"flooring"

The Challenge was To pump screed 47 floors up in a ‘single pump’ operation. And to lay 1800m2 a day for the Shangri La Hotel section of The Shard. 40mm Gyvlon SKY on a resilient layer to part E, pumped internally in the building to allow the glass cladding and other operations to continue. Single pump operation at 14m3 per hour up 200 metres

Design and fit out of a new 5,000 sqft HQ in Reading in just 7 weeks. The project was across two floors and was very much designed with video production in mind with several specific areas that needed to be created including a large screen demo studio, a training centre, a tech support lab as well as a creative working environment to inspire all staff.

One Vere Street is an extensively redeveloped office building behind a handsome period facade. The property has been finished to an exceptional standard and boasts a number of interesting features including a structural glass staircase. The project was carried with Corley + Woolley. Structural alterations and Cat ‘A’ fit out over 5 floors on the corner of Vere Street and Oxford Street.

Quinn Architects, on behalf of the Director Laurence Quinn and his family, undertook the renovation of an eleventh-floor four bedroom Barbican tower apartment. The Barbican is a radical project and has been designated as a site of special architectural interest for its scale, its cohesion and the quality of the architecture. The complex is architecturally important as it is one of London’s best examples of concrete brutalist architecture.

Dana Petroleum is an oil and gas company and the project was to refurbish their UK offices in Aberdeen. The multiple floors in this office block required blinds coordinated to specific colour themes. Silent Gliss SG 4910 were specified - 233 blinds installed, some with a screen fabric, some with a blackout option. This was achieved by installing double systems with the blackout blind to the back of the window.

Stopgap 600 Base deep section base compound and Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS adhesive were amongst products from F. Ball used to install floorcoverings in the new premises of the Echt franchise of the Dutch home deco retailer Decorette.Work was undertaken by Decorette Woonatelier Schuyt in Vught, as part of an arrangement that will in turn see Decorette Woonatelier Echt install floorcoverings at the Vught location when it is refurbished later in the year.After installers began by removing old ceramic tiles and mechanically preparing the subfloor to remove adhesive residues, floor levels needed to be raised by 11mm.To do this, flooring contractors applied Stopgap 600 Base deep section compound at a thickness of 7mm. The product is suitable for applications at thicknesses between 5–50mm prior to being capped with a suitable F. Ball smoothing compound. Its fast-drying properties meant that this could take place just three hours later, allowing flooring contractors to return the next day to install floorcoverings.Pressure sensitive adhesives from F. Ball were then used to install PVC planks in a herringbone formation in the 200m2 area. Floorcoverings were adhered using Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS temperature tolerant adhesive in the areas near the showroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows, which had the potential to cause solar gain and, consequently, extreme temperatures and temperature fluctuations – this can cause floorcoverings to expand and contract significantly, leading to unsightly tenting and gapping at the edge of vinyl floorcoverings over time. Styccobond F46 was used to install vinyl planks in other areas. The pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive provides a high bond strength that increases as it is trafficked, as well as strong initial tack, to reduce the likelihood of tiles or planks moving around while working.Raymond Schuijt, franchise owner and installer at Decorette Schuyt, said: “We love using F. Ball adhesives and smoothing underlayments as they are top quality and very easy to work with. The range is well thought out and contains solutions for every situation you can imagine. I can always count on their technical support if I have any queries too. They’re only ever a phone call away and will gladly undertake site assessments to advise on the required subfloor preparation and floorcovering installation processes.”

A range of Gradus wall protection systems and flooring accessories have been installed at the University of Hull’s brand-new Health Campus, helping to improve the building’s safety and enhance the facility’s modern aesthetic. The new £28million Health Campus boasts the new five storey Allam Building which features a mock operating theatre, hospital wards and intensive care unit.

For this largely call-centre based business, this case study demonstrates how Milliken floor coverings have been installed to effectively manage the acoustics in the space. The four modular carpet designs specified create a comfortable, welcoming environment that helps to enhance employee's well-being at work. For this BREEAM Excellent rated building, it demonstrates how the carbon neutral carpet contributes to the

For this busy educational building with high footfall, the Unexpected Purpose modular carpet offers rich saturated colour and excellent wear performance. Its Comfort Lite cushion backing also provides additional sound absorbency, particularly important for the quiet study areas in this building. The LVT floor coverings provides the recreational areas with a hard wearing, practical solution and the perfect urban aesthetic.

