"tile and slab flooring"

The combination of a rapid drying damp proof membrane and levelling and smoothing compound, enabled contractors to tackle the damp floor confidently, and complete the entire refurbishment over the half-term holiday period.

Colours inspired by the natural environment, combined with the outstanding performance of Forbo Flooring Systems’ luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and carpet tile solutions, have helped AMH Workspace create an uplifting working environment for Furniture Clinic’s new HQ, which ‘brings the outdoors indoors’.AMH Workspace was brought on board by Furniture Clinic as part of the refurbishment project to create a warm and welcoming new HQ for the company’s 65 employees. With wood being an integral part of the business, it naturally features prominently both on the external façade of the building and internally.A striking feature of the new 50,000 sq ft premises is the atrium area with a cedar slat wall covered with natural moss that catches the eye as soon as you enter the building. Full floor to ceiling height windows and a balcony area with open walkways completes the visual spectacle and have transformed the entrance area into a bright, welcoming and memorable space.“Using Forbo’s Allura Flex LVT flooring in Brown Raw Timber in the ground floor reception area adds warmth to such a vast space,” explained Heather. Available in 34 wood designs, Allura Flex comes in 4 different plank sizes, offering greater design freedom. The matte surface features a natural looking fine wood grain with a true to life embossing, while the tile’s special backing is designed for comfort and improved impact sound reduction. This has helped to control the noise in the expansive reception area.Heather continued: “We chose Allura Flex for its natural looking characteristics. The extra-large 150 x 28 cm planks were perfect for such a large space, while the 5mm thickness and 1mm wear layer offers exceptional performance, making it the ideal solution for this high traffic area.”Forbo’s Tessera Cloudscape carpet tiles in the green hues of Monsoon Cloud and Summer Storm have been used throughout the offices and meeting rooms. In the open office area, Cloudscape has been installed in conjunction with Allura Flex, again in the Brown Raw Timber colourway, to create separate work and meeting/breakout zones. Forbo’s range of Tessera carpet tiles combine well with Allura Flex LVT, as the same adhesive can be used during installation, which means there is no need for transition strips, enabling a seamlessly integrated flooring design.

In Manhattan Loft gardens, they have a dry install system and are going to use the recommended system from Sika, then fit the floor fully bonded with our SW890 adhesive. Installation and site visits are part of our service. With large residential tower developments, there will normally be slabs for each floor. These will take at least two years to dry out completely. This means that unless the slabs have a DPM applied there will always be a chance of moisture affecting whatever is laid on the floor be it a cradle system or dry install underfloor heating system.

PANDOMO LOFT pushed the boundaries of traditional floor design, offering the ability to produce intricate designs, coupled with a hard wearing finish to maintain the impact for years to come. Products used: PANDOMO® LOFT

The recent fit out of Savills' new Welsh headquarters saw commercial interior design and supply specialists, Imium, enlisted to create modern-day, cohesive working environment, while still adhering to the brand's traditional values. Forbo Flooring Systems' striking Allura Flex Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) and Tessera Seagrass carpet tiles have played an integral role in the smart new interior. Rhiannon Phillips, Interior Designer at Imium, explained: "The floor comprises of both employee and customer facing areas, therefore it was important that the space was conducive for clients without affecting business as usual . We were notified by the Savills marketing department of the brand guidelines that we needed to adhere to, in terms of finishes, to make sure that the Savills story was portrayed. We took inspiration from the company's heritage and ethos and incorporated different themes within the office based on the various sectors that the firm operates in. For the customer facing area, we used a lot of silk, walnut and a splash of the colour red to reflect the residential sector."

