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Product Showcase
NATIONWIDE WINDOWS LAUNCHES TRAINEE INSTALLER SCHEME TO FUTURE-PROOF QUALITY
Nationwide Windows & Doors has launched an independent pilot programme to provide quality training to the next generation of installers, creating real career opportunities and helping to improve communities, housing and homes.
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The scheme has been structured to provide a blended approach, including classroom education alongside both offsite and onsite training, tackling the skills gap and futureproofing Nationwide’s high-quality standards to tenants.
Starting in June, the first batch consisted of two recent school leavers under 18 years old, with four more trainees who had previous careers in other industries joining the programme in July.
Enrolees begin training as competent labourers, partnering with existing installation teams and supported by Nationwide’s dedicated training team, with those showing potential given the option to progress further and become professional installers. Additional training will be fully funded by Nationwide, which will also be providing NVQ qualifications and other nationally-recognised qualifications to demonstrate competence.
Led by Helen Owens, Learning & Development Manager, the Nationwide training team also consists of Master Fitter, Simon Taylor, and GQA Assessor & Trainer, Dave Naylor.
“As a company, we have always been passionate about training and improving opportunities for our staff and communities,” says Chris Costall, Nationwide’s Compliance Director. “This programme has created a real buzz already and it’s great to see the candidates taking to the course with such enthusiasm.
“Not only are they getting the benefit of Simon’s vast installation expertise and Dave’s training and assessing knowledge, but working with our teams on site is also giving them valuable ‘boots on the ground’ experience, ensuring our high-quality standards to clients are maintained.”
Initially taking place in Nottingham, the scheme is expected to be rolled out nationally.
www.nwd.co.uk 0808 1234 000 howens@nwd.co.uk
Image supplied by ASSA ABLOY
2022 PROMISES TO OPEN NEW DOORS FOR MORALT AG
Despite a number of challenges and disruptions, 2021 has proved to be a very good year for the specialist German producer of certified technical door solutions. Throughout 2020, the pandemic affected a lot of businesses with lockdowns in several of its key markets, staff on furlough at both its customers and suppliers, and major door projects cancelled or placed on hold, all adding to a subdued and frustrating trading period. “Our particular need to further test and develop products was also badly hit,” explains Steven Dennard, who looks after Moralt’s international sales.
“In the spring, our two-week acoustic test package at IFT in Arnsberg, northern Germany – which was supported by Mann McGowan – showed some excellent product performances and assisted the mood greatly. Our FireSound Xtreme FD120 door now performs acoustically to Rw dB44 as a single-leaf door, and a pair, dB43, making this our strongest acoustic product which, at only 58mm thick, is excellent. Further confirmed positive acoustic performances with concealed hinges and door closers means that our acoustic door offer has become a lot stronger for contract specifiers.
“A fire door test package with FD60 at DMT in Lathen, Germany, in early September – in part to complement the March acoustic testing – was our next programme. Moralt FireSound was the principal focus of these tests, and we included an RFID access solution from ASSA ABLOY in the test doors so that specifiers could consider high-acoustic, fire-rated door products with electronic card readers for use in hospitality, education, healthcare and administrative environments. The tested doors were all 2440 x 1000mm in size, so that we might see a good size scope added to our already comprehensive acoustic and fire range of doors.” 2021 has seen the business continue to make significant investments, for example, with the introduction of Hubspot, a CRM system that enables the company to manage product enquiries from around the globe more quickly and efficiently, which, in turn, facilitates Moralt’s R&D work. Plus, in the autumn, the company began work on a UL door test package for spring 2022, which will appeal to existing markets in the Middle East as well as being the basis of its future commercial work in North America.
Steven continues: “In September, we exhibited at our first face-to-face show for almost two years, the Big 5 in Dubai, which saw heightened interest in our FireSound highacoustic and fire-rated door cores, as well as our timber external door core range.”
