"wall ties"

The landscape at Blenheim Palace has undergone a transformation to include a large state of the art adventure playground for visiting children. ASA Landscape Architects led the project, overseeing the preparation and install. Playground specialists CAP.Co provided the apparatus while we were asked to fabricate the CorTen steel retaining walls and landscape edging. Within the design are various winding, sloping pathways and we were tasked with providing long lasting and durable edges of varying heights. EverEdge Titan heavy duty steel edging was specified for use on the pathways alongside EverEdge Custom 3.0mm thick CorTen steel retaining walls supported by buttresses bolted into a concrete base. The fabrication was especially tricky on this job as the retaining walls required curves, a taper and a 30mm wide flat top edge.We worked closely with Radcot Groundworks to ensure the product met with a demanding set of specifications and, once installed, the steel walls have become a beautiful feature in the design of the play area.The finished product is long lasting, hard wearing and maintenance free making it ideally suited to the site and the CorTen finish sits attractively within the landscape. 

University of the West of Scotland, Lanarkshire CampusArchitect: Graven Architects, Glasgow
Installer: Elmwood Ltd
Product: Gustafs Acoustic Panel and Linear Rib SystemsBoth Gustafs Linear Ribs and a bespoke Gustafs Acoustic Panel system solution were installed to the new £110m Lanarkshire campus of the University of the West of Scotland.The ultra-modern eco-campus is powered using 100% sustainable energy houses facilities for students including the Students Union, library, computer facilities, and exhibition, lecture and meeting spaces which are available for use by local businesses as well as students.
Gustafs Linear Ribs in natural Birch veneer clad 2 facing 12m high feature walls; the co-ordinating seating areas and integrated TV screens help to integrate the acoustic solution with the collaborative social and study space.The main feature wall in the Welcome Hub is a 3 storey high bespoke concertina wall of RAL 6021 painted and PH10 perforated panels; Gustafs, LSA, and the installer worked to create an elegant installation solution using custom panel edges and solid wood elements to create the zig-zag wall. 

VIEGA’S VISIGN RANGE AND PRE-WALL SYSTEMS SPECIFIED FOR THE LONDONER HOTEL

The developer of an apartment conversion scheme in the Pennine hills village of Diggle near Oldham wanted to achieve superior sound reduction standards in the walls and floors and go beyond the minimum requirements set out by the Building Regulations.The Old Mill House project involved transforming a Victorian industrial building into several residential dwellings. The project’s design needed to comply with the requirements of Approved Document E, which sets out minimum standards in England and Wales for airborne and impact sound transmission between dwellings where there is a Material Change of Use.However, to deliver the highest quality living accommodation to potential buyers, the developer insisted that the acoustic specification not only met the minimum standards but went beyond them.To achieve their goals for the floors and walls, they approached Hush Acoustics for assistance in developing the specifications and providing the required products.Given the unique nature of the properties being created, the acoustic design for the flooring had to be compatible with underfloor heating and more unusual floor finishes such as stone tiling.The specification developed by Hush Acoustics for the separating floors beneath the floorcoverings featured a plywood timber deck, below which was the underfloor heating system and 8mm Hush FFR resilient underlay.For the ceiling side, Hush recommended standard acoustic insulation for use within the timber joists, two layers of 15mm Fireline plasterboard attached to the underside of the joists, the Hush MF Ceiling System to allow Hush Slab 100 to be fitted in the void created, finished with a layer of 15mm Soundbloc plasterboard.For the separating walls, two specifications were developed according to the types of walls. In areas where there was an existing masonry wall, a wall lining consisting of independent stud work, Hush Slab insulation and Soundbloc plasterboard was developed. In other areas of the scheme, a twin timber stud wall is recommended, again featuring Hush Slab insulation and Soundbloc plasterboard.As part of the process, the Hush Acoustics team undertook many site visits and guided the design and build process to ensure the correct installation was followed, and pre-completion testing was also arranged.The solutions developed and provided by Hush Acoustics fully met the developer’s goals to go beyond Approved Document E’s compliance standards according to the pre-completion tests.