The Access Panel Company's Hinged Tile Door is a discreet storage solution designed to meet the specific needs of a client's bathroom. The client required a storage unit that could also provide access to the plumbing pipes behind the toilet. The Hinged Tile Door is a perfect solution for this need as it allows for easy access to the pipes while maintaining a sleek and stylish look.The Hinged Tile Door is designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, with the gap of the door matching the gap of the grout between the tiles. This design ensures that the door is virtually invisible and does not detract from the overall aesthetic of the bathroom. To further reduce the visibility of the door, a push-to-open touch catch mechanism was included, eliminating the need for a keyhole or escutcheon on the face of the door.The Hinged Tile Door is made from carbon steel and powder coated RAL 9010 as standard, ensuring that it will last for years to come. It is easy to install and provides a secure and reliable storage solution that meets the specific requirements of the client.The Hinged Tile Door is a great example of how The Access Panel Company can provide bespoke solutions to meet the unique needs of our clients. By working closely with the client, The Access Panel Company was able to design and manufacture a product that met all our requirements while maintaining a sleek and modern look. The Hinged Tile Door is an excellent case study of how The Access Panel Company can provide tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of our clients.

A former pub located in the heart of Taporley village, Cheshire, has been converted into a luxury health and welbeing centre, featuring a state-of-the-art-gym, treatment rooms and apartments for staff use. Instinct Gym and Wellbeing aims to help improve the health and mental wellbeing of the local community through new initiatives. When it came to selection the best floor coverings, having worked with JA Flooring on previous projects  Enigma Holdings Group, the owners of the building, called upon the flooring contractor once more. As aesthetics and durability were key objectives of the project, JA Flooring advised the use of an array of solutions from Forbo Flooring Systems’ portfolio including its Allura luxury vinyl tiles (LVT), which played a significant role in the renovation works.The natural wood and stone aesthetic, combined with the benefits of strong, comfortable vinyl tiles, meant that Allura was installed in the gym, treatment rooms, spin studios and circulation areas. In the treatment rooms where a more serene surrounding was required, Allura Wood in the Whitewash Elegant Oak colourway was used.In the entrance and reception area, a bespoke Coral Logo entrance flooring mat was produced to reinforce the Instinct Gym and Wellbeing branding – helping to create that all important first impression, whilst offering protection in extreme traffic conditions and maximum functional performance.Finally, Tessera Earthscape carpet tiles in Iceberg were installed in the apartments; and in the changing facilities and kitchens, the Surestep range in various neutral colourways helped to complement the overall sophisticated interior of the health and wellbeing centre.

The challengeThree types of mineral ceiling tiles feature at the Jenny’s Well care home for older people with sight loss. It is operated by the Royal Blind charity, which shares sister charity Scottish War Blinded’s new Hawkhead Centre for visually impaired veterans.The Jenny’s Well care home designed by the Unum Partnership features Zentia’s tiles in the main entrance, reception and manager’s offices, all the corridors, back of house staff areas, kitchens and toilets.The solutionThese include 1,000 m² of Zentia’s Perla Tegular and 250m² of Prestige dB tiles, as well as 350 m² of Aruba Max, all mineral with Tegular edges installed on a Zentia Prelude 24mm XL2 grid system.In addition, it features ISO clean room rated Hygiene tiles to the main kitchen and humidity-resistant Hydrabloc tiles to laundry areas and WC, both square-edged 600 x 600 mm in a Prelude 24mm Corrosive Resistant grid. The use of a 200 mm high Axiom profile also provided a solution for ceiling level changes with a pre-finished bespoke upstand.The Zentia systems were supplied by CCF in Glasgow and installed for main contractor CCG (Scotland) Ltd by specialist sub-contractor Brian Hendry Interiors, a member of Zentia’s Pinnacle Partner network of sustainably-certified installers, whose squad of specialist fixers completed over a six-month programme.Unum found the site for the client, The Royal Blind, to not only accommodate proposals for the bespoke care home but also a drop-in centre for the Scottish War Blinded. The care home is designed to provide an exceptional caring environment designed to the exacting requirements of the visually impaired. The design has been developed to create domestic-scale pavilions centred around a sensory courtyard, creating a community hub, with the aim of providing a secure environment that promotes care and social interaction and encourages self-confidence and independence among its residents.

Formica Group is a leading provider of branded, designed surfacing solutions for commercial and residential customers worldwide. When its North Shields factory had some serious issues with an existing corridor flooring, the company turned to a local flooring supplier to suggest a suitable solution, which ultimately saw Formica Group specifying 300m2 of Attraction® fast track vinyl floor tiles from international flooring specialist Gerflor.

