saw the timing as appropriate for its introduction.

Neaco supplied an extensive balustrade specification to help transform a Grade II Listed former Post Office and Telephone Exchange into Grade A contemporary offices in Sheffield. SDA Architects designed the comprehensive internal revamp of the property, built in the 1920s, to create Steel City House comprising 60,000 square feet of prime commercial space across five storeys. Neaco’s structural glass balustrade forms part of the £10m project’s signature feature: a new central atrium which brings natural light into the heart of the building. The roof terrace also features Neaco’s structural glass balustrade.

Newton contractor Rymill Property Developments were approached by the owner of an old vineyard in Hampshire, in order to redevelop the site. As well as building an immaculate four-bedroom, four-bathroom Georgianhouse for the client, Rymill also took on the task of creating 3 brand new, modern properties, all with basements built into the existing sloping site. The large, partially retained basement areas would all house a stairwell, plantroom, storage room, cinema room, zen room, two ensuite double bedrooms and a garden room, and so required a completely dry internal environment.

Neaco’s range of glass balconies has secured a specification at another prestigious apartment development. Located near the historic city of York and surrounded by stunning scenery, the complex of 37 luxury properties features Juliet balconies and walk-on balconies with bespoke graphics on the glass panels. A combination of minimalist design and durability has made them a popular choice to enhance the kerb appeal of high-end residential developments throughout the UK. Comprising modular components manufactured off site, Neaco’s range of balcony designs provide fast, easy installation using an internal connection system that requires no welding for assembly.

The Hale Country Club has a rural setting but only four miles from the hustle and bustle of Manchester airport. When the Hut Group purchased the club they looked to enhance the appearance throughout the facility. Phase two was the health suite and vitality pool. Sauna360 designed four new thermal rooms in the area and replaced the existing grp tiled vitality pool with a beautiful stainless steel design. The internal space was opened up with large glass frontage to all but the steam room. Two feature showers with cool mists and tropical rain were added together with an ice station.

The Tarkett Floorcraft Design team was commissioned to create the customized dance floor, using artwork supplied by Allen International. At four meters in diameter, the intricate and highly-detailed design uses contrasting shades of the Luxury Vinyl Tile iD Inspiration 70 flooring in light oak and dark walnut. Instead of being printed, each piece of the design was individually cut using a precision sonic blade that oscillates at 20,000 cycles per second. The pieces were then assembled onto a solid vinyl core like a jigsaw puzzle, before having a thick layer of transparent PVC added onto the top.

24 Savile Row, located in London’s prestigious Mayfair neighbourhood, is a stunning 7-storey landmark building that reflects the quality and bespoke genesis of its tailoring history. Carefully chosen materials, along with its iconic location and BREEAM Excellent rating, made it the perfect choice for a leading international real estate headquarters.Vtec’s MaxiBeam System was selected to create an iconic interior design feature for this office fit-out, enhancing its luxurious elements.Explore today how we created visual vertical patterns and integrated smart technology into the MaxiBeam Vertical Screens.

Modular skylights improving office and warehouse conditions using natural lightThe VELUX Modular Skylight system was installed as part of a new combined office and warehousing space for third generation fabric design company, ROMO Fabrics. The use of natural light proved essential to the project and so 348 modules of the VELUX Modular Skylight system were specified and installed across the building. This included a VELUX Ridgelight solution to accentuate the entrances of the atrium and offer a glimpse of the internal space, as well as a VELUX Northlight solution within the office and design studios to provide soft, reflective lighting and a natural feel to the workspace.

A visually appealing and functional hard landscaping solution was achieved at Calderbridge Primary School in Lanarkshire thanks to Tobermore’s Textured Flags which offer a beautiful granular surface finish, and Pedesta block paving which provides a vibrant and hard-wearing finish.