Aluminium curtain walling by Kawneer has helped an award-winning and cutting-edge combination of industry and academia achieve a BREEAM “Excellent” rating. The National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC), at the University of Warwick, is one of the largest centres of its kind in Europe, and a partnership between WMG (University of Warwick), Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors UK and features Kawneer’s AA®110 mullion-drained curtain wall.

Architect: Beyer Blinder Belle Architects Contractor: Turner Construction The Facility: World Trade Center - Towers 3 & 4 Inpro® Products Used: A total of 365 linear meters of standard Fireline 520® fire blanket in top-mount configuration. Joint widths varied from 76mm-609mm. Water Guard®blankets in bottom-mount and wall-to-wall mounts were also installed. 

Plants bring a new dimension to an otherwise dull and lacklustre indoor environment. Desk, shelf and window space does not always allow for houseplants though – but that should never limit the options – there’s the wall space too! Leaf colour, floral interest – plants can bring warmth,visual impact and a welcoming backdrop for employees and visitors in the form of a LivePicture living art wall frame. LivePicture adds nature to any office.

ELASTOSPRAY spray insulation has mastered the ultimate challenge – providing effective insulation to the walls and roof of a house built from shipping containers. And not just any house, but an amazingly beautiful design icon featured on TV’s Grand Designs. Described by presenter Kevin McCloud as both “paranormal goo” and “the right solution”, ELASTOSPRAY was the only practical way to provide insulation to the corrugated metal walls without causing a condensation issue.

Using Solo Onecoat Lime Plaster to restore walls in a fire damaged home

Kingspan cavity wall insulation is helping to insulate a rural development of affordable homes.

Reckitt’s unrivalled range provides health, hygiene and nutrition for people in 200 countries around the world, and at its offices in Slough, Berkshire Style worked with architects, Tetris Design & Build and contractor, BW Interiors, to create flexible space throughout the building.What made this installation particularly notable for Style was that it was the company’s 300th installation of a Skyfold – the market leading, fully automatic, vertically rising, acoustic moveable wall.Installing Skyfolds in both the main boardroom/meeting room and also in the lounge and shop/display area, the moveable walls offer incredible 59dB acoustic ratings and are housed, out of sight, in a ceiling cavity when not in use.“When we introduced Skyfold into the UK market 15 years ago, it was a completely new, ground-breaking moveable wall solution,” said Julian Sargent, Style’s group managing director.“At the push of a button it descends gracefully from a ceiling cavity, and once in place it offers superb room separation with top end acoustic integrity.“Initially it took time to raise the profile of Skyfold with architects, contractors and potential end-user clients, however once the benefits of this operable wall became recognised the numbers of specifications grew rapidly, as it is a truly outstanding form of room separation.”At Reckitt, the Skyfolds enable staff to very quickly divide the rooms, and when not in use they take up no floor space whatsoever and are completely out of sight.Finished in a stylish Kvadrat Steelcut Trio fabric, they also complement the interior design of the building creating a real showcase for anyone visiting the offices.In addition to the Skyfolds, Style was also specified to install a Dorma Huppe Variflex semi-automatic moveable wall in a ground floor studio, also with a 59dB acoustic rating and in an Egger laminate finish.Style is the UK market leader in moveable, partitioning and folding walls and the exclusive UK partner to Skyfold, Dorma Huppe and SWG.

Location: Salford, UKThe design for the M&E installation at Queen Street, Salford, had not progressed far enough to give a detailed work requirement to the builders. Specwall’s construction methods allowed the installation of these works after the walls were built without the need for lintels or complicated letterbox details.Using Specwall allowed the developer to progress the build timetable and finalise the M&E details concurrently, something that would not be possible with traditional wall systems.

Given the setting of Millmount the choice of external building materials was very important. Lagan Homes wanted to use products and finishes that were aesthetically pleasing, in keeping with the developments surroundings, that were also high quality, durable, maintenance free and cost effective. For those reasons, Lagan Homes chose to use Colinwell Martello Stone Walling on facades and Colinwell’s Allan Block Retaining Wall System for house construction, earth retention andlandscaping purposes.

