PR 37101           
30 September 2015                                                                                         

Fast-track flooring solution for Oxford store

 Pictured is TREMCO's SX500 Rapid Drying Smoothing Compound

Fast-curing products from TREMCO have enabled specialist flooring contractor, Corinium Carpets, to replace a failed floor at the Oxford branch of WH Smith - without the need to close the shop to customers.

The existing PVC floor covering - extending to almost 300 sq m across the entire ground floor - had been laid over an old concrete base with no damp proof membrane (DPM). As a result, damp had caused the floor covering to separate and bubble. Corinium, which has a term contract with WH Smith, called inTREMCO's regional manager, Tony Lees, to inspect the floor and prescribe a solution.

"We found moisture levels of more than 80% relative humidity over the whole floor," says Tony. "British Standards require that floorcoverings should not be installed when the moisture content in the base concrete or screed is in excess of 75%".

The old building, in Cornmarket Street, had no damp proof membrane in the floor and so the only solution was to take up the existing covering and install a new DPM before applying a new PVC finish.

Tony's inspection revealed a raised conduit, carrying cables and other services, embedded in the existing floor screed. Since this could not be disturbed, he recommended deep-filling the surrounding floor to the level of the conduit using TREMCO's SX300 NA, a high-performance latex underlayment bulked out with granite chippings.

Needless to say, ripping up and replacing the entire ground floor of a busy retail store is potentially disruptive and might be expected to require actual closure of the shop for several days, resulting a significant loss of revenue. But TREMCO had a solution in the shape of the company's fast track system comprising ES200 Fast Curing DPM and SX500 Rapid Drying Smoothing Compound. "The work was done in stages and at night when the store was closed," explains Tony. "Using the fast track system meant that after each night's work, the store could be opened to customers again the following morning."

Following Tony's method statement, Corinium first stripped out the old floorcovering and used TREMCO's ES200 Fast Curing DPM to pre-fill cracks and static joints using kiln-dried sand to bulk out the resin in the wider gaps. Major voids were filled with SX400 Cementitious Repair Mortar bulked out with granite chippings where over 8mm deep. Next, TREMCO SX300 NA High Performance Latex Underlayment, mixed with granite chippings, was used to deep-fill the floor surrounding the raised conduit. Once this was levelled off and cured, Corinium applied the epoxy surface DPM.

TREMCO's ES200 Fast Curing DPM was specified for this stage. It was applied with a 2mm x 5mm notched trowel and, while still wet, the serration ridges were flattened out with long-handled rollers pre-wetted with ES200 to a thickness of 350 microns. This was then left to cure for 4-6 hours. Once cured, a coat of CS100 Epoxy Primer, a two-part water-based primer and bonding agent, was applied and dried in under one hour. The surface was then ready to receive a 3mm - 6mm layer of TREMCO's SX500 Rapid Drying Smoothing Compound. This completed the new floor structure and it only remained for Corinium to apply the new PVC floor covering. This was secured with TREMCO's SF108 Pressure Sensitive Acrylic Adhesive over most of the floor area, with SF600 Multi Purpose Polyurethane Adhesive, a two-part adhesive used in wet work areas. The new PVC skirting was secured with TREMCO's SF115 Contact Adhesive.

"This was a complex job and a fairly substantial one; the floor area was between 250 and 300 sq m," says Tony. "But it all went very smoothly and, crucially, did not interfere with the client's daytime business.

"We have worked with Corinium on several projects, and they are experienced in the use of our products. This particular contract was completed earlier this year and seems to have completely eliminated the damp problem in the building," says Tony.

For further information on tremco illbruck, please call 01942 251400 or visitwww.tremco-illbruck.com.

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With compliments:
Alison Relf
Taylor Alden Ltd
Unit 2, Temple Place
247 The Broadway
London
SW19 1SD
Tel: 020 8543 3866
Email: alison@tayloralden.co.uk