Managing Director at Moralt AG, Klaus Feile, echoes Steven’s optimism. “Despite the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic, 2021 has been an extremely successful year for us with strong sales from the UK, European and Middle East markets. In addition, the introduction of FireSmoke and FireSound Xtreme (FD90 and FD120) as stock items at both UK distributors – James Latham and Falcon Panel Products – means that we now offer a full suite of FD30, 60, 90 and 120 fire ratings with our sustainable, certified timber door blanks and also a solid acoustic range too with dB40 and beyond acoustic performances in all fire categories.”
Klaus adds: “Throughout this difficult period, we have used the time effectively, continuing to invest in the business with the latest technology to deliver innovative solutions across both our production facility and processing systems. This will ensure that we are in the best possible position for future growth, which is expected to continue through 2022.”
EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS FOR RHINO ROCKS, THANKS TO DR SCHUTZ
Rhino Rocks is a professional floor cleaning business based in Yorkshire, specialising in both residential and commercial floor cleaning. A family-run business which prides itself on its excellent customer service and quality of work, the team’s expertise covers both internal and external flooring surfaces.
A prospective client contacted Rhino Rocks regarding the restoration of a residential care home in Leeds that was nearing completion. The building contractors wanted to find a reliable company that could clean and restore some very tired old vinyl floors, within a relatively tight timeframe.
The floors were dry and scratched and needed a substantial amount of care and attention. The contractors had considered various options and were undecided about whether to replace or restore the old flooring. However, the Rhino Rocks team were confident that by using the right products on the floor, they could deliver brilliant results, without the outlay of buying and fitting a new floor.
Martin Beanlands, Team Coordinator at Rhino Rocks, explains: “We knew that the product applied must be super durable and hardwearing to accommodate wheelchairs and older people, who would be using walking accessories directly over the floor daily. Our choice was Dr Schutz because we’re confident their products deliver fantastic results. Dr Schutz products tick all of our boxes; they are high quality, easy to apply and produce a fantastic finish.”
The Rhino Rocks team used Dr Schutz Turbo Strip to fully remove all the old sealant with 36kg machines, combined with 10kg added weight to fully remove all the wax and residue.
Dr Schutz Turbo Strip is ultrafast and exceptionally effective in stripping surfaces thoroughly and mechanically clean, ensuring they are free from all dust, grease, oil, wax and care films, residues and finishes.
The team’s ultra powerful, truck-mounted floor cleaning machine at 1300 PSI was then used to rinse the floors with a vortex extraction tool. A powerful drying machine was then deployed to dry the floor areas.
To complete the project, three coats of Dr Schutz Ultra High Shine Hard Sealer was applied to the floor for maximum shine and a quality finish.
Dr Schutz Ultra High Shine Hard Sealer is a hardwearing and highly scratch-resistant polymer sealer for the protection of vinyl and linoleum floors. It creates a shiny, nonslip protective film ensuring a high degree of safety.
The project from the start to the application of the final coat, took three members of the Rhino Rocks team six hours, followed by a visit the next day to complete the finished floor. After the final coat was applied, the area was left overnight to dry and set.
Martin continues: “The results we achieved with Dr Schutz products were superb, and the contractor that employed us was delighted, not to mention the customer who had trusted the work to us, he knew we wouldn’t let him down! We were also delighted that Dr Schutz was able to deliver additional products to site, at very short notice to make it possible to complete the project.”
BOSTIK PRODUCTS PROVE THE PERFECT PRESCRIPTION FOR MAJOR NEW HOSPITAL
The new FIX A320 TACK adhesive was among the Bostik products that – combined with the company’s technical expertise – recently enabled the installation of the flooring on the large site of the new Grange University Hospital in Wales.
