Westfield Miranda, Sydney
BUILDER: Westfield Design & Construct
CONTRACTOR: Terrazzo (Aust), Marble Pty Ltd (Existing areas), Saba Tiling (New areas)
CHALLENGE:
In consultation with Westfield Design & Construct, Terrazzo (Aust) Marble Pty Ltd engaged ARDEX to investigate different options for the re-tiling of the existing centre of the Westfield Shopping Centre at Miranda, in Sydney’s south.
The main criteria when looking at the different options were speed of curing for the screed and tiling adhesive as work had to be completed at night and the centre to be ready in the morning for minimal disruption to walkways.
A traditional sand and cement screed was compared against the ARDEX A 38 Rapid Set Screed to view what the best solution for the project.
SOLUTION:
The ARDEX A 38 Rapid set screed was chosen to rescreed the walkways following removal of existing tiles and screed. Having the ability to accept heavy foot traffic within 8 hours of installation, the ARDEX A 38 screed system ensured that strict timeframes were met during the installation of this critical part of the project.
Achieving a compressive strength of 35 MPa and being dimensionally stable, the ARDEX A 38 ensures the base of the tiling system contains the perfect mix of strength and flexibility.
With its high compressive strength, scissor lifts can be employed directly on the screeded floor, something that is difficult to do with traditional sand and cement screed. The ARDEX A 38 and ARDEX S 16 system meets the low VOC emission requirements of the Green Building Council of Australia Green Star IEQ-13, which were also a consideration for this project.
As ARDEX are committed to ensuring contractors are exposed to high quality training in the installation of their products, ARDEX conducted on site training of the ARDEX A 38 rapid set screed at Terrazzo (Aust) Marble’s head office, with representatives from Terrazzo (Aust) Marble and Westfield attending.
The following night the areas containing the A 38 screed were cleaned and prepared for the ARDEX S 16 Rapid Hardening and Rapid Drying Tile and Natural Stone Adhesive to install the terrazzo tiles and natural stone.
Besides being ideal for installing natural stone Susceptible to moisture sensitivity, the main benefit of using this adhesive on the project is the curing time and the ability for traffic to walk on the flooring, 2-3 hours after installation in suitable conditions. This allowed large areas to be tiled overnight and ready for trading each morning with no disruption to shoppers.
Although the system was originally specified on the existing shopping centre flooring, Westfield were so happy with the performance of the products and the response from ARDEX to ensure the project ran smoothly, they specified the system on the new areas of the shopping centre being installed by Saba Brothers Tiling. In all, the project totalled approximately 12000m2.
The Emporium, Melbourne
CONTRACTOR: De Fazio Commercial Tiling
De Fazio Commercial Tiling has recently completed the tiling of all common areas at The Emporium, a premium retail space in the heart of Melbourne CBD. The overall project took three years to complete with the tiling component taking twelve months.
ARDEX Australia supplied a complete system for the tiling installation including waterproofing, tile adhesive and grouts to all public areas. The tiling covered an enormous area of more than 21,000m2.
ARDEX S 16 Rapid Hardening and Rapid Drying Tile and Natural Stone Adhesive, the main tiling adhesive used, was chosen for its rapid drying and reduced risk of water-staining. Early access to the tiled area was viable which helped to fast track the installation.
ARDEX A 38 Rapid Set Cement Screed was also installed. It is a screed that improves on-site efficiencies by allowing traffic shortly after application and the laying of the floor covering on the same day.
The project presented a number of challenges with much time spent on-site assessing and supporting the various areas of the project and undertaking quality assurance for the ARDEX system. Tiling was specified above 2.7 metres which required particular attention and utilised the ARDEX WA 100 Epoxy.
The central CBD location made deliveries more challenging with ARDEX having to adhere to very exact delivery times. The centre contains 225 stores over five levels so product had to be distributed throughout the entire centre.
“ARDEX Australia was thrilled to be involved with the overhaul of such an iconic building,” explained Robert Cameron, National Sales Manager, ARDEX Australia. “The project demonstrated the scope of ARDEX tiling products and combined with quality and skilled workmanship, has achieved an outstanding result.”
Lure Apartments, Nelson Bay
The dream of a quiet, serene, luxury apartment within a brand new prestigious development in Nelson Bay, NSW is now a reality with a new, easily installed acoustic barrier from ARDEX Australia.
Developers of the prestigious LURE apartments stressed the importance of creating an effective sound barrier between each apartment that would not impede on strict completion deadlines or create undue strain on projected costs, yet still provide a high quality finish.
