First opened in 1875, Sandown Park is a historic venue in British horse racing, playing host to a number of competitions.
However, due to the rising maintenance costs of the existing flooring in the venue’s main hall – Surrey Hall – it was decided that new flooring would be installed. For this, RB Flooring Solutions suggested Forbo Flooring Systems’ innovative Allura Puzzle.
A renowned horse racing venue located in Surrey, Sandown Park is known for its rich history and picturesque surroundings, making it a popular choice with racing enthusiasts. A versatile venue, it offers both flat and jumps racing, as well as restaurants, bars and hospitality suites catering to a number of events.
However, maintenance of the venue’s Surrey Hall was considerable, with owners The Jockey Club needing to have the original flooring re-sanded and re-sealed every year. As well as the high costs associated with the works, it also led to the space being out of action once a year. For this reason, the organisation opted to have new flooring installed, with RB Flooring Solutions suggesting Forbo’s Allura Puzzle luxury vinyl tiles.
Robin Butcher, Director at RB Flooring Solutions, spoke more on this: “Originally installed in the 1980s, Surrey Hall’s flooring was becoming dated and a real financial burden on the owners, due to the regular maintenance needed for its upkeep. As a result, they wanted to change the flooring to something more modern, with the original idea being polished concrete. However, due to the near constant usage of the space, they couldn’t afford the downtime required to implement this. So, we suggested a floor covering that would be quicker to install but also durable enough to last: Allura Puzzle.”
Part of Forbo’s Fast Flooring collection, Allura Puzzle is a unique adhesive-free luxury vinyl tile floor covering. With a large scale 96x96cm puzzle piece shape, each durable tile can be easily connected together and also easily removed, without compromising on the integrity of the flooring.
Robin explained why RB Flooring Solutions suggested Allura Puzzle: “The specification of Allura Puzzle meant that there were no preparation works required, in turn speeding up the installation time. What’s more, if any damage is caused to the flooring, it can be easily swapped out. It took our team of five floor layers just two and a half weeks to complete the entire installation, something that would have taken almost twice as long with traditionally adhered flooring solutions. Thanks to Forbo’s unique puzzle connector system, we were able to easily place the tiles down one by one, until the whole space was covered.
“Another reason we recommended Allura Puzzle is its durability. Like all LVTs, there is a tough wear layer that allows it to withstand sustained traffic, whether that be feet or wheels. In addition to this, the flooring system comes with a warranty, covering us for 10 years in the event of damage. This was extended by a further five years, as we also specified Forbo’s Coral Duo barrier matting in all entrances. This specification will help to further prolong the lifespan of the Allura Puzzle flooring, reducing walked-in dirt and moisture.
“We installed Allura Puzzle in the contemporary grey colourway, which was reminiscent of the original polished concrete look that the owners had wanted. The Coral Duo matting was installed in the Black Diamond design, chosen due to its modern look, further enhancing the space’s new contemporary feel.”
Robin spoke about the finished project, saying: “The overall project went very well, and we have since returned to complete an additional staircase, with plans to work on a further two staircases and the food hall in the near future. There were some initial concerns about how robust a flooring we would need, due to the sheer number of forklifts, pump trucks and general movement of materials there would be each week. However, upon visiting the project a year on from the original installation, we were incredibly happy with how well it’s held up.”
A spokesperson from The Jockey Club spoke on the finished space, saying: “Forbo’s flooring has completely revolutionised how our Grandstand space looks and has had a hugely positive impact on customer experience. The team were really efficient to work with, delivering to our tight deadlines and we are delighted with the outcome. The flooring has also held up really well to the wear and tear of race days and events since it has been installed, which we are also very happy with.”