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Elmgrove House gets immaculate finish with Sika’s secret fix

16 Sep 11 Formerly the site of a disused nursing home, Elmgrove House in South East London has been redeveloped to provide 119 affordable homes.

Featuring cladding as an integral part of the £16 million development’s aesthetic, a secret fixing method was needed to provide a seamless finish free from the visible clutter of mechanical fixings. For this, specifiers turned to SikaTack Panel Adhesive from Sika, global leading manufacturer of building materials. 

Designed by Alan Camp Architects for housing and regeneration agency LHA – Asra, the 20 storey project was delivered by Galliford Try Partnerships. The building provides usable space for both public sector and commercial organisations and aims to foster a sense of community in the area. The striking concrete structure incorporates a 12 storey tower, clad in coloured panels, on top of a 6 storey timber-clad plinth. 

Specialist contractor Plastering Contractors (Stanmore) Ltd was appointed to install the extensive cladding system onto the building plinth. With the installation of fully integrated rainscreen cladding – utilising the SikaTack secret fix system – the building not only achieved the required modern aesthetic, but benefitted from improved environmental performance, achieving the Eco-Homes rating of ’Very Good’. 

The plinth is clad in ’Harmony Oak’ High Pressure Laminate, part of the Woods Décor range produced by Trespa. Fixed to a lightweight, aluminium façade support system designed by Eurofox Engineering for use with Sika Tack Panel Adhesive. These three elements of the build have been used together successfully in the past, providing outstanding levels of performance and safety. 

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After the cleaning and preparation of contact points, Stanmore operatives applied a primer to both the Trespa Panels and the Eurofox Engineering cladding supports. Powerful double-sided Sika Fixing Tape was then applied to hold panels in place temporarily whilst the SikaTack Panel Adhesive cured. Following this, the adhesive was applied to the cladding and supports, which were fixed in place to form a permanent bond. 

As well as offering a simple installation process, SikaTack Panel Adhesive has been fully tested and accredited by the British Board of Agrément (BBA) and DiBT. It has also been through rigorous testing, monitored and endorsed by the Centre for Window and Cladding Technology (CWCT) and is supported with impressive wind loading and dead weight statistics. It reduces cold bridging, and with its elastic bond also reduces the stress placed on the cladding panels by allowing them to move in line with normal building movements. 

The selection of SikaTack Panel Adhesive proved ideal at Elmgrove House, providing excellent performance and usability to deliver a stylish building that will continue to look great and perform well for many years to come. SikaTack Panel Adhesive has made itself a favourite of specifiers and installers throughout the UK for its ability to provide seamless, visually stunning exteriors.  

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MPU

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