The project comprised 900 square metres of tiling over both bathrooms and external balcony areas. Local tilers, Newcastle Tiles, utilised a system of compatible ARDEX products for all aspects of the tiling and soundproofing which streamlined the process of specifying, ordering and seeking on-site technical advice during installation.
ARDEX WPM 002, a fast-setting two-part waterproofing membrane, was applied first to both balconies and bathrooms to create a waterproof barrier. This was followed by the combination of ARDEX X 56, a highly flexible tile adhesive, and ARDEX DS 40, an impact sound reduction system, to form the soundproof barrier. Tiles were then fixed directly to ARDEX DS 40.
The ARDEX DS 40 impact sound reduction system was a pivotal product in the overall project due to the pre-cut mats being a consistent thickness of 4.5mm, meaning an overall lower build height was achieved. In addition to providing an excellent uniform acoustic barrier that is essential in helping prevent noise travel between apartments, it is also an extremely fast and easy product to install, using pre-cut mats compared to traditional, messier methods. Field tests have shown that ARDEX DS 40 can reduce noise by 14dB and 18dB when used in conjunction with ARDEX X 56 flexible tile adhesive (as was the case in the Lure apartment project). Utilising the ease of application, Newcastle Tiles was able to have apprentices installing the pre-cut mats while its more experienced tilers laid the tiles – hence reducing installation time and costs.
LURE Apartments were completed on time and to great acclaim.
Jim Haworth of Newcastle Tiles puts it this way: “ARDEX constantly provide reliable, premium quality products and we were delighted with the installation of the ARDEX sound reducing system which, with its many benefits, allowed us to complete the project on time and with cost savings”.
Hoppers Crossing Warehouse
INSTALLER/APPLICATOR: Bravada Waterproofing
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Bravada Waterproofing
CHALLENGE:
50 linear metres of injection to multiply panels
100 linear metres of cosmetic repair using ARDEX RA 88
Timeline concerns (fast turnaround); painting had already commenced
Scissor lift access, difficulty working around fixed equipment (T-Port application)
Multiple tenancies
PROBLEM/ SITUATION:
Structural repair and cosmetic repair to concrete tilt panels. Panels had cracked due to land settlement and had become apparent to building tenants due to leaks coming into the building. Engineering assessment conducted and advised cracks requiring injection and cosmetic defects.
SOLUTION:
Ronald Rose (Vic Sales Manager) was initially contacted by the owner of the building via an enquiry from ARDEX Technical Services, due to his extensive knowledge gained whilst working for ARDEX New Zealand after the Christchurch earthquakes, to conduct a site visit and ascertain if ARDEX products were suitable.
A recommendation was given that repairs could proceed with the ARDEX Crack Repair and Injection System; however, an engineer’s assessment was required on cracks that were substantial. The asset owner engaged engineers and it was identified which cracks required structural injection using ARDEX RA 142, 144 and 146 and which only required aesthetical repairs with ARDEX RA 88. Bravada were engaged after an ARDEX recommendation to carry out the repairs. Due to electrical conduits and pallet racking in place on a number of walls in the varying tenancies, ARDEX RA 146 Blindside Concrete Crack Injection Epoxy Gel was chosen for these areas as the injection material due to the ability to be blindside injected.
UNIQUE ELEMENTS:
Scope of works provided onsite to Bravada team members on products to be used and where.
Using ARDEX RA 146 Blindside Concrete Crack Injection Epoxy Gel
Fast cure of ARDEX RA 88 allowed porting and injecting on the same day
Tech support onsite for initial start-up and routine visits from ARDEX representatives throughout the project
Onsite training provided to new staff members of the contractor
External painting project was not delayed and was able to be completed with minimal disruption to building occupants
Elevation Apartments, Perth
BUILDER: BGC Construction
ARCHITECT: Hassell
CONTRACTORS: Direct tiles Mandurah, All waterproofing solutions
The Elevation Apartments are a prestigious development right in the heart of Perth’s Central Business District.
Reaching over 100 metres into the Perth skyline, the Elevation Apartments consist of 138 luxury apartments spanning over 29 levels that offer stunning views from every direction.
North facing apartments offer district and city views whilst South and South West facing apartments overlook the Swan River, Kings Park, South Perth to Applecross with glimpses of the Indian Ocean.
The main challenge faced by the building contractor was that all the balconies were falling towards the apartments instead of away.