Albion Stone supplied over 4,000m² of Fancy Beach Whitbed for the stone-on-precast panels, starting with a coarse finish on the bottom working up to a fine finish at the higher levels. Grove Whitbed was used for the plinths, similar to the Stock Exchange at Paternoster Square

Case studiesAn artistic interpretation of multicultural interactionWith 3.5 million inhabitants, the region surrounding the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is among the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. The Mississippi separates the capital of Minnesota, Saint Paul, from Cedar-Riverside, which is also known as West Bank. Day by day, tens of thousands of people commute between these three communities to get to work, university or school. The state implemented a comprehensive municipal rail project to bring the 100-year-old infrastructure consisting of buses and congested roads into line with these requirements. A key element of this mammoth project is the so-called Central Corridor Light Rail Transit (CCLRT) with the transport hub West Bank Station. The AECOM firm of architects designed a two-story station at this location. To ensure protection from the sun, the building was provided with large-scale cladding in the form of Omega 1510 and 1550 metal fabrics from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG. Through etching and the addition of stainless steel birds, the shimmering façade was transformed into an expressive work of art that reflects the eventful immigration history of the region. Scandinavian immigrants sought a new life in the settlement on the upper stretch of the Mississippi in Minnesota, USA, in the middle of the 19th century. These initial settlements grew to become the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, which are today an important economic and cultural center in the Midwestern United States. As the manufacturing industry went from strength to strength, the region attracted increasing numbers of migrants from all over the world from the beginning of the 20th century onward. Today, the region is viewed as a melting pot of nations, where over 100 different languages are spoken. However, the rapid population growth also took the transport infrastructure of the densely populated area to its limits as early as the 1970s. As a result, planning work on the largest local transport project in the history of Minnesota began in 1981, which also comprised the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit with the METRO Green Line. Today, this connects the centers of the Twin Cities with several of the most populous areas in the conurbation, also crossing the Mississippi.A real eye-catcher: multifunctional solar protectionThe architectural firm AECOM, which was charged with the task of realization, concentrated not only on functionality and aesthetics, but also on public art when designing the stations. For the particularly well-frequented West Bank Station, they chose a solar protection façade made of GKD metallic fabric. The textile skin in front of the extensively glazed station reflects sunlight, thus preventing the two-story building from heating up excessively in summer. At the same time, its transparency grants unhindered views of the outside surroundings and also, through the interior lighting, from the outside in. This visibility conveys a feeling of subjective safety to passengers. Meanwhile, the high light transmission of the woven structure ensures a pleasant atmosphere and lots of natural light. Despite its intricate feel, the robust stainless steel fabric will withstand the adverse weather conditions that often prevail here with wind, rain, snow or frost for many years. The fabric even provides effective protection from the vandalism so often seen at public transport stops. What’s more, the material guarantees the cost-effectiveness required for transport buildings thanks to its durability and freedom from maintenance. The shimmering membrane couples this complex and broad range of functions with an extraordinary visual appearance: as a delicate veil, it follows the stepped architecture of West Bank Station and lends a sense of visual peace to its detailed façade. Spotlights fitted outside create targeted light effects that change according to the position of the viewer and thus give the transparent fabric an unexpectedly opaque appearance.Signs of life: a public work of artThis effect is given an additional dimension thanks to a creative interpretation by Nancy Blum, an artist, critic and art lecturer who is very well-known in the USA. The architects’ concept for three of the city stations for CCLRT included her integrated artworks. The woven stainless steel fabric skin at West Bank Station inspired Nancy Blum to create an artwork visualizing the eventful history of Cedar-Riverside as a transit point for people from many different nations. That’s why the metal fabric panels in front of the stairways were to be decorated with ethnic patterns, with designs reminiscent of the three main regions of origin of the immigrants – Scandinavia, Asia and Eastern Africa. GKD realized this artistic idea by means of etchings on the Omega 1510 fabric. The smooth upper surface and relatively dense structure of this fabric make it particularly well-suited for this procedure, in which the fabric surface is modified slightly. On the basis of the patterns designed by Nancy Blum, GKD produced a screen that covered all surfaces that were not to be altered. The fabric specialist then used a blasting agent to modify the metallic surface precisely according to the artist’s specification. The durable patterns created using this method were instantly resistant to UV and severe weather conditions without the need for any special treatment. Daylight transmittance also remains just as high. Depending on the incidence of light and the viewing angle, the patterns can appear either transparent or opaque. However, they derive their special effect through their seamless integration into the building. Nancy Blum added a third dimension to these etched patterns by having silhouette-style pictures of migratory birds typical of the regions mounted on both treated and untreated woven panels. These large stainless steel motifs link the coming and going of the various migrant groups with that of the migratory birds, which follow them on their journey along the Mississippi. Combined with the ethnic patterns, this creates an almost poetic image of dynamic interaction in a region steeped in such a rich tradition.

