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Minimising disruption for patients, staff and visitors was a priority for the University Hospital of North Tees team, responsible for the refurbishment of a vast area of new flooring in the hospital’s main public corridors. As such, Forbo Flooring Systems supplied its adhesive-free Modul’up Compact sheet vinyl – a resilient flooring solution that was easy to install and could be walked on immediately after installation. Built in the 1960s, the hospital in Stockton has seen much maintenance over the years and visually, had become dated. Therefore, the aim of the refurbishment was to bring the hospital interior into this century to create a more pleasant and comfortable environment for everyone. As well as speed of installation, the hospital team’s specification priorities were cleanliness and hygiene, especially as these main corridor routes lead on to clinical areas. But also, the spaces experience high footfall and are tested to the limit with heavy medical equipment and trolleys being moved around; the flooring had to perform well in terms of durability. “We were looking for something different and when our Forbo Area Manager, Jon Rogers, put forward the Modul’up solution, we identified a few advantages that appealed immediately,” explains the Project Manager for the University Hospital of North Tees, Michael Jones. “Firstly, speed of installation. It’s a vast area of flooring to cover. In fact, we’ve not done an area this size before, all at once. As you can imagine, we were apprehensive with it being such a dynamic environment. It’s hard to co-ordinate one installation let alone having to snag or worse re-lay. We liked the fact that Modul’up is tried and tested to meet all the current standards, but is also much easier to install and is easy to clean. “Secondly, from a subfloor maintenance angle we saw great benefits. The building was constructed in the 1960s, so in certain areas from time to time there are repairs to be done to the subfloor beneath. “With Modul’up you can cut the weld, roll back, fix the floor and re-lay with no patching required. If you have subfloor issues with normal vinyl floor you would have to lift it with the adhesive. This often causes damage to the vinyl and if patching is required then potentially you don’t get a match.” Phase One of the project involved the installation of 1,573m2 of Forbo’s Modul’up Compact in Natural Oak in the general circulation areas and corridors. Creating a fresh, contemporary and airy feel, the wood-effect flooring has been selected to complement the corridor walls, which feature a split wall colour scheme with the lower half painted in a strong, modern graphite grey and the top half in a lighter, almost white, grey.  Also commenting on the specification, Drew McColgan, managing director of Rimick Flooring, the installer, said: “We have worked with the hospital for 15 plus years. The building is old and we often have issues with the subfloor; installing a loose lay product makes it easier for us to access the subfloors for repair without having to patch the vinyl back. It was also quicker for us to install in an environment where time is of the essence. The client is delighted with the appearance of the vinyl too.” The hospital team, Rimick Flooring and Forbo worked together to ensure a smooth install as Drew explains: “Forbo came to visit the site a number of times to meet with us and the client. They attended meetings with screed representatives too and provided expert support throughout with samples aplenty; including a decent sized part roll so the fitting team could familiarise themselves with the product. Jon Rogers, and the customer support team (particularly Jason Livingstone) were there to help us every step of the way.” Drew talks through the installation process and hints at the longer-term benefits: “During the night shifts, the team lifted the existing linoleum, screeded the existing surfaces using a non-ammonium smoothing compound and fit (with set-in skirting detail) from there. Modul’up helped us to save approximately an hour a night, “Going forward, there’s no need to patch areas should there be a problem with the subfloor, and it negates the need to use an adhesive, which is good as it’s odour free and means the floor can be used immediately.”  Providing primary protection at the main entrances, Forbo’s Nuway and Coral entrance flooring systems have been installed too – helping to prevent dirt and moisture from being traipsed indoors. Forbo’s new Coral interior was also installed to complete the hospital entrance flooring system. Looking ahead, Michael Jones, University Hospital of North Tees Project Manager concludes: “So far, we’re impressed with Modul’up. There are other buildings on site which now may also be considered to be refreshed with this loose lay product.”

Conserving a Grade I listed building with renovating plaster.Halifax’s Grade I listed Piece Hall is a true monument to the town’s industrial heritage. As part of Calderdale Council’s ambitious plans to conserve the building and transform it into a cultural and commercial hub for Halifax, a series of delicate remedial works were outlined to future-proof the structure’s original features and ensure it would be able to live up to the rigours of 21st century life. Under the schedule of works, Tarmac’s Limelite renovating plaster was chosen to provide a durable solution which was both sympathetic to the age of the building, yet robust enough to provide long-lasting results.The ChallengeFirst constructed in 1779, the Grade I listed Piece Hall takes its name from its original use as a cloth hall, where local weavers were allowed to sell their ‘pieces’ at the height of the industrial revolution. As an iconic reminder of Halifax’s prominence in the Georgian wool trade, the site is understandably a treasured landmark for local people.The aim of the Piece Hall transformation project was to conserve the historic fabric of the building and create an outstanding heritage destination fit for the 21st century. This would see the property, which consists of 315 rooms centred around a 66,000 sqft piazza, return to its previous grandeur and be reinvented as a new cultural and commercial centre for the town.The Piece Hall transformation project was delivered by Calderdale Council and made possible by funding from the Council, a generous £7 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund – thanks to National Lottery players – and kind support from both the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Wolfson Foundation. The Piece Hall is now operated by an independent body, the newly formed charity The Piece Hall Trust.It was vital that a specialist heritage renovating plaster was specified, to ensure that any remedial work undertaken would be in keeping with the property’s original features and sympathetic to the materials used during the building’s original construction in 1779.The plastering contractors chosen to undertake the work, Manchester Screeding Contractors (MSC), were challenged with plastering the inside of the iconic arches which surround The Piece Hall’s piazza, as well as re-plastering walls within a number of rooms on the ground floor. Given the need to use a specialist heritage plaster, MSC turned to Tarmac’s Limelite team for help.For the interior work, damaged and ageing plaster had to be removed, revealing solid stone walls which needed to be plastered in keeping with the heritage of the building. Time and weather had also eroded the exterior arches, and an appropriate solution needed to be found.Installation time was also a challenge on the project as the construction phase was nearing hand-over to The Piece Hall Trust, with the building due to be reopened to the public in August 2017.The SolutionTo satisfy the specification, MSC first chose to use Tarmac’s Limelite Easy Bond as a primer, given its ability to effectively control suction and salts, as well as improve the level of adhesion when working with difficult substrates. Following this, two coats of Limelite Renovating Plaster were applied as a backing plaster to the surfaces to remove undulation.Tom Emery, Specifications Co-ordinator at Tarmac’s Limelite division, comments: “A traditional lime plaster could take months to dry out whereas renovating plaster only takes 24 hours to dry per coat. This was essential in helping the team to cope with the tight timescales of the project.“Moisture, damp and mould growth were also found in the building. Renovating plaster is ideal in scenarios like this, as the level of breathability it offers will allow moisture to easily pass through it. It is this breathability that will significantly reduce the likelihood of damp occurring.Tom continues, “The renovating plaster was followed with a final coat of Limelite’s High Impact Finishing Plaster. The High Impact Finishing plaster is extremely durable, which is ideal given the municipal use of the building. What’s more, it’s great for use in heavily trafficked areas as it provides a shell to the backing plaster.”In total, seven tonnes of product were supplied to the project in the two-month timeframe, with MSC working through the weekends to get the job done.Karl Hodgkiss, Managing Director of Manchester Screeding Contractors, commented: “Internal and external plastering as well as restoration plastering are key specialist areas for our business, and this was a significant project for us that we were excited to be a part of. I had used Limelite’s renovating plaster before in smaller quantities and knew it would provide a breathable covering for the original stonework.”

