SITUATION:
ARDEX suggested using ARDEX K 15® Premium Self-Leveling Underlayment. To prove that ARDEX K 15 would be up to the challenge, ARDEX Technicians installed a 30 m2 (322 ft2) mockup section so the architects and client could see what the finished floor would look like.
The test area was first mechanically prepared to a layer of clean, solid concrete and primed with ARDEX EP 2000™ Substrate Preparation Epoxy Primer. ARDEX EP 2000 was used because if offers superior resistance to cracking when used with ARDEX K 15 and it can be used to fill small cracks in the existing concrete. Once the ARDEX EP 2000 was applied, a sand broadcast was utilized to further strengthen the bond between the primer and topping. ARDEX EP 2000 takes approximately 16 hours to cure, so there was a minimal delay before ARDEX K 15 could be poured.
ARDEX K 15 was suggested for this particular installation because it is easy to apply and it is designed for fast track applications. When mixed with water, ARDEX K 15 has a smooth fluid consistency that can be applied in a layer up to 35mm and be featheredged to meet existing elevations. Once cured the ARDEX K 15 was sealed with a soft soap application. The use of soft soap offered an individual looking treatment to the concrete floor while helping repel dirt and staining.
Impressed with the results of the test application and the ARDEX Technical Service Department, the architects and client decided to use this application throughout the museum. Once completed, ARDEX K 15 flowed through the museum providing an almost seamless design. On sloping floor areas, installers mixed ARDEX K 15 with less water. This prevented ARDEX K 15 from settling at the base of the slope and allowed the use of one product throughout the museum for a monolithic floor.
CHALLENGES:
- 1,150 m2 (12,378 ft2) installation area
- Durable, raw, concrete floor
- Installation in galleries, a foyer, a café and an auditorium
PARTICIPANTS:
INSTALLER: DBI Commercial Floors –Brønderslev, Denmark
ARCHITECTS: PLH Architects – Copenhagen, Denmark
SITUATION:
When Widex began building their new headquarters, they desired an environmental flooring solution that aligned with their corporate business model. Widex also needed a system that would resist crack telegraphing and could be installed at a thickness of 2mm. With these challenges in mind, the contractor was worried they would not be able to meet their fast-approaching deadline.
CHALLENGES:
- Environmental considerations during the construction process
- Cover existing cracking on a molded deck
- 2 mm (.0787 inch) thick
- Fast-track installation
SOLUTION:
ARDEX Technical Service Representatives recommended the Asnaes Carpet Center contractors use ARDEX K 14 System Leveling Compound. ARDEX K 14 was the natural choice, because it has a GEV-EMICODE rating of EC 1. GEV-EMICODE is a green quality control rating that ensures a product has very low or no solvent content that contributes to indoor air pollution caused by volatile organic compounds (VOCs). ARDEX K 14 can also be poured to a depth as low as 1.5 mm when needed over dense or primed areas.
To start the process, ARDEX Technical Service Representatives completed a demonstration on site. This product demonstration proved the recommended system would meet Asnaes Carpet Center’s time constraints and prevent a third party from having to assist in the installation.
With confidence Asnaes Carpet Center started the installation. In the areas where the concrete slab had cracked, ARDEX K 22 F Fiber Reinforced, Calcium Sulfate Leveling Compound filled the larger cracks. ARDEX EP 2000™ Substrate Preparation Epoxy Primer was then used to fill the smaller cracks and prepare the cement for the ARDEX K 14 topping over areas of substrate cracking. ARDEX EP 2000 can be used as crack filler and helps prevent cracks from telegraphing.
In areas where the concrete had not cracked, Asnaes Carpet Center used ARDEX A 31 Primerless Fine Filler to fill defects in the concrete substrate and then coated the slab with ARDEX P 51™ Primer. ARDEX P 51 is solvent free and has no VOCs. ARDEX P 51 also greatly improves the bond of ARDEX toppings and greatly increases the strength of the bond between the ARDEX K 14 and the substrate.
With the help of ARDEX Technical Service, Widex Headquarters was completed on time. The new Widex Headquarters hosts 800 employees and is a prime example of an environmental building. With green construction products, an onsite windmill and solar paneling, the Widex building is CO2 neutral and delivers excess power to the local grids.