Upon the shore of Caswell Bay, Swansea, sits the iconic surf centre of the charitable organisation Surfability UK, built in collaboration with BBC’s DIY SOS programme. On the Children In Need special episode, viewers witnessed a team of volunteers complete the construction of this permanent facility for young surf students. Polyflor happily donated its Quattro PUR safety flooring to this worthy cause.

The architects ORMS of London tasked the team at Canal Architectural to design a commercial helical staircase that was completely unsupported from below. The challenge was to create the right combination of strength as well as achieving simple lines. Without compromising the integrity of the design the upper floor needed to be decked out with architectural steelwork; creating a circular opening strong enough to support the load of the floating staircase.

Our range of products meant all of the fire curtain requirements were met and the fire regulations could be adhered to keep the occupants of the building safe. Coopers FireMaster Concertina is a great way to offer compartmentation between floors and was installed because there were no columns at the atrium to install side guides and there is no smoke extraction system on the atrium so functional gaps were not allowed.

For a hotel at the very top of its industry, guest experience is paramount. At the “KRONE’ Hotel, achieving an exceptional flooring solution meant keeping with the lavish interior design aesthetic, but also ensuring high levels of comfort and wellbeing. Rustic Limed Wood from Spacia, with Amtico Acoustic backing was the solution the hotel’s managing director chose because it met those important requirements.

The London Wall Place is a circa 300,000 sq ft building arranged over 12 storeys. The innovative design provides floor plates of circa 9,000 sq to 42,000 sq ft and includes over 35,000 sq ft of roof terraces for exclusive tenant use.  Location: LondonContractor: Brookfield MultiplexArchitect: Make ArchitectsAspex supplied: Doorsets & Ironmongery

Situated just 3 miles from the centre of Edinburgh, The Strada is a modern housing development comprising one, two, three and four bedroom apartments, luxury penthouses and stylish townhouses. It incorporates several striking seven-storey buildings, featuring floor to ceiling windows, all arranged around attractive courtyards, tree-lined boulevards and large green open spaces.

Dove is Ramside Hall Hotel’s latest luxury treehouse, situated within the woodland adjacent to the 18th fairway of The Prince Bishops golf course in Durham. The rustic interiors feature Amtico LVT wood flooring from the Signature collection, chosen for its design-led aesthetics, colour palettes and durability to withstand heavy footfall, while still maintaining a fresh and new look.

When legal firm Lee & Thompson chose to update and rebrand its office headquarters, the company consulted interior design experts Thirdway to transform the tired, dated space into a practical and inspiring commercial environment. The resulting contemporary workspace was given a high-end twist usually associated with a ‘members-only club’, with Amtico’s Signature LVT flooring providing the finishing touch. 

With 10 floors of large washrooms, Barclays needed robust products that would last well and meet the high expectations of the discerning financial client. With our expertise in bespoke design, we were able to create products to meet their vanity design requirements exactly. We supplied matching taps and soap dispensers with the products supplied on a just-in-time basis for phased works.

The curved teaching space and the auditorium block are connected by a curved segment known as ‘The Link’ which runs through each floor of the building. This linking component features Schüco FWS 50 curtain walling both in the construction of the walls and horizontally in the roof skylights to let natural light into the centre of the building. The Link also acts as an important device to separate the two geometrically opposed buildings.

When the 2012 Olympics design team wanted a third party accredited firestop, with tested high acoustic performance, to close the movement cavity between the rear of the facade and the partitions and floor slabs, SIDERISE was their only choice. For London’s most prestigious event they demanded that performance levels for the Athletes Village not only met, but exceeded the criteria demanded by Building Regulations ‘Approved Document E’.

Installing a lift in a top floor apartment must not compromise the stability of the building. The installation of residential lift Cibes A5000 has minimal structural impact and requires very little construction work compared to a conventional lift. The lift shaft of the Cibes A5000 can be glazed on all sides, including the machinery side. Glass looks fantastic and preserves the light and airiness of the space.

