UNDERFLOOR HEATING
A VERSATILE FLOORING SYSTEM
When it comes to specifying commercial flooring systems, four key elements need to be factored in; installation time, quality of materials, performance and cost. David Prout, Fermacell’s Marketing Manager, talks us through Fermacell’s dry flooring systems, with comments from companies who have used them in various recent installations.
Installation time is extremely important, and it can become even more of an issue when a particular project falls behind schedule, or unexpected events delay the sub flooring installation. The contractor is then left with no alternative but to get on with the job and complete it quicker than the time that has been allocated.
The speed of installation with Fermacell dry flooring systems is a major benefit, allowing a granular dry screed to be laid on uneven floors prior to the Fermacell overlay systems, eliminating the drying time often associated with wet screed systems. Today, many new buildings are equipped with underfloor heating and the dry screed option Fermacell 2E22 25mm flooring overlay offers the ideal solution. It can even be laid directly over the wet underfloor heating systems that can be commissioned within 24 hours. An added benefit is the superior heat transference that 2E22 provides compared with traditional screeds. Its low thermal mass is effectively transparent to heat, making the system very quick to respond and more efficient.
The dry flooring overlay systems are fixed to each other and laid as a floating floor with staggered joints -
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the ‘off-cut’ from one row being carried over to start the next, helping to reduce site waste. And compared with often difficult to install acoustic dry lining flooring systems, Fermacell’s 2E32 and 2E31 Acoustic flooring provides a simple to install and effective barrier to impact sound and, when used with a suspended ceiling, provides a solution to airbourne sound too. This makes it ideal for multi- occupancy new build and refurbishment developments.
The performance benefits of the Fermacell flooring systems really come in to their own when used with the range of Fermacell leveling products. This has never been more evident than on a prestigious apartment development currently in progress at Maiden Lane in Covent Garden, due for completion this month. Peter Andrew, Project Manager with Main Contractor ME Construction, commented: “The project – part refurb and part new- build – originally comprised a three storey structure of a restaurant and offices. On top of this building, four extra floors of accommodation have been created to provide 14 luxury apartments: a three bedroom penthouse, the others comprising one and
two bedroom units. Initially, a sand and cement screed floor was planned for the apartment block. However, difficult site access between Maiden Lane and The Strand, meant that a wet screed flooring system was not an option as there was nowhere to pump from.”
The Fermacell solution used for this project was then put forward by Matt Barker, Contracts Manager with sub-contractor Visual Interiors & Partitions, whose company has installed some 3,000 square metres of Fermacell. He commented: “The Fermacell dry leveling compound is a completely dry system, and therefore much easier to unload and store on site. It is a good product to use and provides excellent acoustic and fire performance, which is important in multi- occupancy developments. The concrete floor slabs were very uneven and the Fermacell Dry Leveling
Compound proved to be an excellent leveling tool; the granular system poured on the concrete floor and screeded off level - removing wet trades and drying times. An intermediate layer of 10mm Fermacell boards were laid on top of the dry leveling compound to support the Underfloor Heating System and the Fermacell 2E22 overlay laid down on top of that as a load distribution layer, as well as a substrate for the final floor finishes.”
Fermacell 2E31 and 2E32 acoustic flooring overlays can be used either on their own or in conjunction with the acoustic honeycomb system, and can be used to upgrade substandard floor systems to comply with the latest Building Regulations. They can also be used as a dedicated part of a floor construction to provide Part E RD compliant constructions.
www.fermacell.co.uk www.tomorrowsflooring.com
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