The Project New building built under the Governments flagship Priority School Building Plan.Demolition of KS1 accommodation and construction of replacement building.Dudley council received a grant of more than £2.5 million from the Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for the work.  The Challenge All works to being undertaken in a live working educational environment, which places additional demands on the need for the highest health and safety standards on site. Modify vanity units to include for wall panelling to protect the painted walls from splashes from the sinks.  The SolutionEnsure Excelsior fitting teams have all necessary checks in place such a DBS for site works.Soldi Grade Laminate used through the scheme. Harlequin cubicles with profiled doors and partitions are an industry favourite for KS1 student.Wall panelling used above the wash basins to aid cleaning and maintenance and prolong the life of the wall finishings.SpecificationProduct Range: Harlequin Mariner SGLDoors: 12mm Solid Grade Laminate, Polyrey, Pomme Verte, P092Pilaster: 1960mm Overall Height including 150mm Floor ClearancePartition: 12mm Solid Grade Laminate, Polyrey, Pomme Verte, P092Ironmongery: SBAA

A busy service corridor in a medical education and research facility, has recently been refurbished with the help of products from Yeoman Shield’s heavy duty range.Wanting to protect vulnerable walls and corners throughout the heavily used service corridor, the facilities management invested in a complete Yeoman Shield heavy duty wall protection system installed by their directly employed fixing operatives.A striking and durable protective finish to the corridor walls was achieved with Yeoman Shield Chequer Plate Wall Panels. The panels were paired with heavy duty Rubber E-Fender running at the top and the bottom of the chequer plate at such levels to absorb impact from the most frequently occurring and heaviest of blows from footfall, trolleys and motorised carts.Yeoman Shield HD75 heavy duty Rubber Protection Angles were fitted full height to vulnerable corners protecting the structure.Designed specifically to protect areas in a building that experiences heavier footfall such as warehouses, storage and service facilities, the heavy duty protection products, when installed, keep areas damage free, providing an easy clean hygienic surface whilst putting an end to frequent costly re-pair and re-painting, offering long term savings on maintenance budgets.

Finish: Interpon D2525 Anodic Bronze Y2214F Parts Coated: Windows, curtain walling

Case study for cavity wall insulation upgrade at St James Wood apartments, Dublin.

A classic Parisian apartment is benefitting from the thermal effectiveness of the introduction of the innovative ultra-thin Spacetherm® WL insulation.Located in the 11th arrondissement in the heart of Paris on Boulevard Voltaire and overlooking the Place de la Republique, the two-bedroom, 135sqm apartment was built in the Hausmann style. Hausmann’s renovation of Paris was part of a major programme commissioned by Emperor Napoléon III in the late 19th century, resulting in the distinctive appearance of the wide avenues, parks and squares which have become associated with this beautiful city.Property owner Keirnan Murphy has made a significant investment in the renovation of the apartment to improve overall comfort, energy efficiency and to reduce heating costs.Keirnan explains, “The solid stone walls, whilst adding to the building’s charm, result in heating inefficiencies and higher heating costs. During summer the stone walls warm during the day, retaining and radiating heat throughout the night. In winter, the solid walls cool down leading to a huge increase in heating costs.We undertook lots of research on solutions for green and energy-efficient renovations. In the research, we considered products available within France and as well as those available internationally. The Spacetherm WL aerogel insulation from the A. Proctor Group was a perfect choice for the apartment. At just 13mm thickness, the Spacetherm WL fits inside the lip of our cornices, which average about 20mm. Typically the walls of these older properties are not completely flat and so the option of an ultra-thin insulation was critical. Most alternatives were thicker and would not have worked.We are very pleased with the results and we noticed that when leaning up against the Spacetherm WL you can feel your back warm against the insulation. The A. Proctor Group were extremely helpful in addressing all the questions from the architect and ourselves. They also provided comprehensive support and guidance to our builder on the installation.”Spacetherm WL is a high-performance laminate specifically designed to be fixed to the internal surfaces of existing solid walls without the need for mechanical fixings. Spacetherm WL consists of Spacetherm aerogel insulation blanket bonded to 3mm Magnesium Board (MgO), for use in applications where improved thermal performance is required with limited space.Typically, a solid wall will have a U value of around 2.1 W/m2K. Following the application of Spacetherm WL, this can be reduced to around 0.8 W/m2K, dependent on the wall structure.

