A variety of Bostik subfloor preparation products have been specified for the redevelopment of Dunstable Leisure Centre and Library, enabling optimal installation of various flooring types despite wet conditions to facilitate the smooth running of the project.
The £20.1m project by Central Bedfordshire Council has transformed the old Dunstable Leisure Centre into a state-of-the-art community space that caters for the town’s growing population and features a gym and swimming pool, as well as a creche, a café, and a library.
Wates Construction was appointed to carry out the partial demolition and reconstruction of the site, and selected Westcotes Flooring to install the building’s soft and sports flooring — a task that required around 3,500m² of material, including rubber, carpet tiles, LVT, vinyl, timber, entrance matting and specialist sports flooring. To get the best possible results on the subfloors, Westcotes turned to Bostik.
Always on call
In the early stages of the flooring installation, Bostik’s technical team visited the site numerous times, carrying out site surveys to determine the quality of the subfloor and what kinds of contaminants were present. They compiled this information into reports and submitted them to Westcotes, helping to determine how each area would be treated.
These site surveys — carried out everywhere from the offices, to the library, to the swimming pool viewing area — involved using Tramex meters to determine how much moisture was present in the floors, before placing hygrometers in the wettest areas.
“Ideally, Bostik would only have done one or two site visits, but because this is a refurb and different areas have become accessible at different times, it’s been necessary to get them here four or five times,” explained Carl Harper, one of two Managing Directors at Westcotes Flooring. “This hasn’t caused any problems and they’ve come at short notice every time we’ve needed them, submitting their reports promptly. This has allowed us to make decisions quickly, which is really helpful on a project of this size.”
Prepared for anything
The results of the surveys revealed that most areas of the site were wet — above 75% RH — but the levels of moisture varied. For example, the treatment rooms were relatively dry and therefore straightforward, while the martial arts studio showed such high levels of water and plaster contamination that the Bostik team was confronted by puddles upon first entering the room.
Consequently, a range of products was required to prepare all the subfloors to the ideal standard. For the drier floors, Bostik recommended its Screedmaster Rapid DPM with Screedmaster Flow smoothing compound over the top. Its stronger Screedmaster One Coat Membrane with Universal Primer and Screedmaster Smooth, meanwhile, was the right approach for the wetter areas.
Other areas on site required Bostik’s specialist smoothing compound, Screedmaster Deep, due to the height levels in the floors being incorrect. Screedmaster Deep can be applied between 5mm and 50mm in a single step, so is ideal when working on uneven floors.
“Bostik was able to suggest the right solution for every application,” commented Carl. “The quality of each product is shown by how well they’ve worked with the wide range of flooring materials on the project, from rubber, to carpet tiles, to ground-sprung sports flooring. Product, as always, is underwritten by the manufacturer. They produce their report, we stick to it, and we then underwrite it to Wates. That’s key.”
A long-running relationship
The project continued a 20-year relationship between the companies, which has led to Bostik becoming a key part of Westcotes’ supply chain. When Westcotes was appointed to install the soft flooring and sports flooring on the project, it was therefore natural for Carl to turn to Bostik and its Technical Service Consultant, James Rosher.
“I can make a call and I know James will deliver every time, on specifications and turning things around,” said Carl. “You can’t always be proactive, sometimes you need to be reactive — and that’s where Bostik is so flexible.
“It’s Bostik’s technical back-up that makes them truly stand out. Technical back-up is massively important these days, knowing that two or three years down the line, should problems arise for any reason, Bostik will be there to support us and help us sort it out.”