When the Cliff Hotel in Gorleston-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, wanted to transform an out-dated breakfast room into a stunning new bar and dining area, MBS Flooring set about proving just how easy and creative one can be with Gerflor’s Creation 55 Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) flooring collection.

St Mary’s RC Primary School wanted a robust flooring that was suitable for the school activities that take place in the halls like PE and assemblies. In addition, and in contrast to the previous brown floor, a colourful flooring was required. As a result, 300 sqm of Attraction® tiles in Wattaru, a deep and vivid blue.

Over 800m2 of Gradus Latour2 carpet tiles have been installed in the prestigious offices at Argyle House, Edinburgh, Scotland. The overall management for the transformation of Argyle House would be the responsibility of Edinburgh-based real estate consultants Hollis. When specifying new flooring for the refurbishment programme, Hollis chose 825m2 of Latour2 carpet tiles. Designed from a floor plan service supplied by Gradus based on the client’s inspiration, the project would include Gradus Latour2 in Howden and Alston colours. Maggie Smith, Business Development Manager at Gerflor commented, “The design scheme needed to be of a neutral palette which would appeal to potentially any new tenant in the building, so we proposed a modern and contemporary grey theme and alongside this added a vibrant splash of colour around the perimeter. The final finish is impressive, and the client is delighted.” Gradus Carpets is a brand of the Gerflor Group, manufacturing premium quality carpet tiles and planks, broadloom, and impervious backed carpets.

Rawson Carpet Solutions Felkirk Polypropylene carpet tiles have been installed at the Idsall school Independent Academy in Shropshire, a thriving and highly successful school that believes every student can reach their potential. J Daniel Flooring have installed carefully chosen carpet tile colours to match with the school logo and branding which has provided a great new aesthetic to the refurbished rooms, including the library, corridors, sixth form centre and various teaching rooms.Rawson Carpet solutions provide a broad range of designer and durable contract carpet tiles to suit any design or budget aspiration. Felkirk Carpet Tiles in colours ‘Blackout’ with random Tiles in ‘Turf’ complement the schools branding colours. The entrance matting is Rawson’s primary entrance solution, ‘Dominator’ entrance tiles in colour ‘Anthracite’.Felkirk Carpet Tiles by Rawson Carpet Solutions are a popular choice nationally for Education Carpet solutions as there is a proven durability and reliability in the product after so many years of successful historical use. The Tiles, specifically engineered for the workplace and learning sectors, have class 33 heavy contract rating and offer castor chair suitability.

Timescales: March 2021 -- Project Size: 800 m2Products: MonoTile - Finished in “Bianco Botticino”The Mills Fabrica, Cottam House, Kings Cross, LondonThe Mills Fabrica is a contemporary co-working space that has been thoughtfully designed to foster collaboration and community among sustainable conscious businesses. A key component of any modern office space is the flooring system, which can have a significant impact on both the aesthetics and functionality of the environment.In order to ensure that the flooring system for The Mills Fabrica was both visually appealing and practical, AFD collaborated closely with our contracting partners. We were able to provide the expertise needed to specify the correct finish design that would be appropriate for the space, taking into account factors such as traffic flow, durability, and maintenance requirements.The chosen flooring system was a Terrazzo raised access system, which was installed alongside matching floor tiles in other areas, as well as wall tiles. The Terrazzo Raised Floor system material is renowned for its durability, low maintenance requirements, and stunning visual appeal.The raised access system offers several advantages over traditional flooring systems. It allows for easy access to the void beneath the flooring, which is particularly useful for buildings that require extensive cabling or piping. It also provides greater flexibility for future modifications to the space, such as the installation of new electrical or data systems.By choosing a Terrazzo raised access system for The Mills Fabrica, we were able to achieve a high-end design finish that seamlessly flows from one area to the next, while still providing the practicality and functionality that is essential for a modern office space. The result is a flooring system that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also enhances the overall functionality of the environment.