A recent project of the Berkeley Group, the Kingston Gas Works with 240 apartments called for a special solution due to the maximum construction height available for the shower being only 100mm including tray and drainage. All showers were constructed with XPS integrated shower elements (wedi Fundo Integro), which are only 90mm thick including the integrated DN50 drainage. Despite the low construction height, the specified solution offers no compromise on the flow rate of the drainage. Complete waterproof bathrooms - walk-in shower with a niche, building boards on walls & floors with sound insulation. Products:wedi Fundo Integro shower element with integrated drainage (1800x900x90mm) wedi building boards 10mm & 12.5mm - for walls and floorswedi prefabricated niche wall element wedi Non-step sound insulation composite panel (reduction by 16db)

Renovation stripping out the building completely and rebuilding the walls, Passive Purple® was applied in between the connections of the internal side of the external walls which were a combination of masonry, timber, and steel frame. The ground floor ceiling was removed exposing the warped old timber joists with cracks in the surrounding brickwork and mortar. This was given attention to detail using Passive Purple® Brush to seal above an airtight foam to guarantee the airtightness of this major air leak zone before the final spray coat of Passive Purple® airtight membrane was applied. Passive Purple® was also used to seal window and door linings, ready for the new triple glazed windows to go in. Passive Purple® was sprayed on all the walls and ceiling. This is an ongoing project that still is awaiting an air test, the client is looking to hit 2.5 ach and installing MVHR.

Merchant Square was the largest Grade A office development ever to be undertaken in Belfast at the time of completion. Aluprof systems were used to help transform an existing office block with a completely new building envelope. The building has been entirely let to PwC and is their biggest office space outside of London with 3,000 employees.The external envelope was completed using Aluprof's MB-SE75 unitised curtain wall facade system and was then specified in an anodised finish, which then contrasts with the external Corten steel used in a vertical column emphasis to meet the architects design. With the rise in use of unitised curtain wall systems for medium sized projects, this option is becoming a real alternative to a traditional curtain wall solution, especially as costs are becoming more competitive. Unitised systems can also offer up to a 50% reduction in installation periods which can offer significant savings on the project programme.

SCW curtain wall. SPW300 windows. SD commercial door system. Leicester’s latest newly built school has been creatively designed and fitted with a suite of aluminium doors, windows and curtain wall from Senior Architectural Systems’ high performance ranges, which collectively account for around 60% of the building’s facade. The building is simple and functional, yet the impressive result is a reflection of the school’s aim to inspire and reflect the rich and diverse community it serves.

866,000 tiles were fixed in the London Aquatics Centre, which formed the gateway to the Olympic Park. Products used: ARDEX WPC Waterproof Protection System, ARDEX S 7 Flexible Waterproof Coating for Floors and Walls, ARDEX S 21 Rapid Hardening Floor Tile Bedding Mortar, ARDEX X 77 MICROTEC Flexible Wall & Floor Tile Adhesive, ARDEX-FLEX FL Rapid Setting Flexible Tile Grout for Wide Joints.

The College Lane campus is currently undergoing an exciting three year development programme designed to transform the living space and surrounding recreational areas. RCM were appointed to supply their Y-wall system – a calcium silicate based fibre cement building board which offers excellent A1 Non-Combustible fire properties as well as high levels of dimensional stability. Being extensively used on timber frame structures, Y-wall provides the ideal solution.

Fire-rated mailboxes and fire-rated parcel lockers integrated in the same unit. Recessed into the wall.