Sadly, it’s all too common to see what was once a beautiful wooden decking, transform into a cold, dark and grey decking due to an inferior product being used to finish it.This customer’s decking was finished with a low quality oil which lasted only 3 months before turning their beautiful new deck into a sorry state of affairs.Luckily, our good friend Roger at R&A Pressure Washing Services (visit his website via the link at the bottom of this post) knew exactly what to do to restore this balau decking back to its former glory.So how exactly did Roger get this beautiful finished result?Striping the previous coatingBefore Roger could apply any finishing products, he first had to remove the previous coating that caused the damage in the first place.To do this, he used Prepdeck, our wood stripper specially designed for the removing of old solid and semi transparent stains from wood.Due to the balau decking being a tight grooved deck, he had to be sure to scrub the decking thoroughly. This is to be sure no previous coating would be left behind in between the grooves. A very important step when using Owatrol products as they need to penetrate into the surface. Products that sit on the surface of the wood will not give you long lasting results.Neutralising and brightening the woodAfter the wood has been thoroughly stripped and the previous coatings are a thing of the past, the wood then needs to be neutralised.To do this, Roger used Net-Trol, our powerful wood cleaner and brightener. This restores greyed and weathered wood to its natural colour without damaging the wood’s fibres.Net-Trol is fast acting and can restore the original colour of your wood surface in as little as 15 minutes.Applying the finish to the deckingFinally, Roger applied the customers chosen finish, Textrol.Textrol is available in 7 shades and the customer opted for Clear so they could fully appreciate the beautiful natural colour of the Balau wood. Roger applied 2 coats to get the desired finish.Textrol enhances the natural beauty of the wood whilst providing a mildew-resistant finish. It offers exceptional and long-lasting protection from the effects of moisture, weathering and UV rays.We think you’ll agree that the finished result is absolutely beautiful!Using inferior products may seem like the most cost effective way to finish your decking, but unfortunately, these types of products simply do not last and will cost you more in the long run to get the wood to the way you want it.Owatrol offers high quality, long lasting coatings which offer exceptional protection and a superior finish.Find out more about Prepdeck, Net-Trol and Textrol by using the following links:PrepdeckNet-TrolTextrol

Sustainable construction was placed at the core of the first Enterprise Zone office development at Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP). Featuring TECHNAL aluminium curtain walling, windows and door systems with the curtain walling extruded using Hydro CIRCAL® 75R contributing to reducing the building's carbon footprint and helped to achieve the BREEAM Very Good rating awarded. This £22 million project begin in February 2019 and comprises of a 7,500 sqm nett area. four-storey building which houses the headquarters for the leading software company, The Access Group. When completed in November 2020, the office development, funded by Leicestershire County Council, is said to be the largest, single-occupier office deal in Leicestershire.The TECHNAL team were approached to offer specification solutions to suit the aesthetics and meet the technical requirements of the project. Designed around a central core with a linking wing either side, aluminium Curtain Walling spans vertically, with the facade also incorporating aluminium casement windows and doors. 

