May 2012 Volume 9 Number 5 Editor Joe Simpson tandsjournal@aol.com M: 07885 294814 Advertisement Director Stuart Bourne stuart.bourne@kick-startpublishing.co.uk T: 01892 752400 Production Director John Heath 01892 752400
PORTFOLIO: PCI GEOFUG P60
CONTENTS NEWS Fila protects Square nine, n&c Group’s St George’s Day event for charity, nick ounstead steps down at topps, the latest construction statistics, and much more
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Editorial Director Alan Bakalor 01892 680816
TTA NEWSLETTER the tile Association Awards 2012: all the winners in detail
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Editorial Administration Elaine Hudson 01892 752400
IN BUSINESS cool Earth partners with the Fuelcard people
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Designer Neil Owen 01892 752400
REVIEW: CEVISAMA nadia Mladenova explores Spain’s latest tile design trends
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Production and Design Janet Purchase 01892 752400
SITE REPORT Michael pallerino is wowed by a water park in oregon
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Print Management DPI Print and Production, Tonbridge, Kent 01732 371271 www.dpi-print.co.uk
CASE STUDY Zaha Hadid’s stunning design for the roca London Gallery
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DESIGN TRENDS rAK’s Abdulla Mahmood looks at novel applications for tiles 46
GEnErAL EnquiriES Editorial Unit 4, The Spelmonden Estate Goudhurst, Kent TN17 1HE T: 07885 294814 E: tandsjournal@aol.com
SURFACE PREP Equipment and products to ensure a secure base for tiling
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ARTISAN TILES profiles of some uK pioneers in hand-made ceramic tiles
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PORTFOLIO What’s new in tiles, tools, natural stone and fixing materials 60
Advertising and subscriptions The Oast, Great Danegate Eridge, East Sussex TN3 9HU T: 01892 752400 F: 01892 752404-752405 W: www.tileandstonejournal.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of the publisher.
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Tile & Stone Journal is published by © Kick-Start Publishing Ltd ISSN 1744-4276
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NEWS & COMMENT EDITOR’S COMMENT
Fila protects surfaces at Square Nine
“This issue of Tile & Stone Journal is all about ambition: the desire for personal achievement. And ambition, it seems, comes in many forms. There is the creative ambition of the outstanding artisan tile studios covered in this issue, where vision and technique go hand in hand to produce beautiful and inspiring ceramic tiles. And then there is the ambition of the TTA Award winners covered here. There is also corporate ambition as exemplified by the Roca London Gallery, a futuristic space designed by that most iconic of architects, Zaha Hadid, with the aim of projecting Roca’s global ambition. At its most extreme, there is the example of Delford Smith, the American entrepreneur with a seemingly impossible dream for a water park in his hometown of McMinnville, Oregon. The result: a fantastic space with an actual Boeing Jumbo Jet on the roof and a helicopter suspended internally acting as an anchor for a water splash. Delford Smith’s dream reminded me of World’s End Tiles in the days of Paul Portelli, with its Skylon rocket and other wacky artefacts providing an inspiring backdrop for what was at the time the finest selection of ceramic tiles in London. In this Olympic year, it is an apt time to consider the positive impact of ambition; particularly in times of economic stress. A person without any ambition is like a yacht without a rudder. It is hard to get going, there is no known destination and the individual is left at the mercy of the winds and tides of life. It is a common thread among those that achieve excellence in business, politics, sport and every aspect of life that they not only have ambition but back it up by continuous efforts to achieve it. Without this disciplined follow through, ambition is little more than a pipe dream or a pious resolution. As the examples in the issue show, ambition varies greatly from person to person. It will be influenced by family background, upbringing, social status, economic conditions and many other factors. And ambition, even in business, need have nothing to do with wealth. It can be about community service, job creation, legacy, creativity or simple an overwhelming belief in a product or service. I hope the examples in these pages will inspire every reader to seek and focus on their ambition, and then to find from within the dogged effort and firm determination to make it happen.
Joe Simpson
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Square Nine, Belgrade’s first international luxury hotel, has specified Fila’s surface care range. Used to protect almost 4,000 sq. metres of Italian beige limestone on floors, walls and surfaces, Fila’s products specified included Fila W68, Fila MP/90, FilaMatt wax, Fila Hydrorep and FilaFob. FilaService, the firm’s corporate division, supervised all aspects of treatment, from testing and mock-up to final application. Designed by renowned Brazilian Architect, Isay Weinfeld, Square Nine is a contemporary boutiqueinspired hotel located in Belgrade’s historical centre. Throughout the hotel, natural-effect Fila W68 was used to treat walls requiring water and stain protection. Internally, Fila MP/90 natural stain protector was applied to white polished stone bathroom surfaces, whilst floors received a basecoat of Fila W68 protection, followed by natural effect FilaMatt wax. Meanwhile, Fila Hydrorep and FilaFob were used to treat the poolside relaxation area from continual contact with chlorinated water, within the hotel’s stunning Wellness Centre and Spa. Fila offers a wide range of surface care products designed to provide high performance, whilst protecting the natural characteristics of marble, granite, natural stone, porcelain stoneware, terracotta and wood. Products span from pre-grouting protectors, detergents and sealants, to after-care maintenance and stain removal solutions. For more information, please contact Lisa Breakspear at Fila UK on tel. 01584 877286, email filaUK@filachim.com or visit www.filachim.com.
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NEWS & COMMENT N&C family charity event celebrates St George’s Day in style
On Saturday, 21st May, Nicholls & Clarke’s six acre head office based in Chadwell Heath was transformed into a fun filled, community family fun day event to celebrate St George’s Day for the charity, Children Today. As annual sponsors of Barking & Dagenham’s St George’s Day events, N&C hosted a themed fun day for the local community, including a themed dragon bouncy castle, inflatable pole jousting, face painting, balloon modelling, giant snakes and ladders, penalty shootout, a popcorn machine, hook a duck, book and cake stalls, refreshments, and much more! The event was not only held to celebrate the patriotic day, but to also raise donations for Children Today; a charity that raises funds to provide specialised equipment for children and young people with disabilities throughout the UK. Their aim is to ensure that every disabled child and young person fulfils their potential and leads an active childhood.
The local Fire Brigade from Dagenham Fire Station were present on the day, allowing children to explore the engine. The team distributed free fire alarms to help raise awareness of fire safety. Mayor Milton McKenzie was present at the event. David Forbes, Chief Executive Officer of the Nicholls and Clarke Group of Companies said, “We are delighted to be sponsoring the St George’s Day local community events for a third year running. St George’s day represents a time where the local community can get together and celebrate a wonderful occasion. As a British manufacturer, retailer and distributor, we are proud to be a part of it. As the turnout increasingly exceeds our expectations and with all the activities proving very popular, we anticipate the annual St George’s Day event to get bigger and bigger each year with more activities for all members of the family to enjoy.”
Cover Story: Mapei’s simple yet perfect solution to ‘tile on tile’ This month’s front cover demonstrates how Mapei have simplified ‘tile on tile’ application utilising Eco Prim Grip primer to create a powerful grip and Adesilex P9 adhesive to create a strong bond. Mapei’s multi-purpose primer and adhesion promoter Eco Prim Grip is a ready-to-use product suitable for renders, smoothing / levelling compounds and existing glazed ceramic tiles. It can be applied both internally and externally to floors and walls and carries Mapei’s ‘Green Innovation’ logo which means that it emits an extremely low level of volatile organic compounds (VOC). Eco Prim Grip provides a rough surface ensuring an excellent bond which is resistant to water and ageing. Eco Prim Grip adheres well to both smooth substrates and those with low absorbency. Eco Prim Grip is versatile in its application. Once dry, it guarantees a tough bond with most cement based adhesives on various types of substrate: lightweight cellular cement blocks, bricks, stone, plasterboard, wood, ceramic, metal, render and gypsum. In addition to this, Eco Prim Grip also bonds well when applying smoothing and levelling compounds on old internal ceramic, terrazzo and natural stone floors and when fixing ceramic and natural stone tiles directly on top of existing ceramic finishes. As demonstrated on the front cover; following the application of Eco Prim Grip over existing ceramic tiles, Mapei’s high strength, polymer modified adhesive Adesilex P9 can then be applied. P9 is suitable to adhere new tile finishes to existing wall or floor tiles primed with Eco Prim Grip. The adhesive is available in grey and white and is ideal for installing ceramic & porcelain tiles and mosaics in both interior and exterior applications. Adesilex P9 also emits very low levels of TVOC being classified as EC1R. Adesilex P9 is easily workable and is highly thixotropic – it can be applied on a vertical surface without sagging or slipping even with heavy tiles. It has an extended open time and hardens to form a strong bond. Adesilex P9 is water and frost resistant and is perfectly suited to wet environments such as showers and wet rooms. Adesilex P9 is a long established tile adhesive with a tried and tested pedigree. It can be used to bond tiles to a wide range of substrates including sand:cement render, plaster, plasterboard, tilebacker boards, sand:cement screeds, calcium sulphate screeds and concrete. For more information about Mapei products and solutions call 0121 508 6970 or email technical@mapei.co.uk. Technical data sheets are also available online at www.mapei.co.uk.
NEWS IN BRIEF Richard Barham has joined Xaar, the world’s leading independent supplier and manufacturer of industrial inkjet printheads, as Sales and Marketing Director. Barham comes to Xaar from Agfa Graphics where he held a range of senior sales, marketing and management positions for over 25 years. Most recently, as Vice President of Agfa’s Inkjet Division, he was responsible for driving growth, quadrupling turnover to over €150 million and integrating a major acquisition. Laticrete has promoted Wayne Hoerning to a new role with responsibility for sales and business development in Central America and Mexico. This will be in addition to his existing responsibilities as the Training Manager for the International division. “With his technical background, strong interpersonal skills and persuasive behaviour, I am very confident that Wayne will support our partners in the region more efficiently and take the business to the next level,” stated Faisal Saleem, Laticrete’s Senior Director, International Business Development.
The collaboration between Kravitz Design Inc. and Lea Ceramiche has led to Goccia, a new wall tile collection that offers a personal and contemporary interpretation of tridimensional decor. With the Goccia collection the decor of the surface becomes the centrepiece of the project. The tiles serve as modules that create different tri-dimensional shapes, concave and convex, realised in black and white. “I wanted to create a design element that provides texture and movement to the living environment,” said Lenny Kravitz, President of Kravitz Design Inc. The 3D tiles, with gloss and matt glazes, utilise Lea Ceramiche’s textile know-how, creating ceramic sculptures that combine sinuous and circular lines to create a sophisticated aesthetic.
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NEWS & COMMENT J P KENNEDY “With the recession continuing on its merry way and little control over the big issues like consumer confidence, unemployment and the global financial markets, the focus for the team here in TileStyle is concentrating on the things we can influence and to a certain extent control. RAK Ceramics is sponsoring Sussex County Cricket (Sharks) Club’s CB40 match against the Kent Spitfires. The annual Arundel Festival of Cricket opening match will take place on Monday 16th July at Arundel Castle Cricket Club. The Arundel Festival of Cricket is a prestigious annual sporting event, during which Sussex play for a week in the Castle’s picturesque grounds. The event takes place prior to the Arundel Festival which includes community and cultural events, street theatre and concerts. Rob Jull, RAK Ceramic’s Managing Director commented, “Forty years ago I played at Arundel Castle, so I’m delighted that the RAK Ceramics brand can now have an association with Sussex County Cricket Club, all these years later. For further information about the match, call Sussex County Cricket Club on 01273 827126 or visit www.sussexcricket.co.uk. For more information about RAK Ceramics and the event, call 01730 237850 or email Bianca Herd at bianca.h@rakceramics.co.uk.
Mapei sponsors Aedas Cycle to Cannes initiative
With nothing new under the sun, the things we are working hard on are the quality of the shop floor in terms of quality of display and quality of product. Improving the effectiveness of our sales team through better product knowledge and training. From a marketing perspective we have invested significantly in our on line presence primarily through our website www.tilestyle.ie. We are still trying to get to grips with the Hydra's Head of social media. Our next big thing on line is to launch an ecommerce platform where there is a relentless growth and expectation by customers. I have attended several conferences on the successful future of retail over the last two years and a number of key messages are repeated both within Europe and globally. The top three are: 1. The customers experience, successful businesses and retailers in particular must create a relevant and positive experience for the customer so what does this mean? From my perspective it means communicating in plain language and talking directly to the customer in a language they understand and relate to. This can mean simply, very clear price labels in your showroom to more comlex issues such as having your sales team continuously trained in the products you sell.
Mapei has sponsored design practise Aedas Architects’ cycling team in the ‘Cycle to Cannes’ challenge: a fundraising charity and annual bike ride from London to Cannes, France. The event is principally sponsored by Aedas, the world's largest design practice in the BD World Architecture 100 survey. The motto for the event ‘1500km • 80 riders • 100% challenge’ describes the tough task that the cyclists were presented with. Cyclists tallied a total riding time of 56 hours 43 minutes over the 6 days, at an average speed of 15.8mph with 242km covered daily on average. Marcus Wilkins, Studio Director from Aedas Architects, was one of five who completed the challenge from Aedas, commented: “It was a fantastic trip and one to never forget. This is an amazing charity venture and I am delighted to be part of it for the first time.” For more information visit www.cycle2cannes.org. Nicholls & Clarke has announced that Tile Shapes has sold its trading activities to the Nicholls & Clarke Group of Companies. N&C Tile Shapes will continue to trade from the existing site at Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, where customers will benefit from access to a wider range of products within the Nicholls & Clarke Group. Tile Shapes is a tile and bathroom retailer and distributor founded over 30 years ago. The company also has a quality domestic and commercial tile fixing service. All members of staff will be joining the Nicholls & Clarke Group of Companies in their existing posts. 1
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2. Having a strong on line presence, with most customers starting their research process on the website using the omnipresent Google. Having a website that reflects your showroom and delivers as good a virtual experience as it is or should be in the real world is critical. Customers are increasingly expecting to buy from customers in a number of ways including traditionally calling into your shop but also on line and in many cases using their brand new Smart Phones. 3. Change, the only constant in life. All companies that want to survive and thrive now and in the future need to plan for change and just as importantly embrace it, easier said than done. Here in TileStyle we have for most of our 30 years sold only tiles however over the last three years we have put a lot of energy in selling new but related products including hard wood flooring and bathrooms. While this may not seem that revolutionary, selling these new products to the highest levels requires a total commitment to change. So to end, the light at the end of the tunnel I hope is not that of an on coming train. Business here in TileStyle has begun to stabilise in an unstable environment and as we bump along the bottom the only way up is to change. JP Kennedy is Managing Director of TileStyle, one of Ireland’s leading companies specialising in tiles, stone, bathrooms and wood for the retail and commercial sectors. Contact JP at jp@tilestyle.ie.
