IKO PLC was contracted to work alongside ENGIE, John Hill Associates, and Tucker Tunstalls to provide important waterproofing and slip-resistant solutions for The Oval in Conisbrough using their Mastic Asphalt solutions. Managed by St Ledger Homes, the development includes around 97 flats and bungalows populated by residents of 60 years and older.
Due to the vulnerable nature of the residents, IKO Plc was brought in to help improve safety and sustainability across the development’s balconies with our revolutionary waterproofing solutions.
One of the requirements of the project was to improve the slip resistance of the various balconies around the development as well as to mitigate pre-existing ponding water problems that were present.
John Hill Associates worked directly with St Ledger Homes to decide upon a series of products which would not only work from a functionality perspective, but could also be applied quickly, safely, and efficiently.
Ultimately both parties decided upon IKO Permaphalt, a Mastic Asphalt waterproofing and surfacing solution, along with IKO Permascreed and IKO Polimar FCS as the ideal products for the task.
IKO Permaphalt is known for its durability, temperature stability, and fatigue resistance, but what also drew John Hill Associates towards the solution was its ease of installation.
As a populated social housing development, it was integral to St Ledger Homes that the solution could be applied in a fast and efficient manner to avoid incremental costs which could have been required to accommodate for ongoing resident needs and any potential arising safety hazards.
Thanks to the use of advanced polymer technology, IKO Permaphalt cools very fast and it is amongst the easiest to install on the market.
Jon O’Neill, Director of John Hill Associates, detailed: “The biggest challenge we faced was working alongside vulnerable residents. Within a social housing environment, you’ve got some individuals of an elderly or vulnerable nature, and you can’t just ‘get them out’ if something unfortunate happens.”
“It was a part of the process from the early stages to look at how we can offer a product that works, that can strip off the existing solution, and can cure quickly enough so that we wouldn’t need to remove all the residents from their homes during the process.”
“The IKO product ticked all the boxes in as it was safe, quick, and easy to install. If there had been any incidents during our time on site, then we could have got the individuals out with little effort through temporary access over the product as it was dry in about 20 minutes.”
“On projects like this, it is crucial to assess all potential scenarios. If you have to remove all the residents, such as during a fire evacuation, then you have to look at ensuring access away from the building by the residents or make sure access to the property via emergency services is always possible, safe, and quick.”
“With other alternatives, putting measures in place would be extremely costly and so the fast-curing feature of IKO Permaphalt was critical to the scheme by ensuring a safer environment for all.”
An integrated systems approach to overcome waterproofing challenges
The Oval was originally developed in 1964 and had a number of challenges specific to its age. Of particular note was the handling of drains on the development balconies, where fixed curb and threshold heights were required.
ENGIE and John Hill Associates were faced with the challenge of sitting a 55mm drain within the IKO product, along with waterproofing, which risked compromising the water integrity of the threshold originally specified.
Where other manufacturers might falter, IKO saw this challenge as an opportunity to add value to our solutions and applied our extensive expertise in waterproofing to develop a bespoke system.
IKO collaborated with Tucker Tunstalls to propose an alternative, two-part waterproof coating which could integrate each of the IKO products, concrete deck, and drain channel.
The bespoke system was rigorously tested and showcased to John Hill Associates who subsequently applauded the ingenuity of the solution and its seamless application.
Simon Downey, Area Business Manager at IKO Group PLC, explained: “The introduction of the linear channel to the outside of the walkway effectively set the minimum height from which the falls would be taken. With no ability to raise the door thresholds, this channel detail became the datum.”
“Instead of replacing the normal two coat 20mm thick Mastic Asphalt, an IKO Polimar FCS detailing was used. This reduced the film thickness to approximately 2mm, minimising the upstand height at the door thresholds by 18mm.”
“The product offer encompassed the best of all materials to ensure that the client gets the best solution which is covered under IKO’s 20-year materials and workmanship warranty.”
“Feedback on the project has been incredibly positive for all those involved. The work not only showcases the potential of IKO Permaphalt, IKO Permascreed and IKO Polimar FCS but also signals a continued relationship with John Hill Associates going forward, with other challenging projects already underway.”
To learn more about how our products and how we can overcome common waterproofing challenges, get in touch with a member of the IKO team.