Over 360m2 of Attraction® interlocking tiles have been installed in the main assembly hall at Mary Immaculate High School, Wales. Delivering an outcome that would be both visually stunning and practical for this extremely busy school was a challenge well-met by Cardiff-based Trefoil Interiors, who turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor. Peter Incledon, Senior Estimator at Trefoil Interiors commented,” We chose Gerflor’s Attraction flooring tiles as it can be easily overlayed on a Granwood composite floor. After speaking with our Gerflor representative we were confident in the Attraction product, as it has been successfully installed in several other locations where an existing Granwood floor required a fast-track covering solution.” Tony Thorne, Sales & Specification Manager, Gerflor commented, “I am absolutely delighted to have worked on this project alongside Trefoil Interiors. This project has been a great success for such a prestigious educational facility”. Peter Incledon also added, “we always recommend Gerflor flooring whenever we can, we trust their tried and tested solutions for all markets.” Gerflor's Attraction® range is a perfect solution for renovation, it is a fast track loose lay vinyl tile with interlocking edges which allows for rapid installation and replacement.

There are a multitude of considerations for choosing the best commercial carpet tile solution.. Time spent looking at your criteria will provide a much better suited outcome.Listed below are the primary criteria Rawson Carpet Solutions recommends considering before selecting the best commercial carpet tile for your organization:

The $10-billion dollar development required a rooftop waterproofing and flooring system that could withstand the islands continual exposure to heat, moisture and sunlight. ARDEX provided the perfect system to cope with such an extreme environment.

This extensive 9,000m2 new build project, covering 4 key operating theatres, two treatment rooms, assessment units, a discharge ward and an admission department benefitted from a full ARDEX flooring system.

Beaufort Park is one of North West London’s newest and most desirable residential developments. Alfresco Floors supplied Ebema concrete tiles for use across the tree-lined boulevards and landscaped parkland. The Alfresco Floors range from Ebema is a very design conscious collection and features three surfaces, Carreau, Rockstone and Megasmooth, with a large range of standard colours, and tile sizes all the way up to 1200mm long and 80mm deep. Bespoke colours and sizes can be supplied for orders of just 500 SqM or more.

Sonixx Resilient 250 was installed as an acoustic underlayment. It was bonded to the subfloor and a heterogenous vinyl and carpet tiles were installed on top. The installation was completed as part of a refurbishment to a bar and restaurant area within the hotel. Resilient 250 is a 2.5mm thick, high performing acoustic underlay manufactured using sponge rubber. It significantly reduces impact sound at the source, while also providing superb underfloor comfort. It is a versatile underlay and can be used below various floor coverings including carpet, carpet tiles, wood, laminate, luxury vinyl tiles, vinyl and ceramic / porcelain / natural stone tiles. At only 24kg (43 Ib) per roll, it is easy to distribute around site. Resilient 250 therefore facilitated a simple, quick, clean and cost-effective installation.

1,300m2 of Schlüter-DITRA 25 uncoupling membrane ensured a crack-free finish for the tile within 2016 Turner Prize nominee Anthea Hamilton’s 2018 commission for the prestigious Duveen Galleries. One British artist a year is invited to produce a new work for the signature space, which constitutes the heart of one of the UK’s most famous art galleries. Hamilton’s response, entitled ‘The Squash’, combined performance and sculpture in an immersive experience.

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.

