WINNING ON AGGREGATE
Here, Flowcrete UK looks at why resin-bound stone carpet systems are becoming the flooring of choice for outdoor installations.
External floor finishes can pose a number of concerns, as whatever system is installed will have to maintain a safe and attractive surface despite constant exposure to the elements as well as the inevitable foot traffic, scuffs, impacts and wear that any unprotected space could expect.
For this reason, many contractors and specifiers will avoid choosing a resin floor, as they are generally not considered robust enough to cope with these challenges and because they need very specific substrate conditions.
However, this can leave a hole in the list of choices for large- scale external floor areas – as concrete is brittle and porous, tiles can be time consuming to apply, loose gravel moves around, wooden decking can quickly deteriorate in challenging conditions, bricks have lots of hard-to-clean grouting, and so on.
This has made resin-bound stone carpet style systems a popular choice for outdoor installations, as they combine the quick application and design versatility of resin with the natural aesthetics, texture and longevity of stone. This type of floor coating is created by encapsulating natural stone particles in a clear resin binder and trowelling it down in-situ to produce an attractive, slip-resistant floor finish.
The ability to use different coloured stone aggregates or to colour the particles in vibrant tones means that a number of visual effects can be easily achieved. As this material can also be laid in bespoke patterns, it means that the end result is really only limited only by your imagination.
A resin-bound stone carpet system was recently utilised at the new Macallan Distillery in Speyside, Scotland. 745m2 of Rustik Naturewalk, which consists of natural stone aggregates bonded in a solvent free polyurethane resin binder, was chosen for the award-winning site’s external perimeter walkway. It was important that the £140m distillery and visitor centre blended seamlessly into the idyllic rural
38 | OUTDOOR INSTALLATIONS
setting and so a floor finish designed to emulate the look and feel of natural stones was the perfect choice.
In addition, its textured, slip-resistant surface would provide a safe surface for pedestrians walking across this external path even when being subjected to the worst downfalls, snows and temperatures of an inclement Scottish winter.
While the Macallan chose not to change the colour of the aggregates, opting for a natural pebble look, Prestwich & North Western Housing Association installed a 12-18mm stone carpet floor at a housing complex in which the stones had been coloured bright red.
This injected an interesting ribbon of bold colour throughout the residential development’s communal gardens while providing the safety and longevity properties required for the project.
Floors in uncovered, outdoor areas will inevitably be bombarded by UV rays, and will therefore need to be able to maintain its colour even after months or even years of exposure.
It’s worth bearing in mind that no resin system is completely colourfast and may change over time. The extent and speed of the change is hard to predict, as it will depend on the UV light and heat levels as well as what exact system has been installed. If the colour does start to deteriorate because of the sun this won’t affect the floor’s other properties such as its physical or chemical resistance characteristics.
To minimise this yellowing effect, it is best to avoid light colours as the sun bleaching will be more noticeable. UV resistant sealers can be applied on top of the body coat to help reduce the risk of sunlight discolouring the stone carpet system.
When choosing a stone carpet floor for an outdoor installation, it’s important to talk through the project’s details with the manufacturer in order to determine if the system in question will be able to provide the desired appearance for the long term in the face of the challenges that the site will throw at it.
www.flowcrete.co.uk
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