"concrete"

Wigman Road is a major thoroughfare for city traffic. Built originally of concrete on mud flats by Italian prisoners of war in the 1940’s, the road was subsequently black topped. City engineers have been faced with almost non-stop maintenance ever since, particularly the areas of high stress and areas of relative cracking where the asphalt surfacing passes over the underlying concrete joints. After months of evaluation, IKO Permatrack was selected for over 14,000 linear metres of joint repairs, providing a repair capable of accommodating high levels of movement as well as a hard wearing, long lasting surfacing.

Around 1400m² of Polyflor’s Expona SimpLay PUR loose lay luxury vinyl tiles were used for a refurbishment project at Super U supermarket, La Tranche sur la Mer, France. A variety of wood, stone and textile effects from the Expona SimpLay PUR collection were fitted by DMC Habitat in the grocery, bakery, clothing, homeware, leisure and electricals departments of the store. The seven Expona SimpLay designs chosen were Grey Mystique Wood, Grey Country Oak, Dark Country Oak, Light Grey Concrete, Dark Grey Concrete, Slate and Brown Leather.

Washroom delivered new washroom areas on all levels of this refurbished office building - drawing on a range of high-tech man-made materials including lightweight cast concrete to create a unique, contemporary space which hints at the industrial history of the building. Its full height Alto FENIX toilet cubicles were specified in a crisp white colour to contrast with the grey and stone coloured concrete vanities. FENIX is manufactured in Italy by Arpa Industriale using the latest nano-technology to create a highly durable, tough acrylic resin surface with a host of high-performance properties.

Newton Specialist Contractor Arti Structural Waterproofing took on the required waterproofing of 59 concrete balconies as part of the Wandsworth regeneration programme to increase the number of affordable homes. The products used for the waterproofing also required a minimum fire rating of A2-s1-d0, tested to BS EN 13501-1. Newton 103-S carried the required fire rating and can resist extremely high positive and negative water pressure, forming a hard and durable coating with a degree of elasticity, making it ideal for protecting concrete. Arti delivered a quick, efficient and thorough installation to the site.

Over 100,000 Ancon Rebar Couplers were used to support the concrete of one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world. Reinforcing bars which strengthen the concrete deck, towers and end piers had to be reliably, mechanically connected end to end throughout the structure. To perform this hidden, but vital structural task, Bartec Plus Parallel Threaded Couplers were selected from the comprehensive Ancon range. Various types and sizes, to match rebar diameters from 12-40mm, were supplied, with the three largest sizes being used to join reinforcement running the full height of the three 680ft support towers.

Working together with in-house joinery division, Cre8 Joinery Solutions, Washroom created new washrooms using a mix of different materials including dark wood veneer, concrete and bronze. The long trough shaped and wall-mounted, floating Arpeggio cast concrete vanity units in a traditional dark grey shade, reflect the industrial inspiration of the design, with the addition of black power-coated taps and soap holders providing a contemporary twist. The Cre8 joinery team delivered the bespoke lift lobby panels faced in exactly the same dark oak dyed veneer used on the full height Alto toilet cubicles installed in the washrooms.

These contemporary new washrooms feature a mix of concrete and Fenix laminate which both add depth to the industrial chic deign. Our full height Alto FENIX toilet cubicles were specified in a deep blue colour with bespoke mouldings and brass effect hardware. As well as being ultra matt and soft to the touch, Fenix laminate also brings with it numerous high-performance benefits including being impact resistant, hydro repellent and thermally self-healing. Complementing the cubicles are the bespoke concrete vanities which we manufactured complete with circular ceramic countertop sinks matching the circular mirrors and pendant lighting above. 

This project combines SuDS bound permeable paving with the most up to date methods of construction in BS 7533-101 and a variety of build-ups over varying substrates including structural concrete, permeable concrete, made up ground and attenuation crates.The Steintec tuffflow system of permeable bedding and jointing mortars was used to construct a SuDS permeable, bound/rigid pavement. The system allows the designer to capitlize on the low maintenance, high durability of a BS structurally compliant bound/rigid public realm pavement, while avoiding the disadvantages of loose bedding and jointing aggregates used in conventional SuDS pavement construction.

Lululemon specified ARDEX polished Concrete Topping (PCT) as it gave them the complete freedom to accomplish almost any design they desired whilst still offering a durable retail floor system.