BackgroundPure Gym has recently opened a brand-new facility in Canterbury. The gym hosts over 220 pieces of state-of-the-art equipment, including cardio apparatus, treadmills, rowers and spin bikes. Customers also get to benefit from a free weights zone and a fixed weights area, as well as access to a multitude of fitness classes.The ChallengeSituated on the first floor of a mixed-use development, a jack-up floor was specified to prevent vibrations from transferring into the building structure. However, to ensure the development was fit for purpose, Pure Gym believed additional treatment was needed to further enhance the performance of the floor and reduce unwanted noise.As such, Pure Gym commissioned an acoustic consultant to produce a report outlining the exact performance criteria that would need to be met across different areas of the gym. The report recommended individual performance standards for the free weights zone and the rest of the studio. One of the main challenges was to find a solution that would meet the specification but also be delivered for installation within a strict two-week period.In addition to the prompt supply time, the solution also needed to match the Pure Gym aesthetic guidelines and corporate colours. Pure Gym approached CMS Danskin Acoustics detailing the project specification, seeking advice on what solutions were available to meet the criteria.The SolutionCMS Danskin Acoustics used the consultant’s report to identify system build ups that would best achieve the specified performance detail. Two separate build-ups proposed by CMS Danskin Acoustics were subsequently approved for use. For the free weights area, a build-up of two layers of Regufoam® in grades 220 and 270, plus a 43mm everroll® Weightlayer (everroll multitile 43mm) was supplied. For the remainder of the studio, two layers of 15mm Regupol® Vibration 480 was supplied, complimented by a final floor finish of 10mm everroll®.The specified finish of black and grey EPDM was also matched by CMS Danskin Acoustics and all materials were produced for installation within the strict two-week time frame.The ResultCMS Danskin Acoustics was able to quickly identify solutions with the required technical capabilities from across the breadth of its product portfolio. The volume of material needed was in stock, allowing a quick turnaround for Pure Gym to meet the specified project completion date.Pure Gym opened to the public on the proposed launch date and is now fully operational. The treatments provided by CMS Danskin Acoustics are providing a robust solution to reducing unwanted noise, protecting the structure of the gym floor and preventing vibrations travelling into the structure of the building.CMS Danskin Acoustics is now one of Pure Gym’s preferred suppliers and has since worked on projects such as the new build of a two-storey facility in Croydon, and the refurbishment of the Winwick Quay site in Warrington.“The service CMS Danskin Acoustics provides is of an extremely high standard. Their expert advice, quality of the product and efficiency in getting the materials to site, were instrumental in allowing us to complete the project on time. The superb service has instilled a confidence in us to develop our relationship with CMS Danskin Acoustics as a trusted supplier,” commented John Graham, Pure Gym Property Development Director.

The Francis Crick Institute, the largest biomedical research institute under one roof in Europe, was opened by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh in late 2016. A striking £650m landmark in the heart of London, situated next to St Pancras Station, the Crick is a purpose built biomedical research facility.Designed by HOK and PLP architects the Crick is one of the most complex buildings in London with a very high level of specification. With floor space approaching 1 million square feet over 12 floors, 4 of which are below ground level, the design of the building was technically challenging. The state-of-the-art building was developed to minimise its environmental impact and be highly sustainable with an ‘excellent’ BREEAM rating.The Francis Crick Institute was designed to support scientific research goals whilst promoting public engagement. Encouraging interaction between scientists with an open feel and layout whilst being accessible to the public for lectures, exhibitions and a teaching laboratory for school children posed a difficult security balance.During 2017 when the building reaches full capacity it will be home to 1500 scientists and support staff.

Located within the epicentre of central London, Sixty London Wall delivers high quality Grade A office accommodation combined with superior retail opportunities, all housed within a visually striking contemporary development that stands apart from neighbouring buildings.Delivering 325,000 sq. ft of premium office space over 10 floors, the extensively renovated property offers collaborative working areas, bolstered by first class end of journey facilities for commuters, including 380 cycle spaces and lockers and 38 showers and changing rooms.As part of the construction process, almost 500 Profab Access high quality riser doors and access panels have been installed throughout the entire building by specialist carpentry, joinery and fit-out contractors, JJ Sweeney.Specified in a range of sizes and configurations for installation throughout the communal areas and washrooms on every floor, Profab Access’ robust and resilient INTEGRA 4000 Series and VISION 8000 Series fire-rated Riser Doors provide concealed access to mechanical and electrical services.