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NEWS & COMMENT Ecobuild proves a success for Trade Price Stone Trade Price Stone has reported a great deal of interest following its appearance at Ecobuild, particularly from the construction and distributor sectors. “The nature of the show and the industry we trade in meant that we did not expect to make sales at the show,” explains Managing Director, Simon Lloyd-Jones, “but we're delighted to report that we most certainly did. What's more, we ended up with over 1,000 leads, including requests for brochures and samples - a phenomenal response.” “There was huge interest in our range of limestones, especially the new Jerusalem Range. We think the limestone range proved to be so popular because we had actually tiled the floor of the stand with it, which showed just how beautiful and resilient limestone really is.” “Special thanks have to go to the staff of Tile & Stone Journal and The Tile Association. Their knowledge of this industry and allied sectors, and understanding of the challenges we all face, is incredible. They took the time to listen and discuss in length some of the ideas we have to help our customers with a roll out programme of PoS and marketing support throughout 2012 and we have taken on board their thoughts.” Following the show Lloyd-Jones has written to all Ecobuild prospects offering further information. “We are on hand to give you all the support you may need - over the phone, via our website or, if you're in the neighbourhood, drop in at our facility for a chat and a coffee/tea,” concludes Lloyd-Jones. www.tradepricestone.co.uk
Fap Ceramiche adds finishing touch at L’Incontro Uomo Ceramics are so beautiful and versatile that they can be used in the most unexpected of settings. A few months ago Fap Ceramiche undertook a very satisfying joint venture with a store named L’Incontro Uomo. Visitors to the historic centre of Modena can now admire Fap’s ceramics outside of their more usual context, setting off to perfection the glamorous clothing on display in the windows of L’Incontro. The photograph show the Istanbul carpet from the FapNatura porcelain stoneware flooring collection, and the Gong decoration in the Papavero shade from the Cielo white body wall tile collection.
Dominic Crinson helps create stunning Stockholm restrooms
MADELEINE HARRINGTON “Do you still use the fax as a means of communication? I’d thought that it had gone the way of the telex and was more or less obsolete. I’ve still got a fax machine, but no longer have a line that I can use it with. But even before the line went, I didn’t have it plugged in. On the rare occasions that someone wanted to send me a fax that they couldn’t email, I had to dig it out from the back of the cupboard, dust it off and plug it in. I’d assumed that everyone else was the same, so I had got into the habit of dropping the fax number when sending out press releases and designing ads for clients. However one of my clients informs me that they still get orders faxed in every day from customers in the tile industry. Apparently he’d tried to remove the fax from the sales office and was told in no uncertain terms that he could not, as it was still one of the main ways of receiving orders. I learnt my lesson and now make sure that the fax is on the website and adverts. Do we work in a dinosaur industry with an aversion to modern technology? You might think so given the reluctance to move away from the old methods of communication and to embrace new technology and marketing techniques.
The 23rd March saw the opening of AMF Fastigheter in Stockholm. Dominic Crinson has hailed this project as one of the company’s most exciting to date, with the London-based studio’s tiles and wallpapers installed in what Crinson has called “the grandest restrooms you could imagine.” Located within Mood Stockholm, a boutique-styled shopping mall in central Stockholm, the work was installed in three themed restrooms using a mix of the latest Crinson designs plus older editions. The aim was to create an ambience unlike any other in Stockholm and, surely, much of the rest of the world. Dominic Crinson and Interior Designer, Lena Eskedahl, worked together to produce a suite of stunning restrooms that were themed according to the three shopping zones; Everyday, Wishing and Desire. The mix of current and older designs were installed in imaginative ways to enhance the overall experience. 8
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Do most independent retailers really still use paper and pen to keep abreast of stock levels and work out what they need to order or is it just that they find it quicker and easier to print out an order and fax it, than to attach it to an email and press send? Or perhaps it’s just natural inertia to change. The fax is the way that it has always been done, and why change just for the sake of it? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Whatever it is, I find it bemusing to say the least, but then I spend my day in front of a computer working with technology, and I couldn’t do my job without it, so maybe I’m biased and the old ways are still the best.” Madeleine Harrington is a director of McMullin Harrington Limited, a marketing consultancy specialising in the tile and stone industry. She can be contacted on madeleine@mcmh.co.uk.
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NEWS & COMMENT Ultra Tile enables ‘speedy’ installation Speedy Cash branches across the country have been fitted out by The Great Northern Tiling Company using Ultra Floor Level IT leveller from Ultra Floor and Ultra Tile ProFlex SP adhesive from Ultra Tile. The Great Northern Tiling Company has tiled over 15 branches owned by the chain across the country, with the most recent projects completed in Doncaster and Bromley. Preferred by many tilers, Level IT one HDB is uniquely formulated for the preparation of all types of cementitious subfloor. A self-levelling base compound , the product is designed to smooth undulations in substrates and to build depths of up to 50mm. Ultra Floor Level IT one HDB has a working time of 20-30 minutes and will set within 2 to 3 hours. It can be applied at thicknesses from 3-50mm and a 25kg bag covers an optimum 5 sq. metres at 3mm. The product is protein and ammonia free, shrinkage compensated and polymer modified. Ultra Tile ProFlex SP is a single part, rapid setting cementitious adhesive which is firmly established as one of the brand’s leading products. The adhesive is specially formulated to achieve enhanced adhesion and flexibility making it ideal for areas where slight movement or vibration can occur. Ultra Tile meets the requirements of many tiling installations with ProFlex SP due to its extensive compatibility. ProFlex SP is a floor and wall tile adhesive that can be used on interior or exterior applications both in wet and dry conditions. The product is polymer modified and can be used in conjunction with underfloor heating systems. ProFlex SP has recently been given a makeover; look out for the product in its forthcoming flashy bag! Due to the product’s popularity and for job suitability, 5kg, 10kg and 20kg bag sizes are all available. All Ultra Floor and Ultra Tile materials are manufactured in the UK under the exacting requirements of ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001. The premium products have been chosen by many for an ever-expanding portfolio of major installations across the country such as the Speedy Cash contract. For more information on the Ultra Tile range of adhesives, grouts and ancillaries, please visit www.ultratileadhesives.co.uk or call 01827 871871. Visit www.gntc.co.uk for more information from The Great Northern Tiling Company.
The Flooring Show will celebrate 50 years at Harrogate The Flooring Show, which will take place from 2nd to 4th September 2012 in its usual home at the Harrogate International Centre, will this year celebrate a special anniversary – 50 years since the first ever event in the series. “Launched in 1962 as the Northern Floor Coverings Fair, the Harrogate event has proved its durability by outlasting a number of competitors in venues as diverse as Blackpool, Brighton, Earls Court and Birmingham. With a host of new features and developments and backed by a new management team, we intend to make 2012 a very special year,” said Wendy Adams, the show’s Event Director. As well as the excellent networking opportunities that Harrogate is ideally equipped to offer, the show will include a new Design Platform; a British Pavilion; a much-enhanced seminar programme that includes CPD-qualifying streams relevant to the contract market; plus a stream designed to help retailers maximise the potential of their businesses in tough times. Already, more than 100 exhibitors have signed up, covering the entire spectrum of floor coverings and related products and services. The Harrogate show – regarded by many as ‘the AGM of the flooring industry’ – will more than ever this year focus on product innovation, business opportunities and market trends. Add to this the attractions of Harrogate in the late summer and you have an unmissable event for your calendars. For further information please contact Georgia on Georgia@theflooringshow.com or call 01423 779967. 10
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JOSS THOMAS “Demand for stone tiles for gardens and patios seems to be increasing – and not just for seamless ‘inside and out’ installations. For so many years, raised timber decking was the popular choice but there definitely seems to be a shift. But the problem is that while standard decking pretty much ‘fits all,’ selecting a stone takes more consideration. There’s no shortage of options; it’s just important that the material specified is fit for purpose. When it comes to an external application, the manufacturer is always my first port of call – to confirm suitability of a material, availability in a correct thickness and to check associated test results. Despite this, I was recently contacted by a customer about some shaling issues, which perfectly illustrated potential pitfalls. On inspection, the stone was indeed shaling. I assured the customer that this would calm down but they requested that the material be removed and replaced free of charge. Keen to sort out the problem as quickly as possible, I once again contacted the manufacturer. They were aware that I’d thoroughly researched the material beforehand, requesting all of the typical information, but they weren’t prepared to take any responsibility. They knew that the stone was being used externally and had provided external test results. However, unbeknown to me at the time of specification, it transpired that the tests results related to an external application in the USA, rather than the UK. Expert stone consultants have now been called in and whilst there may be some questions as to the application, in view of the USA data, the fact remains that there’s still some shaling on the surface. This has left me in a difficult situation which will no doubt have to be settled through insurance… Although red tape can be frustrating, situations like this make me start to appreciate that CE certification may be a good thing after all, especially with external applications on the up, and our seasonal weather as unpredictable as ever!” For more information, call 01993 824200 or email enquiries@indigenousltd.com.
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NEWS & COMMENT ALAN REYNOLDS
Solid rise in construction output and new work UK construction companies indicated a continued recovery in business activity and new order inflows in April, again led by work on commercial projects, says the latest Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) . This in turn contributed to employment growth for the second month running, and confidence in the 12-month outlook remained much stronger than throughout much of 2011. Three key points emerged from the report. Firstly, output growth eased in April from 21-month high seen in March. Secondly, moderate job creation noted earlier was maintained in April. Thirdly, input cost inflation currently stands as its lowest level since March 2010. UK construction companies indicated a continued recovery in business activity and new order inflows in April, again led by work on commercial projects. This in turn contributed to employment growth for the second month running, and confidence in the 12-month outlook remained much stronger than throughout much of 2011. April’s PMI signalled that activity grew at a slower rate than the 21-month high seen in March, when good weather had helped boost activity levels. However, at 55.8, down from 56.7 in the previous month, the latest index was still comfortably above the 50.0 no- change mark. Higher levels of business activity were recorded in all three broad areas of the construction economy, with the strongest pace of expansion again seen in the commercial sector, followed by civil engineering. In contrast, growth of residential building remained only marginal and, despite picking up since March, remained much weaker than the overall UK construction sector trend. Improving new order books underpinned the latest solid expansion of total construction activity in April. The rate of growth of new business remained strong, albeit less marked than the four-and-ahalf year high registered in March. Anecdotal evidence from survey respondents suggested that improved confidence among clients had supported the latest rise in new contracts. April data pointed to a moderate increase in staffing levels in the construction sector, thereby extending the current period of growth to two months. While the present trend compares favourably with the job cuts seen throughout much of the past four years, the rate of employment growth in April was much weaker than the pre-recession average. Increased staffing levels reflected a combination of rising workloads and resilient confidence in the outlook for business activity over the next 12 months. Reacting to the figures, Tim Moore, Senior Economist at Markit said: “April saw another generally buoyant UK Construction PMI survey, with rates of output and new order growth close to March’s recent highs. Improved inflows of new work have also helped raise business expectations in the sector from the three-year low seen last Autumn. The upturn in businesses’ expectations on a yearahead horizon represents something of an antidote to the news that the construction sector doubledipped in Q1. However, it should be noted that since the 2010 government spending review, the level of confidence in the construction industry has consistently run well below the average seen in the decade before the financial crisis, suggesting there has been a widespread loss of optimism since the deficit-fighting austerity measures were first announced. The worry is that the sector may suffer from a lack of large-scale new projects once current undertakings such as the Olympics are completed. Further evidence of underlying fragilities also persisted in the beleaguered housing sector where activity growth fell well short of the trend in the wider construction economy.” Commenting on the report, David Noble, Chief Executive Officer at the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply, said: “This month’s Construction PMI figures point towards the continued recovery of the construction sector. However, despite good news for order books and a rise in purchasing activity since the start of the year, it’s worth remembering that there is still a long way to go to match the expectations of growth seen before the 2010 spending review.” “Performance in housing, although slightly higher than last month, remains the poor relation to commercial and civil engineering. Suppliers too are under pressure, having reduced capacity during the downturn, they are now struggling to replenish inventories.” 12
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“I’m not in the habit of talking myself out of work but sometimes it pays to state the bleeding obvious even if it means sounding negative and risks losing you the job. A good example of this occurred a while ago when an existing customer contacted me to see if I would be interested in tiling two bathrooms, a kitchen and a large conservatory floor in a holiday home they had just purchased in a prime location in Abersoch. As I’m always up for something like this, I immediately answered yes and was halfway into scheduling a day when I could drive over and have a look-see when it suddenly occurred to me to ask about accommodation. If there’s one thing I hate when I’m working away from home it’s staying in rubbish digs. Personally, I prefer a traditional pub where I can unwind in the evening with a few well-earned sherbets or, if that’s not possible, a nicely appointed B&B offering a decent ‘full English’ to set me up for the day ahead. The customer seemed surprised at this question, stating that she had imagined I would be happy to stay on site. Now it was my turn to sound surprised as I had gathered from our conversation that the house was undergoing a major refurbishment. Obviously I had misunderstood and a few rooms must have been kept intact, ready and furnished for such an eventuality. Not so. The house was in fact a bomb-site, though the services, she was pleased to point out, were still connected and included a functioning toilet. Quite simply the customer had assumed that I would turn up with my sleeping bag and kettle and doss down among the plaster and the rubble for the duration of the contract. This assumption, I might add, had nothing to do with the current state of play in the building game. It was – incredible as it sounds – how she believed tradesmen operated, which says a lot for the way some people view the working man. Resisting the urge to vent my indignation and ever mindful of future work and recommendations I immediately started backpedalling by pointing out the benefits of engaging someone local. At first she took some convincing but once I mentioned the magic words: ‘saving money’ she became more receptive to my suggestions and we concluded our conversation with an undertaking on her part to ‘do something for the local economy’. Five months later I received a tearful call from the lady in question. It had all gone terribly wrong. The builder she had contracted to do the refurb had decided to attempt the tiling himself rather than employ a professional fixer and from her description of events, had succeeded in creating a veritable pig’s ear of it. Would I be prepared to come and sort things out she nervously enquired? Certainly I answered but only on an hourly rate plus expenses up front. The silence that ensued was deafening.” Alan Reynolds is the proprietor of Wilmslow Ceramic Tiling. 01625 434093 alan.reynolds23@ntlworld.com.
