The slow recovery in output from house builders, coupled with the continuing demographic pressures of a rising UK population, has made the need to refurbish existing stock more crucial than ever; especially across the affordable housing sector.
Councils and housing associations, together with their specialist contracting partners, are seeking to maximise occupancy rates by tackling void turnaround as quickly as possible, and by upgrading occupied stock – normally with tenants still in occupation. The latter situation therefore means that fast track flooring solutions have become an absolute essential to minimise disruption for residents.
Where areas like kitchens and corridors have to be re-laid within a single day, contractors can utilise Tremco’s SX500 two-component Rapid Drying Smoothing Compound as part of an integrated approach, which can further feature the company’s ES600 Moisture Vapour Suppressant and allied adhesives.
Importantly, SX500 is moisture-tolerant while the smoothing compound’s EC1 compliant, OPC free formulation and 40% recycled content make it ideal for environmentally considerate projects. In use, the 22 kg bags of dry powder are mixed with the 4.4 kg of activating liquid - using a slow paddle to achieve a consistent colour - then spread with a trowel and spiked roller. The surface can be walked on after just half an hour and floorcoverings installed in 90 minutes.
This incredibly rapid process can be viewed in a three-minute video on either YouTube or our website illustrating how SX500 Rapid Drying Smoothing Compound’s relevance to locations such as shops, hospitals, schools and other time sensitive projects, as well as housing.
Planned and responsive maintenance, together with Decent Homes Plus type programmes continue to account for a very large proportion of RSLs’ budgets, while the private RMI sector is equally buoyant. Across all such work, contractors have to be able to rely on manufacturers who can offer them high performance, user-friendly products which have been formulated to respect environmental issues; and that combine to create compatible system solutions. Tremco’s SX500 is such a product.