Initial project meetings first started in early 2008, the clients owned a small cottage on the site which had been extended several times during the 80’s and had permission to make further adaptations. The mixture of building standards meant that their home was extremely drafty and very energy inefficient. The site itself is particularly exposed. The design which achieved planning permission was a crescent form which steps and slides into the slopes on the site. The crescent formation is in direct response to solar orientation.The brief was to design a building which would accommodate the family for many years into the future, the planned occupancy would be for 5 adults. Additionally, the home will be used for large family occasions. A requirement was set for a minimum 16 seated spaces to be available for dining during these family occasions.Op-Deck was added into the scheme very early into the design process as the way of creating the highly insulated structural floor as the house was being designed under Passivhaus standards. The overall U-value of the property is 0.1w/m2K as standard. The system was installed on the lower and ground floors and also the roof.

Edgingtons Architects were appointed by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to design and deliver a new build sixth form building for Windsor Girls School. The external detailing of the brickwork takes inspiration from a mature oak tree that sits in close proximity to the building, ground floor representing the tree trunk and first floor the texture of the branches and leaves. Internally the building follows a simple layout with a neutral palette of cream, grey and light wood finishes.The ironmongery brief was to specify a simple, robust and affordable ironmongery scheme that would stand up to the typical heavy use of an education setting while ensuring the products were chosen to ensure a long life span. The scheme centres around our Vieler 522 safety lever handle and matching straight pull handle finished in stainless steel. We also supplied all door signage including stainless steel and black door discs denoting room numbers. The simple shape and finish of the ironmongery compliments the project aesthetics beautifully, creating the perfect educational space.Photography: Neil Kenyon

Hale Brown Architects were appointed to redesign 6 Middle Street with the brief to redevelop it into a modern office space that incorporates new sustainable design elements.Set within the narrow cobbled streets along the eastern boundary of the Smithfields Conservation Area this refurbishment included demolition of existing roof structure and replacing it with a feature glazed roof, creation of a mezzanine floor and installation of a cantilevered staircase. The concept was to open up the space to create free-flowing natural light throughout all floors, open up views, create natural ventilation and maximise ceiling heights while incorporating a timber slatted raft concealing service.3v provided a full ironmongery service for this project which including a mixture of brass and matt black products. Black products were used on timber doors and bespoke textured brass pad handles on black frame glass doors, the pad handles were chosen to compliment the detailing in the timber slatted ceiling raft and wall panelling. We think they work seamlessly together! Photography: Neil Kenyon

The ChallengeBowthorpe is a high-quality development of 174 new homes together with landscaped open space, community gardens and a children’s play area on an area of undeveloped land in Norwich.The development was inspired by nearby Bowthorpe Hall and explored the idea of an historic walled garden with homes built within its boundary.As part of the site’s high environmental standards, it was critical that existing features, such as important tree belts and hedges were retained while also accommodating a proposed network of cycle and walking routes.The SolutionForterra’s Breckland Reserve – a red, tumbled, wirecut brick – was used alongside flint on the ground floor of some of the homes to create detailed wall work that echoed Bowthorpe Hall.Traditional red tiled roof pitches sit above the wall and reference Bowthorpe Cottages. On top of the wall sit cedar shingle clad upper floors.Traditional terraces form most of the new homes, with flats provided alongside unique mews-style housing.The BenefitsThe building form, the materials selected, and the use of pattern and decoration, helped to create a visual connection to the local area.

The Anchorage Gateway in Salford Quays is a new multi-storey building in the centre of Salford. The main wing is 29 storeys high whilst the lower tower tops out at 19 storeys. The ground floor contains almost 400m2 of commercial space and the upper floors contain 290 residential units and 800m2 of amenity space.The building is reputed to be one of the highest brick clad buildings in Europe, Kinlan Brickwork being specialist sub-contractor.Domis Construction is the main contractor on this scheme. URSA UK Ltd was chosen as the preferred insulation manufacturer. We supplied over 11,500m2 of 100mm URSAPAN BLACK - a unique glass mineral wool rainscreen cladding insulation slab;·      Euroclass A1 fire rating (non-combustible).·      Thermal conductivity of 0.035 W/mK.·      BBA Certified. Kate Fox, Area Sales Manager for the Midlands stated, ‘Following the success of this initial partnership URSA are now the preferred supplier of rainscreen insulation and our products have been used on Fifty5ive Queen Street in Salford with others in the pipeline including Derwent Street’.

