"polished concrete"

Precast concrete Groundwall L-Shaped retaining wall panels, designed and manufactured by Whites Concrete (part of the Naylor Group) with a special rock face finish to blend in with existing surroundings have replaced an integral part of a cemetery wall structure in Wigan.

350 square meters of wall designed, manufactured and installed by Grass Concrete Limited. A large scale hospital redevelopment site with a few added complications saw a need to construct an earth retaining wall but with high level services to one elevation, a pinch point to another and then for good measure the need to include a footbridge.

This major expansion of the deep-water container terminal at Liverpool docks would significantly increase the footprint and capacity of the site. The site handles the world’s largest container ships and connects road, rail and canal networks directly to the heart of the UK mainland. As part of this project, external concrete surfacing was needed that would deliver long term resistance to the high volumes of HGV traffic using the terminal. After discussions with the contractor, the solution proposed was Tarmac’s TOPFORCE fibre reinforced concrete with a combination of synthetic macro and micro fibres. TOPFORCE can eliminate the need for some traditional steel reinforcement, making it quicker and easier to place. It offers excellent longterm durability making it ideal for commercial and industrial sites used by HGV traffic. This solution would deliver a saving in both labour and material costs and avoid the budget impact of the rising cost of steel. As well as improving the durability and structural performance, the use of macro fibres also improved sustainability significantly by reducing embodied carbon compared to traditional steel reinforcement. 

On this installation the contractor selected Walraven concrete screws because of their ETA approvals and used our technical advice service and on site pull test for extra peace of mind.

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 challenge was to construct a roof top extension on top of the luxury hotel NOBU in Shoreditch. The plan was to add an additional 1 storey of hotel rooms, suites, dining areas and open terraces that would replace the existing planted roof. The chosen solution was Tarmac Toplight C lightweight structural concrete in a pump mix with the addition of steel fibres, ensuring maximum weight loss of 35% with no compromise on structural concrete performance.By adding steel fibres into the lightweight mix the composite metal deck system could be installed without the need for traditional expensive and slow steel reinforcement across the deck. The use of lightweight concrete, furthermore, reduced the load by 35% which meant the existing structure did not need to be reinforced or under pinned. The construction programme time was also reduced considerably.

Naylor Concrete supplied Type A 1370mm long traffic bollards to a project in Wakefield. The Bollards were recently supplied to protect an area from unwanted traffic. The old County Court building was demolished and the remaining footprint was edged with the Bollards.

A busy Leeds Freightliner container terminal located to the South East of Leeds needed replacement of a number of sections of the external paving. The site is subject to constant traffic and extreme loading, with loading vehicles weighting up to 100 tonnes when carrying a container and daily use by HGV’s. Tarmac’s TOPFORCE fibre reinforced concrete offered the ideal solution. Although TOPFORCE concretes can be used instead of conventional steel reinforcement in some applications, in this case it would be used for added durability and crack resistance in a pavement design containing two layers of steel reinforcement mesh within a 300mm slab. The fibres within TOPFORCE provide three-dimensional reinforcement throughout the full depth of the pavement. This delivers improved abrasion, impact and crack resistance and enhanced flexural strength.Find out more at: https://tarmac.com/case-studies/fibre-reinforced-concrete-for-busy-transport-hub/

The Dream is a 20m precast concrete sculpture on the site of the old Sutton Manor Colliery near St. Helens in Lancashire. Created by world-renowned Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, it serves as a memorial to the miners who worked at the site. Because of the sculpture’s exposure to winds of up to 45m/s, all of the elements were connected to form a single monolithic structure. The design required a connection force of 200kN between adjacent elements, both horizontally and vertically. J&P was approached to deliver because of the company’s expertise in working with precast concrete.

Continuity between indoor spaces and outdoor floors, a balanced interaction that increases aesthetic potential: Atlas Concorde sets the tone in an elegant Belgian residence.Refined, unique, chic: the metropolitan style of Atlas Concorde concrete-effect porcelain tiles decorates the interior and exterior floors of a large, charming private residence in the town of Maasmechelen, Belgium, giving them a strong, unmistakable personality. Furnished in an urban chic style, the residence uses concrete-effect tiles to boost its modern, extremely refined look, which plays on volumes and alternating light and dark tones. Laid both on the floor in the open space living room/kitchen area and outside, the concrete-effect tiles create a visual and functional continuity between the indoor and outdoor spaces. Thanks to a subtle texture on shades of grey, where the warm hues of oxidation and the cooler tones typical of the original material coexist, the concrete-effect porcelain tiles become a decisive element in the interior and exterior designs of the residence. Able to embellish rooms thanks to their versatility, which makes them easy to mix and match with other furnishings, the tile surfaces also project their own style in safety and continuity, extending the design possibilities. Premium large-format 120x120 cm tiles boost the aesthetic and functional potential of spaces, amplifying volumes and giving them the characteristics of safety and reliability, especially critical when designing outdoor solutions. With a variety of effects and nuances, the large format is also able to satisfy the broadest array of stylistic inclinations: its task is to reinterpret all the expressiveness of the original material and transform it into a real living experience.

