A
highly-complex floor refurbishment has transformed a derelict warehouse into
highly-marketable business premises, thanks to global product supplier,
Sika.
Concrete
flooring at the former Matalan distribution centre in Skelmersdale, west
Lancashire, had fallen into disrepair and required urgent attention to enable
the building’s owner to re-let the site. Flooring which offered durability, a
seamless, aesthetically-pleasing finish and a five-year warranty was a
prerequisite of the refurbishment. Sikafloor®-264, was the only system to offer
such guarantees.
A
high-performance, two-part, economic epoxy resin, Sikafloor®-264, provides a
roller and seal coat for concrete and cement screeds which need to withstand
heavy wear in environments such as car parks, garages and production plants. In
total, 30,000m2 of product was applied to two units at the
distribution centre. Before the Sika system could be applied, contractors IRL
Group Ltd had to repair sections of the original concrete substrate where
racking had been removed.
Temporary
heating was also installed. The ideal substrate temperature for the application
of Sikafloor®-264 is between 10°C and 30°C. With the distribution centre having
remained empty for a considerable time, warmer internal conditions were required
to maximise the new flooring’s performance. Members of Sika’s technical team
were on site during the project to assist contractors and ensure manufacturing
methods were properly applied as a condition of the warranty.
Once the
surface had been smoothed, a coat of Sikafloor®-264 was installed. This was
followed by Sikafloor®-264 Thixo, a two-part, epoxy resin. The coloured roller
coat is textured, an ideal constituent for the provision of a hard-wearing,
non-slip, easy-apply, high-gloss finish.
Mark
Ollerenshaw, Managing Director at IRL Group Ltd, said: “The client was over the
moon with the new floor. Installation standards and the finish itself had to be
of the highest quality as the owners were essentially showcasing the
distribution centre to new tenants. It was a highly-complex project, made all
the easier by using a flooring system we knew and trusted – and performed
precisely as we’d hoped.”
The
distribution centre refurbishment was carried out in two phases over a
five-month period. The second phase is due to be completed in March 2017. The
badly-damaged, unsafe flooring has been replaced by a smooth, uniform,
light-grey surface which will stand the test of time – whatever the nature of
the business of the site’s new occupants.