"Expanding boundaries, horizons, capturing space and transforming it into new, modern, and welcoming lines": it is with this leitmotiv that the Pietra Perla reception hall in Sannicandro di Bari welcomes its guests, accompanying them in an experience where exclusivity and elegance reign supreme.In this evocative and dreamlike setting, a pearl of the small town in the Apulia region, Atlas Concorde has contributed to furnishing some of the indoor and outdoor spaces of the facility with a contemporary style.The romantic entrance comes to life thanks to the combination of different formats and contrasting colours, where the earthy essence of stone and its rich details bring together the refined look of natural materials with the excellent technical performance of porcelain tiles.The beauty and practicality of the stone effect is repeated in the floors of the interior spaces, like halls and restaurants, where warm shades make the rooms welcoming and give them a clean, avant-garde design.Decorations inspired by simple geometries with metallic-effect inserts further enrich the furnishing project, covering the walls of the bathrooms in perfect harmony with the dark nuance of the concrete-effect floor for a unique compositional balance.

Long house is a modern interpretation of a Derbyshire Dales longhouse and houses three generations of their respective families. It was built to Passivhaus standards and to have minimal visual impact on its rural surroundings and featured in a September episode of Channel 4’s Grand Designs. On the ground floor, a combination of floor-to-ceiling windows and a completely open-plan layout fills the house with sunlight and creates a feeling of space and tranquillity. A shared sitting room for Sarah and Mike’s mothers is known as the ‘lady chapel’ and its oversized windows provide spectacular views across the valley.Energy efficiency, thermal performance and sustainability are all key when building to Passivhaus standards. The couple were also keen to meet the Royal Institute of British Architects 2030 Challenge targets for operational energy use, water usage and embodied carbon. Durability and security were also priorities.‘The windows are the stars of the show. The whole house feels full of light and life. The views are spectacular and in every room we feel part of the landscape, but without having to put a jumper on!’

Radii’s elegant slimline double glazed Parallel 50 partitioning (45dB RW) with pivoting glazed doors were used for meeting rooms and quiet rooms across all three floors of the development, including some with electronic access controls integrated into our systems. Our Parallel 84 double glazed fronts (45dB RW) with integrated single Glide sliding door (38dB RW) were also utilised on the Lower Ground Floor.A set of Linear 59 (39dB RW) single glazed fronts with bi-parting sliding doors, installed to run within a drywall pocket, were used on the larger executive meeting rooms.All partition and doors used were installed with recessed head tracks and fully extruded aluminium mullion and transoms — mirroring the existing on-site Radii products that formed part of the restacking and reconfiguration work — with varying levels of privacy achieved with reeded manifestation.Radii also developed bespoke drywall end caps and finished them to match our glazing systems, neatly integrating the ends of the drywall crosswalls with our glazed fronts.

"Our carpets are an excellent choice for busy healthcare environments as they excel in terms of functionality, aesthetics and ease of maintenance. The carpet ranges installed at the Laura Mitchell clinic work well together to help to differentiate different areas of the building. Our floor plan design service helps to create bespoke design schemes to suit the exact design requirements of a project" Karen Burman Marketing Product Manager

As part of a major rebranding project, global asset management company abrdn reimagined its Edinburgh workspace, with collaboration, choice and well-being were key elements of the design brief. A custom take on Milliken's Comfortable Concrete iconic design and its co-ordinating LVT floor covering Polished Concrete has been installed to create the aesthetic and performance the design team were looking for.

As part of its UK expansion program Aldi was building a new £59 million regional distribution centre and offices at Wentloog near Cardiff.Over 10,000 m3 of TOPFORCE fibre reinforced concrete was supplied over a period of 13 months for the external floor slab. The TOPFORCE concrete reduced the effects of shrinkage and settlement cracking, while enhancing the surface properties and durability of the hardened, cementitious product. 

The screened rooftop garden which sits atop the new Westfield M7 commercial office development offers outstanding views out over London's skyline. PaveRail™ substructure system from RynoPaveSupport was used across the terrace. With a build-up of over 400mm to finished floor level and high-levels of foot-traffic, PaveRail will stay completely rigid and keep slabs in place.