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NEWS & COMMENT Ultra Tile in pole position at Silverstone Ultra Tile ProFlex SP adhesive and FlexJoint grout have been used in the new Ducati UK headquarters at Silverstone Circuit, with Ceramica Fix impressing the client with a professional finish and fast-track installation. All tiling was completed using one of Ultra Tile’s best-selling cementitious adhesives, ProFlex SP; a single-part product, polymer-modified for increased bond strength and enhanced performance. The adhesive’s performance is rapid setting for faster completion, and it accommodates movement due to the product’s S1 classification. ProFlex SP is ideal for use with low- absorbency tiles such as porcelains, and has exceptional water resistance making it suitable for use in wet areas and swimming pools. The adhesive allows a 40 minute pot life and for grouting to begin after only 2.5 hours. Due to the product’s popularity and for job suitability, 5kg, 10kg and 20kg bag sizes are all available. Almost 300 sq. metres of porcelain floor tiles and ceramic wall tiles were installed by Ceramica Fix’s team of fixers. These areas were then finished using Ultra Tile FlexJoint in grey. This grout has a super fine texture, is polymer-modified for ultimate flexibility, repels water and fights mould. FlexJoint can be used with underfloor heating and can be used on joint widths from 1 to 20mm. The new 8,000 sq. ft premises, housing offices, a warehouse, dealer training rooms, a workshop and a retail area, was officially opened in September 2011. Ultra Tile: www.ultratileadhesives.co.uk 01827 871871. Ceramica Fix: www.ceramicafix.co.uk 01933 665222
Tiles UK’s Ian Kershaw appointed TTA Chairman At the Annual General Meeting held on 21st April 2012, Ian Kershaw was elected Chairman of The Tile Association. In taking over the chair from Ian Crowther, Ian Kershaw said that he was looking forward to taking the Association forward over the next two years. Currently the Director of Tiles UK, one of the country’s leading ceramic tile distributors, Kershaw has over 20 years of experience within the tile industry. Kershaw has played an active role in The Tile Association’s development having sat on the board as Chairman of TTA’s Supply Training Committee, with the responsibility of working with training organisations such as Association for Ceramic Training and Development on all matters relating to training for the supply chain. With the industry operating within recession, Ian takes over at a time when TTA members need the support of The Tile Association more than ever. Speaking on his appointment Ian said: “The signs of recovery are there for all to see, but it is The Tile Association’s responsibility to steer the ship by continuing to promote professionalism and technical standards within the tiling industry. As we look towards the future, we endeavour to emerge from this recession stronger than ever.” “The exceptional standards within wall and floor tiling were evident at the recent TTA Awards Dinner, and with over £75,000 available in Qualifying the Workforce funding we are striving to ensure that all our members have staff equipped with the knowledge to face the challenges of an ever-evolving industry. With that in mind we look to move forwards as an Association priding itself on providing quality, knowledge and confidence.” Also appointed as new Directors at the AGM were Tony Cotton, Paul Luff, Henry Williamson and Billy Valler. 14
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LISA BREAKSPEAR “Maintenance of outdoor stone is something that’s often overlooked. Rather than viewing it as we would, say, a kitchen floor, we often only focus on it when there’s a specific problem – like a slippery area of algae that needs addressing. Yet, a short cleaning stint using the correct materials can transform a patio or path – and provide a valuable, additional revenue source. Before any treatment or sealants are applied, you should first determine what type of stone is laid and thoroughly clean the surface with a suitable product, to remove ingrained dirt. Acid cleaners should be used for acidresistant tiles, like quarry, porcelain, terracotta, glazed ceramic and some natural stones. A quality, concentrated cleaner, like Fila Deterdek, is a welcome substitute to muriatic-acid based formulations, as it doesn’t emit fumes that are harmful to both users and the environment. Deterdek also thoroughly cleans without altering the stone’s colour or appearance, and will remove hard-to-shift saline efflorescence. Acid-sensitive tiles should be cleaned with a pH neutral or mild alkaline product. If there’s moss or algae formation, a specific product should be used, carefully following manufacturer’s instructions. Fila No Algae will eliminate algae, moss and lichen from external surfaces, and any residues of the product will penetrate the stone and continue to act, preventing further build-up. Once the stone is thoroughly clean, an impregnator can then be applied to provide stain proofing. Water-based impregnators, like Fila W68, are especially useful as they can be applied even when there’s some residual moisture present. Solvent products can also be used but the surface must be thoroughly dry before, during and after application – a tall order in the UK! Aesthetic sealers can also be used, which change the appearance of a stone and, in some cases, offer additional benefits. For example, Fila PT10 is a water-based sealant that provides water, frost and stain protection. It can be used on all unpolished stone, agglomerates and terracotta, including unpolished slate and marble. When used on surfaces with low absorbency, it should be diluted 1;1. As well as sealing, it provides a colour-enhanced wet look, so it’s great for BBQ areas, where food residues and grease deposits can be easily wiped away. Having renovated a patio, it’s important to ensure that any maintenance products used won’t undo all the good work done. Unlike many general household cleaners, a quality pH neutral product, like Fila Cleaner, will keep the surface clean, without damaging the stone, or the sealant.” Lisa Breakspear is Sales & Technical Director of Fila UK. For more information on Fila’s range of surface care products, please contact Fila UK on 01584 877286 or visit www.filachim.com.
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NEWS & COMMENT NEWS IN BRIEF NEWS IN BRIEF NEWS Topps Tiles has announced that Marketing Director, Nick Ounstead, who has been with Topps Tiles for 15 years, will retire form the board with immediate effect. Group Chairman, Michael Jack, said: "Nick made a very significant contribution to Topps during the last fifteen years, being part of the management team that floated the business in 1997 and then leading the business as chief executive between 2002 and 2007. All of us will miss his wise counsel around the board room table and throughout the business. On behalf of everyone at Topps, I would like to send Nick our very best wishes for his future." Topps Tiles plc said it is expecting to appoint a senior executive with responsibility for its marketing function "in due course." The showcase event for the UK stone industry will return to London's premier exhibition venue, ExCeL between 30th April and 2nd May 2013. The natural stone market in the UK has grown enormously over the past decade as architects, designers and clients have made stone the material of choice for all kinds of construction, hard landscaping and interior design. Now entering its 19th year, The Natural Stone Show is the only UK event to focus exclusively on natural stone and directly related products and services. Exhibits will include a vast range of stone from all over the world, including granite, marble, limestone, sandstone, travertine and slate for use in all types of work; together with fixing systems, sealants, adhesives, cleaning, materials, stone working machinery, tools and other related products and services. Urbatek, part of the Porcelanosa Group, has launched its new Fossil series, a collection available in two colours (Beige and Grey) and three finishes (Nature, Lappato and Texture). The Texture finish has the additional advantage of providing a non-slip surface, meeting currently applicable standards requiring a class 3 slip resistance. With a stone-effect surface and sophisticated modern tones, the Fossil collection was presented at Porcelanosa Grupo's 19th international fair, and will be arriving in Porcelanosa showrooms all over the world in the next few weeks. The range is available in modular 600mm formats (600 by 600, 600 by 300, 600 by 150, 600 by 100, 600 by 50 and 300 by 300mm. CSCS has named Graham Wren as its new Chief Executive with effect from 1st May. Wren has worked at Balfour Beatty for 29 years, latterly as Managing Director of Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering. He is currently a board member of ConstructionSkills and chair of its Finance Committee. In the past he has been chairman of the Federation of Piling Specialists (FPS), president of the National Specialists Contractors Council (NSCC) and also sat on the Strategic Forum for Construction. Commenting on his appointment Wren said: "I was keen to continue my career in a role that involves the wider construction industry. In addition, I am very supportive of an industry that recognises the importance of training and qualifications to improve performance and to attract new recruits. On this basis the chief executive role in CSCS is ideal and I very much look forward to the challenges and eventual rewards." 100% Design, the UK’s most visited contemporary design event, is entering its 18th year in 2012 and is set to reinforce its position of influence by delivering the most successful edition of the show staged to date. Last year’s event attracted over 18,000 visitors. This year, with former Deputy Director of the London Design Festival William Knight at the helm, a new layout and a broad spectrum of new talent, fresh ideas and innovative design, 100% Design 2012 will again be the essential event for the industry diary. This year’s show has attracted a significant range of UK and international brands. Furthermore, a dedicated group of countries, including France, Korea, Chile, Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria are being showcased, alongside contributors from Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. 100% Design’s consumer day will now be held on Saturday rather than Sunday, adding an additional business day to the four-day show. The new 100% Design layout will revolve around a central bar, making it an ideal location for business networking. There will be four new areas: Interiors, Office, Kitchen & Bathrooms and Eco Design & Build.
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SEAN MCPHEAT “If you had the chance to listen in to the salespeople who made the least sales, and learn from them what not to do, would you take it? You bet your Granddad's last Werther's Original you would! People make decisions based on emotional connection then justify them by logic. But poor salespeople make the mistake of little or no emotional connection. Remember the radio station that every buyer tunes into ... WII fm. Yes, the buyer's antennae tunes in when they hear something that generates interest at an emotional level, and you answer the question "What In It For Me?" So, tune into your buyers' imaginations and make the demonstration come alive. It will give you the unfair advantage of building the emotional connection, that they can them justify afterwards with logic. Talking at the wrong level. What I'm referring to here is the level that your prospect is thinking at. Have you looked down from a plane and seen how small whole cities look from up there? You have a fantastic, big picture view, but you can't make out any houses or cars. Conversely, the people on the ground can see car number plates and shop signs. Speak at the level that your customer is thinking. With big decisionmakers, they may not want to know the detail of how your widget works, but they may need to know how selling 10,000 of them to their customers would raise their operating profit by 6.5%. Having a poor opening and close. In psychology, there are two laws called the Law of Primacy and the Law of Recency. Both have an impact, particularly in demonstrations. The Primacy Law talks about how people remember the first and important aspects of a meaning they give to something. If your opening is shallow or weak, it will be lost. Say something you have found out about the success of their company. Congratulate them on a new contract or on their expansion. Make the opening come alive so they remember it. The same goes for the summary or close. This is the last, or most recent, thing the client hears and so should stand out, as the Law of Recency dictates it will be remembered. Practice asking for commitment, out loud, in front of a mirror, so it becomes natural and you don't fluff it. Not learning from mistakes. This last one is a real biggee! If things go wrong for poor salespeople, they won't always have the business acumen to understand exactly what it was that made it go pear-shaped. By not learning from what goes wrong, you run the risk of repeating the mistakes and undermining the relationship with the next customer, too Identify what went wrong and convince yourself that you will notice when it happens again. Remember: repeating the same mistakes and expecting a different result is a sign of insanity. These top mistakes can be avoided if you pay attention, prepare well and take the opportunity to learn from every experience. ” Sean McPheat is Managing Director of MTD Training. For further information please contact: 0800 849 6732 www.mtdsalestraining.com
TTA NEWSLETTER
TTA Award winners announced ““Welcome to the latest edition of The Tile Association (TTA) Newsletter. Following the success of the prestigious Tile Association Awards, this month we take a look at the winners who took home the coveted TTA Award trophies at the recent Gala Dinner, and offer our thanks to all those who helped raise money for the Children Today Charitable Trust. We also offer a warm welcome to our new Chairman, Ian Kershaw, and wish him the best for the forthcoming year, while at the same time offering our thanks to outgoing Chairman, Ian Crowther, for all his hard work.” Les Rolt PR & Marketing Co-ordinator The Tile Association
A night to remember On Saturday 21st April the Birmingham Hilton Hotel hosted the 14th annual TTA Awards, honouring the very best of the wall and floor tile industry, and celebrating excellence throughout the past year. Presented by the fabulous Emma Jesson, the Las Vegas themed awards ceremony not only raised money for the Children Today charity, but also provided an exhilarating night of entertainment and excitement, as the glitz and glamour of the City of Sin was brought to Birmingham with Vegas showgirls greeting guests on the doors, Casino tables for those feeling lucky, and Chinese Elvis providing an outstanding performance before our DJ took us through to the end of the night. It was truly a fantastic occasion. However, the legacy of the Awards runs far deeper. Winning a TTA Award is a statement of excellence unparalleled in the wall and floor tiling industry. It is an achievement that provides a platform for success, elevating the winner’s standing within the industry, and providing not only the opportunity for them to proudly display the TTA award-winners logo, but also recognition from their peers. Being named as a winning entry in one of the 22 categories at the premier night in the tile industry calendar is truly an accomplishment to be proud of. Having been carefully checked for financial, technical and service standards members of The Tile Association are the best in the industry, and those that won the prestigious TTA Awards can proudly be acclaimed as the best of the best. With The Tile Association Awards wrapped up for another twelve months, the challenge is set 18
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Above: La Dolce Vita by Elios Ceramics.
to see who will emerge as the standard bearers for the industry for the forthcoming Olympic year. But for winners, finalists, and all in attendance the 2012 TTA Awards were certainly a night to remember. All the winners and shortlisted nominees are detailed below. Visit www.tiles.org.uk/winners2012 for further information. The Tile Association wish to thank Platinum Sponsors for supporting this event: Fila Industria Chimica, Shackerley (Holdings) Group, Lithofin, Rubi (UK)., Schlüter-Systems and Mapei (UK).
Outgoing TTA Chairman addresses the tile industry on 21st April Ian Crowther, the outgoing Chairman of The Tile Association, addressed the tile industry at the 2012 TTA Awards on 21st April. “The Tile Association is ready for the recovery. Over the past few years, UK PLC has been well and truly in recession. In the tile industry businesses across all sectors have closed their doors and many employees have
lost their jobs. However, the signs of recovery are there for all to see and at this time, it is important that your business is ready for improved trading conditions.” “The Tile Association recognises the importance of a skilled workforce and I was delighted that earlier this year we were able to announce that our Members could apply for grants which would allow them to take on tiling apprentices and to qualify fixers and showroom staff to NVQ Level.” “Our Technical Committee continues to work on the British Standards for tiling, tiles, adhesives and grouts on your behalf, as well as publishing technical documents to ensure our members are up to date with best practice advice.” “The Tile Association continues to promote our members to customers in the contract and consumer sectors as good quality operations to do business with.” “As I step down from the Chairmanship, I should like to wish my successor well and to thank my fellow board members for their support over the past two years, the TTA committees and working groups, all of whom give their time for nothing; Lesley, Phil, Les and Carole for their hard work and to every TTA member for putting their faith in The Tile Association.” Ian Crowther Chairman, The Tile Association
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TTA NEWSLETTER
TTA Awards Dinner raises thousands for Children Today Children Today Charitable Trust is The Tile Association’s nominated charity for 2012. Since 2010, donations and pledges from attendees at the TTA Awards Dinner have raised over £20,000 for this very worthwhile charity and donations are still coming in. On Saturday 21st April the tile industry once again dug deep to provide the money that will make a real difference to the lives of children and young people with disabilities. The money came from pledges and a collection at the tables by Awards’ host, Emma Jesson, and the Las Vegas Showgirls. Prior to the event Children Today representa-
tive Emma Fawcett provided TTA with the following statement: “Relying entirely on voluntary donations, Children Today helps disabled children and young people up to the age of 25 enjoy a better quality of life by providing them with the specialised equipment they need.” “Often children and young people with disabilities remain excluded from a lifestyle which other people may take for granted. They want to join in and take part in the same sorts of activities, within their capabilities, as other children. They want to gain more independence from their parents as they get older, but are often prevented from doing so.” “We believe the provision of specialised equipment has a direct and immediate impact on a child's quality of life and independence, and is vital in helping them to overcome obstacles and achieve their potential. Equipment includes wheelchairs, walking frames, tricycles and other mobility aids, as well as communication aids, multi-sensory equipment and information technology.” “The money raised at last year's TTA Awards has enabled us to give equipment to 14 children. The equipment you have provided can make an enormous difference, in some cases really changing
children’s lives and that of their families.” “One of those is Laura who is now 14 years old and had a brain tumour when she was only two. The surgery and treatment affected her balance, perception and vision so she has never been able to ride a bicycle. However, her physiotherapist suggested that a specialised tricycle would enable her to safely get the exercise and social benefits of cycling and help her to build her confidence, so her family approached Children Today for help. Following Laura’s first trip to cycle in the woods her mother said, “Thank you all so much and especially to all those who have raised funds for Children Today. The trike is fantastic and will help enormously in building up Laura’s muscles and helping her balance and coordination – as well as being lots of fun for her, and particularly enabling us to go cycling together as a family." “The current economic situation means it is harder than ever for families with disabled children to find the support they need to give their children the best quality of life they can.” “Your support helps us to be there to help them. From the children, their families and from all of us at Children Today, thank you for your care.” For further information on Children Today please visit: www.childrentoday.org.uk.
TTA Awards 2012: All the Winners in detail
Special Achievement Award Stan Valler Stan Valler was named as the recipient of the prestigious Special Achievement Award. Made by The Tile Association itself on behalf of the industry, it recognises a special achievement by an individual who has made a difference to the wall and floor tile industry as a whole. In making this award The Tile Association are recognising a career in the tiling industry that 20
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spanned over 55 years. Stan Valler’s connection with the tile industry began when, as a school boy, he went to help his stepfather, who was a tile fixer. In 1956, after leaving school, Stan joined WB Simpson & Sons Ltd as a trainee measuring surveyor. From that time on he progressed through the company, becoming joint Managing Director in 1980, eventually stepping down from the position in 1998. During this
time WB Simpsons & Sons Ltd worked on many major construction contracts in London and the South East. As well as running a busy contracting operation Stan became involved in the activities of the National Master Tile Fixers Association. He was an active member of the Council and became Chairman in 1990, and went on to become President. Stan represented NMTFA on The Tile Promotion Board, whose role it was to increase the profile of the tile industry, and was an active member of the NMTFA technical inspection panel. He also represented UK tiling contractors at the European Union of Tile Fixers. In 2000 the tile industry associations amalgamated to form The Tile Association and Stan was elected to the Board as a specialist contractor representative. He has served 12 years on the Board until he stepped down at the AGM on 21st April 2012. It is recognition of the work that Stan has undertaken on behalf of specialist tiling contractors in the UK industry over the past 55 years, that The Tile Association presented Stan with this Special Achievement Award.