Yeoman Shield recently supplied and installed a handrail system in an NHS Trust’s seven mental health accommodation units.With a requirement for a handrail that was also sensitive to the nature of service users, an Anti-Ligature Guardian Handrail was chosen from the Yeoman Shield range to be fitted to corridor and passage way walls, offering both support as a handrail for those who may require it as well as a form of protection from impact damage to walls from footfall and wheeled equipment.Using a continuous fixing bracket running the full length of the handrail installation eliminates points where ligatures can be attached. Close fitting wall return ends ensures complete enclosure of all mechanical parts of the rail.Supplied in Red, the contrasting colour not only adds to the interior décor but can assist in wayfinding. Manufactured from a rigid PVCu material Yeoman Shield’s Guardian Handrail products do not promote the growth of mould or viruses and are easy to clean, being impervious to commercial cleaners.

Installed by WD Group for main contractors RG Carter, the curtain walling was an integral part of architects Stride Treglown’s vision for the landmark structure, which also features a flying roof. It features AluK’s SL52 flexible capped curtain walling system throughout, with an entrance door fabricated using the suited GT55TB door system. The diagonal design and irregular angles meant that AluK had to create a solution with multiple transom and mullion sections which was cost effective, while still being true to the aesthetic and meeting the static considerations and performance requirements laid out.

Located in the small, but lively town of Bangor, Eclectic, a luxurious mind and body wellbeing retreat, has opened a three-story studio on the main street. The state of the art studio features wall and ceiling slats throughout the tranquil and elegant space in woodgrain decor H1146 ST10 Grey Bardolino Oak, which fits in perfectly with the contemporary interior. Its light colour tones and delicate texture complement the other materials used in the design, to create a warm and inviting space. As well as the slats, the decor was used to create wall units, door frontals and shelving.

Project: Magenta Storage Reference: Forum Architects Assembly:·        Walls – APL StrongBak™ with complex APL Slimwall™ vertical rainscreen panel envelope & complex feature detailing·        60 minute Firewall performance due to boundary walls Size:·        Approx 7,000 m² of StrongBak™ and external rainscreen panels on a restricted site Special Features:·        21m high 6 storey building – designed to look like a 4 storey building·        Rainscreen panels in various shades and textures of black·        Bespoke feature floor band detailing

Year: 2019Architect: Maber Assembly:·        Walls – APL StrongBak™ with external vertical APL profiled cladding Size:·        Approx 23,000 m² of StrongBak™ & APL external wall profiles Special Features:·        StrongBak™ system requested direct from client·        A follow-on project from the new BMW Mini factory in Oxford, which APL supplied as the same construction assembly and area·        Building 23m high·        All materials delivered to site within a 6-7 week period Building Location:·        Swindon, Wiltshire

In a secluded corner of the Northern Highlands lies Skibo Castle, home to the Carnegie Club, an exclusive members club offering the best of Scottish hospitality & grandeur. Gratte Brothers designed and installed the new kitchen with Gavin McDonald Flooring. As part of the design, Gratte Brothers selected a range of Altro floors and walls to meet the exacting standards of the brief. Altro floors and walls are Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) approved meet all current European Union (EU) Directives on health and hygiene, making them particularly suitable for use in commercial kitchens.

In a secluded corner of the Northern Highlands lies Skibo Castle, home to the Carnegie Club, an exclusive members club offering the best of Scottish hospitality & grandeur. Gratte Brothers designed and installed the new kitchen with Gavin McDonald Flooring. As part of the design, Gratte Brothers selected a range of Altro floors and walls to meet the exacting standards of the brief. Altro floors and walls are Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) approved meet all current European Union (EU) Directives on health and hygiene, making them particularly suitable for use in commercial kitchens.

