Palace Aid National Development Centre
Top-flight Welsh footballers are now honing their skills at the Football Association of Wales’ National Development Centre in Wrexham, North Wales following its recent completion.
Work started on the scheme last August and the complex was expected to be open by the start of the summer. Palace Chemicals products were used throughout the centre after Palace’s client and contractor, West Bank Tiles and Bathrooms, based in Wrexham, was chosen to provide the flooring at the venture. Dominic White, West Bank Tiles and Bathrooms’ Director and Contracts Manager, said 300 metres of natural slate and porcelain slate tiles were used on the job, which covers areas including a reception, hall, and changing rooms. The centre will benefit Welsh football nationally and locally by delivering accessible and high-class training facilities for talented young players and the wider football workforce in North Wales. The development includes two grass pitches, a FIFA quality 3G pitch and off-pitch support facilities, including activation areas, learning suites and changing facilities.
Eight tilers from West Bank Tiles and Bathrooms worked on the scheme, starting in March and finishing mid-May. West Bank Tiles and Bathrooms used 50 tubs of Palace’s 1-Coat DPM to stop any moisture coming through from the concrete base and wetting the adhesive. Palace 1-Coat DPM is a single coat application, two-component surface damp proof membrane and vapour suppressant supplied in an easy-to-mix dual chamber pack based upon a solvent-free epoxy resin formulation, suitable for interior and exterior applications. West Bank Tiles and Bathrooms also used 50 bags and bottles of Palace Flow-Level, to smooth out the floor. This two-part floor levelling compound is ideal for use when preparing sub-floors to receive decorative floor coverings where it is essential that the smoothest possible level surface finish is achieved prior to laying finishes such as ceramic tiles.
Palace’s Easi-Flex wall and floor adhesive, and Multi-flex adhesive were used to fix the tiles. Easi-Flex is an easy-to-use standard setting adhesive for fixing ceramic tiles, mosaics, marble and natural stone to solid impermeable floors and 15mm plywood overlay. Available in white or grey, it gives a four-hour working time before curing at 24 hours to a fully water-resistant bond suitable for interior/exterior use and locations which are frequently wet. Its long open time and excellent non-slip properties make it the perfect choice for fixing large format wall tiles in circumstances where a ready mixed adhesive would not be suitable. Multi-Flex is a fast-setting cement-based, highly polymer modified, thin-bed ceramic tile adhesive, recommended for fixing all types of ceramic and porcelain floor and wall tiles, including natural stone, mosaics, porcelain and vitrified tiles in interior and exterior locations.
It is ideally suited for application onto timber panels, plywood, waterproof composite boards (18mm exterior grade chipboard) and impermeable surfaces. Multi-Flex gives improved flexural strength, water-resistance and is advised for applications over sub-floor heating. The white version is especially suited to fixing light coloured natural stone or marble. White, whose business was founded in 1970, said the job had been “smooth-sailing”, particularly from using Palace Chemicals products. “We have used Palace’s products for the past two to three years.” He added that the Flow-Level, in particular, was “brilliant” as it was “really easy to use, mixes really well and gives a nice, smooth finish.” “We do quite a lot of commercial projects, but to be associated with something like this, and to be trusted with such a large part of a project like this, is really nice,” concluded White.
Click here to learn more about Easi-flex and here for Multi-Flex.
