Monday 15 December 2008
Theatre of Dreams
When Manchester United carried out further extensions to their stadium Surface Solutions were called in to carry out works to the concrete when the corner quadrants were built. The new quadrants completed the corners of the stadium adding further seating to bring the capacity of the stadium up to 76,000. When building works were completed it was found there was a difference of floor levels in one area of 50mm. Surface Solutions prepared and filled these areas level so the new carpets could be laid.
Scoop!
The newspaper industry works every day of the year except Christmas Day, the printing presses keep turning. To carry out maintenance work while the presses keep in operation presents major logistical problems to contractors such as Surface Solutions when floors have to be upgraded. They successfully renovated large areas of flooring for the Daily Mirror at their print works in Oldham while the paper continued in production. The works in included the shotblasting and diamond grinding of floors followed by the installation of a high specification pumped screed.
Dam Blasters
No – not with dynamite!
The Water Authority had a problem with the walkway across Baitings Resevoir at Ripponden, the surface was degraded and worn.
Surface Solutions were called in to shotblast the surface to bring it back to a sound base for a new pathway to be laid.
The Water Authority had a problem with the walkway across Baitings Resevoir at Ripponden, the surface was degraded and worn.
Surface Solutions were called in to shotblast the surface to bring it back to a sound base for a new pathway to be laid.
Thursday 4 December 2008
Clean Operation
Working within the confines of a hospital always presents problems to contractors. In particular clean working is a must and problems caused by dust and dirt are difficult to overcome. When new works at St Lukes Hospital in Cheltenham required 4,000 square metres of concrete shot blasting we had the answer.
Using the latest vacuum assisted shot blast technology there were able to remove all the surface laitance and dirt while keeping the surrounding areas dust free. The finished floor was ideal for the main flooring contractor to lay their new screed to the high standard required.
Using the latest vacuum assisted shot blast technology there were able to remove all the surface laitance and dirt while keeping the surrounding areas dust free. The finished floor was ideal for the main flooring contractor to lay their new screed to the high standard required.
One step at a time
We were chosen to carry out the diamond grinding to the stairwells of 8 blocks of flats in Stockport. Nearly 1,400 steps and 110 landings required preparing to remove surface imperfections before new flooring was laid. The works were carried out over a few months as the main contractors programme moved through the estate.
New Fast Flooring
One of the major advances in the industrial flooring industry over the past 10 years has been the introduction of pumped flowing screeds.
Whereas in the past a man on his hands and knees could lay 30 to 50 square metres of new screed in a day the new method increases this to up to 2,000 metres in a day for a 3 man team. What is more the floor cures much faster, it can be trafficked in 3 hours and can take fork lifts after 8 hours. We are fully equipped to install these new fast flow floors and have completed several major contracts including works in the newspaper industry, nuclear power plants and many other vital industries where time is at a premium.
If you need a dust-free, level, super-smooth surface, then pump applied screeds are the way to go.
Whereas in the past a man on his hands and knees could lay 30 to 50 square metres of new screed in a day the new method increases this to up to 2,000 metres in a day for a 3 man team. What is more the floor cures much faster, it can be trafficked in 3 hours and can take fork lifts after 8 hours. We are fully equipped to install these new fast flow floors and have completed several major contracts including works in the newspaper industry, nuclear power plants and many other vital industries where time is at a premium.
If you need a dust-free, level, super-smooth surface, then pump applied screeds are the way to go.
Wednesday 3 December 2008
Merry Christmas
Christmas time in the flooring industry is usually a very busy time. Factory shutdowns are when a lot of work is done that cannot be carried out during normal times.
An exception is the drinks trade; they do not want to know us over Christmas. It’s all hands to the pumps to keep the booze flowing and the shops and pubs supplied.
This works well for us, we get orders to carry out renovation works to floors in bottling plants and breweries in January and February, months that are normally the quietest of the year.
Cheers!
An exception is the drinks trade; they do not want to know us over Christmas. It’s all hands to the pumps to keep the booze flowing and the shops and pubs supplied.
This works well for us, we get orders to carry out renovation works to floors in bottling plants and breweries in January and February, months that are normally the quietest of the year.
Cheers!
Tuesday 4 November 2008
Leigh Sports Village
Leigh Rugby Club have high hopes of joining the Super League and to this end they have built a new stadium to accommodate their 10,000 fans. We were proud to be involved in the project when they were asked to prepare 3,000 square metres of new concrete to accept a Sika high performance finish to areas under the stands where there will be heavy foot traffic over the coming years. The contract was completed on time and on budget to the satisfaction of the main contractor and will give years of trouble free use for the club and its fans - after all, who wants a bunch of angry rugby players turning up to complain? Ooo-err!!!