A global construction, energy and infrastructure organisation required a durable, chemical resistant floor coating solution with an anti-slip profile that would withstand the daily wear and tear of its internal vehicle repair and maintenance facility. VINCI Construction is part of VINCI Group, a multinational enterprise with operations in the energy, infrastructure and construction industries. Founded in 1899, the company now has a presence in over 120 countries with a global team of around 220,000 people. The Widnes facility is one of ten VINCI Construction UK locations and houses, among other facilities, a vehicle maintenance workshop where the company ensures their fleet of general and specialist vehicles. The industrial unit that houses the workshop previously had a concrete paving slab floor that proved to be uneven, unsafe, and difficult to maintain.  Not only did the new flooring solution need to address these concerns, it also needed to be both slip and chemical resistant as well as feature clearly marked automotive bays and provide enough durability to withstand frequent wheeled traffic as well as the impact of dropped tools and the weight of heavy equipment. Installed in a combination of RAL 7037 Dusty Grey and RAL 6024 Traffic Green, vebrores EP HBC was installed across the 332 m2 vehicle workshop, with the Traffic Green used to mark out the facility’s six automotive bays, before being outlined using vebrodeck PU Linemarker in Yellow. Prior to the installation of vebrores EP HBC SR – a system comprising an initial layer of vebro EP Primer followed two coats of vebro EP Universal with a broadcast of 52 mesh silica sand after the first coat for an anti-slip profile – the pre-existing concrete paving slabs were first coated with an epoxy DPM and a 20.0 mm screed to level the surface. vebrores EP HBC SR is a pigmented, solvent-free, slip-resistant high build epoxy floor coating system that is best suited to floors in medium duty processing areas where a textured, hard-wearing, chemical resistant finish is required. Available in a wide range of BS 4008 or RAL matched shades, the system is ideally suited to areas where there is a need for navigational demarcation and zoning. 

Flooring specialists Laceys Floors and Walls have used UltraFloor Level IT Hydra Bond to install 170sqm of flooring at Rushcliffe Country Park.BackgroundGreen Flag award winners since 2007, Rushcliffe Country Park is a popular visitor attraction in Nottinghamshire. Work is currently underway to renovate the visitor centre including staff office and toilets.The ChallengeExpert flooring specialists, Laceys Floors and Walls were the contractors commissioned to install 170sqm of flooring throughout the visitor centre. To complete the installation, Laceys Floors and Walls needed subfloor materials that would provide a super smooth finish to avoid any trip hazards and would withstand constant trafficking of visitors.The SolutionTo begin, Laceys Floors and Walls applied DPM IT damp proof membrane across the entire 170sqm area. DPM IT is a two component, solvent free epoxy resin system for use as a surface damp proof membrane. Designed to provide protection against subfloor moisture, DPM IT has a pot life of 45 – 75 minutes, a cure time of 5 hours and boasts a 98% RH floor moisture tolerance.Once fully cured, the team applied UltraFloor’s latest product innovation, Level IT Hydra Bond to a depth of 3-5mm.Level IT Hydra Bond is a super polymer modified smoothing compound which utilises UltraFloor’s unique technology – a process which enhances application and boasts unrivalled flow properties. What’s more, each bag of Level IT Hydra Bond also contains 20% recycled material.In addition, Level IT Hydra Bond can receive bonded floor coverings after 4 hours, has an extended working time of 45 minutes for optimal usability, and is moisture tolerant and protein free.To complete the project, Polysafe Wood FX and Verona flooring was installed throughout the visitor centre, office and toilets.ResultsThe flooring was installed with ease and Rushcliffe County Park’s exciting new visitor centre is due to open later this year.“Level IT Hydra Bond was a real pleasure to work with. It was easy to trowel and float on the floor and knitted together great between mixes. It even went nicely on the previous days screeding.” Richard Lacey, Director at Laceys Floors and Walls.