Manufactured with an extruded polystyrene foam core and a special coating on both sides, Jackoboard construction boards from Jackon by Bewi can be used as part of a system approach for tiling.With a range of shower trays and drain kits, Jackon says Jackoboard can help create a perfect wetroom or bathroom environment.Jackoboard construction systems provide the flexibility to meet modern requirements in bathroom design. “What was once considered a mere washroom has now been elevated to a private wellness oasis,” Jackon says. “In recent years, the demands placed on bathroom finishes have changed dramatically to allow refurbished bathrooms to shine like new with flexible and high-quality renovations.”The current British Standard for tiling, BS 5385-1:2018, requires the wider use of more appropriate materials for construction, and for receiving tiles in water sensitive and wet areas. This has reportedly increased the demand for the Jackoboard range in new build applications as well as in renovation works.The products are manufactured sustainably and, being superb insulators, they can be used in the design of energy-efficient homes, the company says. The protection of the environment is key to parent company Jackon by Bewi. The company says that plastics, when used as long-term construction materials can greatly reduce the need for heating energy and can therefore make a positive contribution to tackling the climate crisis. In fact, Jackon has been running a campaign in recent years to supply beehives made from the company’s polystyrene bead to the Bee Centre in Chorley. Like Jackoboard, the company says, these beehives will last a lifetime and provide better insulation than the alternatives, enabling the Bee Centre to continue its outreach work in support of honeybees and beekeeping.The surfaces of the Jackoboard system are said to provide an extremely strong bond for the tile adhesive and can be used on virtually any substrate. The boards are waterproof, thermally insulating, very lightweight and strong.The range can form the basis for a tiled finish, but it can also provide a substrate for wallpaper, paint or plaster. “So the possibilities for personal expression are virtually unlimited, allowing every bathroom to benefit from its own individual style,” Jackon says.Due to their core made of extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), Jackoboard construction boards and the wider product range are all lightweight and waterproof – a key benefit for bathroom new build and renovation.Jackoboard also makes installation “simple and easy”. The construction boards, bath panels and angle elements can be trimmed to the desired dimensions with standard tools, while their insulation values reportedly enable them to maximise the benefits of underfloor heating.The range is available in sizes and board thicknesses from 4-80mm to suit all building requirements. A suite of ancillary items are also available, from installation and sealing kits through to washers, fixing dowels and BoardFIX.J-Drain Linear and J-Drain Wall are recent additions to the family of wetroom products from Jackoboard. These products provide what the company calls a high-tech design solution to enable the creation of a totally minimalist walk-in shower.Both products are designed be used in combination with Jackoboard Sloping Boards for the floor and Plano Boards for the walls, to provide everything needed for a “highly fashionable and innovative walk-in shower solution”.“From a design point of view, these products are completely on-trend, given that the minimalist look for walk-in showers is very popular at the moment,” Jackon says. “Achieving this with a highly effective drain solution, which also showcases the tiling to maximum effect, is a key selling point for these new products, used together with Jackoboard backerboards.”

Described as a milestone project for the sector, the newly built library at Birmingham University has completed its contemporary appearance with burmatex®, Green Guide A+/A, carpet tiles. Using five different ranges the design is adjusted throughout the building in order to suit the various spaces

VitrA's Red Dot award-winning streak continues with three exceptional designs, including the Liquid bathroom collection by Tom Dixon, Resincrete, and ModePaper tiles.

Our black anodised Premium CMS stair nosings can be found in the entrance lobby at Queen Street Place, London EC4. Installed by Harper and Edwards, these elegant black anodised stair edgings create an excellent surface contrast to the grey porcelain tiles and natural wood features.

ProjectSurespan designed and manufactured a single leaf hatch that was installed in a residential home in Solihull, for access to an underground level gym.ProductThe HIACE external single leaf access hatch to fit a structural opening 1200 x 3400. The pan-type door was recessed for 40mm paving slabs infill with an EPDM unbroken seal to help prevent the ingress of dirt and moisture. The floor hatch was fitted with a retractable safety grid operated by a 24v actuator. FeaturesRated at pedestrian loading, operated by two 24v DC Actuators. 40mm paving slabs infill. Retractable safety grid Supplied with a Zen-controlled 240vAC/24vDC electrical supply, and transformer.