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TTA NEWSLETTER
Impact range from the Cookhouse Collection by CP Group/British Ceramic Tile.
Wall Tile of the Year Impact range from the Cookhouse Collection CP Group-British Ceramic Tile The new impact range from the CP Group’s Cookhouse Collection is an inspiring collection of glass wall tiles. Created to make a real style statement in the kitchen or bathroom, these glass wall tiles bring something completely new and fresh to the market, with on trend designs and borders sitting side by side with an extensive colour palette and a variety of size formats for maximum choice and flexibility. Not only incredibly stylish, these tiles are also an extremely practical choice for consumers as they are easy to maintain and heard-wearing, making them an ideal addition to any contemporary home. Finalists Hinton from the Laura Ashley Collection British Ceramic Tile. La Dolce Vita range Elios Ceramica Tones from the Neutrals range Johnson Tiles WeeKend serie by Marazzi Italy Craven Dunnill & Co
Floor Tile of the Year Slaty by Edimax Craven Dunnill & Co The Slaty range is inspired by the natural metamorphic stone slate and is characterised by photo realistic variation created by the Edimax design team. Available in three colours the most striking is the Multicolor which has the appearance of an Indian Slate. The two other colour options are more muted: Ochre, which has an earthy hue and Almond, which has a pale almost bleached look. The surface has a gentle riven texture and there are several different structures which when combined with the 22
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Slaty by Edimax from Craven Dunnill & Co
random ink jet patterning result in a highly varied and realistic slate effect. Finalists The Loft Collection Peronda Ceramicas Nicobond Steelker N&C Nicobond Woodker by Edimax Craven Dunnill & Co Ltd.
Best Innovation Taptile Bathroom by Taptile Taptile Bathroom is an innovative touch-sensitive bathroom lighting system that allows the user to control three different lighting circuits, plus appliances such as extractor fans and sound systems. It is 100% waterproof – effectively allowing users to ‘ditch the switch’ and is unique within the bathroom sector; its technology having been patented. Affordable and simple to install, Taptile comprises an 8mm thick panel that is fitted behind the tiling or wall covering. No complicated wiring is required as Taptile is wireless. The panel projects touch sensitive ‘spots’ thorough the wall, allowing the user to control their bathroom lighting by touch alone. Finalists Aluminator range of products Genesis APS International Mapelastic AquaDefense Mapei UK Ltd. NicobondGypfix N&C Nicobond
Best Natural Product Precious Polished Stone from the Designer Stone Collection N&C Nicobond Precious Polished Stone is a range that boasts a touch of modern vintage combined with true
elegance for an opulent appeal. Part of the Designer Stone collection, it has a high quality series with a unique combination of colours, textures and sizes, finished off with a high polish finish. This classic yet contemporary series breathes new life to natural stone, bringing a classic genre of tiles into the modern era. There are no two pieces alike, bringing out the naturally abstract composition of natural stone, and inviting the great outdoors into the home, commercial area or exteriors.
Tile Fixer of the Year Ian Harrison: Ian Harrison Tiling Ian Harrison is known for his high standard of work and friendly, professional tiling service. The quality of his workmanship is acknowledged by customers and trade press alike. Receiving glowing customer testimonials and winning TilerWorld ‘Tiler of the Month’ several times is tribute to his skills, with existing customers returning time and again for his service. A keen advocator of learning new tiling techniques and a member of the TTA; his passion to extend his knowledge is clearly evident both in the amount of qualifications gained and also applying his skills and knowledge to a variety of successful tiling projects. Finalists Nick Carrier: The Natural Tiler Leon Allen: Tilings Finest!
Employee of the Year Paul Salmon: Colchester Tile Paul Salmon has worked in the tile industry for 10 years, nine of which were with Pentagon Tiles before moving to Colchester Tiles as Contracts Manager in London and East Anglia. Speaking about his outstanding employee, Ian Crowther, Managing Director of Colchester
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TTA NEWSLETTER
Taptile Bathroom by Taptile.
Tile, commented: “Paul’s dedication to excellence is unparalleled in the tiling industry; he prides himself on an outstanding level of customer service and is available to his customers 24/7, even when he’s in the shower!” Beyond his dedication to the tile industry, Paul will also be a 2012 Olympic Torch bearer, having been nominated by the Village School in Colne Engaine as a result of the work that he undertakes for the village and the local community. Over the past few years he had helped the local Brownies, raised fund for the local community and swum the English Channel as part of a relay team raising £5000 for three charities. Finalists Ann Moult: Johnson Tiles
Trainee of the Year James Belcher: Tiles UK Since starting work with Tiles UK in Nottingham, James Belcher has learned all the necessary computer skills to work in a busy retail outlet, and has developed his knowledge of tiles to such an extent that he is able to work on the trade counter, and help retail customers chose tiles and related products for their tiling project. In January 2012 James contacted Tiles UK Director Ian Kershaw about a lady in Nottingham who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and was currently in hospital. He knew that there were plans for local builders to refurbish her home in the style of the BBC programme DIY SOS. James asked if the company could supply the tiles and adhesive for the bathroom and, before asking, he had worked out how much it would cost the company. Ian Kershaw immediately agreed and the tiles were subsequently supplied for the project. “James has excellent customer service skills, is smart, pleasant and polite to all our customers. 24
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Precious Polished Stone from the Designer Stone Collection by N&C Nicobond.
He plans to begin working towards the NVQ in tile retailing as soon as it is launched,” stated the company.
Excellence in Independent Retailing East Midlands Ceramics
highest levels of customer service, Tile Choice is convinced that its stores and website will continue to meet the requirements of both the general public and local trade. Finalists Armatile Limited
East Midlands Ceramics has an outstanding record of delivering excellent retail service to domestic, trade and commercial customers for more than thirty years. The cornerstone of EMC Tiles’ appeal is the way in which domestic customer showrooms, trade facilities and warehousing are beautifully designed and integrated all on the same site. Domestic customers are offered more than fifty glamorous room set displays, expert help from well informed and friendly staff, plus a huge selection of attractively presented floor and wall tiles. Trade customers have their own dedicated trade centre and the whole operation is underpinned by a well-stocked and organised warehouse. Finalists Creative Stone and Tile Tile Mart TileStyle
Established in 1960, as one of the UK’s original tile distributors, Minoli remains steadfastly focussed on excelling in that field. Unlike many other industry competitors, Minoli has resisted diversifying into retailing, purposefully choosing to supply and support a network of resellers and corporate clients as their preferred route to market. Relentlessly pursuing this strategy over the years, Minoli has become renowned throughout the sector for their ability and reliability in supplying tiles, mosaics, adhesives and grout, the vast majority of which is held in plentiful stock at their purpose-built, Oxford based distribution centre for next-day delivery. Finalists Craven Dunnill & Co
Excellence in Multiple Retailing Tile Choice
Excellence in Tile Contracting Avantgarde Tiling
Tile Choice boasts 14 individually designed stores ranging in size from 5,000 sq. feet up to 19,000 sq. feet, and a 30,000 sq. feet centralised warehouse and distribution centre with a £1.5 million stockholding of ceramic and porcelain tiles, along with a vast selection of natural stone. Tile Choice prides itself on selling the highest quality products, sourced from some of the world’s leading manufacturers. With a hard earned and enviable reputation for quality and diversity in its product range along with the
Avantgarde Tiling was formed in 2005 by the current Directors to consolidate their collective experiences within the industry over many years, and in response to its clients who were looking for a different approach to tiling and stone works. Since its inception, the directors’ target was to mark a way through the construction industry and gain credibility as a trustworthy organisation. More than just a traditional contracting organisation, their background and experience has given them a wealth of knowledge of a
Excellence in Tile Distribution Minoli
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TTA NEWSLETTER wide range of products and techniques, allowing them to provide comprehensive advice on specifications and material selection. Their key objective is simple: to provide uncompromised quality with value for money.
Excellence in Manufacturing Craven Dunnill Jackfield Driven by shared passion for the product, the Craven Dunnill Jackfield manufacturing team is committed to the use of traditional craftsman skills. The Jackfield Tile Works is very flexible and best suited to responding to the challenges from heritage organisations requiring authentic restoration of original period ceramics. No project is deemed too large or too small and, if a project requires a particular method of production or an application to a tile has not previously done by the Jackfield team, they will research and develop a method to ensure the product can be matched and the project successfully restored. Finalists Mapei UK N&C Nicobond Ultra Tile
Best use of Tile in the Public Sector St Andrews Cathedral Mapei UK - Tilecraft Paisley Tilecraft Paisley undertook the challenge of creating the new floor for St Andrews Cathedral in Glasgow during its recent renovation. Using a combination of varying sized Burlington slate and Carrera marble tiles they created a durable, distinctive and attractive floor. The new Cathedral floor boasted a unique mosaic featuring the Archdiocese of Glasgow’s crest. This circular mosaic had been crafted by a family in Jerusalem and commissioned by the
Archbishop whilst on a visit to the city. A professional installation and use of a complete system of Mapei products ensured that Tilecraft was able to create the high spec floor that the project required. Finalists James Cook University Hospital, Oncology Unit P Plunkett Tiling Contractors Blackpool Winter Gardens Mapei UK - Lancashire Tiling St Rafael’s Church, Kingston, Surrey Castelnau Tiles Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne Craven Dunnill Jackfield
Best use of Tile in the Private Sector McLaren Production Centre Avantgarde Tiling The McLaren Production Centre is a quantum leap in car manufacturing facilities, custombuilt to produce a quantifiably better kind of car: lean, efficient, dynamic and innovative – but above all, committed to excellence. The scale and the grandeur of the project shares Avantgarde’s vision in achieving something truly exceptional and inspiring. Avantgarde’s commitment to technical excellence and meticulous attention to detail concluded in delivering a unique project. Avantgarde shares McLarens belief that attention to detail is vital to delivering a high quality product with the standard of the raw materials matched by the excellence of the execution. Finalists Gatwick South Terminal Mapei UK - Dyson Briggs & Sons Magheralin Parish Church Trainor Contracts St. Peter’s Church, Lurgan Armatile
Excellence in Tile Contracting: A project by Avantgarde Tiling
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Best use of Tile by a House Developer Friary Road, Ascot Minoli The Style range of Italian porcelain tiles was officially launched in the spring of 2011, having been very well received when previewed at Minoli’s 50th Anniversary event at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. The range proved an immediate success with developer clients who recognised both its beauty and practicality. One of these customers was the leading luxury developer, Richard Finlay Homes, who has specified the Minoli Style series in several prestige developments but mostly notably at the Friary Road site in Ascot. Finalists 7-5 Whitfield Street, London Stone & Ceramic
Best Technical use of Tile in a Contract St Peter’s Church, Lurgan Armatile The design, complexity and technical detail involved in all aspects of this renovation, meant Armatile had to use all aspects of the company’s manufacturing and contracting expertise. Throughout the process of this innovative tile installation at St Peter’s Church, Armatile brought together all aspects of the company’s capabilities resulting in a floor covering with character and technical excellence for future generations to enjoy. Finalists The Beamish Fish and Chip Shop John Foley & Sons (Tilers) Gatwick South Terminal Mapei UK - Dyson Briggs & Sons Magheralin Parish Church Trainor Contracts
Best use of Tile in the Private Sector: McLaren Production Centre by Avantgarde Tiling
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TTA NEWSLETTER create a talking point; showing that this house is truly in a league of its own and reflecting the strong, bright and energetic personality of its owners. Creative Stone and Tile thoroughly enjoyed working on this project; bringing together truly unique products and fulfilling the design vision of their client. Finalists 6 Old Pond Place Ian Harrison Private House, Keyworth East Midlands Ceramics Private Pond Installation, Surrey The Mosaic Restoration Co. 78 Hayburn Avenue Ian Harrison
Above: David Bowie - Pin Up (detail).
Best use of Tile within the Leisure or Hospitality Industries London Olympic Aquatic Centre Ardex UK - WB Simpson & Sons Established in 1833, WB Simpson Specialist Contractors are a specialist tiling contractor in the supply and installation of hard wall and floor tiling on commercial, industrial, leisure, retail and residential projects. They teamed up with Ardex UK to provide the perfect finish to the 2012 Olympic Aquatic Centre pools and surround. The aquatic centre in the Olympic park with a distinctive curved roof will be the first venue visitors see upon entering the Olympic Park and these pools will be the focus of the world’s attention during the London 2012 Olympics. Finalists The Beamish Fish and Chip Shop John Foley & Sons (Tilers) London Syon Park Hotel Stone & Ceramics Ltd. Nando’s Restaurant Parkside Tiles St Pancras, London Trevor Caley Associates
Best use of Tile in a Private House Private House, County Tyrone Creative Tile & Stone Creative Tile & Stone, nominated County Tyrone private home is a spectacular stage of original style with beautiful colours, shapes and decorations. The tiles selected for this project were from exclusive, design-led factories and truly blast away all that is boring or predictable. The daring combinations excite, delight and
Most Innovative Tile Installation David Bowie Mosaic Portrait Ed Chapman David Bowie became a pensioner on January 8, 2012. To mark this event, UK mosaic artist Ed Chapman created a mosaic portrait of Bowie from stone floor tiles. It is the latest of the artist’s creations in mosaic, as well as tile he has used coins, paper, glass and even chewing gum to make accurate likenesses of famous subjects ranging from Nelson Mandela to Albert Einstein, Princess Diana to Lemmy from Motorhead. The portrait is made from hundreds of pieces of hand-cut tile fragments and measures 92x62cm and took four weeks to make. It garnered worldwide media attention when it was unveiled on January 7, 2012. Finalists McLaren Production Centre Avantgarde Tiling The CoppaFeel! Garden Mapei UK St. Peter’s Church, Lurgan Armatile
Excellence in Marketing New-look Grout Range Launch Campaign Ultra Tile For Ultra Tile’s launch campaign for its new-look grout range and its improved FlexJoint formula, a combination of innovative marketing activities was used to promote the range, incorporating the Flex Factor concept, and a text to win promotion with suitably themed prizes. The Flex Factor combined originality with a clear message, incorporated interactive media, and provided an opportunity to win with an eyecatching memorable concept. The entire launch was developed within budget and generated an above target return.
Finalists The Enki Collection CP Group LoveWeber Marketing Campaign Weber Tile Choice Marketing Strategy Tile Choice
Best Environmental Initiative Saving the rainforests Building Adhesives - Cool Earth Building Adhesives Limited is the first tiling company to partner Cool Earth, which protects threatened rainforests by working with indigenous communities to prevent deforestation. A donation for every pack sold from the BAL Go Greener range of environmentally responsible tile adhesives helps to fight climate change by preventing rainforest clearance. Using BAL Go Greener products goes beyond mere campaigning, delivering real, measurable action with a positive environmental impact: 1 sq. m tiled with any BAL ‘Go Greener’ product equals 1 sq. m of threatened rainforest protected. Finalists Mapei UK Integrated Management System Ultra Tile Reducing our waste to landfill Johnson Tiles Company Recycling Policies
TTA welcomes new members The Tile Association would like to offer a warm welcome to our newest members: Stone-Style (UK), Villeroy & Boch (UK) and Aurea Design.
