 |
Smart Move Puts Problems In Check For Mercedes And Smartcar
|
A smart move by architects led to essential protection for heavy duty floor tiles at the newly-built Mercedes-Benz and Smartcar showroom in Birmingham.
In total, 2,400 square metres of heavy duty Solus ceramic floor tiles were installed by Telling Finishings Ltd. at the Bordesley Green site. But Erik Jaeckel, of Bath-based David Kent Architects, knew that without essential protection, movement differential between the substrate and the surface could cause the tiles to crack, split or debond.
He specified the use of 600 linear metres of the Schlüter-DILEX- EKSN heavy duty stainless steel movement joint to guarantee the long-term integrity of the installation.
The 750 square metre Mercedes showroom was tiled with 450mm x 450mm polished porcelain. And for the Smartcar show area, 250 square metres of 400mm x 400mm matt porcelain were installed. In addition, a further 1,000 square metres of 200mm x 200mm matt porcelain tiles were fixed in the workshop.
Says Phil Telling, Managing Director of Telling Finishings: “One of the main criteria was to protect the tiles from movement by using stress-relieving expansion joints to create separate tile fields. These move independently from each other, preventing the tiles bulging, cracking, and debonding from the substrate.”
Schlüter-DILEX-EKSN profiles were installed at perimeters and set intervals in the tiled surface, and directly following the line of existing subfloor structural movement joints, to take up the surface movement within the tile covering.
As well as protecting from movement with the expansion joints, Telling Finishings also installed a heavy-duty stainless steel edging piece, giving a square-edge protective finish where the tiles abutted thresholds and transitions between other finishes, including block pavers in the main vehicle entry points. “We used Schlüter-SCHIENE-E150 to give a neat, protective edge to workshop pits and ramp housings in the workshop.”
Often in the past, Phil Telling has advised architects about the specific essential protection from world market-leader in tiling solutions, Schlüter-Systems Ltd.
“Architects are aware of the need for incorporating movement joints into the structure, but many of them rely on the tiling contractor recommending the appropriate protective measures for the job.
“In this case, however, the architects specifically specified Schlüter, themselves. Their action taken today, will prevent problems caused by movement from occurring in the future.”
The fixing team of ten fitters, who were on site for a total of about eight weeks, fixed the tiles using BAL Motobond adhesive, completing the installation with BAL grey Superflex grout.
Telling Finishings, which was contracted by Carillion to undertake the tiling work, is based at Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, was established 16 years ago, and now has over 100 employees.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