De Zalmhaven is the first Dutch building to exceed the height of 200m. After completion of this extraordinary project, de Zalmhaventoren will be the tallest European building that has a foundation created from prefabricated concrete.

A luxurious housing development by AJC Homes Scotland in one of the most exposed parts of the UK has used Edgemere concrete interlocking slates and a full dry fix system from Marley for their roofing.

Kings Cross Package 4. The tanking material had to succeed where the specified competiton fell short : all weather installation; self-healing/sealing capabilities; one product application ; mechanical not chemical bond to concrete. It also had to meet the specified requirements of BS8102 1990 Grade 4. The solution was 8000m2 of Voltex, containing zero VOC, installed in almost any weather conditions to green concrete, and proven effective on both new and remedial waterproofing projects worldwide. Aided by CETCO holding both ISO 14001 & 9001, and the properties of Voltex, the project achieved its CEEQUAL award, scoring above 75%, and rating Excellent.

Smet Supported Partner, NRS Group machine applied the LIDL External Render System onto Poroton blocks externally using as Base Coat: Bauprotec 850 M - Lightweight Lime Cement Render, and as Key Coat: Change of substrate concrete/steel pillar/Poroton block or mass concrete and insulated plinths: Bauprotec RHS Multi-Purpose Render.The internal Render System specification onto Poroton blockwork consists of a base of Coat: Bauprotec 850 M, Lightweight Lime Cement Render, sponge floated in warehouse areas and skim finished in sales areas. Key Coat: Change of substrate concrete/steel pillar/Poroton block: Bauprotec RHS is used.SMET is committed to delivering consistently superior quality, German-made Render Systems to Lidl Plastering and rendering/plastering contractors across the UK and ROI.If you'd like to speak to us about your Lidl job - contact SMET on.All LIDL spec SMET Render System products are available directly from Smet Building Products Ltd, which ensures the contractor has a superior level of technical backup in the machine application of the LIDL specification.

EGGER’s popular woodgrain decor H3332 ST10 Grey Nebraska Oak and on-trend material decor F186 ST9 Light Grey Chicago Concrete were used throughout the interior at The Run Hub's second store in Dublin. The surface texture of Grey Nebraska Oak provides an authentic feel to the visually weathered wooden surface, whilst the tactile Light Grey Chicago Concrete decor is very well suited to the modern store design.Retail displays and sales unit framing were created using Grey Nebraska Oak, and Light Grey Chicago Concrete features on the store’s eye-catching sales desk.Aspire Interior Solutions were responsible for the design and installation of the project. They chose EGGER laminate to create a contemporary and minimalist interior as required by the client. Warren Beattie of Aspire Interior Solutions said, “We have used EGGER products for some time now and specify them whenever we can. The wide range of decors and finishes, including edging is great. EGGER laminates were chosen for this project and these two particular decors suited the overall store design."

Cordek called upon to aid with the practicalities of a formwork solution to create the six concrete diving platforms in a scheme featuring few straight lines at the iconic London Aquatics Centre, built for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

HMP Five Wells, Millers Park, Wellingborough HMP Wellingborough is Britain’s biggest prison holding 1,680 inmates. A flagship, mega, category C jail, aimed to rehabilitate offenders with rooms flooded by natural light and barless windows. There are dedicated classrooms and workshops for ‘high quality academic and vocational learning’.The new seven staggered cross-shaped buildings ensure that corridors are broken up into smaller zones, which enables staff to have more direct contact with inmates. They have been designed in this way to offer better use of outside space for sports and gardening facilities.The aim of the programme was to modernise the prison estate to build a more efficient, safer and focused supporting rehabilitation for inmates.KEIM paints were specified for the project due to it being recommended and applied at HMP Wrexham previously.Dave Smith, Senior Sales Executive of KEIM Mineral Paints, was on hand to help during the entire decoration of the prison. Discussions were carried out with the contractor regarding VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), BREEAM and algae and fungal resistance.In order to maintain a consistent colour, KEIM recommended that the precast concrete was painted. This provided both a cost effective solution for colouring the concrete as well as ensuring consistency of finish.A training session was held by Dave & Nicola Young, Senior Colourist of KEIM, for the sub contractor to show them the application of the paint.KEIM Concrete Cleaner and KEIM Soldalit-ME were specified to clean and decorate the concrete exterior of the housing, administration block, and the medical wing. KEIM Soldalit-ME has particular environmental benefits as it helps to degrade nitrogen oxide pollutants from the atmosphere, offering durable protection for years if not decades to come.