From the early stages of the hospital’s construction, Bostik’s technical experts visited the site on several occasions to inspect the subfloors and make recommendations for how they should be treated. Once the subfloors had been treated where necessary and vacuumed to create a dust-free surface, the flooring contractor was able to prepare them to receive the floorcoverings using a variety of Bostik products. First, the floorlayers applied Bostik Screedmaster One Coat Membrane, an epoxy damp-proof membrane, to suppress the residual construction moisture in the subfloors, before allowing it to cure into a glossy and tack-free film overnight. Next, they thoroughly primed the cured membrane using Bostik Screedmaster Universal Primer. With the subfloor thoroughly primed, the next step was to apply Bostik smoothing compounds to bring the subfloors to the required level. For most areas of the building, the floorlayers used Bostik’s self-smoothing Screedmaster Flow. This incorporates a blend of cements and aggregates combined with special additives to offer excellent workability and flow characteristics, and can be trowelled to a feather edge. Where the subfloor required reprofiling, such as in the wetroom, they instead used the high-strength Bostik Screedmaster Deep smoothing compound. Then, with the smoothing compounds dry, it was time to apply a variety of Bostik adhesives to bond the floorcoverings. Carpet tile installations, meanwhile, were achieved using FIX A320 TACK, Bostik’s non-staining tackifier that’s designed to provide a permanently tacky film when dry to facilitate the easy removal and replacement of carpet tiles.
Finally, for the installation of the skirtings, capping strips and other accessories throughout the hospital, the installers used Bostik Roll, the company’s reinforced, solvent-free adhesive tape that is supplied in ready-touse, dry adhesive rolls. As Bostik Roll is dry, there is no curing time required, meaning no waiting around and the area remains free from overspill.
www.bostik.com/uk/en 01785 272625
F. BALL RAISES THE LEVEL AT ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY SWANSEA SUCCESS FOR GRADUS CARPET RANGE
Technical representatives from F. Ball have provided contractors from John Lord Flooring with a cost-effective alternative to completely removing and replacing a weakened screed as part of a flooring refurbishment at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre, part of Aberystwyth University. Firstly, any remaining weak spots in the base needed to be removed by mechanical means along with any surface contaminants to create a clean, sound micro-textured finish. Contractors then applied a single coat of F. Ball’s Stopgap F77 solvent-free epoxy waterproof surface membrane over the entire area to obtain a continuous barrier against subfloor moisture. Flooring contractors then used F. Ball’s Stopgap 600 Base deep-section levelling compound to raise the level of floors where weak patches of screed had been removed. Most levelling compounds can be applied up to a maximum thickness of 20mm, whereas Stopgap 600 Base can be applied at thicknesses between 5 and 50mm, meaning only two applications would be required to achieve the required 75mm thickness. Swansea Council has transformed the support it delivers to pupils either outside or at risk of leaving mainstream education by building a brand-new £9.64m school. When ‘scoping out’ the project, Swansea Council, in conjunction with the contractor, would specify over 2000m2 of Gradus carpet tiles for the flooring element of the project. They would ultimately opt for the Streetwise Design and Stratus designs for the school’s classrooms, corridors and communal areas. Cockett PRU (Pupil Referral Unit) School now provides staff and pupils with attractive and functional facilities all on one site. Gradus Carpets is a brand of the Gerflor Group, manufacturing premium-quality carpet tiles and planks, broadloom and impervious-backed carpets. Utilising a range of high-performance yarns, Gradus’ extensive range of carpets are suitable for a wide variety of contract applications including commercial office, healthcare and education environments. Tony Thorne, Sales & Specification Manager, Gerflor for South Wales, said: “The project at Cockett PRU School provided us with an opportunity to not only supply a high-quality solution with our Gradus carpet range but also enabled us to showcase some stunning designs and colours.”
NULLIFIRE PRODUCTS ENSURE STRINGENT FIRE SAFETY AT NEW PRISON FACILITY
After an intensive vetting process, Nullifire fire protection products have been selected for installation across a large-scale custodial facility, HMP Five Wells, under a major firestopping programme managed by GRJ Contracting.
The large-scale site, comprising seven prison blocks with four wings and seven ancillary buildings, is set to open early in 2022 and will deliver a major boost into the local economy.