TTA Tweets With a twitter following now over the 550 mark @tileassociation is the best place to keep up-todate on the latest developments in the tile industry. Visit www.twitter.com/tileassociation to follow.
The Tile Association Forum Court 83 Copers Cope Road Beckenham Kent BR3 1NR T: 020 8663 0946 F: 020 8663 0949 E: info@tiles.org.uk W: www.tiles.org.uk
If you are in the tile industry, you need to be in The Tile Association. 28
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IN BUSINESS
Significant industry first for emissions service Cool Earth appoints The Fuelcard People as official Partner, reports Colin Appleby for Tile & Stone Journal. Top: Steve Clark. “Whether managers are running a couple of vans, dozens of cars or hundreds of trucks, they all face growing pressure to reduce their fleets’ carbon footprints. That has to start with measuring emissions.” Top right: This initiative is one way in which UK businesses can contribute towards global efforts to protect the world’s vital rainforests.
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usiness road users nationwide have welcomed CO2Count, the new service which provides accurate reporting of vehicles’ greenhouse gas emissions. CO2Count was introduced to existing customers of The Fuelcard People at the beginning of 2012 and is already delivering essential information for fleets across the country. Steve Clarke, head of marketing for Fuel Card Services, said: “Whether managers are running a couple of vans, dozens of cars or hundreds of trucks, they all face growing pressure to reduce their fleets’ carbon footprints. That has to start with measuring emissions.” Alongside each regular invoice, a customer receives a corresponding emissions report in the form of a CO2Count Certificate. This encompasses their whole fleet, split by vehicle fuel types: diesel, petrol, gasoil and LPG. For each of these, it shows the greenhouse gases produced during the invoice period: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen dioxide (CO2, CH4 and N2O). The fleet manager can see, at a glance, the fleet’s emissions of each gas and the combined emissions total. “Your first CO2Count Certificate gives a starting point,” said Steve Clarke, “and from there it is simple to track emissions across the fleet, and match them against any emissions reduction initiatives. This is an instant and continuing gain for the customer, but the enduring global benefit comes from our partnership with Cool Earth.” Cool Earth, Europe’s fastest-growing environmental charity, has underlined the ecological value of CO2Count by appointing The Fuelcard People as its first official Partner from within the automotive industry. For every CO2Count Certificate issued, a donation is made to Cool Earth to further its work in protecting threatened rainforests. Backed by both David Attenborough and Lord Stern, Cool Earth works with local communities to protect
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rainforest in imminent danger of being cleared. It does so in such a way that the protected area then blockades tens of thousands of acres of adjacent forest. Cool Earth funds a local trust, making the local community the legal custodians of the land, and uses community rangers and satellite imagery to monitor and protect the rainforest 24/7 from illegal activity. It also institutes sustainable employment programmes, and supports schools and clinics, so that indigenous rainforest communities do not suffer from lost logging income. Matthew Owen, Cool Earth director, said: “After checking the environmental credentials of the CO2Count service, we are happy to recognise its importance. Reducing emissions of greenhouse gases is vital for the planet’s future and independent emissions monitoring is key to tracking the results of any reduction initiative. The automotive sector is not known for being particularly green, so CO2Count stands out as a serious measure in its own right. The donation to Cool Earth is a welcome bonus, which should protect vast stretches of threatened rainforests.” Working with local people, Cool Earth halts deforestation by keeping custodian communities intact, ensuring that the forest is worth more to them standing than cleared. Cool Earth ensures that donations have maximum impact, focusing on areas in imminent danger and able to blockade huge neighbouring areas, with community-led and –owned projects. With over 100,000 individuals and businesses from 16 countries behind it, Cool Earth is becoming a key tool in tackling rainforest destruction. Every single minute Cool Earth has existed, it has saved enough rainforest to prevent 14 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Readers can find out more about CO2Count at www.co2count.org.uk or by calling 0844 870 7893.
CEVISAMA REVIEW
Natural inspiration While natural materials still provide the primary inspiration for the current generation of Spanish tile designers, other influences, such as sustainability, now have a significant impact, reports Nadia Mladenova.
Left: Soft finish by Ceracasa. Middle: SlimmKer-Floor by Inalco. Right: Soft finish by Ceracasa.
Left: Coverlam by Grespania. Right: Soft finish by Ceracasa.
Above: SlimmKer by Inalco.
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panish style, skill and innovation in architectural tiles was represented by new designs at the recent Cevisama fair in Valencia, reports Quick Step’s Nadia Mladenova for Ascer. Emerging trends reflected not only intriguing aesthetic effects but also key technical advances that make Spanish tiles an elegant and sustainable solution to a wide range of applications. There follows a round-up of some of the key trends from the 2012 exhibition. Decorative finishes take on a durable new life, courtesy of the Spanish tile industry’s expertise in manufacture. Ideal for adding interest and intrigue to feature walls, these appealing 3D effects offer an enhanced textural palette to design. Grespania’s Futura is a ground-breaking range with TSJ MAY 2012
outstanding design potential. The season’s most sophisticated collection will lend a distinctive touch of textural elegance to interiors. The 300 by 900mm format is available in the fashion tones, such as mother-of-pearl, black, silver, red, platinum and gold. The surface offers a striking sense of movement, with colours and reflective effects full of vibrant energy. Inspired by the avant-garde architecture of modern cities and memorable historic monuments, Skyline, a new collection from Colorker, offers character to individual spaces. Providing a choice of both sober and bold colours, combined with elegant texture, Skyline is offered in a variety of formats. Three range - Shanghai, Sakkara and Mandalay - make up the Skyline collection, creating wide design options. The Explend and Jazz ranges by Saloni play with subtle textures and graduating natural tones. These white body wall tiles come in the popular 250 by 750mm format and are complemented by plain colour floor tiles for a subtly sophisticated finish. Aparici offered a wide range of new white body, double fired, rectified tiles with stunning 3D effects, accentuated by a range of bold colours and luxurious finishes, such as silver and gold. Rosa Gres launched a new tile collection with a basrelief pattern consisting of bubbles in different sizes. The range is ideal for cladding applications as well as floors. The paving finish has a soft undulating texture and a nonslip surface. This aids safety and also offers a gentle massage underfoot. The new range offers both a matt and a high-gloss finish and is available in hues of violet, emerald green and petrol blue. The latest range from Peronda offers chic, subtle textures in a palette of classic colours (black, grey and matt white) inspired by the latest fashion collections of Chanel. Transcending fashion, however, these beautiful tiles are built to last, offering timeless interior elegance. Apavisa has added three new colours to its acclaimed Nanoeclectic range: copper, black and white, in two finishes: natural and décor, and in a 300 by 600mm format. Nanoeclectic also presented the Mohave colour in 300 by 600mm, which recreates the appearance of natural stone, in a wide variety of textures and hues. This finish harmonises beautifully with the other metallic colours, creating many combination options. Enhancing the offer are decorative mosaics, mixing different glazed effects of red, black, silver and gold for the realisation of unique design schemes. Today’s many wood effect tiles offer the best of both worlds – the elegant and warm aesthetics of wood and the easy-clean durability of porcelain - plus compatibility with under-floor heating. This trend spans a range of wood grain options – from subtle to realistic, through rustic, to wood relief and metallic finishes. Aparici’s Savage comes in four sizes and two wood grain effects: Walnut and Oak. The highly-resistant porcelain floor tiles in this range are complemented by matt wall tiles with a relief pattern in Savage Walnut Bosco in a 297.5 by 894.6mm format. The Natura Mobila range also
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CEVISAMA REVIEW
Above: Savage, Natura Mobila and Valmont by Aparici
Left: Foresta and Povera decor by Peronda. Middle: Natura by Colorker. Right: Natura Mobila by Aparici.
Left: Timber by Ceracasa. Mid left: Prints Vestige by Inalco. Mid right: Salonga by Vives. Right: Valmont by Aparici.
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offers a more rustic timber feel, while the Valmont line features glazed porcelain tiles (147.4 by 595.5mm) in five wood effects with great chromatic variation. Inalco’s Prints Vestige 2.0 has been created to capture timber’s authenticity and is suffused with craftsmanship, and care. Created using new materials and processes, the range is squarely focused on quality and durability, capturing the essence of reclaimed wood that has been weathered by the passage of time. Prints Vestige creatively reinvents this notion with modern tones and formats to make a durable product designed to last a lifetime. This range includes wood effect finishes in five neutral colours - Blanco, Nuez, Gris, Negro and Fresno - with a subtle wood grain texture achieved despite the slimline format. This range is available in various sizes from 1,000 by 1,300mm to 500 by 1,000mm. Colorker’s Natura range features subtle wood motifs in an elegant silver finish. Colorker reproduces these timber effects with striking realism. Natura takes this trend one step further, capturing a sense of both the craftsman’s touch and the passage of time. The Block range comes in formats of 295 by 595, 445 by 893, 220 by 893 and 595 by 595mm and Natura in 220 by 893mm. Peronda’s flagship Foresta brand has been extended with the Timber range, featuring aged and weathered
TSJ MAY 2012
wood effects that offer a sense of natural elements such as salts and oxides. The range’s appeal lies in the variations of tone and visual imagery. The Povera décor takes its inspiration from graffiti, typography and traditional stamps that are applied to wood for industrial use. Ceracasa has gathered together all of its wood effects into a single collection, thus creating the new Timber range in six colours: Arce, Fresno, Haya, Sauvage, Roble and Merbau. The collection is available in two formats: 245 by 982mm and 160 by 982mm. The range is billed as a modern and ultra-functional floor covering for homes, businesses, high traffic areas and wet zones, offering natural aesthetics combined with high-performance. Vives, renowned for its innovation, offered the latest wood-ceramic aesthetics as a design resource that offers verve, panache and excellent performance. The Sutton collection captures the beauty of a timber end-grain effect, with stylish and durable square floor tiles; while Salonga (in Blanco, Miel, Cerezo and Antracita colours) offers a striking wood effect with a subtle metallic finish in 200 by 1,200mm porcelain planks. Also from Vives, Paramo - available in a range of colours from beige to anthracite and in 150 by 1,200mm and 200 by 1,200mm rectilinear formats - offers a subtle wood effect finish. Tau displayed wood-effect tiles in an on-trend grey palette as part of the company’s new urban-inspired Lenyo collection. The floor tiles from the range come in six easy to mix and match sizes, plus a rectified version (145 by 900mm); ideal for high traffic areas. Anti-slip and low maintenance finishes, rectified formats allowing for minimal grout and slimline tiles (less than 3.5 mm thick), which can be installed over other tiles represent a key renovation trend. Strong yet lightweight, stylish and practical, the new generation of slimline tiles can reduce installation time, costs and grouting and can be used for floors, walls, decorative ceilings and even kitchen and furniture benchtops. As with all good ideas, the technological innovation of Inalco’s SlimmKer/SlimmKer-Floor collection open up a world of design possibilities, pushing back the boundaries of tile installation. Inalco impressed with its distinctive style in these characterful tile collections. Following exhaustive market research and the application of pioneering manufacturing processes, Inalco has specialised in the development of large-format slimline products. Versatile, decorative and lighter in weight, SlimmKer/SlimmKer-Floor tiles represent a dynamic way to revamp living spaces, while staying ahead of the curve for trends in architecture and interior design. Inalco’s collections are characterised by neutral colours, with contrasting pale and dark shades. The colour spectrum spans from black to white, while featuring warmer hues like walnut, stone and caramel. This season, Inalco chose classic materials, such as stone or wood, as a source of inspiration, in addition to other new products featuring trend-setting textures evocative of cement. These offer new uses and applications. In addition to SlimmKer’s numerous benefits (an easy-tohandle, easy-to-install material with a slimline, lightweight
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CEVISAMA REVIEW Top left: Gold mosaic from Nanoeclectic by Apavisa. Top right: Skyline by Colorker. Bottom left: Explend and Jazz by Saloni. Bottom right: Chanel by Peronda.
structure and a variety of large formats ranging from 1,000 by 1,300 to 500 by 1,000mm), SlimmKer-Floor offers the added advantages of high mechanical resistance and breaking strength that is said to be far superior to conventional thicknesses. This makes SlimmKer-Floor ideal for both refurbishment and new build projects. Offering innovative architectural tiles, Grespania’s new Coverlam collection comprises laminated and rectified porcelain stoneware tiles, manufactured using a new production process. The thickness of the tiles has been reduced to just 3.5mm, making it possible to produce large-format, lightweight tiles with all the features of porcelain stoneware: strength, impermeability and durability. Any surface, claims the company, can now be covered with ceramics including floors, ceilings, walls, furniture and countertops. Grespania added three new ranges to the Coverlam collection. The new Travertine marble series offers a subtle interplay of gloss and matt in anthracite and white, while the elegant Basic series, with its delicate palette of neutral colours (white, grey, black and tobacco), and the beautiful combination of stone and metal in the Oxido series (avail-
able in a soft ivory tone) add to the versatility on offer. These new products are available in three formats: 1,000 by 3,000mm, 1,000 by 1,000mm and 1,000 by 500mm. Ceracasa presented the 491 by 982mm format with a variety of textures, colours and finishes, plus the new technically advanced Soft finish (a silky texture that facilitates maintenance and reduces the amount of water needed for cleaning) applied on many ranges such Sandstone, Indus, City, Cuarcita and Filita, plus metallics like Evolution. The Soft ceramic finish is a further development in the eco-design programme championed by Ceracasa. Once laid, and after the initial post-installation cleaning, Soft is said to save up to 50% of the water used for maintenance as it does attract or hold dirt like many standard floor tiles. Its manufacturing process uses a variety of high quality raw materials that fuse at around 1.200°C and thus create a quality that is bound to be popular among end-users. The Soft finish, despite its silky texture, also offers good slip resistance, making it suitable for high traffic areas, outdoor use and commercial spaces. Visit www.spaintiles.info for further information about the Spanish tile sector and its manufacturing members. MAY 2012 TSJ
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SITE REPORT The completed water park features an actual Boeing 747 jumbo jet on the roof, and a helicopter suspended internally as the anchor for a splash bucket.
Imagination on a Jumbo scale Michael Pallerino reports on Laticrete’s involvement in the realisation of Delford Smith’s vision for a water park in his hometown of McMinnville, Oregon.
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elford Smith returned from a business trip one day with an idea. He wanted to build a water park in his hometown of McMinnville, Oregon; the historic city located in the heart of Willamette Valley’s wine country, and strategically nestled between the Pacific Coast and Portland. Delford. Smith wasn’t talking about just any water park. After all, this is the entrepreneur who had purchased Howard Hughes’ famed Spruce Goose so that he could add it to his Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, which features more than 200 exhibits, including military aircraft, helicopters, commercial and private aircrafts. The museum was built in honour of his son, the late Captain Michael King Smith. Delford. Smith thrives on being unique. So he called a meeting with some local project managers to bounce around the idea. He told them he wanted something to complement his aviation collection. Delford Smith sought a structure that would not only get people talking, but something they would have to see and experience for themselves. When one of the project managers mentioned putting an airplane on the roof, Delford Smith loved the idea. However, his vision went further: he wanted a 747. The entire room was skeptical, but Delford. Smith was convinced that it could be done. Sure, for a German aviation museum outside of Berlin, put a 747 on stilts outside its building; but an airplane on top of what would be a 60-foot building, with a series of water slides running in and around it, too? They called it "the pick." After nine months of engineering and design work, construction crews secured two massive cranes on 36
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a near-windless morning in May 2010. Employing one of only seven Boeing recovery slings in the world, they began hoisting the Evergreen International Aviation B747-100. One hour and eight minutes later, the 328,000-pound plane was bolted cleanly into place.