Integrating over two thousand employees from across Dublin into one location, Microsofts new offices take on a human-centric form. Covering 33,000 sq m of floor space the new development connects employees from over seventy two different nationalities. Using both Aluprof MB-SR50N capped curtain wall and MB-SR50N EFEKT capless curtain wall systems the project achieves the architectural performance and aesthetics desired. Providing the building users with exceptional natural daylight. Architect: RKD Architects Main Contractor: BAM

Mace Group purchased the units directly and free-issued them to the steel frame contractor, VBH JV (a joint venture ofHollandia and Victor Buyck). Some of the units were 7m x 1.5m wide which Ambar Kelly designed to incorporate horizontal fire protection and drylined fire walls as part of the RiserSafe® system. This allowed for a group of shafts, or openings, to be combined into one unit, which reduced the number of trimmer steels and concrete beams required for walls, thereby reducing crane lifts and construction time. (Courtesy of James Reid Photography.

Although we have cast iron slotted air bricks in metric sizes to perfectly engage with modern plastic ducting and periscopes, there may come a time when the installation requires imperial old patterned cast iron air bricks. Connecting these can be especially difficult which is why we've introduced these aluminium sleeves known as the metimp adapators (short for metric imperial). They are available in two sizes, single air brick size to connect up to a periscope duct and cavity wall sleeve or the double brick size for connecting to a larger wall sleeve

Puzl CowOrKing selects our clear whiteboard paint to boost productivity while keeping their colourful walls. Puzl CowOrKing is a coworking space that thinks outside the box for everything they build. From custom desks, shelves, arcades, even sinks they design any space to fit its unique needs. When they wanted to add some additional space for creative collaboration that matched the décor of their meeting rooms they turned to ESCREO. The idea of the wall is to act both as a place for expression but also as a strong design element, something that the clear whiteboard paint was perfect for.

Howe Green manufactured and supplied a number of custom made wall access covers and 1050 Series floor access covers for Crossrail in London. The wall access solutions were custom made from 5mm of stainless steel and lockable for added security. They were required to provide reliable and stylish access to the lighting circuitry. The 1050 Series floor access covers were installed along the walkways of Adams place to give quick and easy access to the water, power and data feeding the station. Each cover had an additional load bearing to accommodate specific requirements.

Rubio Monocoat was specified on the interior and exterior timber surfaces, such as the furniture, kitchen counter top, built-in cupboards, stair casing, as well as outdoor furniture. The interior has a minimalistic and uncluttered feel, rather placing a greater emphasis on the sea, and to the mountains on the Northern side. A dark charcoal colour was chosen for the exterior, and this is in contrast with the light walls inside the house. The kitchen has a clean contemporary feel. There is a spine-wall running through the house, which is cladded with dark ribbon stoning, and copper colours. The furniture is uncluttered as well as being practical for a house that is right on the beach/

Over 300 architects, specifiers, contractors and clients recently enjoyed the official launch party of Style’s impressive new London showroom. A market leader in operable wall solutions and the exclusive UK partner to Dorma Hüppe, Skyfold and SWG, Style welcomed the prestigious guest list with beer, bubbles and a buffet, whilst demonstrating the very latest moveable wall innovations and flexible space concepts. Conveniently located in London’s Shoreditch, Style shares the showroom with Optima Contracting, experts in glazed partitioning systems and Atrium, the UK’s largest independent specialist lighting distributor.

Gateway 12 is multi-million pound industrial development on a c.16-acre site located three miles to the South West of Gloucester, adjacent to the A38 dual carriageway and just one mile form Junction 12 of the M5.For the main structure of the buildings Trisobuild® R32 was used for the roof and Trisobuild® C32 was installed vertically on the walls; Trisobuild® HR50 was used horizontally at the higher level for the soffits in Merlin Grey. The offices area wall elevations were constructed using Trimapanel® insulated panel system.

During the recent hosting of the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Silverstone, partitioning experts from Style were requested to be on hand at a prestigious hospitality venue, ensuring a crucial moveable wall system that divides the main room into private spaces for the world’s sporting press, operated smoothly and with maximum acoustic performance. Style’s aftercare and service division offers regular check-ups of almost any partitioning wall system, helping maintain the acoustic performance of the system, extend its lifespan, as well as ensuring operation remains within current health and safety guidelines.