For the new office of one of the UK’s leading healthcare specialists, workplace interior design specialists, ID:SR – Sheppard Robson, specified the natural beauty of Forbo Flooring Systems’ Allura Flex Wood Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) to help ‘bring the outside in’.  Occupying the first and second floor of a new seven-storey Grade A office building in Leeds, the healthcare specialist has brought over 250 staff together into one co-located environment. Expertly designed by ID:SR, the 25,000 sq ft space comprises a variety of agile work and social settings to support a range of activities, a dedicated client reception, meeting suite and lounge.   “To support employee wellbeing, the office also engages with the principles of biophilic design, so we incorporated natural looking materials where possible to emphasise the connection between people and nature. The beautiful and realistic wood effect of Forbo’s Allura Flex Wood LVT supported this idea of bringing the outside in. Offering convincing, authentic visuals and excellent functional performance, we used the finish in prominent positions of the office as we felt the flooring supported the overall concept of the scheme.”  Allura Flex Wood in the Weathered Oak colourway was fitted in a herringbone pattern with bursts of Seaweed Solid Oak, Charcoal Solid Oak and Smoke Solid Oak in the main reception and staff breakout areas. Thanks to its tackified installation, the high quality, dimensionally stable Allura Flex tiles provides answers to key issues such as limiting valuable downtime, the re-use of floors and minimising environmental impact, perfect for busy office spaces.  What’s more, Surestep Material in Cool Concrete was specified in the kitchenette of the staff breakout area, where there is an increased risk of slip. The safety flooring combines outstanding slip resistant properties with differentiated design and through the use of Step Crystals, the natural colourway offers a clean, fresh look and improved cleaning and maintenance properties. The PUR Pearl finish ensures that it is stain and chemical resistant.  

Corner Block is a high quality and prominent multi-let office asset located in the bustling centre of Manchester. When the design studio, appointed by the developer APAM, required the highest quality flooring for the workspaces within the office areas, they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to assist with the much-needed refurbishment. Gradus new Lunar Carpet tile collection in the ‘Moretus’ design was specified, with over 300m2 installed suiting the complex and its users perfectly.

Based in the heart of Glasgow, the Bank of Scotland's flagship branch required a makeover that would add personality to the brand, while reflecting the bank's proud Scottish roots. Specified by M Worldwide, an array of Forbo Flooring Systems solutions were installed throughout the building to help create a warm and welcoming space and provide the bank with its own identity.While the Bank of Scotland has a strong history, having been established since 1695, it became part of the Lloyds Banking Group in 2009, as Helen Shelley, Creative Director at M Worldwide explains: “This refurbishment project gave us the ideal opportunity to establish the brand’s character and to create a rich visual story of its Scottish heritage.Forbo’s Tessera In-Touch carpet tile planks in a variety of colourways, including a bespoke shade, and Allura Wood Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) were chosen to create an integrated flooring scheme that would seamlessly connect the various areas of the space.

The refurbishment of independent opticians and hearing specialists, Leightons, has used Forbo Flooring Systems’ Allura luxury vinyl tile planks alongside a host of other products to create a spacious looking interior that helps to minimise the spread of unwanted noise to the consultation rooms. Subsequently, the design won a Commended award in the Fly Forbo 2016/2017 competition.Leightons called on SKK Design for the design of their Reading store when it relocated from Oxford Road to the town centre, tasking them to give the branch a new lease of life and adapt the space into something that customers and staff would appreciate. The complete refurbishment saw new ceilings, lights, furniture and flooring throughout the main shop floor, staff areas and consultation rooms.

High volume of traffic, heavy use, accessibility and easy cleaning – contemporary sanitary facilities in schools are subject to very demanding requirements. Due to the fact that ceramic tiles have proven their worth as a practical and attractive covering for walls and floors in these settings, the PRO ARCHITECTURA system concept from Villeroy & Boch Tiles was used for the renovation of various sanitary areas in the Cologne-Zündorf school centre. At the Zündorf school centre in Cologne-Porz – comprising Lessing high school, Wilhelm-Busch secondary school and Johann-Amos-Comenius general secondary school – a total of approx. 1,800 students are taught by nearly 140 teachers. The school buildings were constructed in the 1970s, and have been continuously extended ever since. In 2016, work included the spatial optimisation and modernisation of the approx. 250 m² toilet facilities in the main building. The Cologne architecture firm spies architekten developed a colour concept for this project that combines a light and a dark shade of a colour in each setting, to create harmonious contrasts in each area. The resulting colour schemes offer different looks: more feminine rust shades, masculine blues, and fresh variants of green and turquoise. Accessibility requirements were also taken into account. The white sanitary elements are mounted on the darker colours in order to ensure a stark contrast with the walls, allowing them to be more easily recognised even by those with impaired vision. PRO ARCHITECTURA from Villeroy & Boch Tiles made it possible to successfully implement the architects’ design specifications. The colour matrix offers a broad spectrum of classic and contemporary colours in a variety of gradations, while the modular formats on a 100-mm grid provide additional planning scope. This allowed 10 x 10 cm tiles to be laid in staggered arrangements that bring the wall joints to life. The PRO ARCHITECTURA range is equally impressive from a practical standpoint: The ceramic tiles are durable, scratch- and crack-resistant, and do not wear down, even after decades of use. They are also easy to clean and particularly hygienic, as their surfaces are so dense that micro-organisms hardly stand a chance. The ceramic material itself does not give off any vapours, nor does it take on smells, which means that it is also recommended in terms of building biology. And, tiles from Villeroy & Boch are sustainable, because they are made entirely of natural components that occur naturally in almost unlimited quantities, are manufactured by means of environment-friendly processes and are completely recyclable.