Nullifire products, including FB750 Intubatt Coated Batt, FS702 Intumastic Fire Resistant Acrylic Sealant, FR230 Intucompound Fire Mortar and FS709 HP Intumescent Sealant, are being installed throughout the development.
Working closely with the technical team at Nullifire, GRJ Contracting was able to offer the main contractor a wide range of firestopping solutions to meet the stringent needs of this project.
For the ultimate in reassurance, each installation has a specific detail reference and detail sheet, all being tracked by GRJ Contracting.
GRJ Contracting and Nullifire’s technical team have worked closely throughout the project, including at the design phase, remotely viewing BIM models via an online meeting and offering advice on the creation of benchmark walls and building sections for approval before commencing work on site.
Tom Hall, of GRJ Contracting, said: “We’ve needed to pay attention to a wide variety of situations within the overall building, with Nullifire’s technical team working in collaboration with ourselves and the client to provide details for each scenario.
“This has included prison bedrooms, which each have a riser cupboard containing M&E services, such as lighting, showerheads and ducting.
“They all had to be safe and secure, and details have been provided by Nullifire to accommodate these features.”
Alex Lawie, Nullifire’s Technical Manager, added: “This project demonstrates the partnership approach between Nullifire and our trained partner network.
“Working with GRJ Contracting, we’ve been able to add real value to the project team, demonstrating how we can work together to meet the exact needs of a complex, large-scale project such as this.
“Our technical department understands all the relevant regulations and requirements, and works closely with specifiers to act as a trusted advisor to ensure safety and performance comes as standard.”
Part of the Construction Products Group portfolio of brands, and previously available in the UK under the Firetherm name, Nullifire products are used extensively across built environments, with the benefit of highly-knowledgeable technical support and service, stringent manufacturing processes and testing regimes, to ensure the ultimate peace of mind in the specification process.
DEANESTOR FITS-OUT AWARD-WINNING EDUCATIONAL CAMPUS IN SCOTLAND
The creation of a vibrant, new educational and community campus in Ayr – Ayr Grammar and Archive Centre – has won an award commendation at the Scottish Design Awards. The listed building was fitted-out by Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading school furniture specialists. Deanestor designed, manufactured and installed a range of furniture solutions for the primary school and early years centre, including benching, storage units, adjustable shelving, shoebox units, cloakroom benches, as well as loose furniture such as seating and tables. Deanestor also provided bespoke metal and wood shelving, solid surface worktops and storage cabinets for the adjacent archive centre and registry.
DOMUS VENTILATION LAUNCHES NEW D-DMEV ENERGY-EFFICIENT UNITS WITH ENHANCED AIR EXTRACTION
Domus Ventilation has launched the new D-dMEV range of single-flow, continuous-running decentralised mechanical ventilation fans for small-to-medium-size rooms, such as bathrooms and toilets. The D-dMEV, which can be fitted in a wall/panel, ceiling or window, extracts indoor stale air directly to the outside providing a more comfortable indoor living space. Its unique winglet-type impeller provides enhanced air extraction for maximum effectiveness, yet remains very quiet in operation – down to 9 dBA – and has a low power consumption. The Domus D-dMEV comes in five- and six-inch options, each with multi-speed selection for flexibility and humidistat and timer.
F. BALL CROWNED ADHESIVES MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR FOR 25TH TIME
F. Ball and Co. has reaffirmed its status as one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of adhesives for floorcoverings, after being named Adhesives Manufacturer of the Year for a 25th consecutive year at the CFJ/CFA Flooring Industry Awards 2021. The Adhesives Manufacturer of the Year award recognises both the range and performance of F. Ball’s adhesives, which include products for decorative floorcoverings, including textile, resilient and wood, as well as specialist products, such as temperature-tolerant, pressuresensitive and tackifier adhesives. The winner is voted for by readers of the Contract Flooring Journal, and F. Ball has won the accolade every year since 1997.