To resolve this, ARDEX was asked to provide a system recommendation that would correct the falls and waterproof the balconies before the tiling commenced.
ARDEX K 005 was selected as a screed to create the required falls. K 005 was an important component as it enabled tiling to commence a lot sooner than conventional sand cement screeds.
Following the K 005 screed, WPM 002 was used as the waterproofing membrane, then Abaflex adhesive and FG 8 grout.
Internally all the wet area’s were installed with WPM 002 waterproofing membrane, X 10 and Abaflex adhesive.
Two layers of WPM 180 shelterbit torch applied membrane was used on the entire rooftop, pool deck, plant rooms and podium levels prior to being ballasted by a brick paving system.
The Elevation Apartments were completed in July 2010 and are destined to become an icon of the Perth City Skyline.
Bresic Whitney Offices, Sydney
INSTALLER: Concrete Artisans – www.concreteartisans.com.au
BUILDER: SPM – www.sherington.com.au
ARCHITECT: Chenchow Little Architects – www.chenchowlittle.com
PROJECT ADDRESS: 318 Liverpool St Darlinghurst
The original plan for the Bresic Whitney office in Surry Hills was to leave a 70mm set down to pour a topping slab and then polish this to create an industrial polished concrete look. In researching this method, time concerns surfaced, as the topping slab would take 4 – 5 weeks to dry before polishing. This was coupled with access & logistic concerns because of the location of the project. In researching this PANDOMO FloorPlus was introduced into the mix to alleviate concerns relating to drying times & installation.
Although PANDOMO FloorPlus and A 38 screed were not as cost effective as polishing a topping slab on paper, a proper cost comparison was prepared by Chenchow Little Architects. In this cost comparison they found that the rapid drying ability of the 65mm A 38 screed (Approximately 24 hours) as well as the 6mm PANDOMO FloorPlus (Also 24 hours) allowed the project to be completed in a far quicker time frame. This allowed the client to take occupation of the building far quicker than the original flooring specified to start generating an income.
An area which also needed addressing in the project was access, and PANDOMO addressed this by allowing the products which made up the system to be craned up to the 2nd level. Once up there, the system was installed in zones. This combined with the ability to walk on the newly poured floor after 3 hours allowed the project to flow without any distraction from the installation of the floor.
An additional feature of using the PANDOMO FloorPlus in the Bresic Whitney project was the ability to produce a high quality finish against composite flooring systems. In this situation the PANDOMO FloorPlus abutted timber flooring to produce a high quality finish throughout, something which is extremely difficult to achieve with a topping slab because of the excessive grinding required.
215 Adelaide Street, Brisbane
The refurbishment of this office tower complex included a complete revamp of the ground floor foyer and throughout level one to external entries and bathrooms. Also included in the scope of the work was the lift lobbies within the tower itself. The stunning overhaul took the Peter Johnson Tiling team over eight months to complete, on behalf of Hutchinson Builders. The finished work was nominated by the Master Builders Association of Queensland, with Peter Johnson winning the Commercial Trade Contractor Award for the Year.
ARDEX X 18 was used (with ARDEX E 90 additive) due to the complexity of the installation. ARDEX X 18 provided additional strength to the tiled areas (up to 3 metres high) from the specially formulated fibres within the adhesive.
ARDEX WA 100 – Two Part Epoxy Adhesive for use with Natural Stone. ARDEX WA 100 was used for sections of the wall up to 8 metres high. This product was designed for fixing and bedding natural stone such as marble on walls.
A huge amount of co-ordination was required for coating the 8.5 metre high entrance and foyer with more than 80 tons of finished stone.
The wall tiles were marble, 17-18mm thick weighing approximately 50kg m2. The weight of the tiles and the height of the installation exceeded the ARDEX guidelines (32kg/m2 and up to 3m2 high) for adhesive fixed tiles, so additional mechanical fixing strips were epoxy bonded into grooves cut into the back of each tile and then secured to the wall substrate.
Government Building, 1 William Street, Brisbane
The new Queensland Government Executive building at 1 William Street, Brisbane currently under construction by Brookfield Multiplex Australasia was experiencing surface damage to part of the carpark entry ramp.
For this reason, a topping stronger than the original concrete was required with the ARDEX epoxy screed being selected by Master Floor Preparers (Qld) Pty Ltd as the most suitable system for this application.
The area to be covered was located in the transition zone to the carpark level at the base of the ramp, approximately 6 metres long by 1.6 metres wide and 35 mm thick.
