Education

A 4-star hotel, in the South of England, contacted The National Flooring Company, when they decided to update the floor around their swimming pool. The existing floor tiles, which had started to debond posed a trip hazard and therefore needed to be removed. The client also advised they were experiencing problems with standing water.

Following the removal of the existing floor tiles, the installation of a new screed was required to build back the levels and ensure there were adequate falls in the floor for water to run back into the pool.

Throughout the installation, the gym remained open, and it had been advised that the pool closure needed to be kept to an absolute minimum. The National Flooring Company installed the Degafloor Deep Fill Mortar Repair system, a fast-curing underlay product, to ensure that the refurbishment programme could continue with no downtime for curing.

The existing drain was removed and replaced, along with the light box and leveller covers, which all received new stainless-steel units. A new trim was fixed around the perimeter of the pool and the MMA resin system, which has an excellent bond to metal surfaces, was abutted up to all the stainless-steel items.

The Degafloor QTA system used within the project, is a quartz trowelled system that can be laid to falls. The system is broadcast with aggregate to provide an extremely slip resistant finish, even under wet conditions, making it ideally suited to a swimming pool surround. Coved skirting was installed around the perimeter of the room creating a completely impervious finish, with no weak spots and therefore reducing future maintenance costs.

The full refurbishment was completed over 12 days, ensuring that the closure was kept to a bare minimum.

Alex Forrester, Technical Sales Executive, comments, “At my initial meeting with the client they advised they required an anti-slip floor that would eliminate the current situation they had with standing water. They specifically requested that the closure was kept to a minimum as they are a member’s club as well as facilitating the hotel, which remained open throughout the installation.

The client was extremely satisfied with the end result and felt they now have a floor finish that is much better suited to the environment.”

To discuss any projects, please contact The National Flooring Company at 01778 343670, or visit the website.

Orientrose Contracts Ltd approached The National Flooring Company to provide a new epoxy coating at an industrial unit in Huntingdon at the end of a leased tenancy agreement. The client was required to return the floor to a similar standard that was presented to them at the start of the tenancy.

The floor was prepared with a shot blaster to remove the existing worn epoxy coating and any other contaminants. Good floor preparation is also key to ensuring a better bond between the coating and the substrate.

Following the removal of fixtures and fittings, the client had more than 150 bolt holes and minor repairs that required attention before the epoxy coating could be applied. All damaged areas were treated and infilled with a fast cure filler before the application of the KDR® EpoCoat HB was applied.

KDR® EpoCoat HB is a solvent-free high-build epoxy resin which is used to provide a protective and decorative finish to the concrete.

The installation, which totalled 885m2, was completed over a three-day window.

Euan Macdonald, Quantity Surveyor, Orientrose Contracts Limited, comments, “I am more than happy with the work carried out by National Flooring.

Communication was good, and they were very user-friendly.

The resin floor looks great, and I would certainly use them in the future.”

To discuss any projects, please contact The National Flooring Company at 01778 343670, or visit the website

IFT were contracted by Sir Robert McAlpine to undertake the screeding works within the construction of a new building which will house the expanding departments of Mathematical Sciences and Computer Science at Durham University.

IFT supplied and installed screed to general areas,  over Underfloor Heating and to the Heavy Lab. We were also contracted by the M&E contractor to supply and install Underfloor Heating to both Level 00 & 01 Entrances.

The £40 million project will provide state-of-the-art learning, teaching and study spaces for both departments which have been earmarked for growth within the University Strategy Estates Masterplan. The departments will double their undergraduate student numbers by 2026/27 and increase their numbers of postgraduate researchers, as well as academic and support staff.

Located on the Upper Mountjoy site, in a discreet location adjacent to other University buildings, the building has been designed to have a minimal impact upon key views of the World Heritage Site and Durham City Conservation Area, and the project is targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, the University’s agreed standard for all new estates projects.

• UWS puts colour and creativity in at the ground of new Lanarkshire campus
• Flowcrete UK supplies a floor area that matches the campus’ energy and identity
• Large-scale educational facilities need surfaces that can provide an engaging environment despite heavy footfall and extensive use

The University of the West of Scotland’s (UWS) new £110 million Lanarkshire campus has installed floors from Flowcrete UK that convey the open, multifunctional and collaborative ethos of the site. 

The new Lanarkshire facility, based in the Hamilton International Technology Park, was designed to be at the cutting edge of sustainability while creating a vibrant and contemporary venue for learning, research and innovation. Resin flooring manufacturer, Flowcrete UK, provided the university with colourful, fit for purpose surfaces that reflected the site’s energetic atmosphere.

The client, said: “The opening of the UWS Lanarkshire campus is a momentous occasion in our University’s history, and has been delivered on time and on budget – an extremely proud moment for everyone involved in the highly-ambitious project.”

A multi-coloured flooring design made from multiple resin coatings was chosen so that students walking through the front door would be greeted with a wide-open space broken up by large blocks of dappled light grey, dark grey, green and blue flooring.

The Project Manager, said: “Flowcrete provided sound and relevant advice during the design and installation period. 

“The installation by Flowcrete has created more than a floor covering – through the creative use of colour it gives an informal flow to the entry to the campus and has become a real feature in the UWS Lanarkshire Campus.” 

To achieve this aesthetic, over 1,000 m² of the decorative, methyl methacrylate system Flowfast Terrosso was applied. This fast curing flooring solution was used in Signal Grey and Dark Grey to cover the majority of the public-facing areas, particularly in the expansive atrium.

In addition, 350 m² of Flowfresh MF was also used in a number of bold colours, including Ochre, Dark Green and Dark Blue. This resulted in wide sections of flooring in complementary shades that perfectly suited the location and reflected the campus’ interior design scheme.

The seamless, durable nature of these resin solutions means that they can be easily maintained and won’t deteriorate in the face of heavy foot traffic, impacts, frequent cleaning, spillages, scuffs, scrapes and wear.

While more commonly found within large-scale food and beverage facilities, the robust polyurethane system Flowfresh MF was specified by UWS thanks to its colour, texture and impressive performance characteristics.

To further enhance the floor, specialist sealers were used in certain parts of the site. For example, 350 m² of Flowseal UV (Pigmented) Matt was used to make sure that the sunlight streaming in through the foyer’s floor-to-ceiling windows wouldn’t cause the coating’s colour to fade.

Safety was also an important consideration, especially as the large numbers of people moving around the campus could lead to rain-water and mud being walked into the building. To account for this, 350 m² of Flowseal PU Matt (Ultra) with anti-slip additives was used to increase the site’s safety levels.

The Managing Director of Flowcrete UK, Kevin Potter, said: “This project was a real testament to our ability to provide floors able to overcome multiple demands, ranging from the aesthetic and functional through to longevity and safety concerns. 

“Flowcrete UK’s wide range of flooring options combined with the versatility of our products ensures that we have the perfect solution for any environment. This was particularly well exemplified during this project by the use of a typically industrial system in order to achieve the look and texture required by the client”.

IFT was appointed by BAM Construction to install flooring at the new Blairdardie Primary School in Glasgow.

BAM Construction was instructed by Hub West Scotland, on behalf of Glasgow City Council, to build the new primary school. Located in the West End of Glasgow, Blairdardie Primary School, will provide modern state of the art teaching facilities for local children.

IFT installed approximately 4200sqm Mapei Topcem to underfloor heating at the school.