H & M Swindon
Over the years, CSC Screeding has undertaken a wide variety of screeding and underfloor heating projects, each with its own particular complexities and challenges. Recently, we have successfully completed another project: the screeding of a new H&M flagship store, in The Parade.
Located in the heart of Swindon, The Parade entices shoppers with many renowned household names, including Marks & Spencer, Fraser, and Debenhams. Since H&M couldn’t miss the opportunity to be in line with the most famous fashion brands, the executive team decided to turn an existing retail unit into a single-storey “splendour”.
As the main contractor, Prime Construction – a UK leading construction company that usually undertakes large-scale, luxury projects – hired us to install an 80 mm screed in a 900 sq.m. area, on the ground floor, and a 40 mm screed in an 850 sq.m area, on the first floor. Needless to say, the screed had to meet the highest quality standards with regard to flatness, levelness, and soundness.
Materials, ready to go
Additionally, our client required the project to be completed within one week. Considering the short time frame, our experts chose one of the best fast-drying screeds available today. This screed formulation not only enables accelerated hardening and drying, allowing light foot traffic to proceed after only 12 hours, but also is suitable for a variety of floor finishes, ranging from stone to carpet.
The first phase of the project involved the mechanical preparation of the concrete slab through shot blasting or scabbling – a process in which the concrete surface is roughened so that a well-bonded, good-performing topping is achieved. For superior adhesion, the screed was fully bonded to the base with Isocrete M-Bond Extra (an epoxy resin with excellent bonding and damp proofing characteristics), on the ground floor, and SBR Slurry (a polymer-modified bonding agent), on the first floor.
To ensure that the sub-floor can withstand the loads and traffic expected in the store, we decided to use polypropylene fibres, which give screeds extra toughness and superior shrinkage, cracking, and impact resistance.
Confident in the screed’s ability to deliver a flat, level, solid sub-floor within a short time frame, our specialists conducted a:
- BRE Drop Hammer test with a 4kg weight, which showed an indentation depth of 4mm;
- surface regularity test, which revealed a deviation of 5mm (SR2) from the straight edge;
- laser level survey, which indicated a maximum deviation of ±10mm from datum.
Since both screed layers met predetermined project specifications, the contractor was able to install the final floor finish right away.
Thrilled with the result of the first project, the H&M’s executive team recommended CSC Screeding to ITAB Europa, a leading retail fit-out specialist hired to complete their second project: the fit-out of a new H&M shop extending across three floors in The Oracle Shopping Centre in Reading.
Scabbled Floor
Our team was appointed to supply floor screeding for the purpose of levelling the sub-floor, from 25mm down to 5mm over a 60sq.m. area, and installing a 50mm screed layer in two different areas, one of 80sq.m. and the other one of 1,276 sq.m. To ensure project completion on time, on budget and according to specifications, we decided to use a fast drying floor screed This formulation is typically used in stores, hospitals, schools, and other areas where fast drying, low shrinkage, superior soundness and durability, and stable performance in service are required.
Regardless of the complexity or scale of the screeding projects we undertake at CSC Screeding, our clients will always receive an unparalleled level of service and expertise. To find out more about the art of screeding, we invite you to contact our friendly advisors at CSC Screeding