www.f-ball.com 01538 361633 mail@f-ball.co.uk
STEEL WINDOW ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
The Steel Window Association (SWA) has long been a leading authority on steel windows and doors, alongside associated ironmongery and ancillary products and services. Designed to help the homeowner, architect, specifier and heritage and conservation industry when considering steel, the SWA members are certified manufacturers and refurbishment specialists from around the UK. A new website has been launched to reflect the association today – modern communication channels, up-to-date technical advice and information around building standards and regulations, image galleries and ‘find a member’ pages. There is a members-only section and downloadable drawings and specifications, which detail the different options when specifying steel windows and doors.
SETCRETE PERFORMS FOR PURPLE PANTRY
Setcrete High Performance floor-levelling compound has been used to refurbish the floor of ‘The Purple Pantry’, a community food membership ‘shop’ in Preston, to provide a long-lasting and durable flooring solution for customers. Setcrete High Performance was specified for the refurbishment following a visit and assessment of the site by Setcrete’s technical services team in response to a request from Travis Perkins to recommend the best solution for the work. Setcrete High Performance is a fibre-reinforced, flexible, fast-drying floor-levelling compound and wearing surface that is ‘walk-on’ hard after one to two hours and is suitable for application over plywood, as well as concrete and sand/cement screeds.
AIRTECH URGES EVERYONE TO TAKE ACTION THIS RADON AWARENESS WEEK
Airtech Solutions, the condensation, mould and radon specialist, is supporting UK Radon Awareness Week (1st to 7th November 2021) by encouraging everyone to not delay and to take action. Run by the UK Radon Association, this year’s theme for UK Radon Awareness Week is ‘Don’t Delay’. In support of Radon Awareness Week, Airtech is advising households, private landlords, social housing landlords and employers, ‘Don’t Delay’, learn more about radon and its health effects and carry out a radon test in your home and workplace to help protect families and employees. Airtech offers a complete solution to help protect properties from the risks caused by radon gas with 30 years of experience in radon prevention.
HEALTH AND SAFETY HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN IN THE POST-COVID ERA
During the pandemic, many businesses have faced the mammoth task of adapting to a COVID-19 landscape. Staff at The Input Group – a full-service construction firm – were considered key workers, continuing to work on projects despite the rest of the world coming to a standstill. Chris Monk, Managing Director at The Input Group, explains that the pandemic gave his company a chance to emphasise its commitment to staff safety and prove no challenge is insurmountable when planned correctly.
Our resolute dedication to our staff is at the heart of all we do, with a strong focus on creating a friendly and supportive workplace. The commitment we place top of the agenda is maintaining a consistentlysafe workplace and we take a holistic approach to staff care, creating a low staff turnover rate and average length of service of around 25 years. As well as protecting our staff, contractors and clients, a stringent health and safety policy has essential benefits for clients. Minimising accidents and injuries ensures that no time is lost in resolving issues that may arise from this, thus guaranteeing that projects always run to schedule. No time or money is lost in dealing with preventable issues and staff, from all sides of a project, are kept safe.
A key part of this approach is our CONCEPTZERO initiative; a zero-tolerance attitude we have developed and implemented to ensure that everything is done beyond exception to prevent these eventualities coming into fruition.
Our commitment to health and safety is driven from the top and ingrained in the ethos and values of our company, but also in our staff and any subcontractors or professional partners we work with.
Physical health and safety is, of course, only one side of the coin and mental health should always be a top priority for construction firms. The Chartered Institute of Building found that 70% of construction workers surveyed in 2019 had experienced feelings of depression and 87% had experienced anxiety. After the challenges of the pandemic, this figure has only risen and its imperative that health and safety procedures incorporate mental health considerations too. As a firm, we have a mental health lead involved with all projects to ensure this is taken into consideration in each stage of a project. A flagship project where our approach to health and safety was a priority was the Castleford railway station transformation. We were tasked with significantly improving the station and providing a more attractive gateway into the town. The project went ahead during the pandemic and was designed with COVID-19 in mind so that the station would be secure to travel in once restrictions were lifted.
