Designed as a ready-to-use grout, Sika’s Block Paving fix provides a professional finish for all types of block paving.

The grout is swept into all joint widths and sealed by soaking with water. It dries to a hard cured, durable finish that resists weed growth and protects the surface from moisture.

Featuring its redesigned Premier range, Coram has produced a new brochure bringing together all of its shower enclosures and bath screen ranges. As well as the Premier range, the new design includes the Optima range of shower enclosures and Coram’s Waterguard shower trays and leak-free bath screens.

Designed to make identifying the right showering solution a speedy process, the brochure includes all the latest contemporary designs including the new 1000mm bi-fold door enclosure from the Premier range and the new square shaped bath screen.

Easipoint’s pumpable hydraulic lime mortar will provide an authentic finish for the restoration of ancient walls. Around one tonne of the company’s Restoration Mortar was used during remedial works to the walls of Clitheroe Castle in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley. Over 100m2 of sandstone walling was restored at the Norman castle using the lime mortar combined with Trent pea grit. The mortar met the need for a traditional lime-based material and offered the advantage of gun injection, which enabled the filling of substantial voids in the stonework ad joints up to 25mm wide.

Claimed to save up to 25% of energy costs compared to conventional sheets, Bayer Sheet Europe’s Makrolon multi uv 4-wall sheets are suitable for tunnel-shaped roofs, industrial buildings, sports facilities, greenhouses and swimming pools. The translucent construction material is 8mm thick and has a heat transfer coefficient of 2.76 W/m2K. The low weight sheets can be easily installed on large surfaces with light substructures and, thanks to their cold bending properties, they can be used on tunnel shaped roofs.

Addastone Surface Protector from Addagrip is a heavy duty surface protection for any porous surfaces. It will protect all Addastone resin bonded surfaces as well as surfaces such as stonework, patios, block paving slabs, pedestrian areas, car parks and garage floors.

One application is all that is needed to protect a surface for between two and ten years. It prevents chewing gum adhering as well as moss, lichen and algae forming and protects surfaces from liquids including oil, diesel, coffee and water ingress.

An environmentally safe brickwork protection has been introduced by Geocel. The EcoChem silicone brick water seal waterproofs and protects brickwork from damp and frost damage. Available in five litre containers and applied in one coat, it maintains bricks’ looks for allow the bricks to breathe and keep their integrity for years. No safety equipment is required to use the protection – not even gloves – as it is silicone rather than solvent based.

One of the toughest plasterboards on the market, Knauf Denseshield has shed some weight. This makes it easier to work with – but it still provides the same impact resistance for busy areas such as corridors and stairwells.

Knauf Drywall has reformulated and improved its mustard-faced Denseshield – reducing the weight of the 12.5mm product by 0.8kg/m2 and the 15mm board by 1.1kg/m2.

The new Knauf Denseshield is easier to handle on site – and to fix. Its new formulation makes the board easy to screw through, and the newly introduced, easy to recognise, zinc coated Denseshield screws make installation simple.

Balconies and cantilever construction elements are responsible for some of the most significant heat loss from a building. When building a balcony it is worth considering using a thermal break as a counter measure against heat loss and the risk of mould and damp.

Schock offer the Isokorb, an integral, load bearing, part of the structure that insulates internal and external components from each other – stopping the chance for heat loss and thermal bridging. It is claimed to be the only product of its type that allows thermally efficient connections between concrete-to-concrete, concrete-to-steel and steel-to-steel.

Wolf Systems have produced the first floor system in Europe to gain European Technical approval as well as Robust Detail approval.

Using the easi-joist metal web floor system will mean it is possible to prove compliance with Part E regulations without the need for pre-completion testing.

Robust Standard Detail (EFT3) separates floors in timber frame construction, particularly in flatted developments, which confirms the strength and suitability of easi-joist beams in this form of construction.

Designed for use in sensitive fenestration projects where a traditional steel window appearance is required, a new window profile is now available from all Steel Window Association members.
The EB24 complies with Approved Document L of the Building Regulations with a thermal efficiency U value of 1.8W/m2k. The window has been tested successfully to BS6375, and also meets the requirements of BS7950, so security is assured.

Frames are manufactured with corner joints mitred, welded and dressed square flat with 24mm insulated glass units. A wide selection of handles, locks, catches, stays and openers are available

Teal’s range of portable hot water hand wash units provide an instant solution for conformity to tougher welfare at work regulations for construction sites.

The compact unit is 25% smaller than any other model, Teal says, and provides enough hot water for 10 thorough hand washes in any location, including onsite or on the move.
The Handeman can be fitted inside or outside a vehicle and is ‘battery safe’. For in cab use there is a version fitted with a plug suitable for the cigarette lighter socket. Completely self contained, it features a Waste-Safe that retains all the dirty water for disposal at the end of the day.

