To preserve, protect and please

Concrete, Apr 2007 by Greaves, Mark

Visual appeal is becoming increasingly important and products once chosen purely in terms of strength and durability now need to build aesthetics into their offer. This article provides an insight into how the flooring industry has geared to meet this growing need.

Decorative flooring is one of the major growth areas within the industry. Several years ago, a concrete floor would often be left without any coating, but now architects and specifiers are choosing systems that not only preserve and protect the floor but also create an attractive environment.

High-impact flooring now needs to incorporate style along with performance. 'Off-the-peg' systems continue to be specified predominantly on the grounds of durability and functional factors, but increasingly floors need a little more to make them stand out - both in the industrial and commercial sectors.

The quest for individuality continues to develop among architects, interior designers, specifiers and others seeking to install a distinctive finish. They are looking to different features and styles to give their floor a bespoke, individual look. Manufacturers, such as Flowcrete, have developed floor finishes that enable choices to be made and individuality to be achieved. Different colours, coupled with a choice of textures, ensure the selection process is a comprehensive one. The variety is charted in the growing selection of finishes and styles in manufacturers' brochures and websites.

Product applications

An example from 2006 of the trend for a new type of decorative floor finish is the recent redevelopment of Ascot Racecourse. Flowcrete Naturewalk, a stone carpet finish encapsulated in a clear resin binder, has been installed across the public pathways.

The project - covering thousands of square metres - involved installing Naturewalk on 'green' external concrete, so special moisture-tolerant, fast-curing primers were needed to prepare for the application of the product.

The flooring looks superb and provides a protective coating capable of standing up to the movement of visitors and all the general wear and tear that is expected at such a busy location. Pull-off test results showed the floor's bond strength to be in excess of 5N/mm^sup 2^, which well exceeds the British Standard of 1.5N/mm^sup 2^. To put a high performance, highly attractive floor like this outside, on such a grand scale, is unique. However, it will set the standard for years to come and become an increasingly popular means of improving the visual appearance of major developments.

Another major construction project of recent times has been Wembley Stadium, where decorative finishes are also being installed across many of the concourses and pedestrian areas. Flowcrete STB Compact, a fast-track installation system, is being used in grey and black to create an attractive quartz finish.

Quartz is currently one of the most popular types of decorative flooring. It creates an appealing look, but is still easy to maintain and clean, and is relatively cost-effective.

Another decorative method is the flake system. This is sprinkled across the floor as part of the application process and provides a different shade to the main colour of the floor to add some texture and appeal to the overall style. An example of the flake system is a recent installation at a Sainsbury's store in Huddersfield, where Flowcrete's Flowfast decorative Flake system was applied in the beers, wines and spirits zone, and the consumer entertainment section. A bespoke cream colour was created for the project to enable the new floor to blend in with existing terrazzo tiles in the store.

The visual appeal of decorative flooring is not exclusive to the commercial sector - it also extends into more industrialised environments. Floors are increasingly being individually designed to enhance working environments.

In manufacturing areas such as car plants, demarcation lines can be used to establish different working zones, and the use of different styles and colours can represent areas such as crossing paths, routes for wheeled vehicles and walkways. In car parks, decking systems are still being chosen predominantly to preserve and protect concrete structures, but increasingly more varied colours, lineage and symbols are being used to signpost the individual features of different sites, from pedestrian pathways through to disabled spaces and those for parents with children.

Other methods can be used to create visually appealing floor finishes. Metallics and glitter systems are growing in popularity. High-gloss seals, which protect the floor and give depth to the overall look, are also emerging.

Concluding remarks

Sustainability is the driving factor in the construction industry and decorative flooring today is not exempt from the growing need to be aware of, and care for, the environment. The new Dublin Airport terminal is using recycled glass in its resin terrazzo floor finish and other recycled products are increasingly being used by manufacturers to create the look that so many specifiers now require, meeting the modern need for style without taking a toll on the environment.