Ibstock's precast concrete Utility Troughs and Lids provide total protection for large power and communication services as well as packing a significant environmental punch, delivering up to 60% less embodied carbon than traditional concrete mixes.

La Fabric was looking to create a comfortable, collaborative and flexible co-working space. At 1000 sq metres, this beautiful space has been carpeted with Milliken's Comfortable Concrete 2.0 and zoned sensitively with the subtle colours of Urban Poetry. The Comfort Plus cushion backing adds luxurious underfoot comfort and acoustic performance to this calm working environment. As for all Milliken carpet and LVT, this is a Carbon Neutral product.

A Sealwall Tank manufactured by Whites Concrete has become part of Rampton Hospital’s new Energy Centre in Nottinghamshire, which is operated and maintained under a Carbon Energy Fund framework contract. Part of the new Energy Centre that provides heating, hot water and electricity to the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Hospital, Whites Concrete’s pre-cast concrete Sealwall Tank is a component of Rampton’s new effluent treatment plant—now a modern, automated system that meets both current environmental standards and future expansion of the site.

The Olympic stadium had a capacity of 80,000 during the Olympics and Paralympics. It will be reduced in capacity to 25,000 for the future and will become West Ham United F.C's new permanent home. Designed by Populous Architects and contracted to McAlpine, it took over three years to build. Along with 10,700 tonnes of steel and thousands of cubic metres of low-carbondioxide concrete, there are many Naylor Concrete Hi-Spec, Fair Faced and Fire Resistant Lintels in the building, supplied through Civils and Lintels to Essex based Brickwork Contractor, Galostar.

Koster Epoxy flooring systems were installed to the concrete bund of a chemical plant in Wales. There was a need to prevent chemical spillages entering the concrete so they could be cleaned in a safe manner. Koster Aquatecnic worked with the engineers and client to design a system which could be installed and offer the most suitable level of protection. The cleaned surface was prepared with Koster Polysil TG500 and Koster NB1 Grey. Koster SL Premium was used to provide a strong level surface to accept the Koster LF-VL on the floor and Koster EM-VS on the up-stands.

Dawnus Civil Engineering were commissioned by Cardiff CC to construct a hydro electric power station at Radyr Weir. The £2.6m scheme comprised of damming the section of works from the River Taff and constructing the structure to house the Archimedes turbine screws. They required a concrete that could take the weight of the screws 3 days after pouring and asked for a 3 day strength of 50N.Tarmac suggested TOPROC ED which is a high performance readymixed concrete suitable for use in industrial, commercial and infrastructure construction where high early strength is required.

This digital business in Caesarea, Israel has installed Milliken's Comfortable Concrete modular carpet for its neutral, paired back office design. The raw beauty of the Laid Bare design, with its Comfort Plus cushion backing provided the perfect aesthetic and acoustic performance the client was looking for. As a company that offers sit/stand design, the product's cushion backing also provides additional underfoot comfort and reduced leg muscle fatigue. The subtle colours of Urban Poetry are used to beautifully to zone the office's meeting spaces.

JORDAHL® cast-in channel provided the versatility of fixing, whilst J&P provided the quality of support for this prestigious project. Loveld Concrete provided the high-quality precast panels used on both end gable elevations. Unitised glazing was fixed into each panel using JORDAHL® JTA K channel. Each panel was then subsequently fixed back to the concrete structure also using JORDAHL® JTA W 72/48 high-load channel. The pods were fixed using JORDAHL® JTA 53/34 channel, which accommodated the greater loads required.

Two 20 storey buildings, one a hotel and the other a luxury residential and commercial apartment block, have been constructed near Wembley Stadium. Triton Systems was appointed by the main contractor, Donban Construction, to supply a watertight concrete system for the large underground car park which will serve both buildings.

Enverge Nexseal LE Closed Cell Insulation can be used to insulate concrete soffits of all shapes and sizes to speed up project timelines and reduce wastage.

The Athletes Village There were a number of contractors building blocks for the Athletes accommodation, but amongst the Brickwork Contractors using Naylor Concrete Lintels were Lee Marley Brickwork Contractors of Reading.

Triton Systems approved contractor, British Damp Proofing, installed products supplied by Triton Systems to waterproof two lift shafts in a development of 25 dwellings. Triton Bentonite Membrane was used to waterproof the lift slab base and kicker, which were poured using concrete made waterproof with Triton TT Admix. Triton's Adcor waterbar was then installed on to the kicker.

The Margam Green Energy Plant is a long-term, multi-million pound investment into the Welsh economy to help meet the country’s renewable energy targets whilst also strengthening the country’s energy security. A durable concrete was required for the storage silo that housed wood chip to feed the plant.For this project Tarmac suggested their TOPROC SY be used as an overlay on the finished concrete slab as a protective high strength screed. TOPROC SY comprises a micro-silica mix with steel and macro fibres designed to give high levels of abrasive and impact resistance. This product is highly suited to heavy industrial areas such as container handling, metal recycling, waste, loading bays and any other aggressive environments. The main benefit is extended length of time the product will perform compared with traditional concrete therefore saving cost on continual replacement.