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SITE REPORT atop the roof – a wave pool and the children’s museum. The fastest of the slides is the Nose Dive, a two-person inner tube ride that combines a fast initial drop into a high rate bank turn. It leads the riders into a dark oscillation section before "breaking out of the clouds" through a hologram image and into the circular bowl below. Other slides include the Tail Spin, Sonic Boom and the Mach 1. Today, the water park and museum park have become one of the most popular tourism attractions in the state. "Helping turn this vision into a reality was one of the coolest things we’ve ever done," says Dave Garske of Hoffman Construction, Portland.
Protecting the building from water damage The wave pool
Delford Smith’s entrepreneurial vision struck again. The massive plane became the anchor for the Evergreen Wings & Waves water park, located about one-quarter mile west of the Spruce Goose. It is billed as "the only water park that comes with an aviation and space museum" – the first in the country to combine water-borne fun with educational themes that help visitors learn about the power of water and its effects on the world. The 71,350-square-foot park features 10 water slides – four of them exiting directly out of the fuselage of the Boeing 747 sitting
Reflecting on the project, Garske says one of the more interesting challenges was how to figure out a way to protect the building from all the water. "Tile was a major part of this project. Basically, the entire inside of the building is a big swimming pool. There is water and tile everywhere – in the pool, in the bathroom, along the walls. Chlorine can be very corrosive. So we had to figure out a way to keep the building from rusting from the inside out. We had to manage the chlorinated water. We spent a lot of time working on keeping the water safe for the visitors and the employees." Hoffman worked closely with Paragon Tile of Tigard, Oregon.
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SITE REPORT As Paragon began to map out the project, they knew what the needed. That’s when Paul Luttrell, VP of Sales for Paragon Tile, called Laticrete sales representative Mike Werner. Paragon ended up selecting a number of Laticrete products for the job, including Laticrete SpectraLoc Pro Grout, Laticrete 4-XLT, Laticrete 254 Platinum, Laticrete 255 MultiMax and Laticrete Latasil "In particular, we used Laticrete Latasil because we needed something that would not crack or deteriorate in the wet coved areas and corners for the life of the installation," Luttrell says. And with the amount of tiling prevalent throughout the facility, Luttrell used Laticrete SpectraLock Pro Grout, a product designed to be used for swimming pools and other wet area applications. Paragon used the products in the entryway, in each of the restrooms, in the water lines in the pool, in the mezzanine and on a lot of the wainscoting throughout the building. "Everything needed to be waterproofed or have crack isolation. So we chose Laticrete Hydro Ban to use behind all our tile." Hydro Ban is a thin, load bearing waterproofing/crack isolation membrane that does not require the use of fabric in the field, coves or corners. "In the pools," continued Luttrell, "we used Laticrete 4-XLT. On the water lines we used Laticrete 254 Platinum, and for the floors, etc., we used the Laticrete 255 MultiMax. Everything was grouted with Laticrete SpectraLock Pro Grout. It's a such a strong, high performance product; we couldn't use anything else."
The job took Paragon nearly five months to complete on their end. "It was job like nothing else," Luttrell says. "The pools and the shapes were pretty unique. At some of the counters, you have half of an airplane sticking out of the wall. It’s an eye-catcher. As far as the installation of the tile, it was a pretty standard install, except for some of the custom mud floating work we had to do. We were confident to use Laticrete product as we know they perform at high levels, and the company stands behind its products as well.”
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CASE STUDY
Mapei products were used throughout the Roca London Gallery. Mapei’s Ultratop cementitious flooring system and Keraflex ceramic adhesive were used across the 1,100 sq. metre single floor in the project designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and installed by Resin Flooring Specialists. Inspiration was taken from the element of water; transforming both the exterior and interior into a The Ultratop flooring system provided a fluid final aesthetic that was integral with the theme, offering a highly polished look. The Ultratop cementitious flooring system comprised of Primer SN; a two component epoxy filling primer, Quartz 1.2; Ultratop Anthracite, Keraseal transparent sealant and Mapelux wax. Ultratop is a quick setting, self-levelling mortar based on special hydraulic binders, with a high mechanical strength for abrasion-resistant floors from 5 to 40mm. It can be left as a finished floor and is perfect for areas subject to heavy pedestrian use such as busy retail outlets. Available in a range of colours, Ultratop provides a perfect palette for designing strong and aesthetic floors for retail, supermarket, restaurant and showroom use. Mixed with Dynastone Color or natural aggregates, Ultratop may be used to create floors similar in appearance to Terrazzo. After three days it can be dry polished to a completely smooth finish, as was desired at the Roca London Gallery. Tiled areas of the Gallery were installed using Mapei’s high performance, flexible adhesive Keraflex. The cementitious adhesive, which has no vertical slip and an extended open time, will be ideal for the high levels of foot traffic expected. www.mapei.co.uk 0121 508 6970.
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interpreted all our brand values as well as our company philosophy in a singularly exciting and tangible way.” Zaha Hadid elaborates: “Our work imbues architecture with the intricacy and beauty of natural forms. Using a formal language derived from the movement of water, the Roca London Gallery has been eroded and polished by fluidity; generating a sequence of dynamic spaces carved from this fascinating interplay between architecture and nature.” The Roca London Gallery consists of a single floor where it appears that water has sculptured and defined each and every detail of the space. Rocas commitment to design and innovation is clearly visible in the exterior of the building with its distinctive facade. Three almost organic portals which appear to have been shaped by water erosion open up this space to the city. The interior is sculptured white concrete and its state of the art lighting connects each of the different areas whilst serving as a central axis around which the Roca London Gallery revolves. The interior is fabulous, functional and flexible, featuring cutting-edge, modern, audiovisual, sound and lighting equipment. This technology provides interaction with the brand and the opportunity to discover the companys history, its landmark achievements and the values on which all of Rocas work is based: the commitment to sustainability and, particularly, to innovation, design, wellness and saving water. The Roca London Gallery is intended to be much more than just a display space. Available to an extensive audience that will include everyone from designsavvy architects to design-hungry students, it is designed to become a London hub hosting a wide range of activities such as exhibitions produced inhouse or externally, meetings, presentations, seminars and debates, the criteria being a celebration of design in keeping with the Roca brand and company values. The Roca Galleries represent an investment in the brand on a global scale, with the aim of creating unique spaces facilitating social and cultural encounters in the cities that play host to them. The Roca London Gallery joins a select group of Roca Galleries in Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon. The geometry of the three display environments at the front of the Gallery form a continuous surface with the façade creating a single uninterrupted space that interweaves exterior and interior, while the strong material logic of the façade is maintained in exposed concrete. The white space of the main gallery is shaped by the continuous logic of the illuminated water drops that seamlessly connects the different areas. The array of glowing ‘pods’ builds the spine of the central space that is further defined with its final spiral move, which leads to the knowledge, research and and multi-media seating area next to the main reception. The bold spatial concepts of the display environments stand out as dark grey concrete in contrast with the
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CASE STUDY white central spine of the Gallery. Their form has been sculpted as if by the properties of erosion combined with the functional considerations of the gallery to allow flexibility. The continuing variety within the five distinct bathroom areas evolves along the backbone of the main Gallery.
Showcase for top international designers The Gallery allows Roca’s most emblematic products to be displayed in different areas or environments. Exhibits include products and collections created by top designers like David Chipperfield, Jacques Herzog & Pierre De Meuron, Ramón Benedito, Mariscal, Alvaro Siza, Belén and Rafael Moneo, Schmidt & Lackner and Marcello Cuttino. One of the most eye-catching elements of these environments is the tiled floor. Composed exclusively of Roca ceramics, the floor is a mosaic of unique, individually-designed and manufactured pieces which together create a striking visual effect. Each tile was designed by ZHA team and water jet cut from a standard 600 by 1,200mm Roca tile. The complex free-form architectural language reflecting fluidity and nature is driven by the new digital design tools and the constant evolution of digitally controlled manufacturing, fabrication and contemporary construction mechanisms, processes and methods. In order to achieve the complexity of the design and do justice to the original concept, engineers, consultants and fabricators were consulted at an early design stage. GRC (glass reinforced concrete) and GRG (glass reinforced gypsum) were specified as the materials that best met the challenge of translating the fluid forms into built environment. The limits of GRC and GRG fabrication and installation were explored: a process that informed and developed the architectural concept. Straight vertical joints and a horizontal joint at 2.20m were implemented to meet the consutction challenge. The maximum size of the interior GRC panels is 3 by 5 metres and the full height facade panels are 2 by 4 metres. The two materials were used in harmony, resulting in the continuous white surface of the GRG curved gallery walls and the exposed natural concrete GRC panels within the product display environments and the facade. Roca Limited Samson Road, Hermitage Industrial Estate Coalville, Leicestershire. LE67 3FP 01530 830080 www.uk.roca.com
Above: GRC (glass reinforced concrete) and GRG (glass reinforced gypsum) were specified as the materials that best met the challenge of translating the fluid form required by the architect. The limits of GRC and GRG fabrication and installation were explored: a process that informed and developed the architectural concept. Straight vertical joints and a horizontal joint at 2.20m were implemented to meet the construction challenges.
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Roca London Gallery Station Court, Imperial Wharf, London SW6 2PY www.rocalondongallery.com Open Monday to Friday 09.00 to 19.00 Saturday 11:00 to 16:00 Admission: Free (guided tours available on request)
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DESIGN TRENDS
Why tile specifiers should think outside the box In the fourth in a series of exclusive articles for TSJ, Abdulla Mahmood, Head of Marketing & Communications at the world’s largest tile manufacturer, RAK Ceramics, looks at the sales potential of the growing range of potential external and internal applications for ceramic tiles. Above and right: Typical exterior applications for ceramic tiles . RAK Ceramics’ porcelain slabs were specified for the UK’s biggest largeformat ceramic cladding installation. Designed by Domus Facades, and installed by Cladding UK for main contractor Higgins Construction PLC, the 7,654 sq metre installation forms the exterior of Streamlight Tower, in London’s docklands. A residential scheme, for Swan New Homes, the development was designed by Barrett Lloyd Davis Associates Ltd and Hunters Architects.
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hose of us who sell tiles everyday can easily fall into the trap of offering customers the same solutions for the same areas, day in and day out. But do these familiar routines blind us to other routes to sales success? Recently, there have been welcome attempts by forward thinking manufacturers to promote the use of tiles in areas where they wouldn’t normally be considered, like living rooms and bedrooms. Modern fixing and complementary products, like underfloor heating, have increased potential even further. Thinking outside the box can often lead us down a path toward new sales opportunities. And, as well as expanding our thinking to include different internal locations, external applications offer great potential too – from walkways and balconies to patios and facades of commercial buildings. In addition to aesthetic qualities, tiles offer a myriad of benefits for outdoor application. Porcelain tiles are durable, weather resistant, can offer good levels of slipresistance and they can work equally well on external walls and floors.
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In domestic situations, tiles allow living areas to be extended into the garden; using the same tile inside and out creates a seamless transitional flow, maximising a home’s perceived footprint. Quality porcelain tiles, like RAK’s Lounge Series, includes tiles that are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The unpolished Lounge tiles have an extremely low absorption rate of below 0.5% which means they won’t crack during the winter freeze/ thaw cycle. Porcelain tiles are extremely durable; during manufacture tiles are formed at high pressure and fired at over 1200°c. This creates a product with excellent wear characteristics, making it an ideal material for walls, floors and cladding. When choosing a floor tile for external application, consideration should be given to the surface finish. Tiles with a matt or riven finish, like RAK Porcelain Slate, offer a good compromise between slip resistance and ease of cleaning. Also, unlike natural stone, porcelain tiles suited to outdoor use don’t need to be sealed, so fixing can be completed in a shorter timescale and ongoing maintenance is eliminated. During application, a few basic considerations should always be borne in mind. Cement-based adhesive should be used and preferably one that is polymermodified, as this will provide enhanced bond strength and reduced porosity. Solid bedding is important too. Any voids behind the tile present an opportunity for
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DESIGN TRENDS
Above: Earth Stone porcelain wall and floor tiles for iInternal and uxternal use. They are available in 295 by 595 and 600 by 60omm, plus 300 by 300mm mosaic. With a matt finish and rectified, edges, the tiles have good slip resistance. Available colours are Talc Ivory, Monazite Brown, Charcoal Clay Grey and Charcoal Black . Left and below left: In addition to aesthetic qualities, tiles offer a myriad of benefits for outdoor application. Porcelain tiles are durable, weather resistant, can offer good levels of slip-resistance and they can work equally well on external walls and floors
water to gather which could cause the surface to break if the water freezes. When tiling onto a concrete or sand/cement screed, sufficient drying time should always be allowed prior to fixing. In addition, specialist fast drying proprietary screeds are available that allow tiles to be laid just a few hours after screeds have been laid. External wall applications are often overlooked and yet their scope is enormous too. As a cladding material, porcelain is an exceptionally hardwearing and cost effective method of both protecting a building and improving appearance. Often designed to replicate the beauty of natural stone, porcelain slabs are impermeable, fire proof and offer exceptional mechanical strength. They’re an ideal surface option for specifiers looking to create a ventilated façade system. Outdoor specification really does provide a great sales opportunity and, with their wealth of performance features, ceramic and porcelain tiles offer exceptional benefits. In today’s tough climate, it’s an area that’s waiting to be exploited, allowing us to not only think outside the box but outside the building too! For more information, contact Kevin Jackson, UK National Tile Sales Manager, on 07891 475364 or email kevin.j@rakceramics.co.uk. Or RAK Ceramics UK: 01730 237850 www.rakceramics.co.uk MAY 2012 TSJ
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SURFACE PREP
Techniques for tiling on solid foundations The Preparation Group is offering a demonstration of its range of Multistripping machines in its Lincoln training centre, where various tile and stone test pads are available to emulate site conditions. T: 01522 561460. W: www.thepreparationgroup.com
TSJ examines a range of products and systems designed to ensure a firm base for ceramic tiling. Above: Vinyl removal using a PPC multi-stripping machine.
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The Preparation Group’s (PPC’s) Tile-strippers are more accurately named Multi-Stripping machines as they offer a complete, cost effective surface preparation solution - they are capable of removing not only floor coverings such as wood and carpets as well as vinyl, stone and ceramic tiles, but also their underlying adhesives and levelling compounds. They will also effortlessly tackle latex, screeds; waterproofing membranes, asphalt and bituminous materials; epoxies and urethanes, sticky residues and thermoplastic materials. PPC’s Multi-Stripping machines are built by its in-house team of skilled engineers and have been developed to withstand the daily rigours of the companies UK leading Contracting operation. There are walk behind and ride on models available to suit the size of project, site access and operator experience. PPC’s walk behind Liberator 75 and 110 Multi-strippers have been designed to lift a wide range of floor coverings with minimal effort. The tempered steel blades ensure optimum cutting results, capable of lifting 50m of vinyl tiles per hour. These machines are lightweight, easy to operate, maintenance free and ideal for use in confined areas and for edge removal where larger sit-on machines are unable to access. For clearing large areas and for the major contractor, there is PPC’s Liberator 600 Ride-on Multi-stripper. Powered by propane, electric or battery driven motors, it is capable of production rates of up to 400 sq. metres per hour. Hydraulic controls allow the operator to move the machine forward, lowering the blade or pick and adjusting the cutting angle. Operation up to perimeter walls is possible to eliminate edge preparation and its compact design ensures access through a standard door. Only one easy application is needed, leaving a clean surface ready for any new flooring system. The type and size of the machine selected and chosen accessory will determine production rates achievable and degree of removal of the specified material. PPC’s accessories include flexible steel cutting blades available in flat and curved; flat to remove standard tiles and curved for sheet material where the blade cuts as it strips. For removal of hard ceramic and quarry tiles, PPC recommends its heavy duty cast picks.