With CONCEPTZERO in mind, the project went ahead as planned. During the project we had no accidents or incidents, giving us a zero LTIFR (Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate) recorded against number of hours on the project. Network Rail’s target is 0.139 per 100,000 hours worked, so this is an industryleading achievement that we are very proud of.
We provide onsite employees with the correct winter and summer PPE protection, while also ensuring that employees have the right tools and equipment, which is important so they can perform their duties efficiently and on time. During the pandemic, we opened our IT network so staff could access our core systems securely from home and installed air conditioning and heating systems across all of our offices.
Like many businesses, we had to adapt the way we work and there have been many regulation updates and Government guidelines that needed to be followed on site.
In addition, we have made some big changes, such as going paperless and investing in ProCore – a construction management software that oversees all aspects of each project including health and safety assessments. But there have also been smaller changes to manage, such as travelling in separate vehicles to sites and staggering lunch breaks to comply with social distancing – all while providing the same top-quality service for our clients.
FIRE RESISTANCE AND STABILITY EARN REDCLIFF QUARTER SPECIFICATION FOR MAGPLY
Fire performance, chemical composition and resistance to pull-out loads were all factors considered by one of the leading national contractors in the selection of Magply MgO boards for the cladding build-up on four apartment blocks in Bristol. The cladding contractor is responsible for installing all of the El-zinc cladding on the project, utilising zinc clips to attach the very distinctive and lightweight material over a sub-structure of steel framing, the 12mm-thick Magply boards and a breather membrane. Due to the El-zinc material only being 1mm thick, added support was required to prevent the cappings from bending out of shape. Traditionally, this would be ply, however, due to the requirement for all materials to be A2-fire-rated in buildings over 18m, ply was not a suitable product. Magply was used in its place due to its properties.
www.magply.co.uk 01621 776252 john@magply.co.uk
SAVE WATER AT LEISURE WITH DEER TECHNOLOGY
For Stretford Chester Leisure Centre, careful monitoring of water usage is vital to help keep membership fees and prices as low as possible. Trafford Leisure needed to obtain regular, reliable data to fully understand its consumption patterns and cost. To take control of the situation, Trafford Leisure turned to Deer Technology. The LimpetReader was developed to be installed quickly without interrupting the supply and with minimal ongoing costs. The LimpetReader attaches to the faceplate of the existing meter and incorporates multiple miniature cameras that capture the entire meter register display at time intervals specified by the customer. The images are then automatically and securely sent to Deer Technology’s server where the images are converted into a date- and time-stamped data value. Trafford Leisure is then able to import the data into the proprietary systems for analysis.
IMPROVING THE AIR QUALITY IN SCHOOLS WITH THE VORTICE VARIO
Classrooms in England have come under the spotlight from the Department for Education (DfE) which is spending around £25m providing better ventilation for classrooms, including providing state schools with CO2 sensors. Studies have suggested that high rates of carbon dioxide are known to cause drowsiness, loss of concentration and headaches. The long-established Vario fan by Vortice can be used with a selection of sensors, including a CO2 sensor, which ensures the fan extracts appropriately to deal with the amount of CO2 within the room. Vario is a reversible axial fan, providing fresh air into the building and extracting the stale air. The units come in six-, nine- and 12-inch sizes, with a series of installation options, making it popular among specifiers and contractors.
MAKE IT WITH MERINOLAM
Specialist surface materials distributor International Decorative Surfaces has agreed an exclusive partnership with decorative laminate manufacturer Merino to launch a brand-new range for the UK market, with the benefit of ex-stock delivery nationwide. The premium-quality Merinolam collection has been selected and shaped around the needs of the UK market, drawing on IDS’ vast expertise and Merino’s track-record as a top five global producer of decorative laminate. Offering creative flexibility and high performance, the Merinolam range reflects the strong market demand for FR-grade laminate and super-matte, anti-fingerprint surfaces. Merinolam can be used with confidence in a range of sectors including residential, healthcare, education, transport, architecture, construction and hospitality.
