Water End House is part of a small collection of dwellings on a family estate surrounded by mature trees with partial views through trees across Derwent Bay towards the opposite woodland. The building replaces an existing dwelling which was damaged by the storms of December 2015. The design is highly contemporary but incorporates traditional materials such as Burlington blue/grey stone walling giving privacy from the other houses on the site.
Ecological considerations lead to the use of a biomass heating system, lime mortar and a timber frame with cellulose insulation. Kerakoll’s products were specified for fixing wall and floor tiling throughout the interior of the property and floor tiling externally, because of the company’s GreenBuilding philosophy and also for their ease of use.
Externally large size flags were laid to create a large patio area and steps. Here Kerakoll’s Laminate No Crack system was specified. This uses the Green-Pro membrane and Biogel adhesives, and allows tile installation even when substrates have problems that would normally cause failure, such as cracks, movement or vapour pressure from insufficient curing. The system forms a laminated surface composed of adhesive, membrane, adhesive and tiles with a very high shear strength of ≥ 1.8 N/mm². It can be used for both uncoupling and waterproofing over all screeds including heated ones. The use of fast setting Keracem Eco screed, Biogel Revolution gel adhesive, classified C2 FTE S1, and Fugabella Eco Flex grout allowed speedy installation.
Internally Biogel Revolution was used for the floor tiling which was laid throughout the ground floor and in the bathrooms on the first floor. This has a pot life, at 23°C, of one hour, but tiles can still be grouted or accept foot traffic after three hours. It holds it shape even under the heaviest tiles so was perfect for the extra-large tiles used both internally and externally.
Biogel No Limits, the standard set C2 TE S1 version of the award-winning gel adhesives, was used for the wall tiling. Like Biogel Revolution it is thixotropic, smooth and light with no tile slippage on walls. It can also be used on any substrate including the most deformable thanks to its excellent shear strength.
Both adhesives have strong environmental and health credentials with carbon footprints certified as 1.55 kg CO2 eq/m² for the Biogel No Limits Grey and 0.96 kg CO2 eq/m² for Biogel Revolution, and GEV-Emicode ratings of EC1 Plus, as well as including a high level of recycled material.
Project Details:
- Architect: Crosby Granger Architects
- Tiling Contractor: Pro-Tilers UK Ltd
- Tiles: Casa Ceramica
- Tiling Adhesives: Kerakoll UK Ltd, 01527 578000, info(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)kerakoll.co.uk