ROJECT NAME: RENOVATION PRODUCT SUPPLIED SUPPLIED: INSTALLER SELFBUILD CONTRACT FLOORS AEROMIX was chosen for this renovation project thanks to its many benefits of offering warmth, smoothness of finish and speed of install. This project came with a challenging access issue meaning a long pump distance and lots of services in the floor AEROMIX was the perfect solution. This was the perfect product, providing an ideal solution for the insulation for this project. Reducing CO2 due to reduced carbon emissions within the product. The installer who completed this project SELFBUILD CONTRACT FLOORS said AEROMIX was poured as insulated ground baring slab, installed at 250mm deep achieving the required 0.11 u-value, this allowed the customer to clip the UFH pipes directly to it before being topped with a 65mm C20 liquid screed AEROMIX provided the ideal solution for the insulation on this project, compared to the normal concrete floor and other traditional methods, the speed of pumping the insulation coupled with the high thermal properties has contributed in saving the customer both time and money. 

When the idyllic village of Tormarton nestled in the Cotswolds wanted to transform the main room in their village hall, the committee responsible for organising and specifying a replacement floor would choose Taraflex® Multi-Use from international flooring specialist Gerflor.Tormarton has a population of about 350 people from a wide variety of backgrounds. At the centre of village life is the parish hall which provides a blank canvass for a raft of local community activities.Stewart Waters, Chair of the Tormarton Parish Council commented, “We specified Gerflor Taraflex® Multi-Use indoor sports surface as it would cater for a variety of needs. The new Taraflex® sports vinyl floor is much easier to maintain and clean and so much brighter than the old, dated tiles.”Commenting on the project Chris Pursey, Gerflor Area Sales Specification Manager, Southwest & Channel Islands said,” The existing subfloor consisted of old vinyl tiles, which although were well bonded to the substrate, presented a health and safety risk if removed due to possible presence of asbestos.” Chris Pursey added, “For this reason, we specified that the installation should ideally be over an Isolsport membrane, which left the tiles undisturbed and also enabled the installation to be done quickly with minimal floor preparation.”Stewart Waters ended by saying, “We have had lots of positive comments and all parties are really pleased with the refurbishment. We would definitely choose Gerflor flooring again.”Taraflex® sports flooring has been fitted at every Olympic Games since 1976. Approved by many National and International governing bodies as a world class sports surface, it is also widely installed within the education, community, leisure, health, and fitness sectors.