Specific service penetration deflection. High movement requirement due to construction type. Firestopping requirements through flexible walls and concrete floors up to 120 minutes with typical 2mm deflection required for all service penetrations.

Insulated concrete form (ICF) manufacturer, NUDURA was selected for the building envelope at America's first Zero Carbon School. The 72,000 square foot building uses no more energy annually than is provided by on-site renewable sources.

The Polden tile has been used on various sites in Scotland as a slate solution. With its riven finish and mock bond the tile gives a true natural look but still has all of the benefits of a concrete interlocking tile.

This Church had Topseal Direct Lay applied to its two flat roof areas. One area was concrete and the other was asphalt. During the contract the building remained open with no disruption caused. Complete with a 20 year guarantee.

Grafton Architects made stunning use of BASWA Phon, insetting the acoustic surfaces into the structural concrete. The smooth marble plaster finish complements the interior aesthetic, whilst the high performance acoustic absorption provides calm and comfort.

Client: P D Hook (Hatcheries)Location: Duns, ScotlandSector: Food & BeverageYear: 2020Project Size: 400 m²System: vebrocrete MFVebro Polymers recommended its medium-duty polyurethane concrete flooring system, vebrocrete MF installed at 4.0 mm for use across the site in an electric blue shade.This system offers excellent chemical, UV and wear resistance – and as it has a similar co-efficient of thermal expansion to the concrete slab below will expand and contract if the ambient temperature warms or cools, making it an excellent flooring option for food processing environments subject to thermal shock and swing.vebrocrete MF is a three-component product that is mixed on-site, spread out across the prepared and primed concrete substrate using a serrated steel float or trowel, before being spike-rolled to assist with levelling and de-aerating the finish. The resulting finish delivers a smooth matt surface that offers excellent wear, abrasion and impact resistance properties.Laid in a seamless application with minimal joints the floor is easy to clean, maintain and sterilise and offers excellent lifecycle cost saving efficiencies compared to other materials such as epoxy flooring or ceramic tiles.

The Canaletto residential tower at 257 City Road in London is located halfway between Old Street and Angel Stations in Islington, alongside the regenerated City Road Basin. It comprises a 31-storey tower with 190 luxury one, two and three bedroom apartments built to the standards of Code 4 Sustainable Homes Level 4.The tower is concrete frame and has a curving facade of metal and glass that breaks the volume into a series of three-to-four storey clusters. In turn, each cluster contains grouped balcony terraces, which are a striking feature of the building. The balconies are of steel construction connected to the concrete frame and as always with cantilever construction elements of this nature, one of the early design considerations had to be the prevention of thermal bridging.For the high specification Canaletto project the Schöck Isokorb® T type SK offers the ideal solution. It is a concrete-to-steel connectivity module that sits between the outer and inner structural connection points and blocks the outflow of heat through the use of high quality polystyrene insulation foam. The Isokorb® T type SK provides a clean and unobtrusive connection detail, minimises on-site assembly time and enables a high level of prefabrication.

Synthetic grass is a good alternative to decking, which can get slippery in the winter and requires regular time-consuming maintenance. Leaving concrete or slabs bare can look uninteresting and can be uncomfortable to sit on during summer evenings.

Synthetic grass is a good alternative to decking, which can get slippery in the winter and requires regular time-consuming maintenance. Leaving concrete or slabs bare can look uninteresting and can be uncomfortable to sit on during summer evenings.

A fully permeable lightly trafficked pavement in Italian Porphyry stone setts. By using Steintec's knowledge of permeable pavement construction the client was delighted to discover a natural stone alternative to the now commonplace SuDS permeable pavement in herringbone concrete block form.

