Introducing FlowPlus – the revolutionary all-in-one liquid cement screed additive
ARDEX is delighted to announce the launch of FlowPlus in the UK, an innovative all-in-one liquid cement screed additive.
Working in partnership with Knopp GmbH, an ARDEX group company, and leaders in cement and screed additives, we’re excited to introduce FlowPlus to the UK market. FlowPlus has been a proven success in Europe for over 12 years and incorporates Knopp’s industry-leading admixture expertise and innovative technologies optimised for the British market.
The FlowPlus liquid additive has been carefully designed to contain all the necessary components to deliver exceptional screed performance. Mixed with your local aggregates, cements and fillers, FlowPlus produces a superior flowing screed that ensures fast installation, excellent workability and a smooth finish. It’s ideal for mobile batching plants such as TransMix or Bremat trucks, or for mixing at batching plants for delivery by ready-mix trucks.
With extended working times of up to 2 hours, FlowPlus allows screed installers to achieve flawless SR1 levels and very low shrinkage of 300-500μm/m. You can also expect excellent productivity with a 3-man crew able to lay up to 1000m2 in a single day, and the screed can also fully encapsulate UFH pipes for improved thermal conductivity.
FlowPlus also gets top marks for sustainability and is formulated from responsibly sourced raw materials to achieve an A+ rating and extremely low VOCs to ISO 16000 standard. Minimal laitance and dust formation means less waste and less post-installation treatment, plus there’s no need for post-curing under standard conditions.
ARDEX offers full FlowPlus support with bespoke mix designs based on your local supply chain, on-site flow and density testing and aftercare advice. Unlock the next generation of screeds with FlowPlus. Call 01440 714939 today to find out more.
Floor Screed Case Study. ARDEX A 29 at Coalville Leisure Centre
Midlands Floor Screeding demonstrate the versatility of ARDEX A 29 Rapid Drying Floor Screed Cement at the new £22.5m Coalville Leisure Centre.
Councillor Richard Blunt, leader of North West Leicestershire District Council which is building the centre, said:
“This leisure centre is the culmination of years of hard work from both the district council and our partners as we strive to achieve our ambition of providing top-quality health and wellbeing facilities for people in North West Leicestershire. By 2022 Coalville with have one of the best leisure facilities in the country.”
The centre itself includes:
An eight-lane 25m main pool and learner pool with moveable flooring,
120 station gym, 25 spin cycles and two exercise studios
Café with healthy eating options
Eight court sports hall and three squash courts
Changing Places facility accessible from the lobby
Clip ‘n’ Climb
Sauna, steam and spa pool
The original screed specification asked for multiple products to address the varying and challenging substrates across the centre. But after Louis Dewsbury (Managing Director at Midlands Floor Screeding Ltd.) consulted with the ARDEX team it became apparent that a better solution was possible.
With factors such as strength, workability and cost effectiveness being paramount to provide the client with the best floor possible. The solution came with ARDEX A 29 Rapid Drying Floor Screed and ARDEX A 18 and E 100 as the two ideal bonding agents.
ARDEX A 29 provides a great combination of speed (tile in as little as 24 hours and continue with all other floor coverings after only 7 days), economy (mix as 1 part cement to 7 parts sand!) and performance (great workability with a massive 90 minute working time).
ARDEX A 29 being installed unbonded to the cafe areas.
“Midlands Floor Screeding are the midlands largest screeding contractor focusing on large commercial projects in the education, leisure, residential sector etc. And what people find is, when ARDEX and Midlands Floor Screeding work together, they get a quality product, one that they use time and time again.” Louis Dewsbury, Managing Director
Resurfacing a garage floor need not be a daunting task. In this step by step guide, we show you how to apply ARDEX K 301 External Self-Levelling Concrete Resurfacing Compound to bring life back to old and damaged concrete floors. It’s also ideal for resurfacing damaged concrete driveways, paths, courtyards and patios.
1. Prepare the old garage floor
Use a degreaser to remove oil, grease or similar contaminants and rinse well. A jet wash is perfect for removing dirt and any loose debris. The prepared surface must have the appearance of clean sound concrete with some exposed aggregate in the surface. There must be no traces of any dirt, previous treatments or surface contamination.
To dam run-off areas use a profile or some foam tape. We normally use a large foam draught excluder, it does the job, and is fairly inexpensive.
2. Repair any damaged concrete
Repair and infill any holes or static cracks with a suitable concrete repair mortar such as ARDEX A 46.
3. Prime
Prime the clean and dry area with ARDEX P 51 diluted to 1:7. (1 part primer to 7 parts water) and work into the concrete using a broom. Aim to fully saturate the floor area, as dry, porous concrete can absorb the water from freshly laid resurfacing compound and affect its performance. If any ponding or puddles of primer form, just remove with a broom so excess water is not incorporated into the K301 during application. We apply ARDEX K 301 whilst the priming layer is still damp.
For areas subject to heavy loading or regular rubber wheeled traffic, prime with ARDEX R 3 E (see datasheet for details).
4. Mix the ARDEX K 301
In a clean mixing container add the powder to the required amount of clean water whilst stirring thoroughly until a lump-free mortar is produced. The mix proportions by volume are approximately 5 parts ARDEX K301 powder to 1 part clean water. (A 25kg bag requires 5¼ litres of water).