Stoneworld’s involvement in this spectacular landscaping project from its early stages, to its fabulous completion have helped create a stunning garden at this luxury hillside home.Stoneworld products used here include Moleanos limestone pool copings, Raj Sandstone paving, Purbeck walling, Extra Thick Raj Sandstone wall copings. Plus every part of this project features our ability to create bespoke stonework in our masonry factory, eg digital templating for precision water jet cutting of pool copings, terrace copings and steps

Overlooking the beach on the north coast of Cornwall, Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall restaurant underwent a major refurbishment in 2013. Absolute Design took the lead on the project, with the aim of creating a more colourful and contemporary space. Inspired by a new wave of expressive art called “Pop Surrealism”, Newquay artist Ben Allen was commissioned to paint onto a blank white wall to transform the restaurant into a living work of art. The designers wanted to create an equally striking flooring installation to complement the new, bold walls, and the Tarkett Floorcraft Design team were a perfect fit.

We worked closely with the architectural team to create a bespoke washroom design as part of this refurbishment project. The washrooms feature a full height, fully integrated wall cladding system including wall mounted mirrors with concealed soap and towel dispensers. Our Concerto integrated duct panels were faced with anodised aluminium to provide an exceptionally durable surface. We also installed glass partitions and our full height Alto Kristalla glass toilet cubicles, each manufactured with acid etch mirror to the face. Highly durable Corian was used for the vanities.

BackgroundLocated in the Ancoats area of Manchester, the Albion Works strip and re-fit project was funded by the Building Safety Fund, a Government Fund to remove unsafe non-ACM cladding on residential and mixed-use properties that are 18 metres and over and do not meet building safety regulations.K Systems Approved Installer QFF Façades were contracted to complete the exterior wall insulation and rendering of the 8-storey residential building.The original 60mm EPS system was stripped from the building and replaced with a safe, thermally efficient façade solution, which upgraded the fire performance of the cladding, ensuring the safety of both the building and residents.Our ServiceK Systems provided support throughout the application process for this Building Safety Fund project. The Technical team offered on-site technical and installation support throughout the build process and supported QFF to ensure quality and reliability.We produced a bespoke specification and worked closely with Thomason Consulting and QFF Façades to agree and deliver specifics such as fire stopping and abutment details.From design advice through to installation, we offered a partnership approach which aided a smooth installation process with minimal disruption.Technical Project DetailsThe original sheathing boards were replaced, and the K Systems Exicco M drained cavity façade system was installed. This high performing drained cavity system was specified as a requirement for this steel frame residential building. 60mm mineral wool insulation was specified to retain the line of the existing façade.Fire safety with high rise buildings like Albion Works is of utmost importance and this solution generates high levels of fire resistance and non-combustibility (A2, s1-d0 rating), meaning the latest building regulations were complied with. Additionally, the thermal performance of the building improved with a U-value of 0.28 W/m²K being achieved. Residents will therefore enjoy reduced heating costs and better living conditions.For the finish, silicone thin coat render ensured that aesthetically Albion Works had a clean, crisp attractive appearance. This durable, low maintenance render transformed the outside of the building and will ensure a longlasting finish to the property.

The StoTherm Classic M external wall insulation system was specified for the new Day Hospice building at Mary Stevens Hospice in Stourbridge.

Clarke is a Construction Company based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland with over 25 years in business.In line with the company’s sustainability strategy of designing and building safe, eco sustainable and elegant buildings the office building is paved in AG’s TerraPave® Rimini Ground flagstones.With sustainability in mind, AG’s TerraPave® flagstones were the perfect choice. The striking granite aggregate finish of the flags ensures to complement the modern finish of the building. TerraPave® flags are manufactured from specially selected granite and other natural aggregates. Their exceptional appearance is achieved by using the most up-to-date manufacturing and finishing equipment.TerraPave® flagstones has now also the added benefit of Enduur 1 concrete technology which enhances the surface colour and reduces efflorescence. The enhanced mix increases strength, resistance to wear and tear, longevity and delivers more vibrance to the surface finish