The IKEA store in Adelaide was looking for a means of continually updating its in-store displays - from the floor up - of furniture, kitchens and bathrooms. Each display showcases the store’s very latest offering in both style and design and IKEA wanted its ‘room-sets’ to reflect this. Therefore everything, from tiled floors to wall colours and fixtures, had to epitomise the store’s philosophy of ‘simple design that is both practical and innovative’.

The ARDEX X 23 (RelayTM floor system), by Australia’s leading supplier of tile grouts and adhesives, is Australia’s first ‘floating floor tile system’ – it enables a tiled floor to be easily, quickly and inexpensively removed at the end of its useful life. A further advantage of this system is that there is no mess, dust or labour-intensive process required when removing the existing tiles.

ARDEX X 23 comprises a high performance tile adhesive and a specially designed mat. The mat is laid over, but not adhered to, the substrate. The tiles are then adhered to this mat with a special adhesive that provides flexibility, impact resistance and adhesion strength. And as the tiles are affixed directly to the mat there is no screed required – and the build height of the floor is significantly minimised.

This method brings with it significant refurbishment savings in both time and labour – estimates reveal the time taken to remove tiles that are directly fixed to the substrate, and then repair and resurface would add a further $50 a square metre to any refurbishment project. This conventional method of removing tiles is also extremely noisy and dusty.

The IKEA Adelaide store now has 5000 square metres of showroom displays, comprising of 51 room sets and 3 homes, many of which incorporate the ARDEX X 23 system in its tiled floors enabling regular update. Once a new display or room set is required, the mat is simply lifted, bringing the tiles with it – without any damage to the original substrate. None of the tiled floors area has exhibited cracking or lifting, even when moving heavy furniture or appliances.

Among the other products used was ARDEX K15 for levelling the floor prior to installation of vinyl coverings.