Monday 3 November 2008
Sticky Stuff
We get many requests to remove tired vinyl floor tiles and replace them with new resin flooring. Easy enough you may think, not so.
Getting the tiles off is the easy bit, removing the adhesive left behind is more difficult. Sometimes it is brittle and hard but more often it is soft and sticky, not the sort of surface you want when applying a new resin floor and correct floor preparation is vital - if the preparation is not done right then there is no point on putting a finish on top.
The solution is diamond grinding. This removes the adhesive quickly and easily leaving a concrete surface ready for the new floor. For more information and videos about how diamond grinding works, visit the diamond grinding page on our website.
Getting the tiles off is the easy bit, removing the adhesive left behind is more difficult. Sometimes it is brittle and hard but more often it is soft and sticky, not the sort of surface you want when applying a new resin floor and correct floor preparation is vital - if the preparation is not done right then there is no point on putting a finish on top.
The solution is diamond grinding. This removes the adhesive quickly and easily leaving a concrete surface ready for the new floor. For more information and videos about how diamond grinding works, visit the diamond grinding page on our website.
Sunday 12 October 2008
Screed Application
Surface Solutions Ltd, of Swinton, Manchester, specified the maxit screed as part of a refurbishment package for some 850 m² of existing concrete floor, which was uneven and subject to damp.
Two coats of DPM primer were applied to the existing concrete slab and topped with a 1-2 mm sand dressing prior to the pumped application of the throughcoloured maxit screed at 7-10 mm thickness.
The screed was applied in just over two hours and left to cure prior to the application of a resin sealing coat.
The use of the designFloor 4650 screed follows similar treatment of the company's key manufacturing area where its products are manufactured on high-tech machines.
Explains Steve Strickland, of Surface Solutions: "There were problems with the floor surface dating back to an earlier refurbishment and the company wanted a hard wearing through-coloured floor screed which would give an 'as new' appearance despite the use of various types of wheeled equipment. "The maxit screed is robust and because it is through-coloured, it maintains its appearance when subjected to normal wear and tear."
The screed material was chosen after Heimbach's manufacturing team saw how maxitFloor screeds had stood up to many years' use at News International's printing plant at Knowsley, Merseyside, and were specified for a further extension to the facility.
The requirement for a dust-free, level and super-smooth surface at the UK's leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art industrial fabrics has been met using a maxit designFloor 4650 screed. Some 15 tonnes of self-levelling designFloor 4650 in yellow were used for a critical area in Heimbach UK's cutting room where expensive forming fabrics used in the paper industry are cut to size prior to despatch.
Following the initial application in its own manufacturing facility, Heimbach UK plans to use the same floor design and materials when floors are refurbished in future years.
The latest application in the giant cutting room is critical to delivering a quality product and avoiding expensive waste. Comments Manufacturing Director Russ Martin: "It is essential to have smooth, clean dust-free floors as any contamination or mistakes can prove very costly. "We wanted floors with a bright appearance, but wanted to avoid light grey or white. We saw the maxit product in use at News International and decided it looked ideal for what we wanted. Surface Solutions brought everything together to provide a flooring system which we will be using as standard."
Maxit designFloor 4650 screed is available in a range of colours. Its high strength and smooth, flat finish make it ideal for a wide variety of applications including industrial, retail, commercial and residential premises where a through-coloured natural-looking surface is required.
Two coats of DPM primer were applied to the existing concrete slab and topped with a 1-2 mm sand dressing prior to the pumped application of the throughcoloured maxit screed at 7-10 mm thickness.
The screed was applied in just over two hours and left to cure prior to the application of a resin sealing coat.
The use of the designFloor 4650 screed follows similar treatment of the company's key manufacturing area where its products are manufactured on high-tech machines.
Explains Steve Strickland, of Surface Solutions: "There were problems with the floor surface dating back to an earlier refurbishment and the company wanted a hard wearing through-coloured floor screed which would give an 'as new' appearance despite the use of various types of wheeled equipment. "The maxit screed is robust and because it is through-coloured, it maintains its appearance when subjected to normal wear and tear."
The screed material was chosen after Heimbach's manufacturing team saw how maxitFloor screeds had stood up to many years' use at News International's printing plant at Knowsley, Merseyside, and were specified for a further extension to the facility.
dust-free, level and super-smooth
The requirement for a dust-free, level and super-smooth surface at the UK's leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art industrial fabrics has been met using a maxit designFloor 4650 screed. Some 15 tonnes of self-levelling designFloor 4650 in yellow were used for a critical area in Heimbach UK's cutting room where expensive forming fabrics used in the paper industry are cut to size prior to despatch.