If working on a gradient, the water in the mix can be reduced to stop any run-off on a slope.
The use of an ARDEX mixing paddle with a 10mm chuck slow speed (600 -1000 r.p.m.) electric drill makes light work of mixing. ARDEX K301 mortar should be applied within 30 minutes at 20°C. This time is extended at lower temperatures and reduced at higher temperatures.
One bag of ARDEX K 301 will cover 3m2 at 5mm thick. To work out how many bags you need, use the product calculator on the ARDEX K 301 page.
5. Resurface The Garage Floor
Pour the mixed ARDEX K 301 onto the garage floor whilst the primer is still damp. The mixed mortar will flow out and self-smooth during the first 10 minutes of its 30 minute working time. Use a steel trowel or float to spread the mortar to a smooth finish.
To create a more non-slip surface, allow the compound to partially set, (approximately 20-40 minutes under normal conditions), then finish with a stiff broom.
Once set, the freshly applied ARDEX K301 must be protected from adverse climatic conditions e.g. rapid drying air flow, direct strong sunlight, frost, etc., or appropriate curing measures taken until hardened.
ARDEX K 301 can be applied from 2-20mm and is walkable from 2-3 hours. Allow 48 hours for light vehicular traffic.
Repairing a damaged concrete kerb is easy with ARDEX A 46 General Purpose Repair Mortar. It can be used to fill, resurface and smooth damaged concrete and is suitable for internal and external use. Furthermore, repairs can be done quickly as it sets in only 30 minutes.
Main features and benefits:
• No priming required • Slump free – ideal for vertical, even overhead repairs • Easy to smooth and float • Shrinkage compensated – no cracks • Sets within 30 minutes and can receive finishes in 4 hours • For internal and external use
Pack size: 11kg bag or van friendly 5kg bag-in-a-bucket.
Coverage: An 11kg bag of ARDEX A 46 will produce approximately 8 litres of mortar. (Covering approximately 4m2/m2/mm). A 5kg bag of ARDEX A 46 will produce approximately 3.6 litres of mortar. (Covering approximately 1.4m2/m2/mm).
For more information visit: https://ardex.co.uk/product/ardex-a-46/
Crack Repair with ARDEX P 10 SR Rapid Hardening Concrete Crack Repair Resin Kit
For the third instalment of Steve @ Home, our National Training Manager shows you how to repair a crack in concrete with ARDEX P 10 SR Rapid Hardening Concrete Crack Repair Resin Kit.
Uses: Concrete crack repair, bonding metal, bonding wood, sand and cement screed crack repair, bonding plastic, suitable for use over underfloor heating systems.
Features:
• Easy to use, no mixing equipment required
• Fast setting and load bearing in as little as 20 minutes
• Full kit provided for the stitch repair of cracks and joints
• Low viscosity with high penetrating capabilities
• Odourless and low emission
Pack Size and Coverage: Each 600ml kit will repair approximately 4 linear meters.
Tile Repair with ARDEX CA 20 P Multi-Purpose Construction Adhesive & Sealant
For the second instalment of Steve @ Home, our National Training Manager repairs a loose tile on his patio using the versatile ARDEX CA 20 P Multi-Purpose Construction Adhesive & Sealant. It can bond virtually any building material as an adhesive, and is perfect for general building maintenance on floors and walls, in internal and external locations.
Uses: Ceramic tile repairs, bonding skirting boards, stair nosings, adhering boxes/conduits, dado rails, architrave, kick plates, carpet gripper, underwater applications, sealing around baths & sinks and much more!
Features:
• Bonds virtually every building material
• Solvent-free and low odour
• Shrinkage free
• High initial tack and bond strength
• Can even be used underwater, for minor repair applications
• Excellent resistance to UV, weather and ageing
• Use inside or out
• Emicode: EC1 R Plus – Very Low Emission
Pack Size and Coverage: Available in 310ml tube. It covers 9.75m with a 1/4″ bead.
Gully Repair with ARDEX A 46 Multi-Purpose Concrete Repair Mortar
All ARDEX staff are working from home, but it hasn’t stopped our National Training Manager Steve Davies from demonstrating products. In the first of a series of videos, Steve takes a look at ARDEX A 46, our Multi-Purpose Repair Mortar – Perfect for rapid setting repairs, smoothing and refacing.
Uses: Filling and repairing gaps, cracks, holes, concrete stair nosing, wall edges, electrical chasing and sockets, soffits, pillars, coving, curbs, gullies, rendering, window returns, building ramps and much more!
Features:
• Ideal for repairing damaged concrete
• No priming required
• Sets within 30 minutes
• Slump free – ideal for floor, wall and overhead use
• Easy to smooth and float
• Shrinkage compensated and crack free
• Use inside or out
• Emicode: EC1 R Plus – Very Low Emission
Pack Size and Coverage: Available in a convenient 11kg bag or van friendly 5kg bag-in-a-bucket. It covers 4m2 at 2mm per 11kg bag.
Introducing ARDEX A 70 GYPFLO, the quick drying, flowable screed in bags.
Time is money in construction and few processes can stall progress as much as a slow setting screed. Delayed projects can lead to increased site running costs, disrupted work schedules and may even incur substantial penalty clauses.
A typical calcium sulphate screed at 40mm will take up to 40 days to dry, and in real UK site conditions, you could be looking at far longer.