Idealcombi has introduced an insulating bridge, to sit between the aluminium cladding and timber frame, in order to enhance the warm technology employed in its composite windows.

This will improve the overall performance of the complete window by 0.1W/m²K. This means, based on a 1230mm x 1480mm size, that a standard frame window glazed with 2 x 4mm low energy sealed unit will have a u-value for the whole window of 1.4W/m²K.

Ideal for insulating the walls of basements and other below ground structures, Perimate from Dow Chemicals is designed to be an easy to install board offering good thermal performance.
Made from Styrofoam, it will provide both effective insulation and protection to the waterproof membrane and assist drainage through its dovetail grooves.

The boards’ long edges are shiplapped to allow continuity of installation and a thin layer of filter fabric, bonded to the surface of the Perimate board, prevents soil particles from blocking the channels.

For fast installation it is stuck to the tanking membrane using ‘insta-stik’ one-part polyurethane adhesive.

To make the installation of underfloor heating more simple, Devi has introduced the Devimat with a new, stronger adhesive. Developed with adhesive tape manufacturer Tesa, the company says that no other product can offer this level of adhesion.

It is laid within the thickness of the adhesive, rather than set with a screed, and has adhesive on both sides, ensuring it remains in place.

The mats are designed to offer high mechanical strength and, as the cables are fitted with an aluminium sheath connected to earth, no extra time or money needs to be spent installing an earth to a metal grid.

A new decking tile has been launched by Icopal as a natural and lightweight alternative to concrete or stone.

Roofgard TerraDek is uv resistant and protected from attack by micro-organisms and insects for ten years. The tiles feature a grooved anti-slip upper surface and chamfered edges. They can also be coloured and easily cut to size and shape.

The Roofgard paving support system that they sit on will create a fully-supported and stable raised paving area, terrace, walkway or balcony. It can be adjusted to overcome differences in height and roof levels and allows services to remain in place and hidden from sight.

Geocel, Dow Corning’s sealants and adhesives division, has launched a professional grade range of building chemicals. The Geochem range will cover the demands of any building project, the company claims.

The chemicals have been developed to be easy to use, effective, straightforward and failsafe. They feature no-nonsense product names, eye-catching packaging and comprehensive user support. The range includes bulding admixtures, surface treatments and dressings, tiling products, decorating sundries, tiling products, decorating sundries, bitumen and roofing adhesives, mastics and sundries

Research by Wavin Plastics has revealed that more than a third of house buyers would include under floor heating (UFH) in their top five wish list of luxury items when buying a home.

Ecological building product supplier Natural Building Technologies offers a thermally efficient and breathable range of thin bed solid wall systems. The company claims that ThermoPlan offers a faster construction time than any other block based building system.
There are four systems in the range, all of which are based on blocks manufactured using a clay-based material formulated to produce a strong, micro-porous structure. They have been designed as thin bed solutinos, which means each joint should be fast to build. This is because the blocks only require 1mm bed joints and feature dry interlocking vertical joints, reducing drying out time.
The four systems in the range are ThermoPlan Render, Clad, Plus and Plus Cad. Each offer different levels of thermal efficiency and exterior finish options.

Suitable for roof gardens or patio areas above a room, Delta-Terraxx is a protection and drainage system from Delta Membrane Systems.

With a dimpled sheet and a fused-on geotextile it will form an effective drainage layer. Under a covering of gravel, chippings or soil, the geotextile keeps the dimple structure from being clogged up by sludge, ensuring any excess water is drained away effectively.
Featuring a self-sealing edge the dimpled sheet should be easy to install, while its smooth backing makes sure that any loads are evenly distributed across the waterproof surface.

Finnjoist, the fully engineered I-joist from Finnforest, has been incorporated into Donaldson Timber Engineering's new structural insulated roofing system.
Fully TRADA certified and NHBC approved, the insulated panel construction enables safety and time savings as well as affording low u-values. It does not require purlins, while its design and loading performance offers no length restrictions.
It has already been trialled by Persimmon who found that the roof could be assembled and installed on a two-storey house in one day.

Finforest, supplier of timber products, offer Meta, a contemporary range of fence panels.
The Garden Inspirations range incorporates wood and aluminium, stained a rich brown colour, for a modern feel. They are available in three sizes: 90 x 180cm, 180 x 90cm and 180 x 180cm.
The panels are designed with a slatted configuration, yet when used as part of a fence run the rear is enclosed to offer total privacy. To complete the contemporary look the panels can be paired with either pewter or pyramid post caps.
The range is available with the option of an angular garden planter and an architectural arbour with integrated seating.