Following the initial application in its own manufacturing facility, Heimbach UK plans to use the same floor design and materials when floors are refurbished in future years.
The latest application in the giant cutting room is critical to delivering a quality product and avoiding expensive waste. Comments Manufacturing Director Russ Martin: "It is essential to have smooth, clean dust-free floors as any contamination or mistakes can prove very costly. "We wanted floors with a bright appearance, but wanted to avoid light grey or white. We saw the maxit product in use at News International and decided it looked ideal for what we wanted. Surface Solutions brought everything together to provide a flooring system which we will be using as standard."
Maxit designFloor 4650 screed is available in a range of colours. Its high strength and smooth, flat finish make it ideal for a wide variety of applications including industrial, retail, commercial and residential premises where a through-coloured natural-looking surface is required.
Friday 3 October 2008
Emergency Service
A fire station had a problem. In the middle of their floor was a redundant inspection pit which caused them on going problems, although it was covered over with boarding it was a trip hazard and a potential danger to firemen in a hurry to get to the next fire!
Surface Solutions cured the problem. They filled in the pit with hardcore followed by selected limestone and topped it with concrete to a level just below the surrounding floor. A top screed was then laid to bring the floor flush and finally a coloured water based epoxy finish was applied.
Today you would never know the pit was there.
Surface Solutions cured the problem. They filled in the pit with hardcore followed by selected limestone and topped it with concrete to a level just below the surrounding floor. A top screed was then laid to bring the floor flush and finally a coloured water based epoxy finish was applied.
Today you would never know the pit was there.
Monday 15 September 2008
Floors fit for purpose
Safety and function go hand in hand when specifying industrial resin flooring, but their ability to breathe new life into manufacturing centres is becoming increasingly important.
New floors not only help from a safety perspective, in particular with slips and trips, but how they can also breathe new life into a building, motivating the workforce and making businesses run more efficiently.
A correctly specified, fit-for-purpose floor can play a key role in facility management in the industrial sector. If a new floor is introduced as part of holistic approach towards creating better working environments it can ultimately help reduce absenteeism, staff turnover, and stress - as well as improving morale.
This approach can include bringing more colours to the workplace, focusing on natural1ight, healthy air and other factors to uplift and energise workers in manufacturing.
Ultimately a well-chosen floor will help to create more inspirational, productive working environments and can even deliver a positive effect on the bottom line.
That can include lighter colours, to give a sense of space and encourage people to keep their work areas tidy. This type of floor has been successfully installed at many major companies and has had a great effect on the general running of the business.
For UK industry, installing a new resin floor has never been easier. With today’s modern systems a well-chosen floor will help to create more inspirational, productive working area that can be ready for use in some cases after just two hours application. A new floor can be installed over a weekend - creating a bright new environment for Monday morning, with downtime at an absolute minimum.
New floors not only help from a safety perspective, in particular with slips and trips, but how they can also breathe new life into a building, motivating the workforce and making businesses run more efficiently.
A correctly specified, fit-for-purpose floor can play a key role in facility management in the industrial sector. If a new floor is introduced as part of holistic approach towards creating better working environments it can ultimately help reduce absenteeism, staff turnover, and stress - as well as improving morale.
This approach can include bringing more colours to the workplace, focusing on natural1ight, healthy air and other factors to uplift and energise workers in manufacturing.
Ultimately a well-chosen floor will help to create more inspirational, productive working environments and can even deliver a positive effect on the bottom line.
That can include lighter colours, to give a sense of space and encourage people to keep their work areas tidy. This type of floor has been successfully installed at many major companies and has had a great effect on the general running of the business.
For UK industry, installing a new resin floor has never been easier. With today’s modern systems a well-chosen floor will help to create more inspirational, productive working area that can be ready for use in some cases after just two hours application. A new floor can be installed over a weekend - creating a bright new environment for Monday morning, with downtime at an absolute minimum.
Friday 12 September 2008
Shotblasting nukes!
These days dust free enclosed shotblasting can be carried out with an absolute minimum of disturbance. We have worked in some very stringent and controlled areas; hospitals, bakeries and pharmaceutical areas are good examples. One of the more demanding areas of work recently was within a nuclear power station where work was carried out adjacent to the reactor itself.
The work was quite straightforward but the controls were quite rigid. All equipment and materials, as well as the men doing the work, had to be monitored all the time and decontaminated on completion of works and before removal from the site. It is reassuring to know that the nuclear industry takes such care with health and safety.
After two weeks in use the equipment showed less radiation that you would receive on a three hour flight to Spain.
