Gerflor’s technological innovation provided the perfect solution for a challenging sports hall refurbishment.
The new sports floor had to be installed on a concrete base with high moisture content in an unheated hall, which had once been a tractor shed.
Not only did it have to be robust enough to cope with the both the damp and the extremes of temperature, but provide a first class sports surface for students at the Oatridge Campus of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).
Project manager Andrew Isherwood, of international construction consultancy Thomas and Adamson, said: “The building had no heating, so we needed a product that would be able to cope with being subjected to extremes of heat and cold.
“The old surface was contract carpet laid down on to the concrete floor and was not conducive to good sports. The college also wanted a surface that would reduce the risk of injury, as it was worried about students’ wellbeing on such a hard floor.”
The solution was Taraflex Sport M Evolution flooring, installed with Gerflor’s unique Dry-Tex System, developed specifically for damp subfloors.
Having rejected wood alternatives as unworkable, Andrew Isherwood added: “Our quantity surveying department had heard Gerflor’s products had a proven track record and we did our own research to see how similar projects had worked elsewhere. We were going to visit some sites, but the website had so many previous projects to research that we were reassured this was the right decision.”
The 7mm thick Taraflex Sport M Evolution vinyl sports flooring has P1 category protection, offering 25 to 35 per cent of shock absorption and is suitable for all types of sports and leisure activities.
Available in 17 colours and two wood effects, it is supplied with two surface treatments: Protecsol for easy maintenance, friction protection and ‘intelligent’ sliding coefficient; and Sanosol bacteriostatic and fungistatic protection.
Key to the project was the Dry-Tex System. The international vinyl and linoleum specialist’s revolutionary process integrates a textile material with CXP HD foam backing, allowing a stronger bonding of the adhesive to the sports floor. The system uses GERPUR adhesive, which reacts positively to humidity, so the higher the moisture level, the quicker the bonding.
Virginia Harris, Gerflor’s Sales and Specification Executive for Scotland commented: “The Dry-Tex System is fantastic for projects like this. It saves time and money, because there is no need for other moisture barriers and it offers unbeatable bonding strength to the subfloor.”
Taraflex vinyl sports floor solutions have graced every Olympics since 1976 and its unique composition offers safety against long term impact injuries, protection against immediate bumps and abrasions and the security of a 10 year warranty.
John Dunn, director at Veitchi Flooring Ltd, Scotland’s largest flooring contractor, oversaw the installation at the campus in West Lothian. He said: “High moisture was a problem and the flooring had to be specified to accommodate that. Lots of decisions had to be made before we started, but the project went well and everyone was delighted with the end result.”
Mr Dunn added: “The Dry-Tex thrives on high moisture. It’s the first time we’ve worked with this system, but it was simply a case of following the guidelines and it was fine on application.”