The Little Kelham project is a housing development created by CITU Homes consisting of 153 1 – 4 bedroom homes and a variety of creative spaces, cafes and shops. The project features the popular MEFA Letter mailbox wall mounted on to the external walls of the properties to securely store mail. The MEFA Letter mail box has been finished in a basalt grey colour to match the design guidelines set out for the project and used across the door frames, window frames and general hardware throughout the development.

Johnstone’s Trade were approached by the Commissioners of Irish Lights to improve the condition of the walls and the railings as the structure indicated that it had not been painted for a number of years. The products that were specified for the project included Johnstone’s Stormshield Pliolite Masonry, a solvent based paint that was applied on the exterior walls of the lighthouse to provide a smooth matt finish in Brilliant White. To complete the makeover, the metal railings of the lighthouse were painted in Johnstone’s Steel & Cladding Semi-gloss Top coat in Signal red.

Tobermore’s Secura Grand Retaining Wall facilitated the creation of a new shared-use route in Edinburgh. Secura Grand is used as a retaining wall system which also supports a bridge used for walking and cycling. This new path provides a safe, fun and convenient route around the City for pedestrians and cyclists alike. The vital community link connects the Shore in Leith with Portobello Promenade. The route forms part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Family Network as set out in the Active Travel Action Plan.

Manufactured panels have a different level of acoustic reduction, but all of them provide the kind of flexibility needed to work perfectly within any office or commercial environment following a professional installation from ModernGlide.Because there is no need for a structural head support, this makes the MG200 series perfect for smaller openings. The versatility of our sliding folding wall partitions continue through the format of slimline stacking. This means that when the wall is not in use, it will take up minimal space in your environment.Additionally, the MG200 sliding partition series comes standard with a pass door panel which allows movement from side-to-side with seamless ease. We are able to offer a complete solution for all of your acoustic sliding partition needs.A continuous acoustic wall partitions system, it is perfect for a quick and easy set-up process and is our most popular budget solution for acoustic partitions that move.MG200 Wall Partitions Key FactsAcoustic reduction from 37dB to 49dBFloor-supportingPanel widths 450mm to 900mmHeight up to 4,000mmPass door as standardCentre-folding or end-folding stacking optionsPanel finishes include melamine, laminate, veneer and white boardIntegral glazing options30 minute fire rating option

Waterproof, hard-wearing, low-maintenance, seamless micro finish for walls and floors in 1 - 2 mm.

FIRETITE Best Practice Case StudyLime Street cavity wall installation Dublin South Docklands

The Problem:Associated problems caused by damp and flooding are commonplace throughout the UK’s housing stock. Growth of black mould and efflorescence caused by salt transfer can lead to thedelamination of the plaster and there is no simple resolution. Often the only choice left to the housing association or local authority is to remove the original plaster and treat the walls with a Damp Proof Course (DPC), before waiting for it to dry to receive a backing plaster – all at the expense of the landlord or local authority.The Solution: A Modern, Lightweight Renovating Plaster:Limelite Renovating Plaster solves all of these problems. Firstly, it can be applied to damp walls, saving an enormous amount of money for time that would be otherwise spent waiting for the walls to dry out – it effectively controls dampness passing through walls, as well as providing a barrier against salt transfer – ultimately allowing the substrate to dry naturally. Secondly, and crucially, Limelite Renovating Plaster will withstand damp issues caused by future events, which may be likely in properties susceptible to damp and flooding.Thirdly the Limelite plaster system offers Thermal Insulation by drying the walls rapidly, reducing loss of heat and insulating the internal walls to meet modern day standardsThermal Conductivity, λ10,dry,mat, P=50% = 0.17W/m.KThermal Conductivity (k) at 0% moisture = 0.13W/m.KAnother benefit with Limelite plasters for internal use is their fire resistance/protection as a non-combustible product (as defined by BS476:Part 4) which can be assigned Class O in accordance with the requirements of the National Building Regulations and Reaction to Fire = Euroclass A1 Making the Difference for Local Authorities Dudley Council in the West Midlands is among the many local authorities that specify the use of Limelite Renovating Plaster when tackling such issues in social housing.“Where a renovating plaster is required we use the original and proven, Limelite” said Andy Pratt, Specification and Design Manager for Dudley Council, which has been specified by the council for over 40 years.Where existing plaster is sound, a small area of plaster is removed and replaced with Limelite.In more severe cases where the existing plaster is unsound, all plaster is removed and the wall is treated with a DPC before Limelite Renovating Plaster is applied. Limelite Renovating Plaster is also used for patch repairs in areas such as window reveals, where again the damaged plaster is removed and replaced with Limelite.A BBA Approved SystemLimelite Renovating Plaster is a BBA approved solution, when used as the backing plaster in a 2-part system, finished with our High Impact Finishing Plaster - a hard, durable finishing plaster that produces a Grade D impact resistant surface.