PANELSTYLE PVC PANELLING OFFERS A COSTEFFECTIVE AND PRACTICAL DECORATIVE SOLUTION
The PanelStyle PVC wall and ceiling panelling collection offers a cost-effective and practical alternative to paint, wallpaper and tiles. With a total of 50 decors across four easy-to-fit ranges of Splashpanel, Splashpanel Narrow, Proplas and Proplas Tile, PanelStyle provides a budget-friendly option to suit every wall and ceiling application in any room of the home. Backed by a five-year domestic-use warranty, PanelStyle products are 100% waterproof, low maintenance and offer hassle-free, fast installation with no wet trades required. They can be fixed over existing surfaces, like tiles, making refurbishment or renovation projects fast and easy.
AIRTECH HELPS LANDLORDS MEET THEIR DUTY OF CARE AND TACKLE CONDENSATION AND MOULD
Landlords have a duty of care to residents, which has become even more important with COVID. But with restrictions now lifted, social housing providers will be pleased to know companies, like Airtech Solutions, can help them rid their properties of mould permanently. As we enter condensation and mould season, now is the time to address any existing problems or put in preventative measures. Airtech can help landlords by offering comprehensive property surveys to identify condensation, damp and mould problems and recommendations to solve the issues; mould removal treatment and redecoration, and a full ventilation installation service for both responsive and planned maintenance. The treatment and mould removal are backed by a unique three-year guarantee that the mould will not return.
REPLENISH AND RENEW WITH OSMO
Wooden worktops look stunning in almost all kitchen styles and colours, offering a warm and stylish finish and timeless appeal. Like all kitchen surfaces, worktops take the brunt of the wear and tear in a busy home, so they need to be cared for properly.
Over time, water damage and mould can affect wooden worktops, especially around areas like the sink, so prevention is better than cure. To keep wooden worktops at their best, treat with Osmo TopOil. Newly-oiled wooden surfaces using TopOil require approximately two to three weeks to completely cure and harden properly before normal usage.
The key benefit for worktop use is that TopOil is extremely water repellent, helping to make surfaces more durable. It is resistant to common liquid spillages such as water, juice, tea and wine, making it ideal for the kitchen. It has a microporous, breathable finish that does not crack, peel or flake. Using the product regularly can prolong the life of your worktop, so you won’t need to replace it.
Treating your worktop
To get the best performance from TopOil, you need to get an optimal volume of this hard wax oil into the fibres of the wood. To help with performance on worktops, the wood will normally require the surface to be sanded to a maximum of a P150 grit grade (depending on the wood species).
To deliver the ideal amount of the finish into the absorbent wood surface, it’s recommended to apply the first coat thinly along the wood grain with an Osmo microfibre roller, flat brush or oil finish applicator fleece. Allow to dry for approximately eight to 10 hours and ventilate the room well while drying. Then, apply the second coat with an Osmo oil finish applicator fleece or a lint-free cloth.
It is possible to spot sand and repair any watermarks. It’s necessary to use the same finish sanding grade to sand back, then retreat those spot areas using the same application technique originally carried out. Once these areas have been allowed to dry, apply a little more oil to build up some protection. Use an Osmo applicator fleece/pad for this procedure.
Finally, care must be taken with the cleaning and maintenance of the TopOil. For regular cleaning (perhaps daily or weekly), this should ideally be carried out with products like Osmo Wash and Care or Osmo Spray Cleaner. These products clean the surface without breaking down the natural oils and wax in Osmo finishes. The soaps within these products contain a tiny amount of natural oil to help nourish the surface over time. Products, such as washing up liquid, are designed to strip away oils and waxes, therefore, the finish will require topping up if there is high exposure. You could top up thinly with a cloth to the clean, dry surface using Osmo TopOil or Osmo Maintenance Oil products. Osmo Maintenance Oil is very practical as it is much thinner than TopOil, and there is less risk of building up too much wax on surrounding treated areas.