Marley Plumbing and Drainage offer what it describes as a robust flow control device for stormwater management.
Used as part of an attenuation scheme, Flowloc controls the rate at which water is discharged to a surface water drain or watercourse. This helps meet the outflow rates set by the Environment Agency, Local Authority or water companies.
Available in six pre-set flow rates - from 2l/s to 15l/s - the flow control allows a near constant discharge rate to be set. The device is installed within a durable chamber base and features a quick release mechanism that allows easy access for maintenance.
The chamber base can be used independently upstream as a 600mm silt trap to protect attenuation or infiltration tanks from debris and salt.

Sika's 'advanced technology' (AT) range of adhesives is designed to bond or seal any type of substrate.
Formulated using a new polymer, the AT range of products are designed to feature non-sag properties even at high temperatures. Highly durable, they don't yellow and are weather and uv resistant.
The range includes SikaBond AT-Universal (bonds a range of interior and exterior substrates), SikaBond AT-Metal (designed for metal facades, roof sections, coverings, seams and metal sheets) and Sikaflex AT-Connection (particularly suitable for window and door perimeters).

Safety Legs, Zarges' latest ladder safety product will increase the stability of most leaning ladders, combination ladder or step ladder. The aluminium ladder stability system will improve safety by increasing the base width of the ladder or stepladder.
For a ladder or stepladder a pair of telescopic legs is bolted to the stile sides, while the larger Safety Legs will fit all two and three-part ladders.
Once the Safety Legs are attached to the ladder they pull out from the retaining clamp and can be extended by twisting. Rubber feet 'self-level' on the ground and the legs are locked by a further twist.

Knauf Futurepanel, a premium plasterboard with a core of 10% recycled gypsum, combines sound and fire resistance with 'green' credentials.
The 10kg/m2 board can be used as a substitute for standard Wallboard in partition and lining specifications, giving identical or better system performance. It is compatable with all Knauf Drywall lining partition systems and is made in standard 1,200mm widths and 2,400mm lengths.
The boards are 12.5mm thick with tapered edges, and at 10kg/m2 offers good impact resistance.

Protecting from rain, damp, and frost damage, the EcoChem Silicone Water Seal will shield brickwork from the elements.
Claimed to be the UK's first range of 'environmentally safe' brick care products from Geocel, the range will maintain bricks looks without discolouring them. It is uv stable and because its silicone content allows the substrate to breathe it will keep the bricks healthy and maintain their integrity.
Applied in a single coat, it is safe to use without safety equipment - even gloves aren't required. IT is also safe to handle, store, transport and dispose of and its odour-free formulation makes it suitable for indoors and out.

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Four blocklayers laid 740 Celcon blocks together with 300 coursing units during a single day to enable Tony Smith of Hortus Infinitus to win a gold medal for his stand at the Hampton Court Flower Show.
Using the thin-joint system's quick setting mortar the walls were strong enough to bear drilling of the large holes required by the same afternoon.
The concept of the stand was a representation of a digestive tract. Called 'In Digestion' the structure consisted five walls of Celcon blocks each with a large hole through the middle. These were lined with carniverous plants and surrounded by a carpet of four million lettice seedlings.

related internet links
aircrete advantages
product range
Hampton Court Flower Show

Featuring a sliding door to cater for those nervous of door-less showering, Roman's new Freedom Slide shower enclosure is a new take on the walk-in shower enclosure.
Designed to match the dimensions of a standard UK bath, the enclosure features a smooth-action sliding door to create a capsule style drying area. This ensures the area around the shower enclosure is kept splash-free.
The low level tray of the enclosure comes with an integrated duckboard which sits in the drying area of the shower enclosure. It is designed for minimal set up and mirrors the modern wetroom look. The self reinforcing nature of the tray also allows it to be placed directly onto the joists and then tiled up to, creating near level access.

related internet links:
Freedom Slide

Designed for those jobs where hollow fixings are required but access is only available from one side, two new sizes of Jacktie have been introduced by C & E Scaffolding.
The tool provides a method of securing to cladded steelwork, hollow section steel structures or rolled steel joists. Originally only available in 25mm, it can now be specified in 20mm and 14mm sizes for use as a temporary or permanent fixing.
Ideally suited to the safety net industry, the tool provides an alternative to fixing to steelwork. Traditionally safety nets are tied to steelwork with rope, but when this is not possible the new 20mm Jacktie can be fixed into steelwork or purlins to provide an anchor point for securing the nets.
The new sizes make the tool suitable for any structure with limited access, as long as there is a steel purlin.

Related internet links:
Jacktie website