The £20.5m First Light Pavilion at The University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank is leading the way in technologies beyond its focus on astronomy, using innovative materials from Armourcoat.The National Lottery Heritage Funded Pavilion is a new discovery centre which has already won awards for innovation (1). It will house a permanent exhibition on the history of Jodrell Bank- now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built by Kier Construction to JM Architects’ brief, the new attraction features what is believed to be the largest reinforced concrete dome in Europe.Designed to appear as a natural hill in the surrounding landscape, the dome of the building matches the size and scale of the bowl of the nearby Lovell Telescope, Jodrell Bank’s most famous landmark. The building is partially buried beneath earth and grass, leaving a stunning curved entrance façade which includes a meridian line linking the structure to the skies above. The client aspired to maintain the walls exposed internally to celebrate the uniqueness of the in-situ concrete, showcasing the versatile colour and texture of the raw material.jmarchitect’s solution was a combination of materials by surface finish specialist Armourcoat. The result is an insulated render that looks like concrete- with an added dimension that adds a decorative polished finish to the façade.Armourcoat’s team applied an initial layer of custom shaped EPS to the building’s curved exterior, then finished with Armourcoat PPX system to achieve an ETAG 004 compliant external wall insulation (EWI) system.Olga Vlagkouli, JM Architects, commented,“The concrete had to be insulated and the client wanted exposed concrete internally which meant we had to insulate externally and then weather protect the insulation externally. At the same time the client wanted a concrete feel; due to the complexity of the geometry Armourcoat allowed for the material to be worked on site to offer the desirable effect.”Added Kier Construction Project Manager Ryan Southern,“The finished entrance looks stunning. The PPX limestone render curves and bounces the light, creating a smart artistic impression. It’s a fitting welcome to visitors to this first-class attraction that demonstrates Jodrell Bank’s world-leading place in the history of astronomy.”Armourcoat EPS includes graphite which enables it to reflect 20% more radiant heat than standard EPS. This optimises the thermal performance of the building, meeting or exceeding current Building Regulation requirements.Armourcoat PPX system comprises a limestone render custom-formulated for the project, to achieve the degree of flexibility in the coating to enable seamless application across the complex geometry of the curved façade. Based on Armourcoat’s market-leading polished plaster finishes, PPX incorporates hydrophobic polymers and reactive pozzolans, forming a sustainable, decorative, weather-resistant, vapour permeable layer. The finishing top-coat contains almost 60% recycled content.Photography: Jonathan Banks

A £2.7million Environment Agency project to renovate an ageing river sluice facility on the River Medway in Kent, has required the technical attributes of webercem five star repair concrete and the high-build properties of webercem HB30 mortar. The structural sluice repairs are now complete with new gates and operating systems installed, bringing the sluice performance up to standard. Reflecting the substantial improvement in the river water quality over recent years, a new fish and elver pass has been created to enable fish to travel further upstream in the clean waters. This has enhanced the habitat in upper sections of the Medway, whilst allowing migratory and freshwater fish free passage. Constructed in 1937 the Allington Sluice lock gate is the last on the River Medway before it becomes tidal. Although the sluice is not listed, the Environment Agency took a keen interest in the repair of the structure due to its location adjacent to the Museum of Kent. Areas of failed surface concrete that had spalled, due to 70 years of weathering, were repaired sympathetically to match the existing finishes. These areas were cleaned back to sound material with all loose material removed. The major repair areas required shuttering before pouring in the flowing recasting concrete. webercem five star repair concrete is a pre-blended cementitious material that conforms with BS EN 1504 : 3 as an R4 mortar and also with the Highways Agency specification BD 27/86. It contains non-reactive aggregates and low alkali content. This is a shrinkage-compensated, high-strength flowing repair concrete specifically designed for permanent structural repairs that delivers a compressive strength of 65N/mm² after 28 days.Additional smaller damaged areas of the sluice structure have been improved with webercem HB30 repair mortar which is ideal for façade repairs where high compressive strength is not required. webercem HB30 is an acrylic-polymer modified, high-build façade repair mortar that complies with BS EN 1504 : 3 as an R3 mortar. Damaged areas were cut away and any steel re-enforcement was cleaned and coated with webercem keycoat prior to the application of the webercem HB30. This product has a unique shrinkage compensation system that ensures long-term dimensional stability. webercem HB30 is easy to apply with low permeability to water, carbon dioxide and chlorides.Main contractor Jackson Civil Engineering of Maidstone, Kent, carried out the sluice gate works while Structural Renovations Ltd of Slough, Berkshire, carried out the concrete repairs in the overall reconstruction, renovation and modification programme of the main structure. The project was designed by Atkins for the Environment Agency, who also undertook site supervision during the renovation procedure. In addition to the repairs and fish pass, a new wheelchair access has been formed allowing cross river access at this point on the Medway.

