Wed 1 Aug 2007
The Bottom Line
The art to fitting flooring in a new-build property, particularly in urban areas, isn't just about what looks good - there are acoustic and environmental issues to consider. Natalia Gameson reports.Sustainable, contemporary, fashionable, traditional, cost effective...Whatever the specification brief, new flooring products are certainly upping their game to be all things to all housebuilders. A good compromise is to choose a product that is both hardwearing and practical, says Julia Macey, director and general manager of Gerald Wood Homes: "It should also be easy to maintain, yet stylish. You need to create a neutral background which the customer can build their interior design around."
But with flooring, attractiveness is not merely skin deep - the acoustic performance of a product is rapidly growing in importance. In several high-profile cases new homebuyers have actually sued housebuilders for not fitting proper noise control measures, in concrete-frame flats in particular. Cost should not be an issue for housebuilders when it comes to buying up acoustically sound (pardon the pun) flooring, higher construction fees being on the most part preferable to appeasing disgruntled buyers during elongated after-sales altercations. As housing moves towards 'superdensity' to accommodate steep population growth - London alone will need 800,000 new homes by 2016, most of which will be flats - different design solutions will be sought to please buyers as their criteria changes. So, what's the best way to go green while turning down the volume in flats and apartments?
To the drawing board
First things first - before you even think about design or sound control, insulation has to be high on the agenda to bag more precious EcoHomes points. Concrete solutions score highly on all fronts, says Phil Harris, chairman of the Precast Flooring Federation: "With its inherent thermal efficiency, good fire resistance, high levels of sound insulation, robustness, ready availability and low maintenance cost, precast concrete flooring has to be the number one material on every housebuilder's list."
By taking advantage of its thermal mass, houses that feature built-in concrete floors can work to save energy; reducing the need for air-conditioning in the summer, and lessening the need for heating in the winter by storing heat. Hanson's Jetfloor product, a composite flooring system that uses expanded polystyrene blocks to provide enhanced levels of thermal insulation, is currently celebrating its silver jubilee with an 'A' rating for its green credentials by the BRE. "Twenty-five years ago Jetfloor was a revolutionary product," says John Duffy, Hanson's precast floors sales director. "At first, only the more enlightened builders, who were determined to provide buyers with the best possible quality, adopted the system. But gradually more and more came to realise the benefits of Jetfloor. We offer housebuilders a win-win situation - they get a structural ground floor that exceeds the demands of Part L and is faster and easier to install than its alternatives."
Steel is another attractive option for apartment and mixed-use developments. Prestige Homes used Corus' Slimdek system in its Ballard Centre development, a ten-storey, mixed-use project. Featuring 120 flats, with retail units on the ground floor, the scheme was initially going to use concrete, until steel was suddenly specified at the last minute. It is generally acknowledged that steel beats other materials hands down in mixed-use developments.
"We developed the Slimdek system ten years ago," says Adrian Bellingham, Corus' business development manager. "The material might not be as cheap per square metre as competitive materials, but using it can save the housebuilder up to £25,000 a week in time and labour. Prestige Homes, for example, managed to save between 12 and 14 weeks on the build programme. It's also extremely good acoustically and will conserve boundless amounts of energy, while the heights it can scale - up to 20 storeys - are virtually unlimited."
Sounds of silence - the superdensity solution
Noise-muffling materials are set to become thoroughly indispensable as they take on a more significant role in pushing high-density projects through the arduous stages of planning.
But possessing sound credentials doesn't disqualify a product from green aspirations. Pergo is a company that prides itself on all things eco, and 80 per cent of its laminate flooring is made out of waste spruce and pinewood chips from the lumber industry, while the firm also reuses its waste from the cutting and milling process. When disposed of, a Pergo floor is designed to generate the same natural fumes as real wood, while the product is also suitable for those with allergies, as dust won't stick to it when in use.
All Pergo floors feature a built-in SoundBloc, an underlay fitted to the laminate during the manufacturing process, which, the company says, has been proven to reduce the sounds caused by walking on the floor, while a lifetime guarantee against wear and fading damage from sunlight and stains is also on offer.
Finnforest's SoundBar System boasts similarly pleasing environmental accreditation, endorsed by the NHBC for use in residential schemes. Comprising three main components - FinnJoist, the SoundBar board and the Lafarge Gyvlon SoundBar screed - the SoundBar system works to exceed the requirements of building regulation Part E in greatly enhancing acoustic performance, in addition to offering the developer cost cuttings and reduced build times.