TSJ MAY 2012
Ultra Floor’s DPM IT one coat, Prime IT N and Level IT SmoothFlow have been used to transform part of the Travelodge at Gatwick Airport. CFA members, T C Carpets & Flooring, have recently finished 700 sq. metres of sub-floor preparation and Amtico floor covering installation in the hotel’s restaurant and kitchen areas using Ultra Floor products. Gatwick Airport Travelodge, a 3-star hotel, is part of the fastest growing and second largest budget hotel chain in the country, with over 470 hotels across the UK. The hotel is one of several sites servicing this, one of the UK’s largest airports, with some 33 million passengers travelling through every year. Ultra Floor DPM IT is a two-part epoxy resin damp proof membrane system available as a one coat or two coat with an optional accelerator additive. The product cures to provide a waterproof surface membrane that allows fast installation of cement-based surfaces. DPM IT one coat reduces waiting time and costs significantly and strengthens the surface of almost all substrate types. It was used on this project prior to priming with Ultra Floor Prime IT N. Ultra Floor Prime IT N is a polymer emulsion primer designed to promote the adhesion of Ultra Floor smoothing underlayments to smooth nonporous substrates with a relative humidity of up to 92%. It was applied to the treated substrate and left to dry for up to an hour before levelling with Level IT SmoothFlow. Level IT SmoothFlow is a single-part concrete floor leveller. The product contains a blend of specially graded fillers, fine cements and polymers for smoothing and levelling uneven internal floors, prior to the application of decorative floor coverings. Level IT SmoothFlow is suitable for trowel application, yet formulated so excellent flow can be achieved when applied by pump, maximising the product’s usage. Such flow characteristics allow for optimum coverage, of up to 5.5 sq. metres at 3mm thickness, resulting in a thin, exceptionally strong and perfectly level underlayment. This project is one of several that T C Carpets have completed at Gatwick Airport using the Ultra Floor range. Tony Morbey, T C Carpets’ Managing Director, commented: “We are always happy to use Ultra Floor products because of their excellent performance and workability.” T: 01827 871871 W: www.ultra-floor.co.uk One of the most important factors concerning the success of a tiled installation has always been the preparation of the substrate. With the ever growing trend for wet rooms, larger and consequently heavier tiles in addition to an increasing need for acoustic membranes to deaden impact sound, the stresses and strains placed on the substrate are greater than ever. Products that of one time were considered to be speciality products are now becoming commodity items. Fortunately there are solutions to many of these modern day challenges. It must be ensured that the substrate is suitable for the envisaged service conditions and that it provides a stable support for the tiled finish. To achieve these goals it will always be necessary to prepare the substrate. However before committing to a preparation regime, consideration should be given to a manufacturer’s product portfolio. Although it is true to say that the removal of an existing tiled finish and
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SURFACE PREP
Ultra Floor’s DPM IT one coat, Prime IT N and Level IT SmoothFlow have been used to transform part of the Travelodge at Gatwick Airport. The restaurant at Travelodge Gatwick Airport, now features flooring laid by T C Carpet using Ultra Floor flooring system. CR is a thin section membrane, available in either 2mm or 4mm thickness, offering significant impact sound improvement
its replacement with a brand new substrate would provide the ultimate and logically the most sensible solution, it may not necessarily be the most practical one. Modern advances in polymer technology permit the bonding of most tile types to an existing tile. A simple roller application of Mapei’s Eco Prim Grip primer provides a coarse, high grab intermediate surface upon which to tile. The primer can also be used onto other impervious substrates such as flooring grade asphalt and well anchored coatings such as epoxy resin finishes. In certain circumstances, floor substrates which may have been considered totally unsuitable in the past may be ‘rescued’ using appropriate measures. For example, substrates which contain cracks or those in less than perfect condition may still be fit for the installation of tiles. Mapetex 50
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is an anti-fracture membrane, which helps to dissipate stresses encountered within such substrates. Where possible, cracks should firstly be repaired with a suitable epoxy resin based material. Mapei’s Eporip crack repair, for example, can help to increase stability, however, provided that there is no vertical movement involved and that the cracks do not penetrate through to the base. Mapetex should assist in the creation of a sound, long lasting finish. Mapetex is supplied in rolls and is simply cut to size and adhered to the floor substrate using Keraquick mixed with Latex Plus or Elastorapid. Mapetex is suitable for concrete, screed and timber substrates and fully compatible with underfloor or undertile heating systems. Anticipated sound impact should also be taken into account. Noise caused by footsteps, music, hammering etc can cause buildings to vibrate which produces sound waves. These undesirable noises are then transmitted to adjacent rooms through the floor or those directly below the source. To impede the passage of impact sound through tiled floors, an acoustic membrane such as Mapei’s Mapesonic CR can be installed. Mapesonic CR is a thin section membrane available in either 2 mm or 4 mm thickness. The 2 mm material, when tested with an 8 mm ceramic tile to ISO 148-8 showed an impact sound improvement index ΔLw = 17 dB. The 2 mm acoustic matting is supplied in 30 m rolls and is quick and easy to install. Simply bond the Mapesonic CR to the substrate using Mapei’s Ultrabond Eco VS90, rolling the acoustic membrane into the adhesive bed to ensure a complete transfer of adhesive. As part of the sound impact reduction system, it is necessary to fix the Mapesonic Strip to the perimeter walls, around any columns or pillars and other interruptions in the floor. This strip isolates the floor finish from the walling and helps prevent acoustic bridging. To compliment Mapesonic CR, Mapei’s Ultraflex S2 Quick adhesive can be utilised to bond the tiles. The advanced formulation of Ultraflex S2 Quick will absorb a certain degree of transmitted sound. In addition to this, both Mapesonic CR and Ultraflex S2 Quick also have credible eco performance being produced with 80% and 20% recycled content respectively. Ceramic, porcelain or natural stone tiles can be bonded directly to the Mapesonic CR. Mapei have a range of adhesives, in addition to Ultraflex S2 Quick, to suit the tile selected, the sub-floor construction and the service conditions envisaged. Adhesives such as Mapei Elastorapid, Granirapid or Keraquick mixed with Latex Plus provide a strong, flexible bond to the membrane. T: 0121 508 6970. Tilemaster Adhesives has the solution when preparing all types of substrate prior to the application of a decorative flooring finish in Levelflex and Fineflow 3000. Levelflex is a fibre reinforced and flexible self levelling compound that is very versatile. It can be applied to a whole variety of substrates including sand/cement screed, existing tiles, under floor heating, bitumen & asphalt, plywood overlay and directly to T & G floorboards to name a few. Levelflex can be applied to depths of 2 to 50mm in one pour and its rapid setting capabilities allow for light foot traffic and the fixing of tiles after 3 hours. Fineflow 3000 is a highly flowable self levelling compound which provides an exceptional, smooth, flat finish. Fineflow provides the perfect surface for the laying of decorative vinyls, laminates and ceramic tiles without the need for extra preparation. It is also very versatile, suitable for use over a large variety of substrates including under floor heating systems. Tilemaster Adhesives, like many under floor heating companies, recommends that electric under floor heating elements are embedded in a thin 4 to 5mm layer of self-levelling compound. By doing so, it provides a smooth surface on which to tile and avoids damaging the under floor element with
ARTISAN TILES
Individual inspiration TSJ profiles a selection of the UK’s leading specialist tile studios and artisanal tile producers who bring individual flair and considerable skill to the UK ceramic tile market.
Art on Tiles 01243 552346 info@artontiles.co.uk www.artontiles.co.uk Art on Tiles is a UK based company specialising in bespoke hand painted tiles. Owner and tile artist Jonathan Waights has recently launched a limited range of digitally-printed tiles for tile retailers. Almost indistinguishable from the hand-painted originals and based on his most frequently requested designs, the tile panels, in standard sizes to fit most situations, wholesale at around £8 per 5 inch tile with a recommended retail price of £17 per tile. Matching plain tiles also available. Tile shops are invited to contact Jonathan to discuss display and stock requirements. Art on Tiles also offers generous wholesale discounts on bespoke hand painted commissions. Art on Tiles has noted a sharp upturn in orders for traditional Victorian alphabet designs over the last year. Jonathan Waights, says: “Because everything we produce is bespoke, we can often see style trends emerging from the requests we receive. There has been a significant revival of interest in Victorian alphabets and there is a huge choice of charming designs available allowing clients to choose their favourite individual designs from more than one set. The examples pictured left are especially popular at the moment and are being requested for everything from kitchens and children’s bathrooms to Victorian fireplaces. The hand-painted 5 inch tiles can be ordered for £17 each and blank matching tiles are also available for £1.20 each. In addition,a limited range of the most popular designs are available as digitally printed tiles practically indistinguishable from the hand painted option and available to order for £8 each.
Decorum Tile Studio 01844 338882 www.decorumtiles.com www.qubemosaic.co.uk Above: Tree of British Birds by Art on Tile. This 30 tile panel, measuring 25 by 30ft, wholesales for £240 with a RRP of £510.
Above: Art on Tiles – the bespoke hand painted tile company – has noted a sharp upturn in orders for traditional Victorian alphabet designs over the last year. The hand painted 5 inch tiles can be ordered for £17 each and blank matching tiles are also available for £1.20 each. In addition,a limited range of the most popular designs are available as digitally printed tiles practically indistinguishable from the hand painted option and available to order for £8 each.
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Established in 1992, Decorum Tile Studio has a wealth of experience in supplying ceramic and porcelain tiles along with a variety of glass mosaics to customers nationwide. Decorum offers an exceptional portfolio of products sourced directly from leading factories in Italy, Spain and Portugal. Decorum has been producing and designing high quality hand-painted tiles for twenty years. The latest range, Calligraphy, offers to hand-paint personalised words and phrases on to a choice of wall tiles. Decorum offers a solution for all aspects of the living space; a stylish collection that encapsulates classic and contemporary designs to suit designers, architects and home owners alike. When Ray Koomen started Decorum in 1992, traditional Mexican, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian tiles were everywhere; the English craft tiles movement was very much in its infancy and there were very few innovative tiles available. Passionate about tile design, Decorum was determined to change this and set about taking the centuries-
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ARTISAN TILES
Above: Calligraphy by Decorum Tile Studio.
Above: Calligraphy by Decorum Tile Studio.
The Douglas Watson Studio 25 Greys Green Farm Henley on Thames Oxon RG9 4QG T: 01491 629960 F: 01491 629961 info@douglaswatsonstudio.com www.douglaswatsonstudio.com
Above: Battleships by The Douglas Watson Studio.
old art of ceramic hand-painting and making it more appealing to modern-day home owners. Over the years Decorum has gained a reputation second to none for exceptional design and beautiful hand-painting at affordable prices. Now a great many trends abound, sleek, sophisticated, minimal natural, textural, floral, pretty, vintage, glamorous, decorative eclecticism; (almost) anything goes! Decorum Tile Studio has risen to this challenge, introducing many new and innovative tiles into the range, from glass to stone, ceramic to metal and from traditional to handpainted designs. However, at the heart of the business, the objective remains the same: to offer exceptionally designed tiles that are as individual as each and every one of our customers. For further information telephone 01844 338882 or visit our websites www.decorumtiles.com and www.qubemosaic.co.uk for a list of specialist suppliers across the UK. 56
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The Douglas Watson Studio, established in 1976, is dedicated to the production of beautiful hand made and hand painted tiles. “As a perfectionist, I rarely encounter what I consider to be a perfect job – the tiles you made for me were perfect in every respect” this comment from a client in San Francisco reflects the quality of our tiles.” “In our studio, starting with raw clay, we hand make our tiles, in a variety of sizes and shapes. Using our own glaze recipes and traditional inglaze hand-painting methods, we produce a wide range of decorated tiles, from historical Delft to contemporary designs, from individual tiles, to large panels and murals. We also have ranges using interesting glaze effects, which are very popular in contemporary bathrooms and as back splashes. Our tiles have been used in kitchens, bathrooms, fireplaces, swimming pools, restaurants and hotels, as well as for restoration projects in historical buildings. We have also had tiles commissioned by Tate Modern for one of their exhibitions. We work with architects, designers and individuals, from all over the world, by phone and e-mail, offering a bespoke service which responds to clients needs. We welcome visitors to our working studio, just outside Henley on Thames.”
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ARTISAN TILES and internationally. He has been featured in the national press and design journals in Tokyo, New York and Italy. He provides a range of services to the tiling industry for the fabrication of feature panels, bespoke patterns and blends using clients own ceramic, glass and stone materials. A design service and technical advise are available to tile suppliers and contractors for the application and installation of mosaics.
Gabrielle Dudley Studio/workshop 01239 710242 Home 01239 711869 (after hours) M: 07854 679185 anytime W: www.gabriellesgallery.co.uk E: mail@gabriellesgallery.co.uk Fb: www.facebook.com/gabrielles.gallery
Above: Paul Marks’ work has been used for commercial and domestic projects throughout the UK and internationally.
Above: Gabrielle Dudley always wanted her art to be more than just decorative.
Paul Marks 21st Century Mosaics 17 Resolution Way, London SE8 4NT 020 8469 0260 www.21stcenturymosaics.com info@21stcenturymosaics.com Paul Marks is a London based artist with over 25 years’ experience making mosaics. His work has been used for commercial and domestic projects throughout the UK 58
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Gabrielle Dudley always wanted her art to be more than just decorative; she wanted it to be used in a practical way. Having experimented with furniture making and painting, printing and all things in between, she discovered tiles and mosaics. They served a purpose as well as decorating surfaces and were to be the answer for her, although she still paints and manipulates photography as a hobby. She launched her business in 2000 and began making tiles for peoples kitchen and bathrooms. Making tiles to commission each customer had different design requirements and subject matter and soon a wide range of styles develop. Gabrielle has crossed the boundaries of mosaic and tiling and developed her innovative 'jigtiles' where the design dictates the shape of the tiles and the grout becomes a big part of the 'painting'. This has allowed the grout to be as much a part of the finished artwork as the tiles themselves. The result is a spectacular artwork that is both useful and beautiful and is totally unique. All the ‘jigtile’ murals are made to measure their intended location, the frieze fits the space it is made for. The original templates are kept and the glazes used recorded, so that even in the event of accidental damage, a replacement tile can always be supplied. This year Gabrielle has concentrated her efforts on her modelled tiles that carry detailed 3D illustration of a wide range of natural subjects. There is now an extensive variety of ready fired tiles to choose from to complement regular bought tiling. If the range available doesn’t suit your project, new designs can be created by copying an image from a photograph. Recently that has even included a portrait commission on a 6 inch tile. The modelled tiles are glazed in a single colour or realistically hand painted in multiple glaze colours and can even be finished with a frame and hung like a painting for use where paintings might fade. There are also high quality hand-made plain tiles to order in any size or shape up to 150mm. A colour matching service is also offered, and although exact glaze replication is not possible, the colour can almost always be matched successfully. Gabrielle can also hand glaze and illustrate on bought-in plain tiles.
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ARTISAN TILES She has changed the name of her business from The Red Cow Gallery to Gabrielle’s when expanding to a much larger studio and showroom in Newcastle Emlyn. Situated on the border of Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion her business has carved a unique niche for itself. Visitors can visit the workshop/studio between 11am and 5pm daily from Monday to Saturday.