THE PROJECTWe start 2018 with a case study that is truly the epitome of ingenuity and design! What a privilege to be involved in Gas Holders.King’s Cross is inextricably linked to London’s industrial past. The telescopic gasholder was invented in 1824 and provided the storage needed to meet the demand of an ever-expanding city.The interlocking gasholder triplets were built and revised between 1860 and 1880 and now, some 150 years later, they are once again responding innovatively to The Capital’s ever increasing population. Architects Wilkinson Eyre have produced a truly stunning and extraordinary development.Luxury apartments designed by Jonathan Tuckey Design have designed internal beauty that benefit from a Regent’s canal waterside location, breath-taking communal roof gardens, and an array of amenities elegantly furnished and dressed by London interior designers No12 Studio. Amenities include spa and gym, residents lounge and a sophisticated entertainment suite including private dining and catering kitchen, a 14 person screening room, with an adjacent elegant games room, for use before or after the show.The Gasholders lobby displays extraordinary attention to detail in its integration of the building’s industrial heritage with contemporary design and style. A 24-hour concierge team operates from a bespoke desk made in natural stone, while polished concrete floors with brass inlay, a sweeping spiral staircase and feature light sculpture introduce guests to the drama of the interior. It also houses the bespoke brass mailboxes painstakingly developed and created by our Innovation team.THE PRODUCTBack in 2014, we were approached by Wilkinson Eyre Architects to create a curved bank of mailboxes with particular emphasis on the hinge and finish, the overall requirement for a suitably stunning yet functional solution.Houston Cox Central were awarded The Triplets contract to design, manufacture and install all specialist joinery, which included the solid brass bespoke mailboxes that formed an integral part of the reception area. The joinery design presented its challenges, working within a cylindrical building with zero design tolerance. All the joinery interfaced (between panels, doorsets, wardrobe and vanity units) with each other to form an integral part of each living space. As on previous projects, we worked closely with Houston Cox Central over many months to ensure the clients brief was met. The bespoke designed mailboxes aligned with full height panels following the curved atrium wall within the ground floor reception area. The unique design of the brass mailbox doors with robust solid continuous brass hinges are very fitting for this iconic building. Houston Cox Central are delighted with the end result, having completed the installation late 2017.

A complete rework of a postmodern office building (60 London Wall), situated in the heart of the City of London. The project aim was to extensively refurbish, reconfigure, reinvent and reposition the building.Due to the addition of a composite metal deck floor extension and additional steel frame for the top floors, Tarmac’s Toplight C lightweight structural concrete was seen as the perfect solution as it could be pumped and ensured a weight loss of 30% whiel maintaining the necessary structural performance.

The Glass Yard is a prestigious mixed office and retail development in Chesterfield, on the site of what was the once the largest manufacturer of domestic glassware in the UK. It has been designed sustainably and ergonomically by developer Blue Deer Ltd. for an open plan, daylight filled environment. The client approached Tarmac’s representatives looking for a safe, practical, durable and visually distinctive finish for the main external walkways and first-floor balconies that would complement the modern design and sustainable ethos of the building. After providing advice and number of samples, the client chose TOPTINT Glow a unique, glow in the dark decorative concrete that uses light sensitive chippings to help illuminate areas such as footpaths, cycleways and pedestrian areas. The glowing aggregate provided a passive and energy efficient form of demarcation to help guide clients along the balconies and walkways at night-time and in low ambient light conditions. This fitted with the building’s sustainable design ethos. The gentle glow provided by the light emitting chippings also provided an ambience that was sure to be a talking point for customers and would help put the new development on the map.

Funding was secured to renovate a Grade II listed lido in Pontypridd. The lido, which had remained derelict since 1991, was given a new lease of life after the local authority clinched the funding required to restore it back to its former glory. As part of the scheme, the existing derelict buildings would be renovated and the Lido bathing area remodeled into three heated pools. The restoration included external covered showers, heated changing facilities and a learning and historical interpretation centre. The client needed a coloured product that was highly durable, easy to place and maintain, available in a range of colours and, most important of all, capable of retaining its colour and beauty. TOPTINT coloured was recommended as the ideal solution. TOPTINT contains an integral colour pigment which is UV stable meaning that the colour will not degrade from natural sunlight. Also, because a liquid pigment is used the colour is evenly mixed throughout the concrete. As this pigment is integral to the mix it is a long lasting and frost-resistant solution, requiring little on-going maintenance and therefore making it a more sustainable long term solution.

Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club is located in Fulham and is one London’s top sports venues. Alfresco Floors were commissioned by Chelsea Football Club to supply and install over 430sqm of EBEMA Rockstone concrete paving on Buzon pedestals to a newly refurbished pitch-side terrace. The terrace areas located directly behind the pitch-perimeter advertising boards was built up to 200mm to create a raised terrace specially designed for wheelchair users.