Housing in Southern Africa October-November 2016

October/November 2016

Floors & Walls

aint-Gobain Weber share in-

sights into the popular use of

floor screeds, a unique flooring

style, which brings flair and function

to any space and achieves the ‘Indus-

trial Chic’ look that is highly sought

after globally and seems to be gaining

traction in South Africa.

Weber brings you one step closer

to achieving this easily with its com-

prehensive range of flooring solutions

for the residential markets. Products

include surface preparation of a floor

before application, various floor

screed options as well as sealers and

cleaners.

Saint-GobainWeber recommend a

screed that is typically self-levelling

and fast drying, designed to provide

anuncompromisedunderlayment for

any finished floor. Using the Weber

WB300 underlay self-levelling screed

before tiles, carpets or vinyl is ap-

plied, will extend the life and improve

the performance of the finished floor.

A Weber Design Floor screed can

get you as close as possible to a

through colour finished floor, which

has become a firm favourite in the

contemporary residential market.

Its continuous appearance makes

them ideal for open-plan layouts

where various areas of the home will

flow seamlessly into one another.

Politerm blu is added during appli-

cation and will improve the room’s

ambient temperaturemaking it warm

in winter and cool in summer. The is

available in various colours to suit

almost any space.

Screeds are rapidly being adopted

as an alternative flooring option. “At

Weber we want to partner with in-

dustry professionals from the onset

of the design of the space to be able

to create beautiful flooring. We offer a

turnkey flooring solution, sharing our

knowledge of market research out-

comes and international trends when

it comes to selecting the right prod-

uct for the desired finish,” explains

Ramielle De Jager, Product Manager

Flooring at Saint-Gobain Weber.

For further information on Saint-

GobainWeber’s comprehensive range

of tile adhesives, grouts, surface

preparations and flooring solu-

tions visit

www.weber-tylon.co.za

call 08600 WEBER (93237) or email

ramielle.dejager@saint-gobain.com

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Contemporary flooring solutions

When it comes to designing a space, it’s important to consider the

flooring options available today.

oogertman + Partners pre-

sented ‘Innovation in Afford-

able Housing’ at the recent

International Housing Solutions 8

annual conference at Johannesburg

Country Club. Murray James from

Boogertman + Partners offered an

insight into the building envelope –

particularly windows, floors and

roofs.

There are a lot of options, brick

and concrete, lightweight wall sys-

tems, steel frame and polystyrene.

There is a perception in the market-

ing that lightweight wall systems

offer less security and associate the

product with dry walling. Typically

householders do the ‘knock test’ and

although it is accepted overseas lo-

cally there have been challenges.

“We have some way to gowhere in

the entry level and aspirational per-

ception – less security – some of the

systems have suppliers and preferred

installer. If the supplier doesn’t meet

what is expected and there is limited

skills training on the product then

brickbasedandblockbasedproducts

are probably what we are going to be

stuck with in the residential market.”

Everite has started up manufac-

turing its solid easy to construct its

flexible on site and doesn’t require

any further skills or specialist in-

stallers, construction times quicker,

gypsum skim coat and that time

based saving has a knock on effect

the cost of financing the construc-

tion period. Anything we can do to

pull back the construction time, pulls

back the overall costs.” The Hebel

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC)

has gained considerable share of the

international construction market.

It offers a combination of strength,

light-weight, thermal insulation,

sound absorption, fire resistance and

ease of construction. The structural

material is approximately onequarter

the weight of conventional concrete,

composed of minute cells which

give the material light weight and

high thermal insulation properties.

It is available as blocks and pre-cast

reinforced units for roofs, floors, walls

and lintels. The naturally smooth sur-

face only requires a skim coat finish

and eliminates the needs to plaster.

Although a 10mmconventional plas-

ter can be done, internally walls only

require a gypsum skim coat.

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The building envelope