When regional housebuilder, Galion Ltd was looking for a way to speed up the construction process without compromising on using traditional masonry materials for its Jarmany Hill site, it turned to H+H’s Celcon Vertical Wall Panels.Celcon Vertical Wall Panels are storey-high panels of aircrete that are craned into place for a fast build with the reassuring characteristics of a high-performance, durable, masonry structure.Galion Ltd is building five large, detached houses with uninterrupted views over the Somerset countryside towards Glastonbury Tor. With a reputation for building individual properties to a high specification, the quality of the build is a strong focus for the company.Tim Barnes, Managing Director of Galion Ltd explains why H+H Vertical Wall Panels were chosen for the site: “One of the unique features of our houses is that we use local, natural stone walling for the external envelope of the properties. These are slow to build, especially when we’re using a traditional masonry build method as we are restricted to a maximum of six courses before laying the masonry to the same height.“With the traditional method it was taking 8 to 12 weeks to get to the point where we could put the roof on a house. The joy of using H+H Vertical Wall Panels is that we can get the roof on in around 8 days – it’s a huge advantage for us.”Constructing the watertight external shell of a house so quickly allows the internal trades to start work much earlier, reducing the build schedule significantly. When building large homes like the 2,800 square foot houses on the Jarmany Hill site, this time saving is particularly pertinent.Galion Ltd is working with Acorn Innovation Build Ltd whose carpenters were trained by H+H to install the Vertical Wall Panels. It was a fairly straightforward transition for them as they already use a crane to install timber floor cassettes and roof joists.Matt Shuttleworth, Director, Acorn Innovation Build commented: “H+H Celcon Vertical Wall Panels is a new system for us but as a company we are always interested in different methods of construction. I have to say, so far we are very impressed with this one.”Tim Barnes is equally impressed, saying: “I’m struggling to see a downside to the system. Everyone who has seen it has been impressed and I think once other companies see contractors building with it they’ll wonder why they’re not using it too. We’re already planning to use the system at another site that will be breaking ground soon.”

The refurbishment at Rose Hill Garage in Oxfordshire was required following signs of excessive spalling and degradation on the premises’ concrete walls.

Kooltherm K5 External Wall Board has dramatically reduced the energy requirements of a social housing development in Solihull

Project: Birmingham Energy Innovation CentreDate: 2020 Background:·        APL were engaged to provide a non-combustible construction solution to meet challenging acoustic and thermal performance requirements for the roof and walls·        APL were able to meet the clients requirement for matching solid and perforated profiles·        APL provided all structural, thermal and acoustic calculations Systems:·        2,000m² of APL built-up pre-coated aluminium roof system, using the sinusoidal AP18HR and trapezoidal AP31/1000RR profiles·        1,300m² of APL built-up aluminium wall system, using the sinusoidal AP18HR and AP45HR profiles with both pre-coat and PPC finishes·        800m² of APL perforated aluminium wall system, using the AP45HR-Airwall™ profile with a PPC coating·        Bespoke featured fins in aluminium with an anodised-look PPC coating·        APL Tritherm™ GALV sub-framing ·        All flashings, fixings and accessories  Building Location:·        Birmingham