FORBO’S CONTEMPORARY PORTFOLIO HELPS TO CREATE INSPIRATIONAL AND SUSTAINABLE STUDENT ACCOMMODATIONArchwood House, a new purpose-built student accommodation scheme in Peckham, was commissioned by the University of the Arts London (UAL) to house its students. Tasked with creating proactive and forward-thinking spaces for residents to live and study in, architects Nelson and Long specified an array of solutions from Forbo Flooring Systems’ contemporary portfolio to make this happen. Forbo’s Coral entrance flooring, Allura Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT), Tessera carpet tiles, Eternal de Luxe Decibel general purpose vinyl and Surestep and Safestep safety floor coverings were all installed throughout the building.Comprising 343 bedrooms and 50 studios, Archwood House provides students with accommodation close to UAL buildings and is designed to provide students with the creative and inspirational spaces they need, to enhance their university experiences. Nelson and Long worked closely with UAL to develop a design that would create spaces which were flexible and would allow residents to flourish in their surroundings.Alicia Nelson, Co-founder of Nelson and Long commented on the brief they received: “Our client’s brief was to create innovative and inspiring spaces for UAL’s creative students to learn and grow in. It was also important that the spaces equipped students with the tools they needed to have a successful time at university, from studying to socialising. Sustainability was top of the agenda too, so we needed to carefully consider the materials we specified to ensure we met the requirements.”With the project brief in mind, Alicia set about sourcing materials that reflected the needs of the building: “Due to the variety of high-quality and sustainable products available within Forbo’s portfolio, as well as its reliable customer service, we opted for a variety of Forbo floor coverings for Archwood House, including its Allura LVT and Tessera carpet tiles.“We specified Forbo’s Allura LVT in a variety of colourways for a few different areas of the student accommodation, including the games room and common room which are situated in the street building – a separate part of the accommodation. The warm colours that Forbo’s Allura LVT are available in helped to provide a stunning backdrop for each space which then enabled us to build out, incorporating different textures and colours to the overall design. For example, we used the Smoke Cement shade for the ground floor corridors, games room and study room, to elevate the design and provide a nice neutral finish. As well as the beautiful designs available, Forbo’s Allura LVT is also easy to clean, which was an important factor for this project, given that lots of students would be using these spaces.“We then opted for various designs from Forbo’s Tessera collection, which are lovely, elegant and durable loop pile carpet tiles. Forbo’s Tessera Layout in the Graphine colourway was the perfect solution for the stairs, cluster corridors and other high traffic areas, thanks to its hard-wearing nature. The understated grey shade also complemented the neutral colour palette we were using for these areas.”Alicia also specified Forbo’s Tessera Chroma carpet tiles in the Pathway and Tuxedo colourways, which were installed in the bedrooms and the cinema room respectively to create a homely feel to the rooms. Not only this, but Forbo’s Tessera Chroma carpet tiles are made with 62% recycled content by weight, aiding in creating a more sustainable scheme.This was combined with Forbo’s Eternal de Luxe Decibel vinyl floor covering in the communal and studio kitchens. This solution served a double purpose: It reduced impact sound by 17 dB and provided an R10 slip rating, both of which were key to creating healthier and safer spaces for residents to live in.With safety in mind, Alicia also specified a range of Forbo’s safety flooring, as she explains further: “For the staff kitchen areas, toilets and prayer room, we needed to ensure maximum slip protection and that’s why we chose Forbo’s Surestep and Safestep floor coverings. The prayer room, in particular, which contains a wudu sink, needed to be a safe and neutral environment for residents to use, and Forbo’s Surestep offered the perfect solution. As a genuine safety flooring with guaranteed lifetime slip resistance, as well as an R10 slip rating and a 36 PTV score, it was the ideal solution to ensure the safety of residents. Not only this, but it comes available in a range of stylish colourways, such as the neutral wood décor we specified, which complemented the overall design.”In addition to this, to maintain the condition of the interior floor coverings, Alicia opted to use Forbo’s Coral Classic entrance flooring system in the Mouse Grey colourway. Alicia explains more here: “We wanted a solid barrier matting, that would reduce the walked-in dirt that you’d expect to see in a city centre university accommodation. With students coming and going all day, it was key to install an effective entrance flooring system to reduce cleaning and maintenance. Forbo’s Coral was just the solution we needed, with the Mouse Grey colourway matching the other grey textile carpets we’d specified, whilst also helping to reduce the amount of dirt and moisture from being brought in on the soles of shoes and treads of wheels.”Having opened in September 2022, Archwood House has been positively received by both staff and residents, who are delighted with the overall design and feel of the building.To find out more about Forbo’s offering for student accommodation, visit:WWW.FORBO-FLOORING.CO.UK/STUDENTACCOMMODATION

Residing alongside the River Thames in Reading is the site of the King’s Meadow swimming pool. It originally opened in 1902 as the Ladies Swimming Baths and is the oldest outdoor public pool from the early Edwardian era in existence. However, over time it fell into a state of disrepair and, following its closure in 1974, has been left unused for over 40 years.