Farmiloe BuildingCLIENT: Aberdeen InvestmentsARCHITECT: AWWMAIN CONTRACTOR: Wates ConstructionSITE DURATION: 9 MonthsLocated in the heart of Farringdon, the Farmiloe Building has a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’. It was a full restoration project combing a Victorian warehouse and new build extension.This was a sensitive restoration of the historic fabric, coupled with carefully considered new interventions, preserving the character of the original for future generations. This building provides 60,000 square feet office space, with the ground floor used as retail and reception, plus four floors of office space.​The Maxwood Washrooms concept was to retain Farmiloe’s beautiful character in conjunction with the new extension. The new and old buildings are connected with bridges with exposed brickwork and concrete which is mirrored in the exposed washroom ceilings and concrete vanity top.

In autumn last year, Landmarks (UK), a Yorkshire-based developer of exclusive sustainable properties, chose NUDURA's insulated concrete formwork (ICF) for the construction of a magnificent four-storey family home, over-looking the glorious scenery afforded by this West Yorkshire valley.

Waterproofing and damp proofing specialists, Severn Damp & Timber Preservation, installed a range of Triton Systems’ waterproofing materials to deal with water ingress around two skylights, formed within the concrete roof deck over a basement that extended into the garden of a domestic property. 

Built in the heart of Birmingham, this building has 18 floors steel frame around 3 concrete cores. Being a very constrained site, close coordination was required with the structural steel frame contractor. Two deliveries a week were required to ensure their programme was met.

The combination of a lightweight steel and concrete composite ComFlor® 100 slab and a glulam timber beam structure has helped deliver a truly sustainable three-storey office building. The internal climate in the building is supported with a ComFlor® Active system in the roof slab.

PANDOMO provided the unique subtle character of polished concrete combined with a seamless, hard wearing floor finish. Products used: ARDEX A 38, PANDOMO® Floor, ARDEX R 3 E, ARDEX EP 2000, ARDEX P4, ARDEX K 80

Solid wood floor specialist Junckers worked closely with world-renowned architects BIG (Bjarne Ingles Group), to create a custom finished oak floor for the M/S Maritime Museum in Helsingør, Denmark. The textured floor acts a link within the interior scheme of the award winning building, bringing together elements of concrete, glass and steel, housed in an amazing 150 metre long, old concrete dock. The architects’ brief was for a solid hardwood floor that can withstand the heavy footfall of a national museum, with a rustic quality to soften the raw and patinated concrete and large glass panels featured throughout the building. Junckers created a textured finish solid oak floor, which gives contrasting warmth to the overall impression of the museum. By using a specially developed hard brushing technique, the outer sapwood layer of the timber is removed, leaving a tactile, textured surface to expose the beautiful grain patterns naturally inherent in oak. The floor is finished in Junckers Ultra Matt Lacquer resulting in a matt, very hard-wearing floor. The lively two-strip oak floors really come into their own in the large, open spaces of the museums galleries. When natural light from the floor to ceiling glass wall hits the surface of the floor at an angle, it creates a spectacular effect. Following the immense success of the project, Junckers has added the incredible textured finish to many of its floors, both two-strip and wide board planks.

A selection of floor coverings from Forbo Flooring Systems, combining aesthetics, functionality and exceptional performance, has helped Maze Workplace to create a dynamic and flexible Next Generation Workspace for Insight Direct's new office in Manchester.Global IT solutions company, Insight Direct has relocated from an existing office in Salford, to a smaller, but more central 9,000 sq ft premises in Manchester. The new office space offers employees a contemporary mix of alternative co-working environments and includes open plan hotdesking for 44 people, arranged in smaller ‘neighbourhoods’, two hot offices, five meeting rooms, two open/soft meeting areas as well as a well-being room and a large games area.The office’s urban location is represented throughout by Maze Workplace’s clever and creative choice of products. This is clear as soon as you enter the office, particularly in the reception area. Here Forbo’s Allura Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) have been used to visually connect the outside pavement area with the interior of the building, by using a concrete aesthetic. Kate explained: “We used Forbo’s Allura in the warm concrete dots colourway in the reception area, which added a nod to the urban location and offered something different from the standard ‘concrete’ look.” Warm underfoot and easy to maintain, Allura LVT provides exceptional dimensional stability, strength and performance, making it the perfect solution for the high traffic reception are