SITUATION:
Tottenham Court Road London Underground Station opened as part of the Central London Railway on 30th July 1900. Today, due to its location in the capital, it connects over 150,000 passengers daily around London, and this is expected to increase to over 200,000 when Cross Rail serves the station in 2018. The design required DMC Contracts Ltd to complete a full wall and floor tiling installation including bespoke made precast skirtings and treads for stairs and walkways.
CHALLENGES:
- High bond strength was required to cope with the passing train vibrations and heavy foot traffic
- Underground location made moisture-resistant materials key
SOLUTION:
The installation process comprised of breaking back to the existing substrate, making repairs where required using ARDEX repair mortars and screeds and installing Expamet Riblath. London Underground Limited recommends the use of EXPAMET 267 Stainless Steel Riblath. The metal sheets are ideal for use in refurbishments of damaged, deteriorated walls. They also provide a secure sound background for the underground environment. ARDEX AM 100 was applied to the Riblath, which were all profiled to suit the natural curve of the wall. ARDEX AM 100 provided a smooth surface, to required levels, ready for tiling in just two hours. ARDEX X 78 MICROTEC was used because of its extremely high bond strength and semi-pourable properties, which help the tile fixers achieve solid bed fixing tile while also speeding up the installation process for the floor tiles. ARDEX X 77 MICROTEC was used on the walls because of it is resistant to moisture ingress and has high bond strength to cope with the vibrations from passing trains and heavy trafficking of the passages and platforms.
Dave McCartney, Chief Executive of DMC Contracts Ltd. commented, “We have a long standing relationship with ARDEX UK and have worked for many years with their team in developing designs and completing a number of major projects across the UK to the satisfaction of our clients.” Paul Forrester, ARDEX Business Development Manager said, “Since the opening of the Underground Station it has seen many modifications over the years and this project has been the biggest yet. The main benefits for DMC using ARDEX products were not only the rapid drying times and strength of the finished product, but also the technical onsite support we can offer at every stage of the project.”
PARTICIPANTS:
Contractors:
- DMC Contracts Ltd.
- Taylor Woodrow BAM Nuttall