ARDEX Abapoxy was used as the binder for the topping screed, making up approximately 10% of the mixed material. The filler used was ARDEX A 38 Gravel mix, 0-4mm size. This consistency provided close packing that was required so the topping is better able to resist the anticipated loads, although the mix was subject to the availability of these sand sizes and some variation in both sand size and mix ratio was possible. In addition, the sand had to be both washed and dried.
The binder mix consisted of 2 volumes of Abapoxy Part A with 1 volume of Abapoxy Part B mixed together to achieve a homogenous colour. The blended filler sand was added and mixed with a mechanical mixer to achieve a slump free mortar to ensure all the sand was coated with the epoxy binder.
The concrete had to be dry and mechanically prepared to remove all contaminants such as curing compounds and laitance, in addition to being vacuumed to remove any dust.
The procedure was to apply a bond coat of ARDEX Abapoxy with a brush or roller to achieve a uniform thin coating over the prepared concrete immediately prior to placement of the epoxy mortar.
Puddles were brushed out of the epoxy resin bond coat prior to placement of the epoxy screed mortar, the epoxy mortar had to be compacted during placement to remove air pockets. It was then left to harden overnight prior to allowing access to pedestrian traffic, as well as allowing 7 days for the screed to fully cure before allowing vehicular traffic.
Q1 Surfers Paradise, Brisbane
Developed by the Sunland Group, the tower boasts 526 ultra smart apartments. The Q1 project required a Comprehensive range of technologically advanced and integrated products.
ARDEX was selected as exclusive suppliers of all Q1’s tile adhesives, soundproofing requirements, and grouts to be installed by Klaus Tiling. For critical high traffic areas requiring a heavy duty leveling product ARDEX K 15 was used.
One of the major tiling hurdles was the potential lipping of the 600 x 600mm, 20mm thick limestone floor tiles with conventional flexible adhesives. (Lipping or uneven tile heights is aesthetically unappealing and a trip hazard). The rheology of ARDEX X 56 – a new generation, highly flexible adhesive – overcame problems with ‘lipping’. Used over the company’s Soundproof Underlay, it also helps improve impact sound resistance. For areas requiring an adhesive with high tensile strength (and superior non slump), ARDEX STS 8 was used.
Grouts and silicones colour matched to blend in with the tiles provided the final touches. Walls and floors were grouted with Flexgrout Ultrasmooth. For tile joints subject to the stresses of differential movement, ARDEX SE silicone provided a waterproof, permanently elastic, UV and mould-resistant seal.
ARDEX K 15 – a globally recognised leader in floor levelling product category – was specified for critical areas e.g. foyers, lift lobbies. With its unique Ardurapid effect, ARDEX K 15 allows impervious vinyl coverings to be laid after only 16 hours, regardless of bed thickness.
The comprehensive and integrated nature of the ARDEX portfolio of products, plus the company’s wealth of locally-based technical expertise, has been acknowledged as a factor in the successful, on-time completion of the world’s tallest residential tower.
The Vibe Hotel, Canberra
CONTRACTOR: Tiling – PDA Marble & Granite
The Vibe Hotel is situated only 150 metres from the new Canberra Airport terminal. The 181 room property will be centred around a full height atrium and features a large ground floor intermingle zone with reception, bar, restaurant and conferencing facilities.
The contemporary property will offer sweeping views over Lake Burley Griffin to Parliament House and across the airport runway to the east. The Vibe Hotel will house 12 suites, five 1 bedroom apartments and four 2 bedroom apartments and 170 guest rooms, all of which feature balconies.
Approximately 5000m2 of ARDEX X 18 was used to tile The Vibe Hotel. This product is a superior, fortified cement-based wall and floor tile adhesive that has excellent properties of strength and versatility. The benefits to PDA Marble were extended open time, as well as important non slump and flexible capabilities. It was used in both internal and external areas and also used in the swimming pools.
An additional 1000 square metres of travertine will be used to tile downstairs in the near future using either ARDEX X 18 or ARDEX S 16.
ARDEX Multiprime provided improved adhesion to various porous substrates.
ARDEX ST Silicone provided a neutral curing, nonstaining silicone for use on the stone benchtops that were installed. It’s smooth, easy application and superior bond strength, coupled with the anti-fungal inhibitors, made it an ideal choice for PDA Marble and Granite.
ARDEX FG 8 Grout was used because of its excellent workability and its ease of use on both walls and floors.