The work was quite straightforward but the controls were quite rigid. All equipment and materials, as well as the men doing the work, had to be monitored all the time and decontaminated on completion of works and before removal from the site. It is reassuring to know that the nuclear industry takes such care with health and safety.
After two weeks in use the equipment showed less radiation that you would receive on a three hour flight to Spain.
Holes in the head... sort of...
You might think it a bit silly to cut a large hole through a concrete tank and then fill it with water but that is what happened at a large, prestigious water park during construction a few years back. The hole was to allow a pipe to be inserted but was cut in the wrong place and then forgotten until the tank was filled. The engineers concerned were both embarrassed that it had occurred and desperate to have the problem fixed.
Luckily for them the experts in concrete repair (us) were able to make good the damage in double quick time with a special water resistant mortar and fillers. The water park opened on time and still operates today after more than 10 years.
We are not saying where it is to protect those involved from further embarrassment.
Luckily for them the experts in concrete repair (us) were able to make good the damage in double quick time with a special water resistant mortar and fillers. The water park opened on time and still operates today after more than 10 years.
We are not saying where it is to protect those involved from further embarrassment.
Wednesday 20 August 2008
Get it right - from the start!
It seems a shame that those responsible for the design of many new building projects in the industrial sector do not give more consideration to the sort of flooring that might suit the use of a new building. More often than not the floors are last thing considered and get left just as plain concrete, often with a rough surface. Some do specify a suitable finish but since the floor finish is often the last operation in the building programme it gets cancelled due to lack of funds. Problems with industrial floors, such as dirt retention, oil contamination and general wear can be traced back to the buildings beginning.
By installing a correct floor from the outset many more years of use will ensue at little cost other than cleaning. Added advantages include improved safety and a pleasant working environment. We offer a wide range of surfaces for all manner of industries. From bright coloured floors to hard wearing screeds, from chemical resistant floors to anti-static finishes. Floors can be laid super flat to SR2 or even SR1, for example where fork lifts have to reach very high, or laid to correct falls to aid drainage.
It is more pleasant to work in, healthier to work in and safer to work in - so why don't they design it that way?
By installing a correct floor from the outset many more years of use will ensue at little cost other than cleaning. Added advantages include improved safety and a pleasant working environment. We offer a wide range of surfaces for all manner of industries. From bright coloured floors to hard wearing screeds, from chemical resistant floors to anti-static finishes. Floors can be laid super flat to SR2 or even SR1, for example where fork lifts have to reach very high, or laid to correct falls to aid drainage.
It is more pleasant to work in, healthier to work in and safer to work in - so why don't they design it that way?
Tuesday 12 August 2008
Why we like level floors
It’s not funny when a forklift truck hits a poor floor joint, in fact it is downright dangerous. The truck bucks and sways and pallets of product can fall off the forks causing damage and loss of money. Serious injury can also result. Every time a truck hits the same spot the joint becomes more worn and more dangerous.
We are frequently asked to make good poor joints. The work can be carried out over weekends and the floor ready for use on Monday morning.
Damaged joints are cut back to a sound surface and repaired with either and epoxy or polyurethane mortar, each of which has more strength than the concrete. Expansion joints are replaced to finish the job.
Just another way that we help our client improve safety and working environments for their staff.
We are frequently asked to make good poor joints. The work can be carried out over weekends and the floor ready for use on Monday morning.
Damaged joints are cut back to a sound surface and repaired with either and epoxy or polyurethane mortar, each of which has more strength than the concrete. Expansion joints are replaced to finish the job.
Just another way that we help our client improve safety and working environments for their staff.
Tuesday 15 July 2008
Training is the key
Without doubt the floor preparation industry is facing challenging times with tightening health and safety legislation, increased competition and margins being put under pressure.
The more efficient a company becomes the more profit it will make and the best way that companies can remain competitive is simply to become better at what they do. Despite increases in technology, the industry is still very much about people and their performance - improve this and both margins and business as a whole will improve.
Some contractors are happy to let operators with little training loose with surface preparation equipment that could potentially cause untold damage. The acquisition of the latest equipment is seen as an investment, but training is often seen as a cost, perhaps it's time to rethink this. The costs of returning to remedy a badly completed contract due to unqualified operators are not only financial, contractors also run the risk of damaging customer relationships and their reputation.