With the right care, Osmo TopOil can enhance the natural beauty of your wooden worktop and keep it looking new for many years to come.
www.osmouk.com 01296 481220 info@osmouk.com
SPECIALIST DEMENTIA BATHROOM DESIGN GUIDE LAUNCHED BY AKW
AKW, a leading provider of accessible home solutions, has announced the launch of a new guide to creating dementia-friendly bathrooms. Produced with advice and support from specialist dementia design advisers at the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC), it offers best practice guidance on designing this important space. The bathroom is one of the most challenging and dangerous places for a person with dementia and dementia-friendly design aims to compensate for the changes people experience when living with this condition. Stuart Reynolds, Head of Product and Marketing at AKW, explains why the new dementia guide has been developed: “We have worked with the University of Stirling to translate the complex issue of dementia into practical design points that can be easily applied in any bathroom adaptation. The guide details the seven major dementia challenges that impact bathroom design and gives specific advice on what to install and where, to help overcome these issues. From flooring colour to lighting placement, the guide has it all.”
www.akw-ltd.co.uk 01905 823299
NEW SOLAR PV ENHANCEMENT FROM MARLEY
With net zero ambitions set across the UK, and the Future Homes Standard calling for all new homes built from 2025 to deliver a 75 to 80% reduction in carbon emissions, integrated photovoltaics (PV) systems are seen as part of the solution. To aid the specification market as it seeks to design in renewable energy solutions needed for the homes of tomorrow, Marley has launched a new solar panel providing superior aesthetic appeal and improved power output. The new, enhanced Marley SolarTile delivers a lean, low-profile aesthetic for both new-build and retrofit projects and offers simple and quick roof integration. Following significant research and development by Marley to design products that meet the needs of changing legislation, and carbon reduction targets, the enhanced panel is quick to install, and the increased efficiency allows for an install time of 45 minutes per kWp. The panel development gives specifiers the benefit of an increase in total power output from the roof area or achieving the same output using fewer panels.
BESPOKE LINTELS BRING INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER TO THE HEART OF STUNNING £26M SCHOOL
Bespoke Gothic arch lintels from IG lintels have played an important role in the transformation of a 19th-century Carmelite convent. The convent in Hunston, West Sussex, required partial demolishing and refurbishment as part of the creation of a school. The new school blocks are linear in form, with each wing projecting either side of the newlyrestored and central convent block, which forms the heart of the school. The new-build aspects have been designed to complement the existing convent block – a heritage building that is essential to the character of the site and a valuable asset to the new school. To ensure the existing convent facades were restored to their former glory, IG Lintels was approached for the design and manufacture of a bespoke double Gothic arch lintel. A 1580mm opening span, incorporating two 650mm-wide Gothic arch details with a 430mm rise, was specified – increasing the end bearing to extend the distribution of the load to the brickwork.
ROCKWOOL SUPPORTS SPECIFIERS WITH EDUCATION HUB LAUNCH
As UK Governments place further investment in the quality of school buildings, ROCKWOOL UK has developed a new education hub to support specifiers in using noncombustible stone-wool insulation to deliver thermal, acoustic and fire safety performance. The ROCKWOOL education hub contains a series of useful tools and guides covering exemplar case studies, product specifications and school Building Regulations. The new hub grants easy access to ROCKWOOL for Education Environments, a comprehensive guide that assists the design and construction of learning spaces. Paul Barrett, Head of Product Management at ROCKWOOL, says: “The ROCKWOOL education hub acts as a central source of knowledge for professionals involved in school building projects, and will enable them to access all the relevant guidance and specification support they need to deliver outstanding education environments. We will continue to update the hub to ensure that specifiers always have access to the latest information and guidance, and to offer new resources which reflect developments in education construction.”