William Morris Tiles Nina Necak, Lewisham Arthouse, 140 Lewisham Way, London SE14 6PD E: mail@williammorristiles.co.uk T: 07719 871 419 A selection of recreated William Morris tiles from Kelmscott Manor and Labours of the Month from Queen's College Cambridge and The William Morris Gallery are now available to buy online at William Morris Tiles. The tiles come in two grades, standard and a thicker tile that is suitable for use in fireplaces. All the tiles are faithful reproductions created by expert ceramicist Nina Necak with the full permission from Kelmscott Manor and The William Morris Gallery. Over the years Nina has been involved in many tile projects, winning The Tile Association Award for best tile launched onto the UK market in 2005 for her Charles Rennie Mackintosh designs.
Above: Four designs from William Morris Tiles.
She has been influenced by the knowledge of curators at the William Morris Gallery and is indebted to Richard and Hilary Myers, the authors of the book 'William Morris Tiles'. For the project shown above, she selected materials and techniques to make reproduction tiles affordable. Screen printed images are fired on to white 150 by 150mm tiles. manufactured in the UK.. The image can be fired on to coloured tiles and works well on cream/beige colours giving a softer tone on the Daisy and the Kelmscott Manor fireplace tiles. Customers wanting replacement tiles for Victorian fireplaces are offered 6 by 6 inch tiles manufactured by Craven Dunnill Jackfield.
MAY 2012 TSJ
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PORTFOLIO
Hygienic tile joints with PCI Geofug Grouted joints may harbour dirt, often becoming stained over time and, worse, acting as a breeding ground for bacteria if not properly cleaned. BASF’s PCI brand has exploited new technology to rise to the challenge of hygienic grouting with PCI Geofug, a virtually self-cleaning ceramic joint for all indoor ceramic tile coverings, even when cleaned with water alone. This cleanability, thanks to its superhydrophilic surface, makes it particularly appropriate for tiled floors frequently exposed to acidic sanitary cleaning agents. PCI Geofug also repels oil, fat and dirt. Importantly for hygiene, it is photocatalytic and acts against certain moulds found in moist areas. Available in 12 colours, PCI Geofug has a fine-grained surface and homogeneous colouring and cures without efflorescence or staining. It provides a long open time, has a dust-reducing formulation and is temperature resistant to over 500°C, making it steam cleanable. For more information on PCI Geofug, call PCI Technical Services on 0161 485 6222 or log on to www.pci.basf.co.uk.
Noa offers a timber-effect tile with a twist Novoceram’s new Noa range represents the evolution of ceramic wood, with a hyper-natural interpretation of four types of treated natural wood identifying an equal number of living styles: Blanchi, bleached oak; Naturel, brushed oak with a particularly neutral natural style; Flotté, brushed oiled oak with nuances of grey and Bruni, walnut reminiscent of old restored floors. Special attention has been paid to reproducing the material quality of the wood. The matt surface is slightly wavy with raised areas created by the brushing and planing. Controlled colour variations with both straight and curved veining creates an extraordinarily natural result. As well as 15 0 by 900 and 225 by 900mm strip tiles, Noa is available in a square 450 by 450mm format, and in a 300 by 600mm size that is said to be an innovation for top of the range ceramic wood tiles. For outdoor areas, Noa is offers in a 450 by 450mm size with prescored strips and suits the glueless Novoceram Outdoor system. E: contact@novoceram.fr W: www.novoceram.fr 60
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Ariana’s Convivium range combines numerous textures with colours inspired by different natural surfaces. It recreates the appeal of timeworn artisanal terracotta, the warmth of stone and the modern character of concrete. The collection comes in six colours - Bianco, Beige, Cuoio, Cenere, Cemento, Nero - each representing a different material. They can be used individually or in two-tone combinations, complemented by a wide range of accents. The through-coloured porcelain tiles are available in 300 by 600, 600 by 600 and 415 by 810mm with natural edge, 300 by 600, 600 by 600 and 150 by 600mm rectified, and 300 by 300mm mosaic. E: info@ariana.it W: www.ariana.it
On-trend urban look with RAK’s new Earth Stone tile collection
RAK Ceramics has introduced its new Earth Stone range of porcelain tiles. Featuring a stunning mottled matt surface, the tiles have a distinct concretelook and are available in a range of formats and neutral tones. Earth Stone tiles are suitable for walls and floors, in both interior and exterior applications. On-trend Earth Stone colour options include Talc Ivory, Charcoal Clay Grey, Monazite Brown and Charcoal Black. All shades are available in 295 by 590mm rectangular and 600 by 600mm square formats; as well as 300 by 300mm mosaic designs. Earth Stone porcelain is almost impervious with liquid absorption of just
0.05% and is virtually stain/scratch proof. Risk of thermal shock is eliminated as this range is fired at 1200°C during manufacture, and the low absorption rate ensures that the tiles will not crack during the winter freeze/ thaw cycle. Other new tiles to join RAK’s range include classic white statuario marbleeffect White Smoke in a 600 by 600mm design; the 100 by 300mm Classic Series which features both matt and gloss finishes in a broad spectrum of plain colours and new Lounge Listellos: an attractive range of glass and porcelain decorative borders. T: 01730 237850 E:marketing@rakceramics.co.uk W: www.rakceramics.co.uk
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PORTFOLIO Dolmen by Azulev offers stone look in many formats The Dolmen range from Azulev is a high quality stone effect tile distinguished by the subtlety of its surface variegation. There are two colourways, noce and snow; thee former offer mid tones and the latter light tones. The porcelain floor tiles are available in 225 by 225, 225 by 450, 450 by 675, 450 by 450 and 333 by 333mm, plus 300 by 300mm cut mosaic effects in both colours. Matching wall tiles, both plain and scored, come in 200 by 400mm, with a range of decorative options. For further details contact Paul Berry of Agencies International GB on 01273 695208 or e-mail pauljberry@btconnect.com.
Strong grab adhesive from Sika is highly versatile Sika has recently launched Sika MaxTack PRO-50, already fondly known as ‘Grip n Grab: a tradestrength grab adhesive developed for use by professionals. Suitable for use with most building materials, Sika MaxTack PRO-50 is strong enough to replace the need for mechanical fixings due to its very high strength grip and holding powe. Suitable for both interior and exterior projects, fixing even the most industrial of materials to almost anything else, MaxTack PRO-50 is ideal for use on large projects where an adhesive may be needed many times over for different jobs. MaxTack PRO-50 is incredibly easy to apply and all cartridges are supplied with an integrated nozzle to make use as simple and straightforward as possible. Fast drying, over-paintable and suitable for gap filling too, MaxTack PRO-50 is the perfect builders’ mate and is widely available in professional merchant stores. Jayne Hasoon, Product Manager from Sika, said: “In accordance with feedback from professional builders and DIY’ers, MaxTack PRO-50 has been developed to offer a trade strength version of our already popular MaxTack adhesive product. Adhering materials in no time at all, MaxTack PRO-50 is suitable for such a wide variety of jobs that it can be kept in the back of the van, ready for use on upcoming jobs. From a usability perspective, the ergonomic cartridge helps make light work of application meaning jobs can be finished both quickly and professionally.” T: 01707 363810 E: distribution@sika.co.uk W: http://gbr.sika.com/builder
Stone finishes that can add a real wow factor
Surface material expert Fameed Khalique has introduced an extensive range of quality stone finishes including laser-cut marble and stone, ceramic mosaics and semi-precious stones. Khalique and his team works in partnership with their clients to deliver an exceptional level of service and will see the project through from selection and ordering to installation and sign-off from the client. Their mission is to find and create exquisite and rare finishes that provide the wow-factor in a project. The collection of laser-cut marble and stone is at the forefront of revolving laser saw technology. The effects yield dramatic 3D applications for interior and exterior use. The effects of light and shadow give the tiles a highly decorative value, transforming a wall into a sculptural masterpiece. The technique used to create the designs has been developed to create curved tiles which were recently added to the collection for the first time. The laser-cut natural stone has excellent sound absorbency properties, making the material an ideal application for walls in theatres, cinemas and libraries in commercial projects or within the home. The Mosaics and Ceramics collection is expertly crafted in India combining metals with stone, including, brass with sandstone and steel with marble. This unusual way of combining materials and patterns produces an outstanding, contemporary range of wall coverings. Also available is an unrivalled collection of over 50 Semi-precious Gemstones, available in numerous styles from small mosaics tiles to large slabs (max size 2,400 by 1,200mm) and finished products. The dazzling stones are solid or veneered onto a variety of substrates and are hand assembled by the finest craftsmen ensuring the highest quality product offered in the UK. The beautiful yet resilient properties of the gemstones make the collections suitable for numerous applications including walls, floors and as counter- and table tops. T: 020 7490 5524 W: www.fameedkhalique.com
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PORTFOLIO Hand-finished wall tiles provide a touch of glamour
Glass wall tiles for every interior style Original Style's new Glassworks Collection features beautiful glass wall tiles designed for all styles of interiors. The collection is also ideal for all manner of living spaces, including bathrooms, kitchens and dining rooms. A host of versatile sizes, innovative textures and eye-catching colours is available allowing for unlimited design permutations. Glass can be used to cover large areas or to create striking feature walls, as well as providing accent colour against white or natural tones. The new Decorative Effect range of large format (600 by 300mm) glass tiles includes the sumptuous 24 carat gold Cleopatra and the shell effect Crushed Black Pearl, two designs ideal for creating a striking feature wall. Interiors in need of an instant refresh will benefit from the glamorous new Metallic & Sparkling range that offers a variety of subtle metallic glows and bold sparkling colours in a choice of two sizes (48 by 48mm and 150 by 75mm). New 200 by 100mm Bevel tiles and Bevel finishing tiles (100 by 100mm) are offered in both clear and metallic formats. These retro style products provide an on trend brickbond pattern for kitchens. Over 40 Clear and 25 Frosted colours are available, including Rio Grande, a striking new plum shade. Choose from muted aqua shades inspired by rivers and seascapes or from the hot neon brights designed to awaken the senses. Sizes range from 48 by 48mm to 900 by 750mm glass Splashbacks. Co-ordinating borders are also available to add that all important finishing touch to a design scheme or to add a splash of colour to a more simple layout. The 100 by 100mm clear glass tiles from the range have been especially designed to complement and coordinate with Original Style Serenity ceramic wall tiles. Glossy Splashbacks are also included in Glassworks. T: 01392 473000 W www.originalstyle.com 62
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The Residence range from The Winchester Tile Company offers many new decorative additions to this collection of beautifully crafted, hand-finished wall tiles. The range consists of field and half tiles (130 by 130 by 10mm and 130 by 63 by 10mm), as well as complementary mouldings designed for both traditional and understated contemporary interiors. These beautifully crafted rustic tiles with a lustrous, crackle or high gloss glaze are ideal for injecting colour into bathrooms and kitchens, or any other interior in need of a revamp. The Residence range comprises the three field tile collections. Metropolitan has a unique lustrous finish. These iridescent tiles refract light to provide an unmatched brilliance to the home. Cosmopolitan is richly opulent with a colour palette that can inject some colour to interiors. Arcadian has a chalky and soft surface. These classically neutral crackle glaze tiles complete a collection that comprises subtle colours and textures. New decors include delicately drawn Butterflies and crisp Nautical emblems (pictured), with all designs available on either Palomino or Papyrus backgrounds. Descriptive half tiles include the new Herbs & Spices and Wine Cellar ranges. Home owners can even add a pinch of Saffron or raise a toast to guests with a sip of Merlot. Traditional walls can be given a new lease of life with the new rural Farm & Field range. Designs include Cattle, Pigs and Pheasants. Other options include Botanical Fruit hand-painted six tile panels depicting luscious apples and lemons, which can make an impressive feature wall in a dining room or conservatory. T: 01392 473005 W: www.winchestertiles.com
Split stone effect available in three modular formats
Century’s new Stonehouse range of porcelain tiles from the High-Tech collection is inspired by split stone. It is available in four versatile colours: White, Grey, Moka and Taupe. It comes in three modular formats: 300 by 600, 600 by 600 and 450 by 900mm; all with rectified edges and a natural surface. The two larger formats are also available with a lapped surface. E: info@century-ceramica.it W: www.century-ceramica.it
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PORTFOLIO Vintage harks back to times gone by with a modern twist Vives’ new Vintage collection harks back to long standing designs, especially those that originate from the pre-1900s. Vives has brought together a diverse range of influences in a wall and floor tile collection developed so that classic designs with innate elegance are available for refurbishment as well as new build projects. The designs for the tile collection draw on a wide range of inspirations. The Yuncos range of 200 by 200mm wall tiles belongs to the Herencia Artesana collection with a design that originates from the 1960s. The 316 by 316mm Devon range of mosaics boasts designs that originate from the Burgues period. The Bexley and Sutton 200 by 200mm floor tiles replicate solid natural materials such as aged marble and wood. The 316 by 316mm Barnet floor tile collection (pictured) is made up of three ranges that allow simple base tiles to be combined with patterned and mosaic tiles to recreate floors that recreate the aesthetic of the Victorian period. Last but not least, the porcelain wood collection named Paramo offers another possibility to combine with all these collections as it gives a warm and elegant feeling. Two different sizes are available: 143 by 1,193mm and 192 by 1,193mm. E: export@vivesceramica.com W: www.vivesceramica.com
Stone effect tile features bold shade variations Minerals were the inspiration for Elettra, a new range from Naxos available in Crystal, Mineral and Shale colours. The variegation of natural stones is expressed in the bold colour shadings that characterise the range. The natural surface of Elettra provides a true-to-life roughness and recreates the folds of split stone to give the material an appearance of great lightness. Available in three formats (450 by 450, 300 by 600 and 300 by 300mm), all with natural finish and rectified edges, Elettra is produced using 40% recycled materials. The range is intended for residential and light commercial applications. E: info@naxos-ceramica.it W: www.naxos-ceramica.it
Reusable tiling support system saves money
Tile Edge Pro is a tiling support system that will help tilers overcome issues with the traditional batten method for tiling. The system is reusable, and claimed to be easier and more effective than any other product on the market. Available from Ad-Em Innovations Tile Edge Pro is made from high-grade aluminium so it is perfectly flat and straight, and can also be used time and time again, thus saving fixers time and money. Tile Edge ProTM is said to be fast and easy to fix, remove and reuse. It comes in a handy carry case making the system easy to transport. Each standard 5m aluminium set includes two 1,000mm, two 600mm, two 400mm, two 300mm and two 200mm lengths, plus twenty clamps and 200 heavy duty locator stickers. Individual lengths of 1,500mm, 1,000mm, 600mm, 400mm, 300mm and 200mm, ten clamps and 200 locator stickers can be purchased separately. Easier and faster than the traditional batten method, the heavy duty locator stickers are said to provide a strong adhesive bond to plasterboard, plaster, ply and cement-based boards. The area of use should be dry, free of dust and prepared as per your tile adhesive instructions. Installation involves following a set of simple stages. First, calculate the height at which to start tiling and mark a level line. Then firmly place a heavy duty locator sticker to the base of the required number of clamps. Offer the desired length of Tile Edge Pro to the level line, then remove the protective film from the locator sticker and press firmly through the centre of one of the multiple openings. Finger tighten the retaining cap on each clamp to hold the Tile Edge Pro flush to the surface. You are now ready to start tiling. Once tiling is complete, the Tile Edge Pro clamps can be removed by turning the retaining cap on the clamp in the direction indicated by an arrow. Then roll off the locator stickers leaving it ready for it’s next use. E: david@tileedgepro.com W: www.tileedgepro.com MAY 2012 TSJ
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