What's new

Build it in blocks

A new range of cross-laminated spruce panels from Construction Resources offers easily assembled elements for walls, ceilings and roofs as well as floors. LenoTec panels are made to order, cut to any dimension and shape up to 4.8m wide, 14.8m long and 51-297mm thick. They can be curved as well as flat, and holes and channels for services can be pre-cut at the factory. LenoPlan panels are supplied in standard sizes for on-site assembly. The large-size panels speed up construction work, as they can be craned into position and then joined mechanically. The panels can be easily clad with other materials, and internal finishes are fixed directly without battens. The panels keep their shape and there is no need for movement joints. Enquiry number 207

Sprinkler system

A new decorative seamless floor finish, Acolan Artico, is aimed at retail stores and showrooms where floors need to be appealing to the eye as well as the foot. A few hours after an one-component acrylate primer has been brushed or rollered on, the self-smoothing, epoxy resin-based, pigmented coating can be trowelled on and coloured flakes sprinkled on the surface to create a unique design. A transparent satin gloss seals the floor. It can be walked on after 12 hours and achieves full strength after seven days. Enquiry number 208

Armour-plated

An armoured joint from flooring manufacturer Permaban has won an award for excellence in concrete innovation at the Site Equipment Demonstration Awards 2002. Permaban’s Alpha Joint locks concrete floor slabs together in warehouses and other buildings where hard-wheeled vehicles operate; the system can withstand the weight of a 10-tonne truck. The joint protects concrete floors against breaking up and cracking for a minimum of 10 years. It cuts installation time because no welding on site is required and the height of each slab can be rapidly adjusted by turning screw jacks. B&Q has specified the joint in all its new stores. Enquiry number 209

Pigment among the pebbles

A lightweight, durable epoxy resin-based terrazzo from Liquid Plastics allows floors to be laid in a wide range of designs and colours. Epoxy resin pigments can be computer-matched before being poured onto a concrete substrate, with metal dividers keeping different colours apart until they have set. Cement-based terrazzos have a more restricted and earthy colour range. In conventional terrazzo, the aggregate is made up of small granite chips, which gives a uniform appearance. Thin Set Epoxy Terrazzo can incorporate marble, granite, onyx, metal discs or copper nuggets, all in various sizes. Thin Set Epoxy gives over 40 years’ resistance to wear and abrasion, making it attractive for sites with heavy passenger traffic, such as airports, shopping centres and reception halls. It is also lighter than cement-based terrazzos (15kg/m2 compared with 100+kg/m2), allowing easy use in multistorey structures, such as shopping malls. It has been used in US airports and pharmaceutical centres. Enquiry number 210

Rapid rip-outs

To ensure the refitting of a B&Q in Ipswich went to plan, Warrington-based Quest ripped up the floor tiles with a speedy Terminator. The US-made machine is powered by a Nissan Micro engine running on propane gas. It is narrow enough to drive through standard doorways and can lift and shred up to 1,000m2 of carpet, vinyl and tiles a day. This compares with the 100m2 a day achievable with the usual hand-held turbo strippers. Enquiry number 211

The silent revolution

Fermacell in now using recycled wood fibre insulation in its dry flooring. The wood fibre is an environmentally friendly alternative to mineral fibre and its light weight creates no issues with static loading. It also offers a high level of acoustic insulation that is of particular value in refurbishments or conversions of houses into flats and can be laid as a floating floor. In tests, the flooring reduced the footfall noise level transferred by a timber joist above a bare ceiling by up to 7 decibels. For a greater degree of sound insulation, the wood fibre flooring can be laid on top of a semi-rigid mat with a series of voids in a honeycomb arrangement. The voids are filled with a granular material that adds mass to the flooring and absorbs up to 35 decibels of impact noise. Enquiry number 212

Stone with a shimmer

A new commercial resilient vinyl tile that re-creates the appearance of natural stone has been launched by Tarkett Sommer. A unique press technique gives the effect of different blacks and whites, and the inclusion of mother of pearl in the tiles gives depth to the pattern as well as a shimmering sparkle to the surface. Although designed with prestigious retail interiors in mind, Stone has a wide range of commercial applications, including hotels and showrooms. The tiles have a polyurethane-reinforced, no-seal surface that offers both durability and low maintenance. Enquiry number 213

Wider hollowcore

Hanson Concrete Products has doubled the width of its standard 750mm-wide prestressed hollowcore flooring. The 1.5m-wide concrete slabs reduce the number of operational lifts required on site, speeding up the floor installation process and allowing larger areas to be laid in a day. Construction companies can also make savings on the hire time of site cranes while the reduction in the number of joints between units will mean less labour is required for filling. The wider version also distributes imposed loads over a greater area for a given number of individual floor units. Enquiry number 214

Take the cold cure

Cold Set Floor Coating from Watco is a new type of epoxy resin floor coating that can be applied at low temperatures. To dry correctly, most coatings have to be applied in warm conditions. The Watco coating cures at 0°C and once cured can be safely subjected to temperatures as low as –10°C, making it suitable for use in loading bays and warehouses. Tough, hygienic and chemical-resistant, the coating is a solvent-free, two-part resin suitable for areas of heavy traffic. It comes in red, green and grey and offers one-coat application. Enquiry number 215

Wooden art

Resilient vinyl flooring manufacturer Marley Floors has launched a new Premier Woods collection. The 35 wood designs in the collection aim to reproduce the variety, warmth, character and durability of natural wood without the headaches of natural timber. Among the designs are herringbone, parquet and ship’s deck and decorative borders, key squares and feature strips are available. All the designs are covered by a 10-year guarantee. Enquiry number 216