Vebro Polymers – in partnership with MJF Specialist Flooring – has recently undertaken the rapid refurbishment of an aging community fire station, originally built in the sixties, which sits in the heart of a rural townscape and forms a critical part of its emergency response service.
- Client: Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service
- Location: Congleton, Cheshire
Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service is responsible for fire protection, prevention, intervention and emergency rescue across the unitary authority areas of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton and Warrington. It operates a total of 28 fire stations.
The refurbishment work that has taken place at Congleton Fire Station forms part of a multi-phase, five-year, modernisation programme for Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service in conjunction with Cheshire Fire Authority. The regional roll-out serves to educate specifiers and end user clients on the benefits of resin over other more traditionally used systems, which fail to stand up to the service criteria imposed upon the floor over the time.
Funded through the Procure Partnerships Framework (Northwest), and managed by main contractors, Wates, the project involves a multimillion-pound design and build contract to redevelop and upgrade 19 fire stations located across the territory.
The single-storey Congleton Fire Station originally opened in 1967. A survey commission by the Redevelopment Programme in 2017, highlighted its deteriorating condition alongside insufficient investment having been made to sustain pace with more modern purpose-built facilities.
Works identified for completion at Congleton Fire Station included enhanced insulation to the roof and installation of double glazing throughout. Photovoltaics were also to be installed to allow the building to switch from gas to all electric heating.
We are pleased with the results of the refurbishment works at Congleton Fire Station. The project will allow fire and rescue teams to better serve the local community with even faster response times from a modern fire station fit for the future set within a state-of-the-art facility.
__________Justin Coleman, Wates Smartspace
Spotlight on the floor
Fire engines in the UK can vary in weight depending on the model and equipment used, but typically weigh between 14 and 18 tonnes when fully loaded. That’s a whole lot of rolling load on the surface of the floor, not to mention in one of the most heavily trafficked areas of the fire station.
As such, flooring in appliance bays – where the fire engines are housed, but also serviced and washed – needs to be extremely tough, durable, slip resistant in wet service conditions and resistant to chemical exposure. Prior to works commencing on site, Vebro Polymers was invited to tour the facility alongside both Wates and David Trowler Associates to survey the existing flooring surface and make recommendations for a suitable floor-build-up.
From initial inspection the pre-existing terrazzo tiles were struggling to sustain the pressures of the service criteria being imposed upon them. Although in a reasonable condition and showing a strong bond to the underlying concrete substrate, cracks and signs of impact damage were visible in several locations across the floor.
The bulk of the cracking had occurred over heating pipes within the concrete slab – underneath the terrazzo tiles. Other cracks were visible where the main point loads were being imposed on the floor predominantly around and beneath the fire engine tyres. This could also be seen at both entrance and exit thresholds.
Another issue noted during the initial site survey, was the tiles’ smooth surface profile, which would be prone to becoming slippery when wet, posing a slip, trip risk for those using the station.
From slip-car tests conducted on site, it was clear that the terrazzo tiles installed within this station did not meet either BS Standards or UKSRG Standards for slip resistance in wet conditions, which calls for a minimum slip resistance requirement in the wet of >36 PTV (Pendulum Test Value).
While the terrazzo tiles likely recorded a PTV of 36 when initially laid, it is considering the wear
of the slip resistance over time. Therefore, the slip resistance should be specified at a minimum of 10% more than what is required, to allow for degradation of the surface profile over time.
The client was also advised that alternative cleaning methods and processes to those currently deployed on the terrazzo tile flooring would be required to clean and maintain a textured resin flooring system, which they seemed happy to oblige.
After a successful tender process, MJF were contracted to project manage and carry out the installation of the vebrospeed Quartz SR system at Congleton Fire Station alongside other stations involved in the roll-out.
This involved the removal, repair and preparation of the existing tiles prior to the installation of the vebrospeed Quartz SR flooring system within a live, operational emergency response environment.
The successful installation of MMA flooring is often considered a dark art. The material cures very quickly and requires impeccable floor preparations to ensure a high-quality finish.
MJF’s extensive experience and training – not only in the application of MMA flooring but also in programming and project management were critical skills that were brought to the project, without which could have proved disastrous to the overall outcome.
Flooring in appliance bays – where the fire engines are housed, but also serviced and washed – needs to be extremely tough, durable, slip resistant in wet service conditions and resistant to chemical exposure.
The prospect of a facility shutdown or a tight opening deadline can often be a daunting one. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) flooring can achieve results that are not possible with other resin systems which is why they are widely used in airports, kitchens, leisure facilities, fast food outlets, supermarkets, and emergency services facilities that have limited or no shutdown capacity.
The vebrospeed Quartz SR system from Vebro Polymers was specified and ultimately installed by the MJF Specialist Flooring team across two appliance bays and adjacent utility areas at the newly refurbished Congleton Fire Station.
The system, based on MMA (methyl methacrylate) chemistry is a multi-layer, fast-drying flooring system which sees decorative quartz broadcast to excess across a self-smoothing MMA bodycoat to a textured, slip resistant finish that can achieve a PTV value of >40 in wet service conditions.
The system offers several benefits to the end user client: most notably its fast return to service.
With each layer ready to overcoat just 60 minutes following application, meaning that installation can take places in the smallest of downtime windows, making it an excellent solution in live refurbishment scenarios.
Other advantages of the system include its seamless, easy-clean properties, high compressive strength, excellent scratch resistance, decorative appearance and slip-resistant, profiled finish – safeguarding emergency service workers underfoot.
The system was installed over an area totalling just shy of 150 square metres and took a crew of five a total of seven days to complete.
We’re delighted to support and invest in local communities through our fire station refurbishment programme. We are very much looking forward to the next phase and to continue giving back to the local community.
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Scott Camp, Wates Smartspace