PARTICIPANTS:
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Asnaes Carpet Center – Asnaes, Denmark
ARCHITECT: White Architects – Copenhagen, Denmark
SITUATION:
Renovation of The historic Dahlerup Warehouse at Langelinie Harbour. Replacing 800 m2 of cast iron, wetroom membrane and concrete on loading ramps.
It is not every day for Danish floor companies to embark on the renovation of 800 m2 outdoor loading ramps in a protected historic building in the middle of one of Copenhagen’s most densely populated tourist districts. Nevertheless, that is what CF Gulve did at Dahlerup’s Warehouse at Langelinie.
CHALLENGES:
“The salty and wet marine environment had soared to the outside of the warehouse’s outdoor loading ramps that moisture had penetrated into the underlying basement. Therefore, there was no way without replacing the casting dust, wet room membrane and concrete layers, “explains Carsten Frost, CF Holder. He continues:
“A renovation of this character poses special requirements. It’s a very extensive and heavy work to renovate the loading ramps, and partly in the middle of a mixed neighborhood with both housing and occupation. We would like to minimize the annoyance of the environment, so we used low noise machines and fast cements from ARDEX with dry-time warranty and use ARDEX’s technical know-how.“
SOLUTION:
The underlying wet room membrane and the concrete layer below had to be knocked off and replaced. Here CF Floors used the ARDEX A 38 MIX and ARDEX K 301, which delivers a dry-time guarantee, and delivers a close and durable finish, to avoid moisture damage once again.
“24 hours after the cement is applied, they are completely dry and we can move on. This makes it easy to plan the process, because we are sure that the drying time does not offer unpleasant surprises. In addition, these cements are particularly good for the tough outdoor environment at the port, because they can withstand the moisture and salt, “says Carsten Frost, who has made the solution in consultation with ARDEX’s consultant Allan Pedersen.
CF Gulve used more than 45 tonnes of ARDEX A 38 MIX and ARDEX K 301 on the project.
PARTICIPANTS:
C.F. Gulve
SITUATION:
Sølvgade Kaserne (Silver Street Barracks) has been converted into modern housing for students. Among the many upgrades, new linoleum and vinyl floors have been added with over 100 tonnes of EC1-labeled levelling compound and floor adhesives from ARDEX, which contribute to a healthy indoor climate.
Just in front of the Royal Garden and the National Museum of Art in central Copenhagen, the Sølvgade Kaserne has opened the doors for hundreds of students in August 2015. The building, dating back to 1771, has been building premises for DSB’s headquarters (The Danish State Railways) for almost a hundred years, but has now been transformed into a modern college.
CHALLENGES:
Thomas Morén is the director of the flooring company ATZ Multiservice ApS, who was responsible for the floor work at Sølvgade Kaserne. He talks about the extensive project where the company had a total of 18 men working from June 2015 until August this year:
“The original parquet floors in rooms, hallways and common areas have been coated with linoleum with impact sound reduction, while in all bathrooms we have used vinyl. It has been important to make strong and completely even subfloors that ensured that the new floorings can be used for the next many years.” He continues:
“The buildings are big and old and built after old time of construction traditions. This means that there have been almost not two identical rooms. Every time we started a new room, we had to do things a little bit differently to make sure the details were correct and the result optimal. It is certainly not every day that you have the opportunity to work on such special buildings.”
SOLUTION:
ATZ Multiservice ApS has cooperated closely with the manufacturer ARDEX, which has delivered over 100 tonnes of materials for the construction work, which comprises approx. 25,000 sqm floor space.
Thus, all the worn parquet floors have been levelled with two layers of 3 mm ARDEX K 22 F fiber-reinforced gypsum compound, which is self-leveling and thus optimized the flooring process. For the floor covering, ATZ Multiservice ApS used the ARDEX AF 145 floor adhesive with long assembly time and high final strength, which helped to reinforce the overall floor structure.
Both materials are also solvent-free, low-emission and labeled with EMICODE EC1. Thus, they contribute to a healthy indoor climate at the new college.
“On a project of this size it is crucial that you as a contractor use products that ensure high momentum in the construction process and provide the right quality to the finished result. Here, the ARDEX materials primarily have the advantage to reduce waiting times for hardening and drying and you can use time more efficiently, “Thomas Morén emphasizes.
The refurbishment was projected by Above the City Architects in collaboration with the Cultural Board, the City of Copenhagen and the Real Estate Company Norden.
PARTICIPANTS:
ATZ Multiservice
