A-Rated external flooring specialists, Alfresco Floors, are set to be part of a nation-wide initiative to replace combustible balconies on high-rise residential properties with their innovative, time-saving solutions.
As work gets underway to replace combustible cladding on residential buildings, high-rise balconies are also facing scrutiny due to the continued use of flammable materials such as timber, composite and plastic pedestals. The use of such materials is having a profound impact on those living within these buildings – with property valuations plummeting, leaving homeowners significantly out of pocket, living in – what some describe as – a ‘fire-trap’.
With over 450,000 flats said to be impacted, many are suggesting that the industry needs to act quickly in order to rectify the ‘mistakes of the past’. The scandal, which has left families with repair bills of up to £115,000, threatens to wreck the housing market as a whole, with the flats becoming unsellable.
To facilitate this growing need for safe and compliant solutions for use in high-rise residential properties, external flooring specialists, Alfresco Floors, have launched their latest non-combustible paving and decking systems, AR-Deck & AR-Pave.
Manufactured in the UK, the 100 per cent aluminium systems are comprised of a fully adjustable pedestal and joist subframe with a built-in slope corrector. Its aim is to significantly speed up installation time, whilst providing specifiers with a fully A-rated solution in very short lead times. A spokesperson for Alfresco Floors commented:
“Many residential refurbishments will be driven by efficiency: delivering quick, safe solutions to homeowners and their families in what has been an extremely stressful time. The use of high-quality, non-combustible flooring systems such as the AR-Deck & AR-Pave will be invaluable in ensuring excellent results in a short period of time.”
The AR-Deck and AR-Pave systems allows specifiers to incorporate a variety of Alfresco Floors’ Class A-Rated surface options, including aluminium deckboards, Italian-made porcelain tiles and concrete paving, ensuring a competitively-priced, A-Rated paving and decking solution without compromising on style – a key message that the team are keen to promote.
Aluminium is fast becoming one of the more sought-after materials for use in a range of construction applications due to its strength, versatility and seriously green credentials. The AR-Deck system has its own range of aluminium deckboards and is one of the only systems of its kind that can claim fully A-Rated compliance. The unique non-slip coating of the deckboards means that other materials – such as rubber – do not need to be applied to the surface, allowing the AR-Deck to maintain its Class A certification. Qualicoat-approved powder-coating provides a hard-wearing scratch-free finish, available in three stock colours. It can also be supplied in any RAL colour, offering a safe, sustainable solution that will complement any scheme.
For architects and specifiers, AR-Pave can be seen at Domus’ London W1 showroom, showcasing the system with external porcelain tiles.
Alfresco Floors, which is the sister company to The Outdoor Deck Company and Buzon UK Ltd, have been at the forefront of fire-related products, producing an e-Book on product requirements for A-rated external flooring, running CPDs for architects and landscape professionals, and offering full technical site-specific advice.
All three companies share a long and well-respected track record in the industry, with over 20 years` experience in the design, supply and installation of commercial and domestic exterior floors, all over the UK.
Collectively, the trio of companies specialise in hard landscaping systems which feature a variety of surfaces and support technologies, including both A and B fire-rated systems.
On discussing the recent changes in regulation as a result of the ban on combustible cladding, Managing Director, Mike Wilderink, comments:
“We identified a huge gap in the UK supply chain to the UK construction industry for a quality fire-rated external flooring system that would meet the new 2019 edition ‘Approved Document B’ – Building Regulations for England”.
The launch of Alfresco Floors’ Euroclass Fire-Rated system – and their wide variety of Class A-Rated external flooring products – comes at a time when non-combustible materials are a crucial component of any high-rise project.
If you are working on a residential refurbishment or would like any further information on the AR-Deck & AR-Pave system or any other Class A-Rated external flooring solutions, please visit www.alfrescofloors.com.