Designed for difficult, high-density housing projects like student accommodation blocks and mixed-use apartment schemes, the system is suitable for projects where noise control may be an issue, says Kevin Riley, the firm's head of building solutions. "Now we can deliver floors that have the feel of a solid concrete beam and block floor, which have a surface finish that is clean and sound. The developer has the flexibility to tile, carpet or lay wood flooring directly onto the finished surface to save time and money."
Greener grooves and urban legends
As balconies continue their ascent in design vogue, getting better acquainted with decking is becoming almost compulsory for the industry. A versatile design material, it's also highly suitable for houses where garden space may be wanting, as in Bill Bradley's two-house project in East Dulwich, London, which was covered in last month's Show House.
The houses, which were created wholly from FSC-sourced material and clad in Western Red Cedar, boast gardens designed by Chelsea Flower Show Silver Medallist Simon Thomas, which feature tropical plants and a Massundubra deck design to circulate an ambient atmosphere throughout. Using a wood stain and protector made by finishes specialist Osmo UK to coat the decking, Bradley deemed the product sustainable and traditional enough for his prize project. "I'm a big fan of Osmo, and have used many of their products for years," says Bradley. They work easily, have unrivalled performance capabilities and achieve a high-standard finish."
Similarly, Puhos's new Dek Shield, usable inside and out and designed to form part of a complete ground and apartment floor system, material works to combine a permanent waterproof surface and slip resistance with substrate. Used as part of a floating or joisted floor, the Dek Shield is designed to prevent moisture ingress from wet trades, while, on the green front, it is covered by a BM TRADA environmental chain of custody. "The maximum safety of the product's good slip resistance is coupled with excellent performance indoors and out," says Andy Moore, managing director of Puhos Board UK. "A choice of substrate means Puhos Type P5 can be used for most standard construction jobs, while P7 can offer an enhanced performance. The result for the homeowner is a stable, trouble-free floor that eliminates virtually all irritating squeaks."
Meanwhile, cork flooring has thrown off its associations with 1970s-style bathroom flooring to make a comeback on the circuit. "When the government introduced Part E in 2003, it showed it was becoming increasingly aware of the problems caused by noise pollution," says Pamela Cairns, Gradus Flooring's marketing manager. "Specifiers desperately need to consider the acoustic properties of flooring installed in a flat's public spaces, particularly the hallway. Cork is made up of hundreds of cells - 40 million in a square metre - and each one is filled with a cushion of air. Subsequently, cork flooring absorbs sound and helps to reduce sound transmission between rooms and floors."
Environmentally friendly cork is a renewable and sustainable source, while as a design choice, it is attractive and hardwearing, and as it's now available in a wide variety of types and finishes, it needn't look retro.
Tiles of the trade
Moving over to actual design, H&R Johnson has recently launched a new range of marble and stone-effect matching floor and wall tiles. This features five new wall and tile designs, including the contemporary Sahara Light and Mid styles and the warmer Soraya matt line.
The firm is recommending that housebuilders mix and match its tiles throughout the property using the practice of 'zoning', which uses colours and patterns to separate different areas within a property, while larger tiles can be used, particularly in small bathrooms, to create an illusion of space. Developers should note that specification should be correct at the design stage to avoid opening a maintenance can of worms, warns Ian Crowther, the firm's sales director: "Similarly, you need to make sure you get a manual of the correct cleaning procedures and maintenance advice from your supplier - bleach and powders should not be used to clean porcelain and unglazed ceramic floor tiles during clean ups."
Heading outside, Eco Deck UK offers a range of easy-fit wooden tiles for balconies, terraces and patios. Each tile comprises hardwood slats pre-fixed to a weatherproof base that click together instantaneously to cover any hard surface, while raising the tile surface to allow drainage and airflow. Made from sustainably sourced ipe timber, all tiles come with a ten-year manufacturer's warranty.
First published in Show House Magazine August 2007.
The greatest care has been taken to ensure accuracy but some information contained within this article may have changed since it was first published.
Posted by Natalia Gameson
in Corus, Eco Deck UK, Finnforest, Gradus, Hanson, Inside Out, Osmo, Pergo, Puhos on Wed 1 Aug 2007
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