However, selection of the best training is vital. A quality training scheme with industry-approved accreditation is one of the surest ways to raise professionalism within the workforce of any flooring contractor, while also improving safety, quality and customer satisfaction. Surface Solutions invest in training. Operators are given in house training in the safe operation of all equipment used by the Company as well as attending courses run my the equipment suppliers. Companies who embrace training schemes find themselves better able to compete, Surface Solutions is an example of this, to quote Steve Strickland, Director "Training is a big factor in the package we offer and it is important we do it right. All our operators regularly use floor preparation equipment but developments in the range of accessories available and a tightening in health and safety legislation makes on going training essential in a professional environment."
The more efficient a company becomes the more profit it will make and the best way that companies can remain competitive is simply to become better at what they do. Despite increases in technology, the industry is still very much about people and their performance - improve this and both margins and business as a whole will improve.
Some contractors are happy to let operators with little training loose with surface preparation equipment that could potentially cause untold damage. The acquisition of the latest equipment is seen as an investment, but training is often seen as a cost, perhaps it's time to rethink this. The costs of returning to remedy a badly completed contract due to unqualified operators are not only financial, contractors also run the risk of damaging customer relationships and their reputation.
However, selection of the best training is vital. A quality training scheme with industry-approved accreditation is one of the surest ways to raise professionalism within the workforce of any flooring contractor, while also improving safety, quality and customer satisfaction. Surface Solutions invest in training. Operators are given in house training in the safe operation of all equipment used by the Company as well as attending courses run my the equipment suppliers. Companies who embrace training schemes find themselves better able to compete, Surface Solutions is an example of this, to quote Steve Strickland, Director "Training is a big factor in the package we offer and it is important we do it right. All our operators regularly use floor preparation equipment but developments in the range of accessories available and a tightening in health and safety legislation makes on going training essential in a professional environment."
Tuesday 1 July 2008
Teapots, Tripe and Dambusters
We get some unusual enquiries and work in some strange places. A problem with the walkways around a reservoir earned them the nickname of the “Damblasters” for a time. The surface of the walkway was worn and slippery and a possible health hazard. Using the very latest enclosed dust free shot blasting equipment we were able to key the surface of the concrete so a tough epoxy anti-slip finish could be applied.
Many other interesting sites have been visited over the years from a teapot factory to a tripe producer and manufacturers of all sorts of products from tractors to corn flakes. Each have their own unique requirements.
Shot blasting is not always the answer. Some things cannot be just blast cleaned away, soft contamination such as rubber or adhesives have to be removed by other methods. Diamond grinding can often be the answer. This system can control the depth of removal of the surface layer leaving a smooth finish to the floor that can be sealed and polished to give a natural looking surface.
More aggressive methods can reduce levels, tungsten tipped floor planers wear away surface concrete to reduce floors. This method is used where the surface of a floor is rough and uneven or new falls are required to improve drainage.
Whatever the problem we'll have the answer!
Many other interesting sites have been visited over the years from a teapot factory to a tripe producer and manufacturers of all sorts of products from tractors to corn flakes. Each have their own unique requirements.
Shot blasting is not always the answer. Some things cannot be just blast cleaned away, soft contamination such as rubber or adhesives have to be removed by other methods. Diamond grinding can often be the answer. This system can control the depth of removal of the surface layer leaving a smooth finish to the floor that can be sealed and polished to give a natural looking surface.
More aggressive methods can reduce levels, tungsten tipped floor planers wear away surface concrete to reduce floors. This method is used where the surface of a floor is rough and uneven or new falls are required to improve drainage.
Whatever the problem we'll have the answer!
Tuesday 17 June 2008
Fast Installation of New Screed
Turn round time for the installation of new flooring continues to be a major factor in the choice of floor to be installed. Having large production areas of a factory out of service is not only expensive but also very disruptive to staff and routines.
Surface Solutions find they are increasingly installing pumped screeds. These are based on special cements that enable the screed to flow on to the surface and harden in minutes rather than days. Pump applied screeds are industrial floor toppings used for the renovation of old, tired and worn floors. Large areas, up to 2,000 square metres, can be laid in a day.
The screeds are normally laid in two operations. Firstly a base layer is pumped over the surface to level and fill areas of damage and that is then followed by a final wearing surface that has all the properties required of an industrial floor.
Epoxy coatings can be applied to give a coloured finish if required.
Surface Solutions find they are increasingly installing pumped screeds. These are based on special cements that enable the screed to flow on to the surface and harden in minutes rather than days. Pump applied screeds are industrial floor toppings used for the renovation of old, tired and worn floors. Large areas, up to 2,000 square metres, can be laid in a day.
The screeds are normally laid in two operations. Firstly a base layer is pumped over the surface to level and fill areas of damage and that is then followed by a final wearing surface that has all the properties required of an industrial floor.
Epoxy coatings can be applied to give a coloured finish if required.
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